B36604:93
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.
But Reader, if thou be one that makest it thy business to foresee and prepare for an evil day, thou wilt have as good thoughts of Christ and his ways at the lowest Ebb, as ever thou hadst in the greatest flourish and time of prosperity: Great peace (saith the Psalmist) have they that love thy Law, and nothing shall offend them. Oh happy Soul, whom no troubles, reproaches, or sufferings are able to offend! thou mayst meet with Prisons, Death, Banishments; yea, but none of these things shall offend or stumble thee, but thou shalt peaceably and safely pass over them, because they are no more than thou expectedst and providest for.
Secondly, And by this means thou wilt also prevent the offence and scandals of others at the ⟨p. 29⟩ways of Religion: It is a sad and dangerous thing to be an occasion of stumbling, either to the weak, or to the wicked. Woe to the world because of offences, for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh, Mat. 18.7. The Apostasies and sinful compliances of ungrounded Professors and weak Christians in times of temptation, are the woeful occasions of prejudicing others against Religion, and shedding the blood of Souls. Ah it were much better never to be in the ways of Profession, than to be there only as a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence to others: but all this mischief will be prevented, by thy serious expectation of, and provision for the evil day.
Secondly, And by this means thou wilt also prevent the offence and scandals of others at the ⟨p. 29⟩ways of Religion: It is a sad and dangerous thing to be an occasion of stumbling, either to the weak, or to the wicked. Woe to the world because of offences, for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh, Mat. 18.7. The Apostacies and sinful compliances of ungrounded Professors and weak Christians in times of temptation, are the woful occasions of prejudicing others against Religion, and shedding the blood of Souls. Ah it were much better never to be in the ways of Profession, than to be there only as a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence to others: but all this mischief will be prevented, by thy serious expectation of, and provision for the evil day.