Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	holy_a	pray_v	simon_n	2,098	5	12.5398	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39695	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 ...	Flavel, John, 1630?-1691.; Flavel, John, 1630?-1691. Saint indeed, or, The great work of a Christian opened and pressed.	1698 (1698)	Wing F1202; ESTC R40933	101,310	218

I manage in this discourse to shew in the first place what are common effects of adversity to both the godly and ungodly for in some things they differ not but as it is with the one so also with the other as 1. First Both the godly and ungodly may fear Adversity before it comes To be sure a wicked man cannot and it 's evident many godly men do not come up to the height of that rule Iam. 1. 2. To account it all Ioy when they fall into divers temptations or trials by Adversity 'T is said Isa. 33. 14. The sinners in Sion are afraid trembling surprizeth the Hypocrite Namely under the apprehension of approaching calamities and it 's true also the Saints in Sion may be afraid my flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements said holy David Psal. 119. 120. Iob 3. 23. The thing which I greatly feared saith that upright soul is come upon me there is a vast difference betwixt a Saints first meeting with afflictions and his parting with them he entertains them sometimes with trembling he parts with them rejoycing smiling on them and blessing them in the name of the Lord. So that by this the upright and the false heart are not discriminated even sanctified nature declines sufferings and troubles 2. Secondly Both the godly and ungodly may entertain afflictions with regret and unwillingness when they come afflictions and troubles are Wormwood and Gall Lam. 3. 19. and that goes not down pleasantly with flesh and blood Heb. 12. 11. No affliction for● the present seemeth joyous but grievous he means to God's own People They are in beaviness through manifold temptations or trials by the rod 1 Pet. 1. 6. When God gives the cup of affliction into the hands of the wicked how do they reluctate and loath it How do their stomachs rise at it And though the portion of the Saints cup be much sweeter than theirs for that bitter ingredient of Gods vindictive wrath is not in it yet even they shrink from it and loth they are to taste it 3. Thirldly Both the one and other may be impatient and fretful in adversity it 's the very nature of flesh and blood to be so The wicked are like the troubled sea which cannot rest whose waters cast forth mire and dirt Isa. 57. 20. It 's an allusion to the unstable and stormy Ocean You know there is naturally an estuation and working in the Sea whether it be incensed by the wind or no but if a violent wind blow upon the unquiet Ocean Oh what raging and foaming is there what abundance of trash and filth doth it at such times cast out Now though grace make a great difference betwixt one and another yet I dare not say but even a gracious heart may be very unquiet and tumultuous in the day of affliction Sanctified souls have their Passions and Lusts which are too little mortified even as Sweet-bryar and Holy-thistles have their prickles as well as the worthless bramble Ionah was a good Man yet his Soul was sadly distempered by adverse providences Ionah 4. 9. Yea saith he and that to his God I do well to be angry even unto death 4. Fourthly Both the one and the ●ther may be weary of the rod and think the day of adversity a tedious day wishing it were once at an end Babylon shall be weary of the evil that God will bring upon it Ier 51. ult and oh that none of Sions Children were weary of adversity too How sad a moan doth Iob make of his long continued affliction Iob 16. 6 7. though I speak my grief is not asswaged and though I forbear what am I eased but now he hath made me weary And if you look into Psal. 6. 3 6. you may see another strong Christian even tyred in the way of affliction My soul saith David in that place is sore vexed but thou O Lord how long I am weary with my groaning 5. Fifthly Both the one and other may be driven to their knees by adversity Lord in trouble have they visited thee they have poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them Isa. 26. 16. Not that a godly person will pray no longer than the rod is at his back O no he cannot live without prayer long how few calls soever he hath to that duty by the rod but when the rod is on his back he will be more frequently and more ●ervently upon his knees indeed many graceless heart are like Childrens Tops which will go no longer than they are whipt they canno● find their knees and their tongues till Go● find a rod to excite them A dangerous symp●tome The same affliction may put a gracious and a graceless soul to their knees but th● in the external matter of duty and in the external call or occasion of duty they seem to agree yet is there a vast difference in the principles manner and ends of these their duties as will evidently appear in its proper place in our following discourse But by what hath been said in this Section you may see how in some things the holy upright soul acts too like the unsanctified and in other things how much the Hypocrite may act like a Saint he may be externally humbled so was Ahab he may pray under the rod Mal. 2. 13. yea and request others to pray for him so did Simon Acts 8. 24. SECT III. BUt though the sound and unsond heart differ not in some external carriages under the rod yet there are effects of adversity which are proper to either and will discriminate them To which end let us first see what effects adversity is usually followed withal in unsound and carnal hearts and we shall find among other these five symptomes of a naughty heart appearing under crosses and afflictions 1. First A Graceless heart is not quickly and easily brought to see the hand of God in those troubles that befall it and be duly affected with it Isa. 26. 11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see when it hath smitten or is lifted up to smite they shut their eyes 't is the malice of this man or the negligence of that or the unfaithfulness of another that hath brought all this trouble upon me thus the Creature is the Horizon that terminates their sight and beyond that they usually see nothing sometimes indeed the hand of God is so immediately manifested and convincingly discovered in afflictions that they cannot avoid the sight of it and then they may in their way pour out a prayer before him but ordinarily they impute all to second causes and overlook the first cause of their troubles 2. Secondly Nor is it usual with these Men under the rod to retire into their Closets and search their hearts there to find out the particular cause and provocation of their affliction No man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done Jer. 8. 6. what cursed thing is there with me

If I dissemble and pretend to be what I am not my Father will find me out Ah there is no darkness nor shadow of death that can conceal the the Hypocrite but out it will come at last let him use all the art he can to hide it Oftentimes God discovers him by the tryals he appoints in this world and men in that day shall return and discern betwixt the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Mal 3. 18. but if he make an hard shift to get by a private way to hell carrying this comfort with him to the last step that no body know● or thinks he is gone thither yet there wil● be a day when God will strip him naked before the great assembly of Angels and men and all shall point at him and say Loe this is the man that made not God his hope this is he that wore a garment of profession to deceive but God hath now stript him out of it and all men see what he is for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known Matth. 10. 26. and the Apostle assures us 1. Tim. 5. 24 25. that they that are otherwise cannot be hid if mens works be not good it 's impossible they should be hid long a gilded piece of brass may pass from hand to hand a little while but the touchstone will discover the base metal if that do not the fire will O sinners away with your Hypocrisie be honest sincere plain and hearty in Religion if not confusion of face shall be your recompence from the Lord that is what you shall get by it Infer 2. Secondly Are there such tryals appointed and permitted by the Lord for the discovery of his peoples sincerity in this world then let none of Gods people expect a quiet station in this world certainly you shall meet with no rest here you must out of one fire into another and it is a merciful condescension of the Lord to poor creatures thus to concern himself for their safety and benefit what is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldst set thine heart upon him that thou shouldst visit him every morning and try him every moment Job 7. 17 18. O 't is a great deal of honour put upon a poor worm when God will every moment try him and visit him it argues the great esteem the Goldsmith hath of his gold when he will sit by the Furnace himself and order the fire with his own hand when he pries so often and so curiously into the fining pot to see that none of his precious metal upon which he sets his heart be lost Think it not then a debasing to you to be so often exposed to tryals if God did not value you highly he would not try you so frequently what would become of you if your condition here should be more settled and quiet than now it is I believe you find dross enough in your hearts after all the fires into which God hath cast you surely there is filth enough in the best of Gods people to take all this it may be a great deal more trouble than they have yet met with we fancy it a brave life to live at ease and if we meet with long respites and intervals of tryal than usual we are apt to say we shall never be moved as David did Psal. 30. 6. or we shall dye in our nest as it is Iob 29. 18. our hard and difficult days are over but woe to us if God should give us the desire of our hearts in this see what the temper of those mens spirits is that meet with no changes Psal. 55. 19. Because they have no changes therefore they have not God O it 's better to be preserved sweet in brine than to 〈◊〉 in honey Infer 3. Thirdly Let none boast in a carna confidence of their own strength and stability you are yet in a state of tryal hitherto God hath kept you upright in all your tryals bless God but boast not you are but feathers in the wind of temptation if God leave you to your selves Peter told Christ and doubtless he spake no more than he honestly meant though all men forsake thee yet will not I and you know what he did when the hour of his tryal came Matth. 26. 35. Angels left to themselves have fallen it 's better be a humble worm than a proud Angel Ah how many Pendletons will this professing age shew if once God bring us to the fiery tryal let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall you have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin none stand upon firmer ground than those that see nothing in themselves to stand upon he that leans upon his own arm usually benums it and makes it useless Infer 4. Fourthly Doth God kindle so many fires in Sion and set his Furnaces in Ierusalem to discover and separate the dross from the gold how contrary are those men to God that allow yea and prize the dross of Hypocrisie which God hates and stick not to make the holy God a patronizer and countenancer of it in the hearts and lives of men It is amazing to read what Popish pens have impudently written about this matter Sylvester puts the question whether it be a sin to make a false shew of sanctity and answers it thus If it be for the honour of God and profit of others it is no sin nay they have a reverence for hypocrisie as an holy Art Vincentius spends a whole Chapter in commedation of the hypocrisie of St. Dominick and entitles it de sancta ejus hypocrisi i. e. of the holy hypocrisie of that Saint reckoning it among his commendations that he had the art of dissembling And yet one peg higher A Religious person saith another that feigns himself to have more holiness than he hath that others may be edified sins not but rather merits Blush O heavens that ever such factors for hell should open and vend such ware as this in the publick market and invite the world to Hypocrisie as that which makes for the glory of God the edification of men and a work meritorious in the Hypocrite himself This is the doctrine of devils indeed Infer 5. Fifthly If it be so that all grace must come to the test and be tryed as gold in the fire even in this world how are all men concerned to lay a solid foundation at first and throughly deliberate the terms upon which they close with Christ and engage in the profession of his name Which of you saith Christ intending to build a Tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost Luk. 14. 28. if some men had sate down at first and pondered the conditions and terms of Christ they had not sate down now discouraged and tryed in the way The Apostle Paul went to work at another rate he accounted all but dung and dross

〈◊〉 to stumble us upon the account of our ●●tegrity i● is the sin and affliction of some ●ood souls to call their condition in question ●pon every slip and failing in the course of their obedience This is the way to debar our selves from all the peace and comfort of the Christian life we find that Ioseph was once minded to put away Mary his Espoused Wife not knowing that the holy thing which was conceived in her was by the Holy Ghost It is the sin of Hypocrites to take brass for gold and the folly of Saints to call their gold brass be as severe to your selves as you will alwayes provided you be just there is that maketh himself rich and yet hath nothing and there is that maketh himself poor and yet hath great riches Prov. 13. 7. Hiram called the Cities Solomon gave him Cabul dirty for they pleased him not 1 Kings 9. 13. 't is but an ill requital an ungrateful return to God for the best of mercies to undervalue them in our hearts and be ready upon all occasions to put them away as worth nothing Rule 3. A stronger propension in our Nature and more frequent incidence in our practice to one sin than another doth not presently infer our hypocrisie and the unsoundness of our hearts in Religion 'T is true every Hypocrite hath some way of wickedness Some peccatum in deliciis iniquity that he delights in and rolls as a sweet morsel under his tongue some lust that he is not willing to part with nor can endure that the knife of mortification should touch it and this undoubtedly argues the insincerity and rottenness of his heart and it is true also that the nature and constitution of the most sanctified man inclines him rather to one sin than to another though he allow himself in none yea though he set himself more watchfully against that sin than another yet he may still have more trouble and vexation more temptation and defilement from it than any other As every man hath his proper gift one after this manner and another after that as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 7. 7. so every man hath his proper sin also one after this manner and another after that for it is with original sin as it is with the juice or sap of the earth which though it be the common matter of all kinds of fruits yet it is specificated according to the different sorts of plants and seeds it nourishes in one it becomes an apple in another a Cherry c. Just so it is in Original Corruption which is turned into this or that temptation and sin according to this or that constitution or employment it finds us in one it 's Passion in another Lust in a third Covetousness in a fourth Levity and so on Now I say the frequent assaults of this sin provided we indulge it not but by setting double guards labour to keep our selves from our own iniquity as David did Psal. 18. 23. will not infer the hypocrisie of our hearts Rule 4. A greater backwardness and indisposedness to one duty rather than another doth not conclude the heart to be unsound and false with God provided we do not inwardly dislike and disapprove any duty of Religion or except against it in our agreement with Christ but that it riseth meerly from the present weakness and distemper we labour under There be some duties in Religion as sufferings for Christ bearing sharp reproofs for sin c. that even an upright heart under a present distemper may find a great deal of backwardness and lothness to yet still he consents to the Law that it is good is troubled that he cannot comply more cheerfully with his duty and desires to stand compleat in all the will of God perfection is his aim and imperfections are his sorrows Some Christians have much ado to bring their hearts to fixed solemn meditation their hearts fly off from it but this is their burden that it should be so with them Truth is it is a very dangerous sign of Hypocrisie when a mans zeal runs out in one chanel of o●bedience only and he hath not a respect to all Gods Commandments as Physicians observe the sweating of one part of the body when all the rest are cold is symptomatical and argues an ill habit but whilest the soul heartily approves all the will of God and sincerely desires to come up to it mourns for its backwardness and deadness to this or ●hat duty and this is not fixed but occasional under some present indisposition out of which the soul riseth by the same degrees as sanctification riseth in him and the Lord comes in with renewed strength upon him this I say may consist and is very ordinarily found to be the case of up●ight-hear●ed ones Rule 5. The glances of the eye at self-ends in duties whilest self is not the weight that moves the wheels the principal end and design we drive at and whilest those glances are corrected and mourned for do not conclude the heart to be unsound and Hypocritical in Religion for even among the most deeply sanctified few can keep their eye so steady and fixed with pure and unmixed respects to the glory of God but that there will be alas too frequently some by●ends insinuating and creeping into the heart These like the fowls seize upon the sacrifice let the soul take what pains it can to ●ray them away It 's well that our High-Priest bears the iniquities of our holy things for us Peter had too much regard to the pleasing of men and did not walk with that upright foot towards the Gentile Christians and the believing Jews in the matter of liberty as became him Gal. 2. 13 14 for which as Paul saith he ought to be blamed and did blame him but yet such a failing as that in the end of his duty did not condemn him In publick performances there may be too ●uch vanity in works of charity too much ostentation these are all workings of Hypocrisie in us and matters of humiliation to us but whilest they are disallowed corrected and mourned over are consistent with integrity Rule 6. The doubts and fears that hang upon and perplex our spirits about the hypocrisie of our hearts do not conclude that therefore we are what we fear our selves to be God will not condemn every one for an hypocrite that suspects yea or charges himself with Hypocrisie Holy David thought his heart was not right with God after that great slip of his in the matter of Uriah and therefore begs of God to renew a right spirit in him Psal. 51. 10 11 12. his integrity was indeed wounded and he thought destroyed by that fall Holy Master Bradford so vehemently doubted the sincerity of his heart that he subscribed some of his Letters as Master Fox tells us Iohn Bradford the Hypocrite a very painted Sepulchre and yet in so saying he utterly misjudged the state and temper of his own soul. SECT II. WEll then let