A39669:503
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.
Nay this heart which is to come to Christ is not only dark and selfish, but full of pride. O 'tis a desperate proud heart by nature, it cannot submit to come to Christ as Benhadad's servants came to the King of Israel with sackcloth on their loins, and ropes upon their heads. To take guilt, shame and confusion of face to our selves, and acknowledge the righteousness of God in our eternal damnation; to come to Christ naked and empty as one that justifies the ungodly; I say nature left to it self, would as soon be damned as do this: the proud heart can never come to this, till the Lord have humbled and broken it by his power.
Nay this heart which is to come to Christ is not only dark and selfish, but full of pride. O'tis a desperate proud heart by nature, it cannot submit to come to Christ as Benhadads servants came to the King of Israel with sackcloath on their loyns, and ropes upon their heads. To take guilt, shame and confusion of face to our selves, and acknowledge the righteousness of God in our eternal damnation; to come to Christ naked and empty as one that justifies the ungodly; I say nature left to it self, would as soon be damned as do this: the proud heart can never come to this, till the Lord have humbled and broken it by his power.
Secondly, Let us take the Act of faith into consideration also, as it is here described, by the souls coming to Jes•s 1Christ, and you will find a necessity of the Fathers drawings, for this evidently implies that which is against the stream and current of corrupt nature, and that which is above the Sphere and capacity of the most refined and accomplished nature.
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