A39669:1177
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.
First, Christ cures troubles by sanctifying them to the souls of his that are under affliction, and makes their very troubles medicinal and healing to them. Trouble is a Scorpion, and hath a deadly sting; but Christ is a wise Physician, and extracts a Sovereign Oil out of this Scorpion, that heals the wound it makes. By affliction our wise Physician purges our corruptions, and so prevents or cures greater troubles by lesser; inward sorrows, by outward ones, Isai. 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his sin.
First, Christ cures troubles by sanctifying them to the souls of his that are under affliction, and makes their very troubles medicinal and healing to them. Trouble is a Scorpion, and hath a deadly sting; but Christ is a wise Physician, and extracts a Soveraign Oyl out of this Scorpion, that heals the wound it makes. By affliction our wise Physician purges our corruptions, and so prevents or cures greater troubles by lesser; inward sorrows, by outward ones, Isai. 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his sin.
Secondly, Christ cures outward troubles by inward consolations, which are made to rise in the inner man as high as the waters of affliction do upon the outward man, 2 Cor. 1. 5. One drop of spiritual comfort is sufficient to sweeten a whole Ocean of outward trouble. It was an high expression of an 1afflicted Father, whom God comforted just upon the death of his dear and only Son, with some clearer manifestations of his love than was usual. O, said he, might I but have such consolations as these, I could be willing (were it possible) to lay an only Son into the grave every day I have to live in this world. Thus all the troubles of the world are cured by Christ,