A39669:2644
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.
The former is the case of the Pagan world, who are in midnight darkness, for want of the Gospel. The later is the case of the Christian world. The greatest part of them that live within the sound of the Gospel, being blinded by the God of this world, Isa. 6. 9, 10. And he said Go, and tell this people; hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not: make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy; and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed. Thus when the Son of righteousness actually rose in the world it is said, John 1. 5. The light shined in darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not. So we may say of all that light which is in the understanding of all unbelievers what Job speaks of the grave, ⟨p. 570⟩Job 10. 22. That the light there is as darkness. But more particularly to open the nature of this Spiritual blindness, I will show you,
1. What it is not opposed unto. 2. What it is opposed unto.
First, Let us examine what Spiritual blindness or the hiding of the Gospel from the minds of men is not opposed unto, and we shall find,