A39669:1165
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.
Secondly, The next evil in sin, cured by Christ, is the dominion 1of it over the souls of poor sinners. Where sin is in dominion, the soul is in a very sad condition; for it darkens the Understanding, depraves the Conscience, stiffens the Will, hardens the Heart, misplaces and disorders all the Affections: and thus every faculty is wounded by the power and dominion of sin over the soul. How difficult is the cure of this disease! it passes the skill of Angels or men to heal it: but Christ undertakes it, and makes a perfect cure of it at last; and this he doth by his Spirit. As he cures the guilt of sin by pouring out his blood for us, so he cures the dominion of sin, by pouring out his Spirit upon us. Justification is the cure of guilt, Sanctification the cure of the dominion of sin. For,
- 12.
First, As the Dominion of sin darkens the understanding, 1 Cor. 2. 14. so the spirit of holiness which Christ sheds upon his people, cures the darkness and blindness of that noble faculty, and restores it again, Eph. 5. 8. they that were darkness are hereby light in the Lord: the anointing of this Spirit teacheth them all things, 1 John 2. 27.
Secondly, As the dominion of sin depraved and defiled the Conscience, Tit. 1. 15. wounded it to that degree, as to disable it to the performances of all its Offices and Functions; so that it was neither able to apply, convince, or tremble at the word: So when the Spirit of holiness is shed forth, O what a tender sense fills the renewed Conscience! for what small things will it check, smite and rebuke! how strongly will it bind to duty, and bar against sin!