A39669:2021
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.
Rule 4.
Those things which discover the indwelling of the Spirit in believers are not so much the matter of their duties, or substance of their actions; as the more secret springs, holy aims, and spiritual manner of their doing, or performing of them; 'tis not so much the matter of a prayer, the neat and orderly expressions in which it is uttered; as the inward sense, and spiritual design of the soul: 'tis not the choice of elegant words whereby our conceptions are clothed, or the copiousness of the matter with which we are furnished; for even a poor stammering tongue, and broken language may have more of the spirit of God in it. This made Luther say, he saw more excellency in the duty of a plain rustic Christian, than in all the Triumphs of Caesar, and Alexander: the beauty and excellency of spiritual duties is an inward hidden thing.
Those things which discover the indwelling of the Spirit in believers are not so much the matter of their duties, or substance of their actions; as the more secret springs, holy aims, and spiritual manner of their doing, or performing of them; 'tis not so much the matter of a prayer, the neat and orderly expressions in which it is uttered; as the inward sense, and spiritual design of the soul: 'tis not the choice of elegant words whereby our conceptions are cloathed, or the copiousness of the matter with which we are furnished; for even a poor stammering tongue, and broken language may have more of the spirit of God in it. This made Luther say, he saw more excellency in the duty of a plain rustick Christian, than in all the Triumphs of Casar, and Alexander: the beauty and excellency of spiritual duties is an inward hidden thing.