A39660:761
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.
VII. Character.
The voice of Christ whereof we now speak is generally and ordinarily conveyed to the Souls of men through the Word preached, which is the chosen Organ or Instrument of its Conveyance. We cannot absolutely and universally affirm that Christ always speaks to men this way, but certainly this ⟨p. 292⟩is his standing and ordinary course, 1 Thess. 1. 5. Our Gospel came not to you in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost. Our Gospel, because preached and ministered by us; but had that been all, it had come to you in word only, as it doth to many thousand others in the world, who hear and feel nothing in it more than what is human; but unto you it came in power, and in the Holy Ghost; that is, our words were the Vehicle or Organ through which the vital power of the Spirit was conveyed into your Souls. Providences have their voices, as well as the Word; and sometimes the voice of Christ hath accompanied the voice of Providence, to the conversion of mens Souls; but this is more rare and unusual: The established and ordinary way of Christ's speaking to the hearts of Sinners is by the Word, and especially the Word preached, which upon that very account and consideration, as it is the Organ of conveying the voice and power of Christ to the Soul, is therefore called the power of God to salvation, Rom. 1. 16. This Instrument the Lord generally […] and honours for the conveyance of spiritual life into the Souls of men, though it be despised and contemned in the world. The preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God, 1 Cor. 1. 18. i. e. the chosen Instrument by which the saving power of God communicates it self to the Souls of men: And although God may exert his saving power through Providences, yet we seldom or never find he doth so where the Word may be had, but is despised and neglected. And truly herein God consults our peace and satisfaction; for suppose he should make use of another medium,