A39660:321
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.
III. Consolation.
The opening of thy Heart to Christ is not only an effect of Almighty Power, but such an effect of it, without which all that Christ had done and suffered had been of no avail to thy Salvation; neither the eternal Decrees of God, nor the meritorious sufferings of Christ, are effectual to any Mans Salvation, until this work of the Spirit be wrought upon his Heart. The offering up of Christ is in its kind and place sufficient to purchase our Redemption, but it is the receiving of Christ by Faith that brings home Salvation to our Souls; where there be many con-causes to produce one effect, that effect is not produced until the last cause have wrought. ⟨p. 79⟩Thus 'tis here, the moving cause, viz. the free grace of God hath wrought, and the meritorious cause, the death of Christ hath also wrought; but still the Heart even of an elect Man remaineth under guilt and condemnation, until the Spirit, who is the applying cause, have also wrought this blessed effect we now speak of. It is Christ in us (i. e.) in union with our Souls which is to us the hope of glory, 1 Col. 27. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Behold then, the last stroke given in this opening of the Heart by Faith; herein electing Love hath brought home Christ with all the purchases and benefits of his death into the actual possession of thy Soul.
The opening of thy Heart to Christ is not only an effect of Almighty Power, but such an effect of it, without which all that Christ had done and suffered had been of no avail to thy Salvation; neither the eternal Decrees of God, nor the meritorious sufferings of Christ, are effectual to any Mans Salvation, until this work of the Spirit be wronght upon his Heart. The offering up of Christ is in its kind and place ufficient to purchase our Redemption, but it is the receiving of Christ by Faith that brings home Salvation to our Souls; where there be many con-causes to produce one effect, that effect is not produced until the last cause have wrought.