A39660:1058
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.
XVIII. Excellency.
'Tis Natural to the new Creature; the inclination and instinct of the new Creature leadeth to Communion with God. 'Tis as natural to the new Creature to desire it, and work after it, as it is to the new-born babe to make to the breast, 1 Pet 2. 2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. There is a law upon the regenerate part which inwardly, and powerfully obliges it, to acts of Duty and converse with God in them. Communion with God is a thing that riseth out of the ⟨p. 436⟩principles of grace. You know all Creatures in this lower World act according to the Laws of Nature, the Sun will rise, and the Sea will flow at its appointed time; and the gracious Soul will make towards its God in the times and seasons of Communion with him. They are not forced on to those Duties by the frights of Conscience, and the fears of Hell, so much as by the natural inclination of the new Creature. Two things demonstrate Communion with God to be co-natural to the regenerate part, called the inner-man, and the hidden-man of the heart, viz. (1.) The Restlessness of a gracious Soul without it, Cant. 3. 2. The Church in the first verse had sought her beloved, but found him not; doth she sit down satisfied in his absence? No, no, I will rise now and go about the City, in the streets, and in the broad ways; I will seek him whom my Soul loveth. (2.) The Satisfaction and Pleasure, the rest and delight which the Soul finds and feels in the enjoyment of Communion with God, plainly shows it to be agreeable to the new Nature, Psal. 63. 5. My Soul shall be satisfied whilst I think on thee. And when it is thus, then Duties become easy, and pleasant to the Soul,