A39682:340
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. A third ground of these sad conclusions is, the excess of our affections to some creature enjoyments. I fear I love the creature more than God, and if so, my love is but hypocritical. I sometimes feel stronger, and more sensible motions of my heart to some earthly comforts, then I do to heavenly objects: therefore my Soul is not upright in me. But stay Soul,
3. A third ground of these sad conclusions is, the excess of our affections to some creature injoyments. I fear I love the creature more than God, and if so, my love is but hypocritical. I sometimes feel stronger, and more sensible motions of my heart to some earthly comforts, then I do to heavenly objects: therefore my Soul is not upright in me. But stay Soul,
(1. Quer.) May not a man love God more solidly and strongly, then the Creature, and yet his affections to the creatures be sometimes moved more violently and sensibly then toward God? as rooted malice argues a stronger hatred, then a sudden, though more violent passion; so we must measure our love, not by a violent motion of it, now and then, but by the depth of the root, and constancy of its actings: because David was so passionately moved for Absalom, •oa• concludes that if he had lived, and all the people dyed; it would have pleased him well 2 Sam. 19. 7. but that was argued more like a Soldier then a Logician.
(1. Quer.) May not a man love God more solidly and strongly, then the Creature, and yet his affections to the creatures be sometimes moved more violently and sensibly then toward God? as rooted malice argues a stronger hatred, then a sudden, though more violent passion; so we must measure our love, not by a violent motion of it, now and then, but by the depth of the root, and constancy of its actings: because David was so passionately moved for Absalom, •oa• concludes that if he had lived, and all the people dyed; it would have pleased him well