A39669:824
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.
Thirdly, The soul that receives Jesus Christ is in a weary Condition, restless and full of disquietness, neither able to bear the burden of sin, nor knowing how to be discharged from it; except Christ will give it ease, Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me, ⟨p. 151⟩that is believe in me, you that are weary and heavy laden: if they do not look into their own souls they know there's no safety, and if they do, there's no comfort. O the burdensome sense of sin overweighs them: they are ready to fail, to sink under it.
Fourthly, The soul that rightly receives Christ is not only in a weary, but in a longing condition: never did the hart pant more earnestly for the water-brooks: never did the hireling desire the shadow, never did a condemned person long for a pardon, more than the soul longs after Jesus Christ. O said David, that one would give me of the waters of the well of Bethlehem to drink. O saith the poor humbled sinner, that one would give me of the opened fountain of the blood of Christ to drink! O for one drop of that precious blood! O for one encouraging smile from Christ! O now were ten thousand worlds at my command, and Christ to be bought; how freely would I lay them all down to purchase him! but he is the gift of God. O that God would give me Christ if I should go in rags, and hunger and thirst all my days in this world!
Fourthly, The soul that rightly receives Christ is not only in a weary, but in a longing condition: never did the hart pant more earnestly for the water-brooks: never did the hireling desire the shadow, never did a condemned person long for a pardon, more than the soul longs after Jesus Christ. O said David, that one would give me of the waters of the well of Bethlehem to drink. O saith the poor humbled sinner, that one would give me of the open'd fountain of the blood of Christ to drink! O for one drop of that precious blood! O for one encouraging smile from Christ! O now were ten thousand worlds at my command, and Christ to be bought; how freely would I lay them all down to purchase him! but he is the gift of God. O that God would give me Christ if I should go in raggs, and hunger and thirst all my days in this world!