A39695:235
The touchstone of sincerity, or, The signs of grace and symptoms of hypocrisy opened…The touchstone of sincerity, or, The signs of grace and symptomes of hypocrisie opened…
The touchstone of sincerity, or, The signs of grace and symptoms of hypocrisy opened in a practical treatise upon Revelations III 17, 18 being the second part of the Saint indeed / by John Flavell ...The touchstone of sincerity, or, The signs of grace and symptomes of hypocrisie opened in a practical treatise upon Revelations III 17, 18 being the second part of the Saint indeed / by John Flavell ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1698
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE Touchstone of Sincerity: OR, THE SIGNS Of GRACE, AND Symptoms o… › Chapter 4 › Section 5
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.
BUT as the fire of prosperity discovers this, and much more dross in a graceless heart; so it discovers the sincerity and grace of Gods people. I say not that it discovers nothing but grace in them. O that it did not! alas! many of them have had a great deal of dross and corruption discovered by it, as was noted before: but yet in this Trial, the graciousness and uprightness of their hearts will appear in these and such like workings of it.
BUT as the fire of prosperity discovers this, and much more dross in a graceless heart; so it discovers the sincerity and grace of Gods people. I say not that it discovers nothing but grace in them. O that it did not! alas! many of them have had a great deal of dross and corruption discovered by it, as was noted before: but yet in this Tryal, the graciousness and uprightness of their hearts will appear in these and such like workings of it.
1. First, Under prosperity, success and honour, the upright heart will labour to suppress pride, and keep it self lowly & humble▪ ⟨p. 63⟩and still the more grace there is, the more humility there will be. If God lift him up, he will lay himself low, and exalt his God high. So did Jacob when God had raised & enlarged him, Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant, for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two •ands.
1. First, Under prosperity, success and honour, the upright heart will labour to suppress pride, and keep it self lowly & humble▪ ⟨p. 63⟩and still the more grace there is, the more humility there will be. If God lift him up, he will lay himself low, and exalt his God high. So did Iacob when God had raised & enlarged him,