A39695:663
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.
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.
The times under Diocletian were Pagan, under Constantine, Christian; under Constantius, Arian; under Julian, Apostate; and under Jovian, Christian again: and all this within the space of seventy years, the age of one man. O what shifting, and shuffling was there among the men of that generation▪ the changes of weather show the unsoundness of mens bodies, and the changes of times, the unsoundness of their souls.
The times under Dioclesian were Pagan, under Constantine, Christian; under Constantius, Arian; under Iulian, Apostate; and under Iovian, Christian again: and all this within the space of seventy years, the age of one man. O what shifting, and shuffling was there among the men of that generation▪ the changes of weather shew the unsoundnes• of mens bodies, and the changes of times, the unsoundness of their souls.
Christian, if ever thou wilt manifest and maintain thine integrity, be a man but of one design, & be sure that be an honest and good design, to secure heaven whatever becomes of earth: to hold fast integrity, whatever thou art forced to let go for its sake.
Take heed of pious frauds: certainly it was the Devil that first married those two words together, for they never did nor can agree betwixt themselves, nor was ever such a marriage made in heaven.