A39660:1336
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
Appendix: AN APPENDIX To the Foregoing TREATISE FROM ROMANS 1. 18.
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.
O my Friends, were our fears thus subdued, and our Faith thus exalted, how free and safe would Truth be in our Consciences. He that owns any Truth to live upon it, or accommodate a carnal Interest by it, will disown that Truth, when it comes to live upon him, let Conscience plead and say what it will; but he that hath agreed with Christ upon these Terms, to be content to be miserable for ever, if there be not enough in Christ to make him happy; this man will be a steady Christian, and will rather lie in the worst of the Prisons, than to imprison Gods known Truths in Unrighteousness.
O my Friends, were our fears thus subdued, and our Faith thus exalted, how free and safe would Truth be in our Consciences. He that owns any Truth to live upon it, or accommodate a carnal Interest by it, will disown that Truth, when it comes to live upon him, let Conscience plead and say what it will; but he that hath agreed with Christ upon these Terms, to be content to be miserable for ever, if there be not enough in Christ to make him happy; this man will be a steddy Christian, and will rather lie in the worst of the Prisons, than to imprison Gods known Truths in Unrighteousness.
The Conclusion.
I have now done my Message. I have set before you the Lord Jesus in the glory of his Free Grace, and condescending Love to Sinners; Oh that I had skill and ability to have done it better; I have wooed and expostulated with you on Christs behalf. I have laboured according to my little measure of strength, to cast up and prepare the way by removing the stumbling Blocks and Discouragements out of it. This hath been a time of Conviction to many of you, some have not been able to hold their Convictions any longer under restraints, but many I fear do so, and therefore I have in the close of all, handled this startling and awakening Scripture among you, to show you what an horrid evil it is to detain Gods Truths in Unrighteousness. I have also in the Name and Authority of God demanded all the Lords Prisoners, his suppressed and restrained Truths at your hands: If you will unbind your Convictions this day, cut as under the bonds of carnal fear, shame, &c. with which you restrain them; those Truths you shall so make free, will make you free: If not, but you will still go on stifling and suppressing them in your own Bosoms; remember that there are so many Witnesses prepared to give evidence against you in the Great Day. And Oh that whilst you delay this Duty, the sound of this Text may never out of your ears, nor suffer you to rest. For the wrath f God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.