A39660:1017
Englands duty under the present gospel liberty from Revel. III, vers. 20
Englands duty under the present gospel liberty from Revel. III, vers. 20 : wherein is opened the admirable condescension and patience of Christ in waiting upon trifling and obstinate sinners, the wretched state of the unconverted, the nature of evangelical faith ..., the riches of free grace in the offers of Christ ..., the invaluable privileges of union and communion granted to all who receive him ... / by John Flavell ...Englands duty under the present gospel liberty from Revel. III, vers. 20 : wherein is opened the admirable condescension and patience of Christ in waiting upon trifling and obstinate sinners, the wretched state of the unconverted, the nature of evangelical faith ..., the riches of free grace in the offers of Christ ..., the invaluable priviledges of union and communion granted to all who receive him ... / by John Flavell ...
London: printed for Matthew Wotton, 1689
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.
Secondly,1 There is a cohabitation of Christ with believers; he dwells with them, yea, he dwells in the•• 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell in them, and walk in the••. The Soul of a believer is the ⟨p. 414⟩Temple of Christ, yea, his living Temple, 1 Pet. 2. 5. And if Christ dwell with them, yea, if he dwell in them and walk in them, then certainly there must be communion betwixt him and them; if they live together, they must converse together. A man indeed may dwell in his house, and yet cannot be said to have communion with it; but the Saints are a living house, they are the living. Temples of Christ; and he cannot dwell in such Temples capable of communion with him, and yet have no communion with them.
- 12. Evid.
Thirdly,1 The reality of communion betwixt God and the Saints is undeniably evinced from all the Spiritual relations into which God hath taken them. Every believer is the Child of God, and the Spouse of Christ. God is the believer Father, and the Church is the Lambs Wife. Christ calls the believer not only his Servant, but Friend; hence forth I call you not Servants but Friends, &c. Now, if God be the believers Father, and the believer be Gods own Child, certainly there must be communion between them. If Christ be the believers Husband, and the believer be Christs Spouse, there must be communion between him and them. What, no communion between the Father and his Children, the Husband and the Wife? We must either renounce and deny all such relations to him, and therein renounce our Bibles; or else yield the conclusion, that there is a real communion betwixt Christ and believers.