A39682:407
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.
O study your hearts, watch your hearts, keep your hearts: away with fruitless controversies and idle questions, away with empty names and vain shows, away with unprofitable discourse & bold censures of others, turn in upon your selves, get into your closets, and now resolve to dwell there: you have been strangers to this work too long, you have kept others vineyards too long, you have trifled about the borders of religion too long, this world hath detained you from your great work too long; will you now resolve to look better to your hearts? will you haste and come out of the crowds of business, and clamours of the world? and retire your selves more then you have done? O that this day you would resolve upon it!
O study your hearts, watch your hearts, keep your hearts: away with fruitless controversies and idle questions, away with empty names and vain shews, away with unprofitable discourse & bold censures of others, turn in upon your selves, get into your closets, and now resolve to dwell there: you have been strangers to this work too long, you have kept others vineyards too long, you have trifled about the borders of religion too long, this world hath deteined you from your great work too long; will you now resolve to look better to your hearts? will you haste and come out of the crowds of business, and clamours of the world? and retire your selves more then you have done? O that this day you would resolve upon it!
Reader, methinks I should prevail with ⟨p. 192⟩thee; all that I beg for is but this, that thou wouldst step aside a little oftener to talk with God, and thine own heart, that thou wouldst not suffer every trifle to divert thee, that thou wouldest keep a more true and faithful account of thy thoughts and affections: that thou wouldst but seriously demand of thine own heart, at least every evening, O my heart where hast thou been to day? whether hast thou made a rode to day? if all that hath been said by way of inducement be not enough, I have yet more motives to offer you: and the first is this.