A39695:507
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 9 › Section 2
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.
O what would many a poor Christian give for satisfaction in that great point o• sincerity! how many tears have been shed to God in secret upon that account? how many hours have been spent in examination of his own heart about it, and still jealousies and fears hang upon his heart? he doubts what he may prove at last: Well, •aith God, let his sincerity then come to the test kindle the fire and cast in my gold. Trials are the high way to assurance: let my child see that he loves me more than these, that his heart is upright with me. I will try him by prosperity and by adversity; by persecutions and temptations; and he shall see his heart is better than he suspects it to be. This shall be the day of resolution to his fears and doubts.
O what would many a poor Christian give for satisfaction in that great point o• sincerity! how many tears have been shed to God in secret upon that account? how many hours have been spent in examination of his own heart about it, and still jealo•sies and fears hang upon his heart? he doubts what he may prove at last: Well, •aith God, let his sincerity then come to the test kindle the fire and cast in my gold. Tryals are the high way to assurance: let my child see that he loves me more than these, that his heart is upright with me. I will try him by prosperity and by adversity; by persecutions and temptations; and he shall see his heart is better than he suspects it to be. This shall be the day of resolution to his fears and doubts.
The Apostle speaking of Heresies, 1 Cor. ⟨p. 149⟩• • ▪ 7. 9. puts a necessity upon them. There •ust be Heresies (saith he) that they which are approved may be made manifest. The same necessity there is (and for the same end) of all oher trials of grace, that the lovely beautiful weet face of sincerity may be opened sometimes to the world to enamour them, and to he soul in whom it is, to satisfy it that it oth not personate a Christian, but lives the ery life of a Christian, and hath the very spirit and principles of a Christian in him.