A39660:1048
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.
XIII. Excellency.
'Tis the Instrument of mortification; and the most excellent and successful instrument for that purpose in all the World, Gal. 5. 16. This I say ⟨p. 431⟩then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the works of the flesh. Walking in the Spirit is the same thing with walking in communion with God. Now, saith the Apostle, if you thus walk in the Spirit, in the acting of faith, love and obedience, throughout the course of holy duties, the effect of this will be, that ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh; he doth not say, You shall not feel the motions of sin in you, or temptations to sin assaulting you; but, he saith, you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh; sin shall not have dominion over you; this will let out the lifeblood of sin. A temptation overcome this way, is more effectually subdued than by all the vows, resolutions, and external means in the World; as a Candle that is blown out with a puff of breath, may be rekindled by another puff; but if it be quenched in water, 'tis not so easily lighted again. So it is here, you never find that power or success in temptations, when your hearts are up with God in the exercises of faith and love, as you do when your hearts hang loose from him and dead towards him. The Schoolmen assign this as one reason why the Saints in Heaven are impeccable, no sin can fasten upon them, because, say they, they there enjoy the beatifical vision of God. This is sure, the more communion any man hath with God on Earth, the freer he lives from the power of his corruptions.
'Tis the Instrument of mortification; and the most excellent and successful instrument for that purpose in all the World,