A39669:500
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, Consider the Subject of faith in which it is wrought, or what it is that is drawn to Christ: 'tis the heart of a sinner: 1which is naturally as indisposed to this work as the wood which Elijah laid in order upon the Altar was to catch fire, when he had poured so much water upon it as did not only wet the wood, but also filled up the trench round about it, 1. Kings 18. 33. For it's naturally a dark, blind, and ignorant heart, Job 11. 12. and such an heart can never believe, till he that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, do shine into it, 2 Cor. 5. 14.
First, Consider the Subject of faith in which it is wrought, or what it is that is drawn to Christ: 'tis the heart of a sinner: 1which is naturally as indisposed to this work as the wood which Elijah laid in order upon the Altar was to catch fire, when he had poured so much water upon it as did not only wet the wood, but also fill'd up the trench round about it, 1. Kings 18. 33. For it's naturally a dark, blind, and ignorant heart, Job 11. 12. and such an heart can never believe, till he that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, do shine into it, 2 Cor. 5. 14.
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Nor will it avail any thing to say, though man be born in darkness and ignorance, yet afterwards he may acquire knowledge in the use of means, as we see many natural men do in a very high degree: for this is not that light that brings the soul to Christ, yea, this natural unsanctified light blinds the soul and prejudices it more against Christ than ever it was before,