A39669:1829
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.
Secondly, The power of the word is not communicated to it by the instrument that manageth it, 1 Cor. 3. 7. Neither is he that planteth any thing; neither he that watereth. Ministers are nothing to such an effect and purpose as this is: he doth not mean that they are useless and altogether unnecessary, but insufficient of themselves to produce such mighty effects: it works not as it is the word of man, 1 Thes. 2. 13. Ministers may say of the ordinary, as Peter said of the extraordinary effects of the Spirit, Acts 3. 12. Ye men of Israel why marvel ye at this, or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? If the effects of the word were in the power, and at the command of him that preacheth it, then the blood of all the souls that perish under our Ministry must lye at our door, as was formerly noted.
Thirdly, If you say whence then hath the word all this power? Our answer is, it derives it all from the Spirit of God, 1 Thes. 2. 13. For this cause thank we God without ceasing, 1because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. 'Tis a successful instrument only when it is in the hand of the Spirit, without whose influence it never did, nor can convince, convert or save any soul. Now, the Spirit of God hath a sovereignty over three things in order to the conversion of the sinner.
Thirdly, If you say whence then hath the word all this power? Our answer is, it derives it all from the Spirit of God,