A39669:2600
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, sinning under and against the light, supposes and involves in it a greater contempt and despite of Gods authority than sinning in ignorance and darkness doth: every man that breaks the law of God doth not in the same degree despise and slight the authority of the Law maker: but when a man hath light to discover the evil and danger of what he doth, and yet will dare to do it; what is this but the treading of Gods authority under foot? the casting of his word behind our backs? Wilful sinning is a despiteful sinning against God, Heb. 10. 26. it argues a low and vile esteem of the law of God which is reverent and holy: and by so much the more it maketh sin to be exceeding sinful.
Secondly, sinning under and against the light, supposes and involves in it a greater contempt and despight of Gods authority than sinning in ignorance and darkness doth: every man that breaks the law of God doth not in the same degree despise and slight the authority of the Law maker: but when a man hath light to discover the evil and danger of what he doth, and yet will dare to do it; what is this but the treading of Gods authority under foot? the casting of his word behind our backs? Wilfull sinning is a despightful sinning against God, Heb. 10. 26. it argues a low and vile esteem of the law of God which is reverent and holy: and by so much the more it maketh sin to be exceeding sinful.
Thirdly, Sinning under, and against the light admits not of those excuses and pleas to extenuate the offence, which sins of pure ignorance do. Those that live without the sound of the Gospel may say, Lord, we never heard of Christ and the great redemption wrought by him: if we had, we would never have lived and acted as we did: and therefore Christ saith, Joh. 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin.