A39669:1960
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.
Infer. 2.
Hence we may also inform our selves how it cometh to pass that many rational, wise and learned men miss Christ, whilst 1mean time the simple and illiterate even babes in natural knowledge, obtain interest in him and salvation by him.
- 1Inference 2.
The reason hereof is plainly given us by Christ in Mat. 13. 11. To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given: 'tis the droppings and dews of divine teaching upon one, and not upon another, that dryeth up the green tree, and maketh the dry tree to flourish. Many natural men have very fine brains, searching wits, solid judgements, nimble fancies, tenacious memories: they can search out the mysteries of nature, solve the Phenomena, satisfy the enquiries of the most curious: they can measure the earth, discover the motions of the heavens; but after all take up their place in Hell: When in the mean time the Statutes of the Lord (by the help of his teachings) make wise the simple, Psal. 19. 17. 'Tis no matter how dull and incapable the Scholar be, if God undertake to be the teacher. I remember Austin speaks of one who was commonly reputed a fool, and yet he could not but judge him to be truly godly; and that by two signs of grace which appeared in him: one was his seriousness when he heard any discourses of Christ, the other was his indignation manifested against sin: it was truly said by those two Cardinals (who riding to the Council of Constance overheard a poor shepherd in the fields, with tears bewailing his sin) surgunt indocti & rapient coelum: the unlearned will rise and take heaven, whilst we with all our learning shall descend into Hell.