A39682:436
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.
Tis the pride, passion, and earthliness of our hearts that hath spoiled Christian ⟨p. 205⟩fellowship: whence is it? that when Christians meet, they are often jarring and contending, but only their unmortified passions: whence are their uncharitable censures of their brethren, but only from self ignorance? why are they so rigid, and unmerciful towards those that are fallen? but because they consider not themselves, as the Apostle speaks Gal. 6. 1. why is their discourse so frothy and unprofitable when they meet? is not this from the earthliness and vanity of their hearts?
My brethren, these be the things that have spoiled Christian fellowship, and made it become a dry and sapless thing; so that many Christians are even weary of it, and are ready to say with the prophet Jer. 9. 2. O that I had a Cottage in the wilderness, &c. That I might leave my people and go from them! and with David Psal. 120. 6. My soul hath long dwel• with them that hate peace: This hath made them long for the grave, that they might go from them that are not their own people, to them that are their own people, as the original of that text imports, 2 Cor. 5. 8.
My brethren, these be the things that have spoiled Christian fellowship, and made it become a dry and sapless thing; so that many Christians are even weary of it, and are ready to say with the prophet Ier. 9. 2. O that I had a Cottage in the wilderness, &c. That I might leave my people and go from them! and with David