Treatise on Keeping the Heart,

Extracted from the Life of the Reverend John Flavel. "Mr. Flavel being in London in 1673, his old bookseller, Mr. Boulter, gave him the following relation, viz. that some time before there came into his shop a fashionable gentleman to inquire for some play books; Mr. Boulter told him he had none, but shewed Mr. Flavel's Treatise on Keeping the Heart, entreated him to read it, and assured him it would do him more good than play books. The gentleman read the title, and glancing upon several pages here and there, broke out into these and such other expressions, 'What damnable fanatic was he who made this book?' Mr. Boulter begged him to buy and read it, and told him he had no cause to censure it so bitterly; at last he bought it, but told him he would not read it. 'What will you do with it then?' said Mr. Boulter. 'I will tear and burn it,' said he, 'and send it to the devil.' Mr. B. replied, 'Then you shall not have it.' Upon this the gentleman promised to read it; and Mr. Boulter told him, if he disliked it upon reading, he would return him his money. About a month after, the gentleman came to the shop again in a very modest habit, and, with a serious countenance, addressed Mr. Boulter thus: 'Sir, I most heartily thank you for putting this book into my hands; I bless God that moved you to do it; it hath saved my soul; blessed be God that ever I came into your shop.' And then he bought a hundred more of those books of him, told him he would give them to the poor, who could not buy them; and so left him, praising and admiring the goodness of God."

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