A39682:194
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.
3. Consid. If it be bad now, it might have been worse; hath God denied thee the comforts of this life? he might have denied thee Christ peace and pardon also, and then thy case had been woeful indeed. You know God hath done so to millions in the World: how many such wretched objects may your eyes behold every day, that have no comfort in hand, nor yet in hope, are miserable here, and will be so to eternity; that have a bitter cup, and nothing to sweeten it, no, not so much as any hope that it will be better. But it is not so with you, though you be poor in this World, yet rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which God hath promised, Jam. 2. 5. O learn to set spiritual riches over against temporal poverty! Balance all your present troubles with your spiritual privileges. Indeed, if God had denied your souls the Robes of Righteousness to clothe them, the hidden Manna to feed them; the heavenly Mansions to receive them, if your souls were left destitute, as well as your bodies; you might well be pensive, but this consideration hath enough to bring the considering ⟨p. 96⟩soul to rest under any outward strait. 'T was bravely said by Luther, when wa•t began to pinch him, let us be contented with our hard fare (said he) for do we not feast wi•h Angels upon Christ the bread of Life: And blessed be God (saith Paul) who ha•h abounded unto us in all spiritual blessings, Eph. 1. 3.
3. Consid. If it be bad now, it might have been worse; hath God denyed thee the comforts of this life? he might have denyed thee Christ peace and pardon also, and then thy case had been •oful indeed. You know God hath done so to millions in the World: how many such wretched objects may your eyes behold every day, that have no comfort in hand, nor yet in hope, are miserable here, and will be so to eternity; that have a bitter cup, and nothing to sweeten it, no, not so much as any hope that it will be better. But it is not so with you, though you be poor in this World, yet rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which God hath promised,