A39660:56
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.
TO THE READER.
THE worthy Author of the Discourse emitted herewith, is one whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the Churches. His other Books have made his Name precious and famous in both Englands. Nor can my Testimony add any thing to one every way greater than my self. Nevertheless, a singular Providence having cast my Lot to be at present in this great City▪ I could not withstand the importunity of them, who desi•ed a few Prefatory Lines to manifest the Respect I owe to this Renowned and Learned Man.
It was a wife Reproof which a grave Divine administered to a young Preacher, who entertained his Auditory with an elaborate Discourse: After ⟨image 19⟩he had commended his parts and pains, there was (said he) one thing wanting in the Sermon; I could not perceive that the Spirit of God was in it. And though Morality is good and necessary to be taught and practised, yet it is much to be lamented, that many Preachers in these days have hardly any other Discourses in their Pulpits than what we may find in Seneca, Epictetus, Plutarch, or some such Heathen Moralist. Christ, the Holy Spirit, and (in a word) the Gospel is not in their Sermons. But blessed be God, that there are some (and great is their Company in this Land of Light) who preach the Truth as it is in Jesus: And he who has taken the Book out of the Right Hand of him that sits on the Throne, and is worthy to open the Seals thereof, has been pleased in wonderful ways to set open and keep open a door of Liberty to the Gospel, that they, unto whom he has given an