A39660:697
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.
V. Inference.
Behold the admirable condescension of Christ,1 that he will come into the Heart of the vilest sinner, and not disdain to take his abode in that Soul which hath been the seat of Satan, where he hath ruled, and every unclean lust hath been harboured!
Behold the admirable condescension of Christ,1 that he will come into the Heart of the vilest sinner, and not disdain to take his abode in that Soul which hath been the seat of Satan, where he hath ruled, and every unclean lust hath been harbour'd!
- 1V. Infer.
There are two things wherein the admirable condescension of Christ appears. (1.) In taking union with our Nature after sin had blasted the beauty of it; this was a marvellous stoop indeed, and justly admired by the Apostle, Phil. 2. 7. He made himself of no reputation, and was made in the likeness of Men. Yea, God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, Rom. 8. 3. But (2ly,) 'tis justly admirable in our Eyes, that Christ should also take union with our persons; and take his habitation and abode in our Hearts, after Satan and sin had so long inhabited and defiled them; that he should accept those Members as instruments of his service; that very Tongue to praise him that had blasphemed him, &c. yet so he is willing to do, and commands us to deliver them up to him, Rom, 6. 19. As ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. One would have thought Jesus Christ should have said, Vile wretch, Satan hath had the use and service of thy Soul and Body from thy beginning to this day; thy Memory hath been his Storehouse, thy Mouth his Shop, thy Will his Throne, and all thy Members