A39660:893
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.
III. After these two royal dishes, Pardon, and Peace, a third will come in, viz. Joy in the Holy Ghost; this is somewhat beyond peace, 'tis the very quintessence and Spirit of all Consolation. The Kingdom of God is said to consist in it, Rom. 14. 17. 'tis somewhat near to the joy of the glorified, 1 Pet. 1. 8. 'tis Heaven upon Earth. All believers do not immediately attain it, but one time or other God usually gives them a taste of it; and when he doth, it is as it were a short Salvation. O who can tell what that is which the Apostle calls, The shedding abroad of the love of God into the Heart, by the Holy Ghost, which is given to us! Rom. 5. 5. It is a joy which wants an Epithet to express the sweetness of it, 1 Pet. 1. 8. Joy unspeakable and full of glory. It hath the very scent and taste of Heaven in it, and there is but a gradual difference betwixt it, and the joy of Heaven. This joy of the Holy Ghost, is a spiritual cheeriness, streaming through the Soul of a believer upon the Spirits testimony, which clears his interest in Christ, and glory. No sooner doth the Spirit shed forth the love of God into the believers Heart, but it streams and overflows with joy. Joy is no more under that Souls command; and this will evidently appear, if you consider the matter of it; it arises from the light of Gods countenance, Psal. 4. 6, 7. the heavenly 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen we love, &c. The Soul is transported with joy, ravished ⟨p. 364⟩with the glory and excellency of Christ. Didst thou ever see this Christ whom thy Soul is so ravished with? No, I have not seen him, yet my Soul is transported with so much love to him; Whom having not seen, we love. But if thou never sawest him, how comes thy Soul to be so delighted and ravished with him? why, though I never saw him by the Eye of sense, yet I do see him by the Eye of faith; and by that sight my Soul is flooded with spiritual joy. Believing we rejoice. But what manner of joy is that which you taste? why, no Tongue can express that, for it is joy unspeakable. But how are Christ and Heaven turned into such ravishing joys to the Soul? why, the Spirit of the Lord gives the believing Soul not only a light to discern the transcendent excellency of these spiritual objects; but a sight of his interest in them also. This is my Christ, and this the glory prepared for me;