A39660:140
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.
3. INFER.
What a Pill is this to purge formality out of all that hear us? every Sabbath, every Sermon is recorded in Heaven for or against your souls; at what rate soever you attend to the word, all that you hear is set down in the book of your account; think not you shall return as you came, the word will have its effect and end, it shall not return in vain, but shall accomplish the end for which it is sent, Isaiah 55. 11. The decrees of Heaven are executed by the Gospel, some souls shall be quickened, and others shall be slain by the words of Gods mouth, Ezek. 47. 9, 10. The Gospel is a River of the waters of Life, which quickens and refreshes every thing that lives; but the mire and marish places shall not be healed. How ⟨p. 14⟩weighty therefore is that caution of our blessed Lord, Luke 8. 18. Take heed how you hear? When you come under an ordinance, you are sowing seed for Eternity, Gal. 6. 7, 8. Which will spring up in the world to come. Preaching and hearing may be considered two ways, Physically or Morally, in the former respect, these acts are quickly over and pass away: I shall by and by have done preaching, and you hearing, this Sermon will be ended in a little time, but the consequences thereof will abide for ever. Therefore for the Lords sake, away with formality, no more drowsy eyes or wandering thoughts. Oh when you come to attend upon the Ministry of the Gospel, that such thoughts as these might prepare your minds! The word I am going to hear will quicken or kill, save or damn my soul; if I sit dead under it, and return barren from it, I shall with one day that I had never seen the face of that Minister, nor heard his voice that preached it.