A39660:481
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.
5ly, Sometimes Christ knocks intermittingly, knocking and stopping, a call and silence, and that at a considerable time and distance; a conviction this day, and it may be not another in many Months. There be some aged sinners that have not had more than one or two remarkable rouzings of Conscience in fifty or sixty years time, and then no more. Don't think that the Lord will make his Spirit always strive with Men, Gen 6. 3. no, there is a time when God saith to the Word, convict the Conscience of that Man or Woman no more, not a stroke more by way ⟨p. 153⟩of Conviction, but henceforth be thou for Obduration, not to open but to shut him up, Isa. 6. 10. Reader, bethink thy self, how long was it since thy Conscience was roused and awakened? O saith one, seven or ten years ago I heard such a Sermon, which tore my Conscience to pieces, I fell under such a sad providence which roused and awakened, all my fears, but since that time all hath been still and quiet; the Lord give a second awakening lest you awake with the flames of God's wrath about you. I observe it is usual when God works upon any very early, he knocks thus intermittingly; now the Conscience is active and full of trouble, then the vanities of Youth extinguish these Convictions again; but the Lord follows his design, and at last the Conviction settles and ends in Conversion.
5ly, Sometimes Christ knocks intermittingly, knocking and stopping, a call and silence, and that at a considerable time and distance; a conviction this day, and it may be not another in many Months. There be some aged sinners that have not had more than one or two remarkable rouzings of Conscience in fifty or sixty years time, and then no more. Dont think that the Lord will make his Spirit always strive with Men, Gen 6. 3. no, there is a time when God saith to the Word, convict the Conscience of that Man or Woman no more, not a stroak more by way ⟨p. 153⟩of Conviction, but henceforth be thou for Obduration, not to open but to shut him up, Isa. 6. 10. Reader, bethink thy self, how long was it since thy Conscience was rouzed and awakened? O saith one, seven or ten years ago I heard such a Sermon, which tore my Conscience to pieces, I fell under such a sad providence which rouzed and awakened, all my fears, but since that time all hath been still and quiet; the Lord give a second awakning lest you awake with the flames of God's wrath about you. I observe it is usual when God works upon any very early, he knocks thus intermittingly; now the Conscience is active and full of trouble, then the vanities of Youth extinguish these Convictions again; but the Lord follows his design, and at last the Conviction settles and ends in Conversion.