A39669:823
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, The heart that receives Jesus Christ is in a frame of deep humiliation and self-abasement. O when a man begins to apprehend the first approaches of grace, pardon and mercy •y Jesus Christ to his soul: a soul convinced of its utter unworthiness, and desert of hell; and can scarce expect any thing else from the just and holy God but damnation; how do the first dawnings of mercy melt and humble it! O Lord what am I that thou shouldest feed me and preserve me! that thou shouldest but for a few years spare me, and forbear me! but that ever Jesus Christ should love me and give himself for me, that such a wretched sinner as I should obtain Union with his person, pardon, peace and salvation by his blood! Lord whence is this to such a worm as I? and will Christ indeed bestow himself upon me? shall so great a blessing as Christ ever come within the arms of such a soul as mine? will God in very deed be reconciled to me in his son? what to me! to such an enemy as I have been! shall my sins which are so many, so horrid, so much aggravated beyond the sins of most men, be forgiven me? O what am I vile dust, base wretch, that ever God should do this for me! And now is that Scripture indeed fulfilled and made good, Ezech. 16. 63. That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God. Thus that poor broken-hearted believer stood behind Christ weeping, and washing his feet with tears; as one quite melted down and overcome with the sense of mercy to such a vile sinner, Luke 7. 38.
Secondly, The heart that receives Jesus Christ is in a frame of deep humiliation and self-abasement. O when a man begins to apprehend the first approaches of grace, pardon and mercy •y Jesus Christ to his soul: a soul convinced of its utter unworthiness, and desert of hell; and can scarce expect any thing else from the just and holy God but damnation; how do the first dawnings of mercy melt and humble it! O Lord what am I that thou shouldest feed me and preserve me! that thou shouldest but for a few years spare me, and forbear me! but that ever Jesus Christ should love me and give himself for me, that such a wretched sinner as I should obtain Union with his person, pardon, peace and salvation by his blood! Lord whence is this to such a worm as I? and will Christ indeed bestow himself upon me? shall so great a blessing as Christ ever come within the arms of such a soul as mine? will God in very deed be reconciled to me in his son? what to me! to such an enemy as I have been! shall my sins which are so many, so horrid, so much aggravated beyond the sins of most men, be forgiven me? O what am I vile dust, base wretch, that ever God should do this for me! And now is that Scripture indeed fulfill'd and made good,