A81235:302
Correction, instruction or, a treatise of afflictions
Correction, instruction or, a treatise of afflictions: first conceived by way of private meditations: afterward digested into certain sermons, preached at Aldermanbury. And now published for the help and comfort of humble suffering Christians. By Tho. Case, M.A. sometimes student of Ch. Ch. Oxon. now preacher of the Gospel in London.Correction, instruction or, a treatise of afflictions: first conceived by way of private meditations: afterward digested into certain sermons, preach'd at Aldermanbury. And now published for the help and comfort of humble suffering Christians. By Tho. Case, M.A. sometimes student of Ch. Ch. Oxon. now preacher of the Gospel in London.
London: printed by J.M. for Luke Fawn, 1652London: printed by J.M. for Luke Favvn, 1652
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.
Pray thus for all your friends, who are or have been in the furnace of affliction; pray that they may come forth as gold purified seven times in the fire, that they may lose nothing there but their rust: Pray, Lord, what they see not, teach them, and if they have done wickedly, let them do so no more. One great use which Christians should make of reading the Scripture, is to learn from thence ⟨p. 266⟩the language of prayer. And oh that the professors of this age would in this particular learn what to pray, and how to pray for their brethren in tribulation: O that they would censure less, and pray more, and in stead of speaking one of another, speak more one to another, and one for another; that was the good old way; 1THEN they that feared the Lord spake often one To another: But oh the tender, praying, healing, restoring SPIRIT, is departed; and if Christians stir not up themselves to call it back again, it is a sad presage that God is departing too; 2and woe unto us when God departeth from us: We are like water spilt upon the ground, that cannot be gathered up again: We judg before we enquire, and reject before we admonish: Our Brethren, upon vain surmises, are to us as Heathens and Publicans, before we have been to them as Christians and fellow-members: And this we think becometh us, and we take a kind of pride and contentment in ⟨p. 267⟩it. But oh, to inform, to convince, 3to exhort, to pray, to put the bone (if out) in joint again, this were done like the Disciples of Christ; 4to show our selves Christians indeed, Professors not of the letter, but of the Spirit, and would gain our Brethren in stead of blasting them. Consider what I say, and the Lord give you a right understanding in all things.
Pray thus for all your friends, who are or have been in the furnace of affliction; pray that they may come forth as gold purified seven times in the fire, that they may lose nothing there but their rust: Pray, Lord, what they see not, teach them, and if they have done wickedly, let them do so no more. One great use which Christians should make of reading the Scripture, is to learn from thence