A39660:1222
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.
II. Inference.
What singular and choice Mercy is a tender Conscience! A Conscience yielding Obedience to Conviction! A drop of such tenderness in the Conscience is better than a Sea of speculative knowledge in the head, 1 Cor. 12. 31. Many poor Christians are ashamed to see themselves so out-stripped and ⟨p. 42⟩excelled by others in Gifts, and apt to be discouraged, but if God have blessed thee with a tender obediential Heart to the Will of God, so far as he is pleased to manifest it to thee; thou hast no reason to be discouraged for want of those Excellent Gifts and parts others do enjoy: You cannot discourse floridly, nor dispute subtly; but can you obey conscientiously, and comply with the manifested Will of God tenderly? Then happy art thou, O! 'Tis far better to feel a Truth, than merely to know it: It was the high Commendation of the Romans, that they obeyed from the Heart that form of Gospel Doctrine which was delivered them, Rom. 6. 17. or into which rather,1 they were delivered, as melted Metals are into the Moulds. Two Learned Divines travelling to the Council of Constance, were affected even to Tears, at the sight of a Shepherd in the Fields, mourning and melting at the sight of a Toad; and blessing God that he had not made him such a loathsome Creature; whereupon they applied Austins words to themselves, Surgunt indocti, &c. The Unlearned will rise and take Heaven from the Learned: Thy little knowledge made effectual by Obedience, is more sanctified, more sweet, and more saving than other Mens; and therefore of much greater value: 'Tis more sanctified, for the Blessing of God is upon it,