A39669:934
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, With whom we are associated, even the Son of God: with him that is over all, God blessed for ever. Our association with Angels is an high advancement, for Angels and ⟨p. 174⟩Saints are fellow servants in the fame family, Rev. 19. 10. and through Christ we are come to an innumerable company of Angels, Heb. 12. 22. but what is all this to our fellowship with Jesus Christ himself; and that in another manner than Angels have? for though Christ be to them an head of dominion, yet not an head of vital influence as he is to his mystical body the Church: this therefore is to them a great mystery, which they greatly affect to study, and pry into.
Secondly, What we are that are dignified with this title, the fellows or copartners with Jesus Christ: not only dust by nature, dust thou art, but sinful dust; such wretched sinners as by nature, and the sentence of the Law ought to be associated with devils, and partakers with them of the wrath of the almighty God, to all eternity.
Thirdly, The benefits we are partakers of in and with the Lord Jesus Christ: and indeed they are wonderful and astonishing things, so far as they do already appear, but yet we see but little of them, comparatively to what we shall see, 1 Joh. 3. 1, 2. Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. O what will that be! to see him as he is, and to be transformed into his likeness.