A39660:988
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.
I. Negatively, What it is not; for I find persons are hugely apt to mistake in this matter, taking that for Communion with God which is not so; and here let it be noted,
First, That Communion with God doth not consist in the bare performance of Religious duties. I do not say that Men may have Communion with God in this World without duties, 'tis a delusion of Satan to think so; but this is what I say, that Communion with God consisteth not in the mere performances of Duties. Communion and duties of Religion are two things separable one from the other. Men may multiply duties, and yet be strangers to Communion with God in them; even humiliation and fasting days may be kept by Souls that are estranged from Communion with the Lord, Zach. 7. 5. Speak unto all the people of the Land, and unto the Priests saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth, and seventh month; even these seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even unto me? q. d. Had your Souls pure intentions and respects in those duties to my glory? Had you special Communion with me, or I with you in those duties? Did you ever ⟨p. 400⟩feel your Souls in these days wounded for sin? Or did you not fast out of custom, and mourn for company? God may be near in Mens mouths, and at the same time far from their reins, Jer. 12. 2. Religious words may flow out of Mens lips, when not one drop of Religion touches their reins and hearts; that is, the secret inward powers of their Souls; you cannot therefore safely depend upon this, Christ rejects this plea, Matth. 7. 22. Get a better evidence of Communion with God than this, or you will certainly come short of your expectation. I know you not, saith Christ; there was never any Spiritual acquaintance betwixt your Souls and me; I know you not in a way of approbation.
First, That Communion with God doth not consist in the bare performance of Religious duties. I do not say that Men may have Communion with God in this World without duties, 'tis a delusion of Satan to think so; but this is what I say, that Communion with God consisteth not in the mere performances of Duties. Communion and duties of Religion are two things separable one from the other. Men may multiply duties, and yet be strangers to Communion with God in them; even humiliation and fasting days may be kept by Souls that are estranged from Communion with the Lord,