A39669:1065
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.
Sixthly, Coming to Christ, implies an hope or expectation 1from Christ in the coming soul. If it have no hope, why doth it move forward? as good sit still, and resolve to perish where it is, as come to Christ, if there be no ground to expect salvation by him. Hope is the spring of motion and industry: if you cut off hope, you hamstring faith: it cannot move to Christ, except it be satisfied at least of the possibility of mercy and salvation by him. Hence it is, that when comers to Christ are struggling with the doubts and fears of the issue, the Lord is pleased to enliven their faint hopes, by setting on such Scriptures as that John 6. 37. He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out: and Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him. This puts life into hope, and hope puts life into industry and motion.
Sixthly, Coming to Christ, implies an hope or expectation 1from Christ in the coming soul. If it have no hope, why doth it move forward? as good sit still, and resolve to perish where it is, as come to Christ, if there be no ground to expect salvation by him. Hope is the spring of motion and industry: if you cut off hope, you hamstring faith: it cannot move to Christ, except it be satisfied at least of the possibility of mercy and salvation by him. Hence it is, that when comers to Christ are strugling with the doubts and fears of the issue, the Lord is pleased to enliven their faint hopes, by setting on such Scriptures as that John 6. 37. He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out: and Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him. This puts life into hope, and hope puts life into industry and motion.
- 1Venite ad me, (i. e.) affectibus fidei, & spei religiosae, & desiderii. Burgensis in loc.