A39682:83
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.
Sol. To this I answer, the very Objection carries in it, its own Solution: Thou sayest, do what I can, yet I cannot keep my heart with God. Soul, if thou dost what thou canst, thou hast the blessing of an upright, though God sees good to exercise thee under the affliction of a discomposed heart. There remains still some wildness in the thoughts and fancies of the best to humble them; but if you find a care before to prevent them, and opposition against them when they come, grief and sorrow afterwards; you will find enough to clear you from reigning hypocrisy. (1) This fore-care is seen partly in laying up the word in thine heart to prevent them, Psal. 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee: partly in our endeavours to engage our hearts to God, Jer. 30. 21. and partly in begging preventing grace from God in our on-sets upon duty, Psal. 119, 36. 37. 'tis a good sign where this care goes before a duty, And (2) 'tis a sweet sign of uprightness to oppose them in their first rise, ⟨p. 24⟩Psal. 119. 113. I hate vain thoughts. Gal. 5. 17. The spirit lusteth against the flesh. And (3) Thy after-grief discovers thy upright heart; if with Hezekiah thou art humbled for the evils of thy heart, thou hast no reason from these disorders to question the integrity of it; but to suffer sin to lodge quietly in the heart, to let thy heart habitually and uncontrolledly wander from God, is a sad and dangerous symptom indeed.
Sol. To this I answer, the very Objection carries in it, its own Solution: Thou sayest, do what I can, yet I cannot keep my heart with God. Soul, if thou dost what thou canst, thou hast the blessing of an upright, though God sees good to exercise thee under the affliction of a discomposed heart. There remains still some wildness in the thoughts and fancies of the best to humble them; but if you find a care before to prevent them, and opposition against them when they come, grief and sorrow afterwards; you will find enough to clear you from raigning hypocrisie. (1) This fore-care is seen partly in laying up the word in thine heart to prevent them,