A39669:1719
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.
Thirdly, Christs bringing us to God implies our inability to return to God of our selves: we must be brought back by Christ, or perish for ever in a state of separation from God: the lost sheep is made the emblem of the lost sinner, 1Luke 15. 5. The sheep returns not to the fold of it self, but the shepherd seeks it, finds it, and carries it back upon his shoulders: and the Apostle plainly tells us, Rom. 5. 6. that when we were without strength (i. e.) any ability to recover, help or save our selves; in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Thirdly, Christs bringing us to God implies our inability to return to God of our selves: we must be brought back by Christ, or perish for ever in a state of separation from God: the lost sheep is made the embleme of the lost sinner, 1Luke 15. 5. The sheep returns not to the fold of it self, but the shepheard seeks it, finds it, and carries it back upon his shoulders: and the Apostle plainly tells us, Rom. 5. 6. that when we were without strength (i. e.) any ability to recover, help or save our selves; in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
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Fourthly, Christs bringing us to God evidently implies 1this, that Gods unsatisfied justice was once the great bar betwixt him and man: man can have no access to God but by Christ: Christ brings us to God by no other way but the way of satisfaction by his blood: he hath suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Better ten thousand worlds should perish for ever, than God should lose the honour of his justice. This great Obex, or bar to our enjoyment of God is effectually removed by the death of Christ: whereby it is not only fully satisfied, but highly