A39669:606
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.
Arg. 2.
That to which the Scripture ascribes both impotency and enmity with respect to grace, cannot actively and of it self concur to the production of it: But the Scripture ascribes both impotency and enmity to Nature with respect to grace. It denies to it a power to do anything of it self, Joh. 15. 5. and which is less, it denies to it power to speak a good word, Matth. 12. 34. and which is least of all, it denies it power to think a good thought, 2 Cor. 3. 5. This impotency if there were no more, cuts off all pretence of our active concurrence, but then if we consider that it ascribes enmity to our natures as well as impotency, how clear is the case! see Rom. 8. 7. the carnal mind is enmity against God: and Col. 1. 21. and you that were enemies in your minds by wicked works. So then Nature is so far productive of this principle, as impotency and enmity can enable it to be so.
That to which the Scripture ascribes both impotency and enmity with respect to grace, cannot actively and of it self concurr to the production of it: But the Scripture ascribes both impotency and enmity to Nature with respect to grace. It denyes to it a power to do anything of it self, Joh. 15. 5. and which is less, it denies to it power to speak a good word,