A39669:2590
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, We have here the aggravation of sin by the abuse of Gospel Light, Light is come. By Light we are to understand 1the knowledge, discovery and manifestation of Christ, and Redemption by him in the Gospel. He is the Son of righteousness that arises in the Gospel upon the nations, Mal. 4. 1. When he came in the flesh, then did the day-spring from on high visit us, Luke 1. 78. And the light may be said to come two ways, either
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First, In the means by which it is conveyed to us, or Secondly, in the efficacy of it upon our minds, when it actually shines into our souls. Light may come among a people in the means, and yet they actually remain in darkness all the while. As it is in nature, The sun may be up and a very glorious morning far advanced, whilst many thousands are drowsing upon their beds with their curtains drawn about them. Light in the means, we may call potential Light. Light in the mind we may call actual light. It▪ is but seldom that light comes in the means, and continues long among men, but some light must needs actually shine into their souls also: but this actual light is twofold, 1. Common and intellectual only to conviction, or 2. Special and efficacious light, bringing the foul to Christ, by real conversion. called in 1 Cor. 4. 6.—Gods shining into the heart. Where ever light comes in this last sense, it is impossible that such men should prefer darkness before it; but it may come in the means, yea, it may actually shine into the consciences of men by those means and convince them of their sins, and yet men may hate it, and choose darkness rather than light. And this is the sense of this place, Light was come in the Gospel dispensation among them, yea, it hath shined into many of their consciences, galled, and reproved them for sin, but they hated it, and had rather be without such a troublesome inmate. In a word, by the coming of light, we are here to understand a more clear and open manifestation of Christ by the Gospel than ever was made to the world before: for we are not to think that there was