A39682:463
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.
I am really of his mind who said, si mihi daretur optio eligerim christiani rustici sordidissimum & maxim agreste opus prae omnibus victoriis & triumphis Alexandri au• Caesaris: might I have my wish, I would prefer the most despicable and sordid work of a rustic Christian, before all the victories and triumphs of Alexander or Cesar. Yea, let me add, before all the elaborated duties and excellent gifts of vain professors: before the tongues of men and Angels: it will signify more to my comfort to spend one solitary hour in mourning before the Lord over heart corruption, then many hours in▪ a seeming zealous, but really dead performance of common duties with the greatest enlargements and richest embellishments of parts and gifts.
I am really of his mind who said, si mihi daretur optio eligerim christiani rustici sordidissimum & maxime agreste opus prae omnibus victoriis & triumphis Alexandri au• Caesaris: might I have my wish, I would prefer the most despicable and sordid work of a rustick Christian, before all the victories and triumphs of Alexander or Cesar. Yea, let me adde, before all the elaborated duties and excellent gifts of vain professors: before the tongues of men and Angels: it will signifie more to my comfort to spend one solitary hour in mourning before the Lord over heart corruption, then many hours in▪ a seeming zealous, but really dead performance of common duties with the greatest inlargements and richest embellishments of parts and gifts.
By this very thing Christ distinguishes the formal and serious Christian, Matth. 6. 5. The one is for the street and Synagogue, for the observation and applause of men, but the other is a closet man: he drives on a home trade, a heart trade: ⟨p. 218⟩never be troubled then for the want of those things that a man may have and be eternally damned, but rather bless God for that which none but the favourites, and darlings of heaven have: many a one is now in hell that had a better head then thine, and many a one now in Heaven that complained of as bad an heart as thine.