A39669:1028
The Method of Grace
The method of grace, in bringing home the eternal redemption contrived by the Father, and accomplished by the Son through the effectual application of the spirit unto God's elect, being the second part of Gospel redemption : wherein the great mystery of our union and communion with Christ is opened and applied, unbelievers invited, false pretenders convicted, every mans claim to Christ examined, and the misery of Christless persons discovered and bewailed / by John Flavell ...The method of grace, in bringing home the eternal redemption contrived by the Father, and accomplished by the Son through the effectual application of the spirit unto God's elect, being the second part of Gospel redemption : wherein the great mysterie of our union and communion with Christ is opened and applied, unbelievers invited, false pretenders convicted, every mans claim to Christ examined, and the misery of Christless persons discovered and bewailed / by John Flavell ...
London: printed by M. White for Francis Tyton, 1681
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.
Inference 6.
Lastly, In how sad a case are those that never felt any burden in 1sin, that never were kept waking and restless one night for sin?
- 1Inference 6.
There is a burdened conscience, and there is a benumbed conscience. The first is more painful, but the last more dangerous. O 'tis a fearful blow of God upon a mans soul, to strike it senseless and stupid, so that though mountains of guilt lye upon it, it feels no pain or pressure: and this is so much the more sad, because it incapacitates the soul for Christ, and is a presage and fore-runner of hell. It would grieve the heart of a man, to see a delirious person in the rage and height of a fever, to laugh at those that are weeping for him, call them fools, and telling them, he is as well as any of them: much so is the case of many thousand souls, the God of mercy pity them.
There is a burthened conscience, and there is a benummed conscience. The first is more painful, but the last more dangerous. O 'tis a fearful blow of God upon a mans soul, to strike it senseless and stupid, so that though mountains of guilt lye upon it, it feels no pain or pressure: and this is so much the more sad, because it incapacitates the soul for Christ, and is a presage and fore-runner of hell. It would grieve the heart of a man, to see a delirious person in the rage and height of a fevor, to laugh at those that are weeping for him, call them fools, and telling them, he is as well as any of them: much so is the case of many thousand souls, the God of mercy pity them.