A39682:335
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.
2. Quer. Is not your repentance and care renewed, as often as your guilt is renewed? Yea the oftener you sin the more you are troubled? it is not so in customary sinning, the rise whereof Bernard excellently discovers Lib. de Cons•. (1) (saith he) when a man p. 1109. accustomed to good sinneth grievously, it seems importable, yea he seems to descend alive into hell. (2) In process of time it seems not importable, ⟨p. 156⟩but heavy; and betwixt importable and heavy there is no small descent. (3) Next it becomes light, his conscience smites but faintly, and he feels not the stripes of it. (4) Then there is not only a total insensibleness of it, but that which was bitter and displeasing, is now become sweet and pleasing in some degree. (5) Then tis turned into custom, and not only pleases, but daily pleases. Lastly custom is turned into nature, he cannot be pulled away from it; but defends and pleads for it: this is customary sinning this is the way of the wicked; but the quite contrary is our condition.
2. Quer. Is not your repentance and care renued, as often as your guilt is renued? Yea the oftner you sin the more you are troubled? it is not so in customary sinning, the rise whereof Bernard excellently discovers Lib. de Cons•. (1) (saith he) when a man p. 1109. accustomed to good sinneth grieviously, it seems importable, yea he seems to descend alive into hell. (2) In process of time it seems not importable, ⟨p. 156⟩but heavy; and betwixt importable and heavy there is no small descent. (3) Next it becomes light, his conscience smites but faintly, and he feels not the stripes of it. (4) Then there is not only a total insensibleness of it, but that which was bitter and displeasing, is now become sweet and pleasing in some degree. (5) Then tis turned into custom, and not only pleases, but daily pleases. Lastly custom is turned into nature, he cannot be pull'd away from it; but defends and pleads for it: this is customary sinning this is the way of the wicked; but the quite contrary is our condition.