A39660:452
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.
First, What are the doors of the Soul at which Christ knocks? You all know that the term Christ here useth cannot be proper, but metaphorical; 'tis a Figurative speech, the door is that part which is introductive into the House, and whatsoever is introductive into the Soul, that is the door of the Soul. Now in the Soul of Man there are many powers and faculties that have this use, and are of an introductive nature to let things into the Soul of Man. Some are more outward, as we may speak comparatively, and some more inward, as the doors of our houses are.
Christ knocks orderly at them all, one after another, for the operations of the Spirit disturb not the order of Nature.
1. The first door that opens and lets into the Soul is the Understanding; nothing passes into the Soul, but it must first come through this door of the Understanding; nothing can touch the Heart or move the affections, but what hath first touched the Understanding. Hence we read so often in ⟨p. 133⟩Scripture of the opening of the Understanding; that being as it were the fore-door of the Soul.
1. The first door that opens and lets into the Soul is the Vnderstanding; nothing passes into the Soul, but it must first come through this door of the Understanding; nothing can touch the Heart or move the affections, but what hath first toucht the Understanding. Hence we read so often in ⟨p. 133⟩Scripture of the opening of the Understanding; that being as it were the fore-door of the Soul.