The Touchstone of Sincerity, Title page – Dedication
SIGNS of GRACE, AND Symptoms of Hypocrisie; Opened in A Practical Treatise Upon Revelations III 17, 18
Being the Second Part of The SAINT INDEED
By IOHN FLAVELL, Minister of Christ. Devon.
foreign Zephan, 2 1, 2. foreign
Scrutamini vos ipsos, scrutamini; antequam pariat decretum, &c.
… legendis libris non quaeramus scientiam, sed saporem. Bernard.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurst, at the Three Bibles and Crown in Cheap-side. 1698.
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.
READER,
AMONG the difficulties and severities of true Religion, the faithful searching, and diligent keeping of our heart… are found in the first and highest rank of difficulties; these two take up the main work of… Christian betwixt them, hic labor hoc opu…est. I had hopes that these Essaies for the searching of the heart, might much sooner have followed my former*A Sain indeed. for keeping the heart: but providence hath reserved it for the fittest season.
It comes to thy hand, Reader, in a day o… straits and fears, a dark and gloomy season… when the Nations about us are made drun… with their own blood, and filled with the … of astonishment; In a day when the … ready to pass unto us, and a storm seems to … rising in the fears of many, and threatning th… Protestant interest in these reformed Nations▪ St…e Men very considerable for Piety and Learning from that Scripture, Rev. 13. 3. The deadly wound, (viz. that given the beast by the Reformation) was healed, have concluded that Popery will once more over run the reformed Nations; and one of great renown in all the Churches of Christ, foretelling this furious (but hort) srtom, comforts the People of God with this, that it is like to fall heaviest upon the Worshipp…rs in the outward Court, namely, the formal Professors of the times.
Oh! How much is every Man now concerned to have his estate and condition well cleared, and to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure!
It should both amaze and grieve a pious mind, to see how some ingenious Persons can sit with unwearied patience and pleasure racking their brains upon some dry School Problem, or …ome nice Mathematical Point; whil'st no Reasons or Perswasions can prevail with them to …pend one serious hour in the search and study of …heir own hearts.
It was the saying of the great Cicero, Li…enter omnibus omnes opes concesserim, ut …ihi liceat, vi nullâ interpellante, isto mo… literis vivere. I would give all the Wealth …n the World that I might wholly live in my Studies, and have nothing to hinder me. What a brave offer had that been, if Heaven and the clearing of a title to it had been the subject-mat…er of those studies! Crede mihi, extingui dulce esset, Mathematicarum artium studio, saith another, (i. e.) Believe me, it were a sweet death to dye in the study of the Mathematical Arts: And I should be apt to believe it too, did I not know that eternal Iudgment immediately follows death; and that they who stand at the door of eternity have higher matters to mind than Mathematical niceties. To discern the harmonies and proportions in nature is pleasant, but to discern the harmony and proportion of the Signs of Grace laid down in the Word, with the Works of Grace wrought in our Souls, is a far more pleasant and necessary imployment; and to be extinguished in such a work as this, were a lovely death indeed; Blessed is that Servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
My Friends, a day of trouble is near, a dying hour approacheth us, and when our Eye-strings, and Heart-strings are breaking, when we are taking the last grasp of Christ and the Promises, yo… will then know to what purpose those hours spen… in such work as this were. Search your selves… yea search your selves before the decree brin… forth, as that text may be read, Zeph. 2. 1, 2. Ente… into thy Chamber, Christian, and shut thy door; s… close to this imployment thou art here directed to; and however times shall govern, whether it be fair or foul weather abroad, thou shalt never repent such an expence of thy time; Nusquam requiem inveni, nisi in libro & claustro; said a devout soul once. I am never better, than when I am at my Book, or on my knees.
This may seem but a dull melancholy life to the brisk and aiery Spirits of these times; but let us be content with it as it is, and leave them (if we cannot have their company) to their …portiveness and frolicks, never once grudging …em their short and dear bought pleasures. Assu…ance that sin is pardoned… and Christ is ours; …ith the unspeakable joys that are inseparably …nnected therewith is that White Stone, and New Name, which none knows but he that …eives it; for no words can possibly signifie to …other what that soul tasts and feels in such an our as that is.
And be not discouraged at the difficulty of ob…ining it, this White Stone is no Philosophers one, which no Man could ever say, he had in his own hand, for many a Christian hath really found it in waiting upon the Lord by Prayer, and diligently searching the Scriptures and his own heart.
Reader, The time will come when they that …coff at the serious diligence of the Saints, and break many a pleasant Iest upon the most solemn and awful things in Religion, will tremble when they shall hear the Midnight-Cry, Behold …he Bridegroom cometh; and see the Lamps of all Vain and Formal Professors expire, and …one admitted into the Marriage, but such whose Lamps are furnished with Oyl (i. e.) such whose professions and duties are enlivened and …aintained by vital Springs and Principles of …eal Grace within them.
It is a very remarkable Story that Melchior Adams …ecords in the life of Gobeli…us, Melch. Adams in vita Gobelini personae vixit. Anno. 1420.That a little before his …ime there was a Play set forth at Isenach in Germany, of the Wise and Foolish Virgins: …herein the Virgin Mary, who was one of …he Five Saints that represented the Wise Virgins, …as brought in with the rest, telling the Fool…h Virgins that cryed to her for Oyl, that it …as too late: and then others representing the …oolish Virgins, fell a weeping and making …ost bitter Lamentations.
Hereat Prince Frederick (who was one of the Spectators) greatly amazed, cryed out, Quid est fides nostra Christiana, si neque Maria, neque alia Sancta exorari potest, &c. What is our faith worth, and to what purpose are al… our good works, if neither Mary, nor any other Saint can help us! And such was his consternation, that it threw him into a sore and violent disease, which ended in an Apoplex, whereof he died about four daies after.
If the representation of these things in a Play ended the Life of so great a Man, so tragically; Oh think with thy self, Reader, what will the effects of the Lords real appearance in the clouds of Heaven, and the mourning and wailing of the Tribes of the Earth in that day be? Think I say and think again, and again, what the dismal effects of such a sight and sound will be upon all that neglect serious preparation themselves, and scoff at them that do prepare to meet the Lord.
The design of this Manual is to bring every Mans Gold to the Touchstone and Fire… I mean every Mans Grace to the tryal of th… word, that thereby we may know what we are, what we have, and what we must expect and trust to at the Lord's coming. I preten… not to any gift of diserning Spirits. Such a… extraordinary gift there once was in the Church and very necessary for those times (wherein Satan was so busie, and the Canon of Scripture not compleated) which the Apostle calls the Gift of discerning Spirits, 1 Cor. 12. 10. and some are of Opinion that by vertue of this Gift, Peter discerned the Hypocrisie of Ananias and Saphira, but whatever that Gift was, it is ut…erly ceased now; no Man can pretend to it, but …he Ordinary aids and assistances of the Spirit are with us still, and the lively Oracles are a…ong us still, to them we may freely go for resolution of all doubts, and decision of perplexed …ases: and thus we may discern our own Spi…its, though we want the extraordinary gift of discerning other Mens Spirits.
I have little to say of this Treatise in thy Hands, more than that it is well aimed, and …esigned, however it be managed: the Ear tries words, as the Mouth tasteth Meat; these things will relish according to the Palates it meets …ith.
It is not the pleasing, but profiting of Men …at I have herein laboured for. I know of …othing in it that is like to wound the upright, … slightly heal the Hypocrite, by crying peace, …ace, when there is no peace. Scripture light …ath been my Cynosura, and with that thread … my hand, I have followed the search of Hy…crisie through the Labyrinths of the Heart. …ome assistance I hope I have had also from …xperience; for Scripture and Experience are such Relatives, and the tye betwixt them so…a discernable, as nothing in Nature can be mor… so. What we feel in our hearts, we might have read in the Scriptures before ever we fel… it.
That the Blessing of God may go forth with it, and accompany it to thy Soul, Reader, i… the hearts desire and prayer of
Thine and the Churches Servant in Christ, Iohn Flavell