A39669:1860
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.
First, Embryos that are under the first workings of the Spirit in the word. O let it not seem a misery or unhappiness 1to you that the Commandment is come, and sin revived, and your former hopes overthrown. It must be thus if ever God intend mercy for you. Had you gone on in that dangerous security you were in before, you had certainly been lost for ever: God hath stopped you in that path that leads down to hell, and none that go in there do ever return again, or take hold of the paths of life. O 'tis better to weep, tremble, and be distressed now, than to mourn without hope for ever: let it not trouble you that sin hath found you out; you could never have found out the remedy in Christ, if you had not found out the disease and danger, by the coming of the commandment. And I beseech you carefully to observe whether the effects and operations of the word upon your hearts be deeper and more powerful than they are found to be in such souls as miscarry under it: the Commandment comes to them, and shows them this or that more gross and startling sin; doth it come to you and show you not only this or that particular sin, but all the evils of your heart and life? the ⟨p. 371⟩corruption of your natures, as well as the transgressions of your lives? if so, it promises well, and looks hopefully and comfortably to you. The commandment comes to others and startles them with the fears of damnation for their sin: it puts them into a grievous fright at hell, and the everlasting burnings; but doth it come to thee and discover the infinite evil that is in thy sin, as it is committed against the great, holy, righteous, and good God; and so melts thy heart into tears for the wrong that thou hast done him, as well as the danger into which thou hast brought thy self? This is a hopeful work, and may encourage thee. It comes to others and greatly shakes, but never destroys and razes the foundation of their vain hopes: if it so revive sin, as to kill all vain hopes, in thee, and shut thee up to Christ, as thy only door of hope, fear not; these troubles will prove the greatest mercies that ever befell thee in this world, if thus they work, and continue to work upon thy soul.
First, Embryos that are under the first workings of the Spirit in the word. O let it not seem a misery or unhappiness 1