A39660:425
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.
1. By sluggishness and deadness of Spirit in the ways of Duty and Obedience; turning a deaf ear to the calls and motions of Christ's Spirit exciting them to the sweet and pleasant Duties of Religion. We have a sad instance of this in the Spouse, Cant. 5. 2, 3. It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me my Sister, my Love, my Dove, my Undefiled; for my Head is filled with dew, and my Locks with the drops of the night. One would think that Christ might have opened the Heart of his own Spouse with less solicitation, and importunate Arguments than he here useth; what Wife could shut the door upon her own dear Husband, and bar him out of his own ⟨p. 123⟩house? And yet see the lazy excuse she makes, vers. 3. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my Feet, how shall I defile them?
1. By slugishness and deadness of Spirit in the ways of Duty and Obedience; turning a deaf ear to the calls and motions of Christ's Spirit exciting them to the sweet and pleasant Duties of Religion. We have a sad instance of this in the Spouse, Cant. 5. 2, 3. It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me my Sister, my Love, my Dove, my Vndefiled; for my Head is filled with dew, and my Locks with the drops of the night. One would think that Christ might have opened the Heart of his own Spouse with less solicitation, and importunate Arguments than he here useth; what Wife could shut the door upon her own dear Husband, and bar him out of his own ⟨p. 123⟩house? And yet see the lazy excuse she makes, vers. 3. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my Feet, how shall I defile them?
Oh, the sluggishness of Flesh, even in Regenerate persons! Those that have opened the door to Christ by Regeneration, even they do often shut the door against Christ in the hours and seasons of Communion with him. Strange, that such a suitor as Christ should be put by, moving and calling to such heavenly pleasant exercises as Communion with him is; but flesh will be flesh even in the most Spiritual Christians; little do we know what a grief this is to Christ, and loss to us.