A39669:119
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.
But yet something is required beyond all this to make our happiness perfect and entire wanting nothing; and that is the removal of those doleful effects and consequents of sin, which notwithstanding all the forementioned privileges and mercies still lye upon the souls and bodies of illuminated, justified and sanctified persons. For even upon the best and holiest of men, what swarms of vanity, loads of deadness, and fits of unbelief do daily appear in and oppress their souls! to the embittering of all the comforts of life to them. And how many diseases, deformities, pains oppress their bodies, which daily moulders away by them, till they fall into the grave by death, even as the bodies of other men do, who never received such privileges from Christ as they do. For if Christ be in us (as the Apostle speaks Rom. 8. 10.) the body is dead because of sin: Sanctification exempts us not from mortality.
But yet something is required beyond all this to make our happiness perfect and entire wanting nothing; and that is the removal of those doleful effects and consequents of sin, which notwithstanding all the forementioned priviledges and mercies still lye upon the souls and bodies of illuminated, justified and sanctified persons. For even upon the best and holiest of men, what swarms of vanity, loads of deadness, and fits of unbelief do daily appear in and oppress their souls! to the imbittering of all the comforts of life to them. And how many diseases, deformities, pains oppress their bodies, which daily moulders away by them, till they fall into the grave by death, even as the bodies of other men do, who never received such priviledges from Christ as they do. For if Christ be in us (as the Apostle speaks Rom. 8. 10.) the body is dead because of sin: Sanctification exempts us not from mortality.
But from all these and whatsoever else the fruits and consequences of sin, Christ is Redemption to his people also: this seals up the sum of mercies: this so completes the happiness of the Saints that it leaves nothing to desire.