A39669:2095
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, But though this life of the new Creature be a great mystery, and secret in some respects, yet so far as it is […] •ppears unto us, the new creature is the most […] lovely creature that ever God made: for the […] himself is upon it: the new man is created […] 24. as the picture is drawn after the man: […] God himself, delineated by the spirit, that ⟨p. 435⟩admirable Artist, upon the soul of man: holiness is the beauty and glory of God: and in holiness the new creature is created after Gods own image, Col. 3. 10. the regenerate soul hereby becomes holy, 1 Joh. 3. 3. not essentially holy as God is, nor yet efficiently holy: for the regenerate soul can neither make it self, nor others holy: but the life of the new creature may be said to resemble the life of God in this, that as God lives to himself, so the new creature wholly lives to God: as God loves holiness, and hates the contrary, so doth the new creature: 'tis in these things formed after the image of him that created it: when God creates this creature in the soul of man, we are said then to be partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. so that there can be nothing communicated unto men, which beautifies and adorns their souls as this new creation doth: men do not resemble God as they are noble, and as they are rich, but as they are holy: no gift, no endowment of nature embellishes the soul, as this new creature doth: an awful Majesty sits upon the brow of the new creature, commanding the greatest, and worst of men to do homage to it, Mark 6. 20. yea such is the beauty of the new creature that Christ its Author is also its admirer: Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes.
Secondly, But though this life of the new Creature be a great mystery, and secret in some respects, yet so far as it is 〈…〉 •ppears unto us, the new creature is the most lovely creature that ever God made: for the himself is upon it: the new man is created 24. as the picture is drawn after the man: God himself, delineated by the spirit, that