A39660:1029
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.
III. Excellency.
It is the Centre which rests the motions of a weary Soul; 'tis the Rest and Refreshment of a man's Spirit, Psal. 116. 7. Return unto thy rest, O my Soul. When we attain perfect Communion with God in Heaven, we attain to perfect Rest; and all the Rest the Spirit of man finds on Earth, is found in Communion with God. Take a sanctified person who hath intermitted for some time his communion with the Lord; and ask him, is your Soul at rest and ease? He will tell you no. The motions of his Soul, are like those of a member out of Joint, neither comely, nor easy. Let that man recover his spiritual frame again, and with it he recovers his Rest and Comfort. Christians, you meet with variety of troubles in this World; many a sweet Comfort cut off, many a hopeful project dashed by the hand of Providence; and what think you is the meaning, of those blasting, disappointing Providences? Surely, this is their design and errand, to disturb your false rest in the bosom of the Creature; to pluck away those pillows you were laying your Heads upon, that thereby you might be reduced ⟨p. 423⟩unto God, and recover your lost communion with him; and say with David, Return unto thy rest, O my Soul. Sometimes we are settling our selves to rest in an Estate, in a Child, or the like: at this time it is usual with God to say, Go Losses smite and blast such a mans Estate, go Death, and take away the desire of his Eyes with a stroke, that my Child may find rest nowhere but in me. God is the Ark, the Soul like the Dove, Noah sent forth, let it fly where it will, it shall find no rest till it comes back to God.