A39669:2712
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.
Both 1. Unto those, who are blinded by the God of this world. 2. To those that are enlightened in the knowledge of Christ, by the true God.
Both 1. Unto those, who are blinded by the God of this world. 2. To those that are enlightned in the knowledge of Christ, by the true God.
First, To those who are still blinded by the God of this world, to whom the Lord hath not given unto this day, eyes to see their misery in themselves, or their remedy in Christ, so as to make an effectual Application of him to their own souls. To all such my counsel is, ⟨p. 590⟩1. To get a sense of your own blindness. 2. To seek out for a cure, whilst yet it may be had.
First, Labour to get a deep sense of the misery of such a condition; for till you be awakened by conviction, you can never be healed. O that you did but know the true difference betwixt common and saving light, the want of this keeps you in darkness: you think because you know the same things that the most sanctified man doth, that therefore there is no difference betwixt his knowledge and yours; and are therefore ready to say to them as Job to his friends, Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard, and understood it: What ye know, the same do I know also; I am not inferior unto you, Job 13. 1, 2. But O that you would be convinced that your knowledge vastly differs from the knowledge of believers. Though you know the same things that they do, it is a knowledge of another kind and nature. You know spiritual things in another way, merely by the light of reason assisted and improved by the common light of the Gospel: they know the same things by spiritual illumination, and in an experimental way.