A39660:996
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. Communion with God doth not only suppose grace implanted, but also implanted grace excited; grace in act: For a man may have the habits of faith, love and delight in him, and yet be without actual communion with God; for by this grace is awakened and put into act. A believer when he is asleep, and acts no grace, is in a state of communion with God; but if he will have actual communion, his faith, love, and delight must be awakened; they must not lye asleep in the habit. Thou saidst, seek my face, my heart said unto thee, thy face Lord will I seek, Psal. 27. 8. It was in order to actual communion with Christ that the Church so earnestly begs fresh influences of the Spirit to excite her graces into act, Cant. 4. I6. Awake O North-wind, and come thou South, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. And though believers are not so to wait for influences of the Spirit, as mean time to neglect all proper outward means of exciting their own graces, engaging their Hearts to approach unto God, Jer. 30. 21. Yet certainly it is the work of Gods Spirit, ⟨p. 403⟩and without him we can do nothing to any purpose. The Seaman may trim the Sails, weigh the Anchor, put all into a sailing posture; but till a gale come from Heaven there is little or no motion. The same Spirit that plants the habits, is he also that excites the acts of grace. These three things therefore are pre-requisites unto all communion with God.
III. Communion with God doth not only suppose grace implanted, but also implanted grace excited; grace in act: For a man may have the habits of faith, love and delight in him, and yet be without actual communion with God; for by this grace is awakned and put into act. A believer when he is asleep, and acts no grace, is in a state of communion with God; but if he will have actual communion, his faith, love, and delight must be awakned; they must not lye asleep in the habit. Thou saidst, seek my face, my heart said unto thee, thy face Lord will I seek, Psal. 27. 8. It was in order to actual communion with Christ that the Church so earnestly begs fresh influences of the Spirit to excite her graces into act,