A39660:959
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.
VI. Advice.
Sixthly, Be not staggered or dejected, if the first comforts Christ gives you should afterwards abate, […] be taken away for a time.
Sixthly, Be not staggard or dejected, if the first comforts Christ gives you should afterwards abate, 〈…〉 be taken away for a time.
This is a very common thing in the experience of most Christians. You must not think your first comforts are such fixed settled things, that there is no hazard of losing them. Alas, nothing is more volatile than the joys of a Christian; you will be apt to lose your first love, Rev. 2. 4. and if you lose your first love, no wonder that you lose your first comforts; yet if it should so fall out, be not cast down, and discouraged; Christ is not gone, though comfort be gone; and though comfort be gone, 'tis not gone for ever; renew thy repentance, faith and obedience, and try if God will not renew thy comfort. There is a former, and there is a latter spring of joy; God will make thy comforts spring again. Beside, thy Justification is steadfast, though thy Consolation be not so; there are two things belong to a Christian, one to his being, viz. union with Christ; another to his well being, viz. comfort from Christ: The latter is uncertain and contingent, the former fixed and steadfast.
This is a very common thing in the experience of most Christians. You must not think your first comforts are such fixed setled things, that there is no hazard of losing them. Alas, nothing is more volatile than the joys of a Christian; you will be apt to lose your first love,