A39660:798
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.
IV. Inference.
Those that have heard Christ's voice and call in the Gospel, have no reason to be discouraged from going to Christ in the way of Faith. Christ's Call is a sufficient warrant to believe. Many poor Souls are staggered in their work of Faith, by the fear of Presumption; an ugly Objection which they know not how to clear themselves of: But certainly, this above all Considerations in the world enervates this Objection of ⟨p. 314⟩Presumption. Then men presume when they act without a Call or Warrant; but if Christ have spoken to your hearts by the voice of his Spirit, you have the best warrant in the world to go to him. What though you know not the Issue? yet your Obedience is due to his Call. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an Inheritance, obeyed, and he went out not knowing whither he went, Heb•. 11. 8. So must you. It is not necessary to your going to Christ, that you must be ascertained before hand what the Event and Issue thereof shall be: Your believing is an act of Obedience to the voice of Christ that calls you. When therefore Satan shall object, What, such a wretched Soul as thou go to Christ! canst thou imagine to find entertainment with him whom thou hast so abused and deeply wronged? Thy answer should be ready, 'Tis true, I have been a vile wretch, and have deeply wronged the Lord Jesus; but Christ hath spoken to my heart, he hath called me, and therefore it can be no presumption in me to go at his Call; but contrariwise it would be flat Rebellion against his Sovereign Command to refuse to believe, and come unto him; yea, it would be a greater sin than any of my former sins have been. Beside, had the Lord Jesus no intention of mercy (as thou maliciously insinuatest) towards my Soul, he would never have spoken to my heart by conviction and persuasion, as he hath done.