A39669:2715
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, Labour to get a remedy for this dangerous disease of your minds: Awake to righteousness and sin not, for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame, 1 Cor. 15. 34. These things speak encouragement to you: though it be a sore Judgement that lies upon you, and very difficult to be removed: yet remember Jesus Christ is put into Commission ⟨p. 591⟩by God the Father to open the blind eyes, Isa. 42. 6, 7. and this excellent Physician bespeaks you for his patients, Rev. 3. 18. Anoint thine eyes (saith he) with eye-salve that thou mayest see. Yea, the most enlightened Christians were once as dark and blind in spiritual things as you are, and Christ hath cured them, Eph. 5. 8. Once were you darkness, now are ye light in the Lord. Attend therefore upon the Ordinances of the Gospel diligently; that's Gods enlightening instrument, by which he couches those Cataracts which blind the eyes of mens understandings, Acts 26. 18. And if ever you will have your eyes opened, allow your selves time to ponder, and consider what you hear. The duty of Meditation is a very enlightening duty: Above all cry to the Lord Jesus Christ as that poor man did, Lord that mine eyes may be opened, that I may receive my sight. Say, Lord, this is my disease and danger, that in seeing I see not: others see natural things in a spiritual way, whilst I see spiritual things only in a natural way: their light is operative upon their hearts, mine is but an idle impractical notion of Religion, which brings forth •no fruit of holiness. Their knowledge sets their hands a work in duties of obedience: mine only sets my tongue a work in discourses of those things which my heart never felt. Lord, open mine eyes and make me to see out of this obscurity: All the light that is in me is but darkness. O Lord enlighten my darkness, enlighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.
Secondly, Labour to get a remedy for this dangerous disease of your minds: Awake to righteousness and sin not, for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame,