A39682:360
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.
4. Qu. Did Jesus Christ serve me so? when for my sake he exposed himself to far greater sufferings than can be before me? His sufferings were great indeed, he suffered from all hands, in all his offices in every member, not only in his body, bu• in his Soul; yea the sufferings of his Soul, were the very Soul of his sufferings: witness the bloody sweat in the garden, witness the heart melting and heaven rending outcry upon the cr•ss, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and yet he flinched not, he endured the cross, despising the shame. Alas! what are my sufferings compared with Christs? he hath drunk up all that vinegar and gall that would make my sufferings bitter. When one of the Martyrs was asked, why he was so merry at his death? Oh said he! it is because the Soul of Christ was so heavy at his death: did Christ bear such a burden for me, with unbroken patience, and constancy? and shall I shrink back for momentary and light afflictions for him?
4. Qu. Did Iesus Christ serve me so? when for my sake he exposed himself to far greater sufferings than can be before me? His sufferings were great indeed, he suffered from all hands, in all his offices in every member, not only in his body, bu• in his Soul; yea the suff•rings of his Soul, were the very Soul of his sufferings: witness the bloody sweat in the garden, witness the heart melting and heaven rending outcry upon the cr•ss, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and yet he flinched not, he endured the cross, despising the shame. Alas! what are my sufferings compared with Christs? he hath drunk up all that vinegar and gall that would make my suffe•ings bitter. When one of the Martyrs was asked, why he was so merry at his death? Oh said he! it is because the Soul of Christ was so heavy at his death: did Christ bear such a burden for me, with unbroken patience, and constancy? and shall I shrink back for momentary and light affictions for him?