A39660:573
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.
3ly, And lastly, The transcendent love of Christ shines out in its full strength upon the Souls of sinners from the Cross; and there's nothing like love to draw love; when Christ was lifted up upon the Cross, he gave such a glorious demonstration of the strength of his love to sinners, as one would think should draw love from the hardest Heart that ever lodged in a sinners Breast. Herein is love (saith the Apostle) not that we loved God, but that he loved us; and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, 1 Joh. 4. 10. q. d. Here's the triumph, the riches and glory of Divine Love, never was such love manifested in the World. There's much of Gods love in Temporal Providences, but all's nothing to this, this is love in its highest Elevation; Love in its Meridian Glory; before it was none like it, and after it shall none appear like unto it. And thus you see Christ from the Cross casting forth a threefold cord (which is not easily broken) to draw the Hearts of sinners to him.
Fourthly, to Conclude,1 What mighty Demonstrations of the desires of his Heart towards us, did our Redeemer give at, and since his Ascension into Heaven? As the whole Life of Christ ⟨p. 196⟩upon Earth was a persuasive Argument to draw sinners to him, so his Ascension to Heaven hath many things in it which are mighty attractives to the Hearts of Men. I will only mention two, 1. The gifts he bestowed at his Ascension. 2. The ends and designs of his Ascension.
Fourthly, to Conclude,1 What mighty Demonstrations of the desires of his Heart towards us, did our Redeemer give at, and since his Ascension into Heaven? As the whole Life of Christ ⟨p. 196⟩upon Earth was a perswasive Argument to draw sinners to him, so his Ascension to Heaven hath many things in it which are mighty attractives to the Hearts of Men. I will only mention two, 1. The gifts he bestowed at his Ascension. 2. The ends and designs of his Ascension.