A49262:330
The zealous Christian taking heavenThe zealovs Christian taking heaven
The zealous Christian taking heaven by holy violence in several sermons, tending to direct men how to hear with zeal, [how] to pray with importunity / preached by ... Mr. Christopher Love ...The zealovs Christian taking heaven by holy violence in severall sermons, tending to direct men how to hear with zeal, [how] to pray with importunity / preached by ... Mr. Christopher Love ...
London: printed by R. and W. Leybourn for John Rothwell, 1653
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.
3. In case thy importunate expressions be more used in company, then in secret, it is a sign thou haft not this holy importunity, but it comes from popular applause. It is not so with the people of God. Christ speaks to his people, Cant. 8. 13. Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice, cause me to hear it; to show, that they should not only pray, and be importunate when the companions hearken to their voice, when they are in company, but even then when no eye sees them, when no ear hears them, when none is present, but God alone; God expects that we should pray in secret, as well as in company.
3. In case thy importunate expressions be more used in company, then in secret, it is a signe thou haft not this holy importunitie, but it comes from popular applause. It is not so with the people of God. Christ speaks to his people, Cant. 8. 13. Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice, cause mee to heare it; to shew, that they should not onely pray, and be importunate when the companions hearken to their voice, when they are in company, but even then when no eye sees them, when no eare heares them, when none is present, but God alone; God expects that we should pray in secret, as well as in company.
4. In case thy fluency of expressions do make thee conceited of thy self, and of thy gifts, and to sleight the gifts of other men, this is an argument thou hast not this holy importunity; for that makes a man humble, and low in his own eyes. When a man comes to despise other men, and exalt himself above his brethren, this is a token thy importunity comes not from a right principle. And so I have disproved the first false ground, upon which many conceit they have this importunity.1
4. In case thy fluencie of expressions doe make thee conceited of thy selfe, and of thy gifts, and to sleight the gifts of other men, this is an argument thou hast not this holy importunitie; for that makes a man humble, and low in his own eyes. When a man comes to despise other men, and exalt himselfe above his brethren, this is a token thy importunitie comes not from a right principle. And so I have disproved the first false ground, upon which many conceit they have this importunity.