A39669:1203
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 5.
What cause have they to be glad, that are under the hand and 1care of Christ in order to a cure; and who do find, or may upon due examination find, their souls are in a very hopeful way of ⟨p. 228⟩recovery! Can we rejoice when the strength of a natural disease is broken, and nature begins to recover ease, and vigour again, and shall we not much more rejoice when our souls begin to mend, and recover sensibly, and all comfortable signs of life and health appear upon them? particularly when the understanding which was ignorant and dark, hath the light of life beginning to dawn into it, such is that in 1 John 2. 27. When the will which was rebellious and inflexible to the will of God, is brought to comply with that holy will, saying, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? Acts 9. 6. When the heart which was harder than an Adamant, is now brought to contrition for sin, and can mourn as heartily over it, as ever a tender Father did for a dead Son, a beloved and only Son. When its aversations from God are gone, at least have no such power as once they had: but the thoughts are now fixed much upon God, and spiritual things begin to grow pleasant to the soul: when times of duty come to be longed for, and the soul never better pleased than in such seasons. When the Hypocrisy of the heart is purged out, so that we begin to do all that we do heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men, Coll. 3. 23. 1 Thess. 2. 4