A39669:2692
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, The Subject of this Judgement which is the soul, and the principal power of the soul, which is the mind and understanding faculty: the soul is the most precious and invaluable part of man, and the mind is the superior and most noble power of the soul: it is to the soul what the eye is to the body, the directive faculty. The bodily eye is a curious, tender, and most precious part of the body. When we would express the value of a thing, we say, we prize it as our eyes. The loss of the eyes is a sore loss, we lose a great part of the comfort of this world by it. Yet such an affliction (speaking comparatively) is but a trifle to this. If our bodily eyes be blinded we cannot see the sun, but if our spiritual eye be blinded we cannot see God, we wander in the paths of sin, 1 John 2. 11. we are led blindfold to hell by Satan, as the Syrians were into Samaria, 2 Kings 6. 19, 20. and then our eyes like theirs will be opened to see our misery, when it is too late, The light of the body is the eye (saith Christ) If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light; but if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! Mat. 6. 22, 23. By the eye he means the practical judgment, the understanding faculty, which is the seat of principles, the common treasury of rules for practice, according unto which a mans life is formed, and his way directed. If therefore this power of the soul be darkened, how great must that darkness be! for now the blind lead the blind, and both fall into the ditch. The blind judgement misguides the blind affections; and both fall into hell. O what a sad thing is it that the Devil should lead that, that leads thee? That he should sit at the helm, and steer thy course to damnation? The blinding of this noble faculty precipitates the soul into the most dangerous courses, persecution by this means seems to be true zeal for God. John 16. 2. They that persecute you shall think that they do God service. Paul once thought verily with himself, that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, Acts 26. 9. (i. e.) He thought he had pleased God, when he was imprisoning