A11850:81
Christs counsel to his languishing church of SardisChrists counsell to his languishing church of Sardis
Christs counsel to his languishing church of Sardis. Or, The dying or decaying Christian, with the means and helps of his recovery and strengthening. By Obadiah Sedgwick, B. of D. late preacher to the inhabitants of S. Mildreds Bread Street, LondonChrists counsell to his languishing church of Sardis. Or, The dying or decaying Christian, with the meanes and helpes of his recovery and strengthening. By Obadiah Sedgwicke, B. of D. late preacher to the inhabitants of S. Mildreds Bredstreet, London
London: printed by Thomas for L. Fawne, 1640
CHRISTS COUNSEL to His languishing CHURCH.CHRISTS COVNSELL to His languishing CHURCH.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now this is certain, that extraordinary times of fasting and prayer, they have been blest with power from heaven to make the strongest temptation and corruption to fly, no sin is able to stand before them: and so likewise they have been blest with an answer of singular enlargement & addition to our spiritual estate: oh how cheerfully, how tenderfully, how much ⟨p. 26⟩more fully and fruitfully is thy soul enabled after those duties rightly performed? but Christians grow very strangers to these solemn duties, either totally omitting of them, or slubberlie performance of them, and therefore they get not that strength over spiritual corruptions, nor that fruitful supply to their graces, and consequently slip into dangerous languishings and decayings.
Now this is certaine, that extraordinary times of fasting and prayer, they have beene blest with power from heaven to make the strongest temptation and corruption to flye, no sinne is able to stand before them: and so likewise they have been blest with an answer of singular enlargement & addition to our spirituall estate: oh how cheerfully, how tenderfully, how much ⟨p. 26⟩more fully and fruitfully is thy soule inabled after those duties rightly performed? but Christians grow very strangers to these solemne duties, either totally omitting of them, or slubberlie performance of them, and therefore they get not that strength over spirituall corruptions, nor that fruitfull supply to their graces, and consequently slip into dangerous languishings and decayings.
7 Inactivity in our places and relations, is another cause of spiritual languishing and decaying. Simile. A lazy Christian will quickly prove a dying Christian: the Physicians do observe, that as too violent exercise overthroweth ⟨p. 27⟩health, so likewise too much rest may cause extreme sickness, because therein the superfluous humours are not carried or breathed away, and the spirits and natural heat are not stirred up to perform their proper functions.