A39669:1301
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 4.
Is Christ the mercy (i. e:) he in whom all the tender mercies 1of God towards poor sinners are, then let none be discouraged in going to Christ by reason of the sin and unworthiness that is in them: his very name is mercy, and as his name is so is he. Poor drooping sinner, encourage thy self in the way of faith, the Christ to whom thou art going is mercy it self to broken-hearted sinners moving towards him in the way of faith: Doubt not that mercy will repulse thee, 'tis against both its name and nature so to do. Jesus Christ is so merciful to poor souls that come to him, that he hath received and pardoned the chiefest of sinners; men that stood as remote from mercy as any in the world, 1 Tim. 1. 15. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Those that shed the blood of Christ, have yet been washed in that blood from their sin, Act. 2. 36, 37. Mercy receives sinners without exception of great and heinous ones, Joh. 7. 37. If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. Gospel invitations run in general terms to all sinners that are heavy laden, Mat. 11. 28. When Mr. Billney the Martyr heard a Minister preaching at this rate, O thou old Sinner who hast been serving the Devil these fifty or sixty years; dost thou think that Christ will receive thee now? O said he, what a preaching of Christ is here? Had Christ been thus preached to me in the day of my trouble for sin, what had become of me! But blessed be God there is a sufficiency both of merit and mercy in Jesus Christ for all sinners, for the vilest among sinners, whose hearts shall be made willing to come unto him. So merciful is the Lord Jesus Christ that he moves first,