A39682:425
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.
Professors, would you recover your credit? would you again obtain an honourable testimony in the Consciences of your very enemies? then, keep your hearts, watch your hearts: tis the looseness frothiness, and earthliness of your hearts that •ath made your lives so; and ⟨p. 200⟩this hath brought you under contempt of the world, you first lost your sights of God, and communion with him, then your heavenly and serious deportment among men; and by that, your interest in their Consciences, O then! for the credit of religion, for the honour of your profession, keep your hearts.
Professors, would you recover your credit? would you again obtain an honourable testimony in the Consciences of your very enemies? then, keep your hearts, watch your hearts: tis the loosness frothiness, and earthliness of your hearts that •ath made your lives so; and ⟨p. 200⟩this hath brought you under contempt of the world, you first lost your sights of God, and communion with him, then your heavenly and serious deportment among men; and by that, your interest in their Consciences, O then! for the credit of religion, for the honour of your profession, keep your hearts.
7. Mot. By diligence in keeping our hearts, we should prevent, and remove the fatal scandals and stumbling blocks out of the way of the world.
Woe to the world (saith Christ) because of offences, Matth. 18. 7. doth not shame cover your faces? do not your hearts bleed within you to hear of the scandalous miscarriages of many loose professors? could you not like Shem and Japheth go backward with a garment to cover the shame of many professors? how is that worthy name blasphemed? 2 James 7.