A39669:1535
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 2.
Let all Believers fetch all their Comfort out of Christ, who is 1the Consolation of his people: we rejoice (saith the Apostle) in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. That's the true temper of a believing soul: Take heed you live not partly upon Christ, and partly upon the Creature for your Comfort; much rather beware that you forsake not Christ the fountain of living waters, and hew out Cisterns for your selves which can hold no water, Jer. 2. 13. If you make any Creature the spring and fountain of your comfort, assuredly God will dry up that spring: if your souls draw their Comfort from any Creature, you know they must outlive that Creature, and what then will you do for Comfort? Beside, as your Comforts are, so are you. The food of every Creature is suitable to its nature. You see divers Creatures feeding upon several parts of the same herb; the Bee upon the flower, the Bird upon the seed, the Sheep upon the ⟨p. 296⟩stalk, and the Swine upon the root; according to their nature, so is their food: sensual men feed upon sensual things: spiritual men upon spiritual things; as your food is, so are you. If carnal comforts can content thy heart, sure thy heart must then be a very carnal heart: yea, and let Christians themselves take heed, that they fetch not their Consolations out of themselves instead of Christ. Your graces and duties are excellent means and instruments, but not the groundwork, and foundation of your Comfort: they are useful buckets to draw, but not the well it self in which the springs of consolation rise. If you put your duties in the room of Christ, Christ will put your comforts out of the reach of your duties.
- 1