B36604:202
Preparation for sufferings. Or The best work in the worst times Wherein the necessity,…
Preparation for sufferings. Or The best work in the worst times Wherein the necessity, excellency, and means of our readiness for sufferings are evinced and prescribed; our call to suffering cleared, and the great unreadiness of many professors bewailed. By John Flavel minister of Christ in Devon.Preparation for sufferings. Or The best work in the worst times Wherein the necessity, excellency, and means of our readiness for sufferings are evinced and prescribed; our call to suffering cleared, and the great unreadiness of many profesours bewailed. By John Flavel minister of Christ in Devon.
London: printed for Robert Boulter, 1681
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.
5. Improve times of affliction for the increase of Faith: For certainly, sanctified afflictions do notably exercise and increase this Grace, 1 Pet. 1.7. In times of Prosperity, we see not what stock of Faith we have: We live so much upon things seen, that we cannot many times tell whether we have Faith or no: But when difficult days come, then we must get out our whole subsistence and livelihood by Faith, Hab. 2.4. Yea, then we have many Proofs and Experiments of Gods fidelity in the Promises, which is a choice help to Faith, 2 Cor. 1.10.
5. Improve times of affliction for the increase of Faith: For certainly, sanctified afflictions do notably exercise and increase this Grace, 1 Pet. 1.7. In times of Prosperity, we see not what stock of Faith we have: We live so much upon things seen, that we cannot many times tell whether we have Faith or no: But when difficult days come, then we must get out our whole subsistance and livelihood by Faith, Hab. 2.4. Yea, then we have many Proofs and Experiments of Gods fidelity in the Promises, which is a choice help to Faith, 2 Cor. 1.10.
6. Keep Catalogues of all your remarkable Experiences; treasure them up as food for your Faith in time to come: Oh! it is a singular encouragement and heartening to Faith, when it can turn over the Records of Gods dealing with you in years past, and say as Joshua, Not one thing hath failed, Jos. 23.14. When it can say so of Promises, that have already had their accomplishments, then they will be apt to say concerning those yet to be accomplished, as Elizabeth said to Mary,