A39682:142
A Saint Indeed
A saint indeed: or The great work of a Christian, opened and pressed; from Prov. 4. 23 Being a seasonable and proper expedient for the recovery of the much decayed power of godliness, among the professors of these times. By John Flavell M. of the Gospel.
London: printed by W.R., 1668
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.
7. Direct. If you can fetch no comfort from any of the former arguments, then in the last place, try whether you cannot draw some comfort out of your very trouble. Surely this trouble of yours is a good argument of your integrity; union is the ground of sympathy, if you had not some rich adventure in that ship, you would not tremble as you do when it is in danger: besides, this frame of spirit may afford you this argument, that if you be so sensible of the Churches troubles, ⟨p. 70⟩Jesus Christ is much more sensible of, and solicitous about it than you can be; and he will cast an eye of favour upon them that mourn for it, Isa. 57. 18.
7. Direct. If you can fetch no comfort from any of the former arguments, then in the last place, try whether you cannot draw some comfort out of your very trouble. Surely this trouble of yours is a good argument of your integrity; union is the ground of sympathy, if you had not some rich adventure in that ship, you would not tremble as you do when it is in danger: besides, this frame of spirit may afford you this argument, that if you be so sensible of the Churches troubles, ⟨p. 70⟩Jesus Christ is much more sensible of, and sollicitous about it than you can be; and he will cast an eye of favour upon them that mourn for it, Isa. 57. 18.
4. Season. The fourth special Season of expressing our utmost diligence in keeping our hearts is the time of danger and public distraction: in such times the best hearts are but too apt to be surprised by slavish fear, it is not easy to secure the heart against distraction in times of common destruction: if Syria be confederate with Ephraim, how do the hearts of the house of David shake, even as the trees of the wood which are shaken with the wind