A39669:2694
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, it is a dreadful Judgement if we consider the Object about which the understanding is blinded, which is Jesus Christ, and Union with him; Regeneration and the nature and necessity thereof. For this blindness is not universal, but respective and particular. A man may have abundance of light and knowledge in things natural, and moral: but spiritual things are hidden from his eyes. Yea, a man may know spiritual things in a natural way, which increaseth his blindness; but he cannot discern them spiritually: this is a sore judgement, and greatly to be bewailed. Thou hast hid these things (said Christ) from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes, Mat. 11. 25. Learned and knowing men are ignorant of those things which very babes in Christ understand. They are prudent in the management of earthly affairs▪ but to save their own souls they have no knowledge. They are able with Berengarius to dispute De omni scibili, of every thing investigable by the light of nature: yea, to open the scripture solidly, and defend the doctrines, and truths of Christ against his adversaries successfully; and yet blinded in the great mystery of regeneration. Blindness in part (saith the Apostle) is happened unto Israel: and that indeed was the principal part of knowledge, viz. the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified, we see farther than they. The literal knowledge of Christ shines clearly in our understandings. We are only blinded about those things which should give us saving interest in him, about the effectual application of Christ to our own souls.
Secondly, it is a dreadful Judgement if we consider the Object about which the understanding is blinded, which is Jesus Christ, and Union with him; Regeneration and the nature and necessity thereof. For this blindness is not universal, but respective and particular. A man may have abundance of light and knowledge in things natural, and moral: but spiritual things are hi•den from his eyes. Yea, a man may know spiritual things in a natural way, which increaseth his blindness; but he cannot discern them spiritually: this is a sore judgement, and greatly to be bewailed. Thou hast hid these things (said Christ) from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes, Mat. 11. 25. Learned and knowing men are ignorant of those things which very babes in Christ understand. They are prudent in the management of earthly affairs but to save their own souls they have no knowledge. They are able with Berengarius to dispute De omni scibili, of every thing investigable by the light of nature: yea, to open the scripture solidly, and defend the doctrines, and truths of Christ against his adversaries successfully; and yet blinded in the greatmystery of regeneration. Blindness in part (saith the Apostle) is happened unto Israel: and that indeed was the principal part of knowledg, viz. the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified, we see farther than they. The literal knowledge of Christ shines clearly in our understandings. We are only blinded about those things which should give us saving interest in him, about the effectual application of Christ to our own souls.