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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39669	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 ...	Flavel, John, 1630?-1691.	1681 (1681)	Wing F1169; ESTC R20432	474,959	654

Believers are said to be made by Jesus Christ Kings and Priests unto God and his Father i. e. dignified favourites upon whom the special marks of honour are set by God In the opening of this point three things must be doctrinally discussed and opened viz. 1. What the acceptation of our persons with God is 2. How it appears that Believers are so accepted with God 3. How Christ the beloved procures this benefit for Believers First What the acceptation of our persons with God is 1. To open which we must remember that there is a twofold acceptance of persons noted in Scripture 1. One is the sinful act of a corrupt man 2. The other the gracious act of a merciful God First accepting of persons is noted in Scripture as the sinful act of a corrupt man a thing which God abhors being the corruption and abuse of that power and authority which men have in judgement overlooking the merit of the cause through sinful respect to the quality of the person whose cause it is So that the cause doth not commend the person but the person the cause this God every where brands in men as a vile perverting of judgement and utterly disclaims it himself Gal. 2. 6. God accepteth no mans person Rom. 2. 11. There is no respect of persons with God Secondly There is also an accepting of persons which is the gracious act of a merciful God whereby he receives both the persons and duties of Believers into special grace and favour for Christs sake and of this my Text speaks In which act of favour three things are supposed or included First It supposes an estate of alienation and enmity those only are accepted into favour that were out of favour and indeed so stood the case with us Ephes. 2. 12 13. Ye were aliens and strangers but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. So the Apostle Peter in 1 Pet. 2. 10. Which in time past were not a people but now are the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy The fall made a fearful breach betwixt God and man Sin like a thick cloud intercepted all the beams of divine favour from us the satisfaction of Christ dissolves that cloud Isai. 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins This dark cloud thus dissolved the face of God shines forth again with chearful beams of favour and love upon all who by faith are interested in Jesus Christ. Secondly It includes the removing of guilt from the persons of Believers by the imputation of Christs righteousness to them Rom. 5. 1 2. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand for the face of God cannot shine upon the wicked the person must be first made righteous before it can be made accepted Thirdly it includes the offering up or tendering of our persons and duties to God by Jesus Christ. Accepting implies presenting or tendring Believers indeed do present themselves to God Rom. 12. 1. but Christs presenting them makes their tender of themselves acceptable to the Lord Col. 1. 22. In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight Christ leads every Believer as it were by the hand into the gracious presence of God after this manner bespeaking acceptance for him Father here is a poor soul that was born in sin hath lived in Rebellion against thee all his days he hath broken all thy laws and deserved all thy wrath yet he is one of that number which thou gavest me before the world was I have made full payment by my blood for all his sins I have opened his eyes to see the sinfulness and misery of his condition broken his heart for his rebellions against thee bowed his will in obedience unto thy will united him to my self by faith as a living member of my body And now Lord since he is become mine by regeneration let him be thine also by special acceptation let the same love with which thou lovest me embrace him also who is now become mine And so much for the first particular viz. what acceptation with God is Secondly In the next place I must shew you how it appears 2. that Believers are thus ingratiated or brought into the special favour of God by Jesus Christ. And this will be evidenced divers ways First By the Titles of love and endearedness with which the Lord graceth and honoureth Believers who are sometimes called the houshold of God Ephes. 2. 19. the friends of God Jam. 2. 23. the dear Children of God Ephes. 5. 1. the peculiar people of God 1 Pet. 2. 9. A Crown of Glory and a Royal Diadem in the hand of their God Isai. 62. 3. the objects of his delight and pleasure Psal. 147. 10 11. Oh what tearms of endearedness doth God use towards his people Doth not all this speak them to be in special favour with him Which of all these alone doth not signifie a person highly in favour with God Secondly The gracious manner in which he treats them upon the throne of grace to which he allows them to come with boldness Heb. 4. 16. This also speaks them in the special favour of God he allows them to come to him in prayer with the liberty confidence and filial boldness of children to a Father Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father the familiar voice of a dear child yea which is a wonderful dignation and condescension of the great God to poor worms of the earth he saith Isai. 45. 11. Thus saith the Lord the holy One of Israel and his Maker Ask me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the work of my hands command ye me an expression so full of grace and special favour to Believers that it needs great caution in reading and understanding such an high and astonishing expression the meaning is that God hath as it were subjected the works of his hands to the prayers of his Saints and it is as if he had said If my glory and your necessity shall require it do but ask me in prayer and whatever my almighty power can do I will do it for you however let no favourite of Heaven forget the infinite distance betwixt himself and God Abraham was a great favourite of Heaven and was called the friend of God yet see with what humility of spirit and reverential awe he addresseth to God Gen. 18. 27. Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes So that you see the Titles of favour above mentioned are no empty Titles Thirdly Gods readiness to grant as well as their liberty to ask speaks them the special favourites of

others You know what the Law of God awards for striking a woman with Child so that her fruit go from her Exod. 21. 22 23. Oh shed not soul blood by stifling the hopeful desires of any after Christ. Blessed be God for Jesus Christ the desire of all Nations The Fourteenth SERMON Sermon 14. 1 COR. 2. 8. Text. Containing the fifth Motive to apply Christ drawn from another excellent Title of Christ. Which none of the Princes of this world have known for had they known him they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory IN this Chapter the Apostle discourses to the Corinthians the excellency of his Ministry both to obviate the contempt which some might cast upon it for want of humane Ornaments and to give the greater authority unto it among all and whereas the spiritual simplicity of his Ministry laid it under the contempt of some he removes that several ways by showing them First That it was not suitable to the design and end of his ministry his aim being to know nothing among them save Jesus Christ and him crucified vers 1 2. Secondly Neither was it for the advantage of their souls it might indeed tickle their fancies but could be no solid foundation to their faith and comfort vers 4 5. Thirdly Though his discourses seemed jejune and dry to carnal hearers yet it had a depth and an excellency in it which spiritual and judicious Christians saw and acknowledged vers 6 7. Fourthly Therefore this excellent wisdom which he preached far transcended all the natural wisdom of this world yea the most raised and improved understandings of those that were most renowned and admired in that age for wisdom vers 8. Which none of the Princes of this world knew In which words we have 1. A Negative Proposition 2. The proof of the Proposition First A Negative Proposition none of the Princes of this 1. world knew that Spiritual Wisdom which he taught By Princes of this world or rather principes seculi the Princes of that age he means as Camero well notes the learned Rabbies Scribes and Pharisees renowned for wisdom and learning among them and honoured upon that account as so many Princes but he adds a diminutive term which darkens all their glory They are but the Princes of this world utterly unacquainted with the wisdom of the other world To which he adds Secondly A clear and full proof for had they known it 2. they would not have crucified the Lord of glory In which words we find one of Christs glorious and royal Titles the Lord of glory upon which Title my present Discourse must fall The words being fitly rendred and nothing of ambiguity in them they give us this observation DOCT. That Christ Crucified is the Lord of Glory Doct. Great and excellent is the glory of Jesus Christ the Scriptures every where proclaim his glory Yea we may observe a notable Climax or gradation in those Scriptures that speak of his glory The Prophet Isaiah speaking of him calls him glorious Isai. 4. 2. In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious John speaking of his glory rises a step higher and ascribeth to him a glory as of the only begotton Son of the Father John 1. 14. i. e. a glory meet for and becoming the Son of God proper to him and incommunicable to any other The Apostle James rises yet higher and doth not only call him glorious or glorious as the only begotten of the Father but the glory Jam. 2. 1. glory in the abstract my brethren saith he have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the glory with respect of persons for the word Lord which is in our translation is a supplement Christ is glory it self yea the glory emphatically so stiled the glory of Heaven the glory of Sion the glory of our souls for ever The Author to the Hebrews goes yet higher and calls him not simply the glory but the brightness of his Fathers glory Heb. 1. 3. as who should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the radiancy sparkling or beaming forth of his Fathers glory the very splendor or refulgency of divine glory Oh what a glorious Lord is our Lord Jesus Christ the bright sparkling Diamond of Heaven who shines in glory there above the glory of Angels and Saints as the glory of the Sun excels the lesser twinkling Stars When he appeared to Paul in Acts 26. 13. I saw said he a light from Heaven above the brightness of the Sun shining round about me needs must the glory of Christ be unspeakable who reflects glory upon all that be with him John 17. 24. and stamps glory upon all that belongs to him His works on earth were glorious works Luk. 13. 17. The purchased liberty of his people a glorious liberty Rom. 8. 21. The Church his mystical body a glorious Church Eph. 5. 27. The Gospel which reveals him is a glorious Gospel 1 Tim. 1. 11. But more particularly let us consider the glory of Christ as it is distinguished into his either 1. Essential Glory 2. Mediatorial First The Essential Glory of Christ which he hath as God 1. from everlasting which is unspeakable and unconceivable glory for saith the Apostle Phil. 2. 6. He being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God i. e. he had a Peerage or equality with his Father in glory Joh. 10. 30. I and my Father are one and again Joh. 16. 15. All things that the Father hath are mine the same name the same nature the same essential properties the same will and the same glory Secondly The Mediatorial glory of Christ is exceeding 2. great this is proper to him as head of the Church which he hath purchased with his own blood Of this glory the Apostle speaks Phil. 2. 9 10. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exalted above all exaltation Now the mediatorial glory of our Lord Jesus Christ consisteth either 1. In the fulness of Grace inherent in him 2. Or in the Dignity and Authority put upon him First In the fulness of grace inherent in him the humanity of Christ is filled with grace as the Sun with light Joh. 1. 14. Full of grace and truth never any creature was so filled by the Spirit of Grace as the man Christ Jesus is filled for God gives not the spirit to him by measure Joh. 3. 34. By reason of this fulness of grace inherent in him he is sairer than the Children of men Psal. 45. 2. Excelling all the Saints in spiritual lustre and gracious excellencies Secondly In the Dignity and Authority put upon him he is crowned King in Sion all power in Heaven and earth is given unto him Mat. 28. 18. he is Lawgiver to the Church James 4. 12. All acts of worship are to be performed in his name Prayer Preaching Censures Sacraments

God The heart of God is so propense and ready to grant the desires of Believers that it is but ask and have Mat. 7. 7. the dore of grace is opened at the knock of prayer that is a favourite indeed to whom the King gives a blank to insert what request he will If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you John 15. 7. Oh blessed liberty of the sons of God! David did but say Lord turn the Counsel of Ahitophel into foolishness and it was done as soon as asked 2 Sam. 15. 31. Joshua did but say Thou Sun stand still in Gibeon and a miraculous stop was presently put to its swift motion in the Heavens nay which is wonderful to consider a prayer in the womb yet unborn I mean conceived in the heart and not yet uttered by the lips of Believers is often anticipated by the propenseness of free grace Isai. 65. 24. And it shall come to pass that before they call I will answer and whilst they are yet speaking I will hear The prayers of others are rejected as an abomination Prov. 15. 8. God casts them back into their-faces Mal. 2. 3. But free grace signs the petitions of the Saints more readily than they are presented we have not that freedom to ask that God hath to give 't is true the answer of a Believers prayers may be a long time suspended from his sense and knowledge but every prayer according to the will of God is presently granted in Heaven though for wise and holy ends they may be held in a doubtful suspense about them upon earth Fourthly The free discoveries of the secrets of Gods heart to Believers speaks them to be his special favourites men open not the counsels and secrets of their own hearts to enemies or strangers but to their most inward and intimate friends The secret of the Lord is-with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Psal. 25. 14. When God was about to destroy Sodom he will do nothing in that work of judgement till he had acquainted Abraham his friend with his purpose therein Gen. 18. 17. And the Lord said Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do for I know him c. So when a King was to be elected for Israel and the person whom God had chosen was yet unknown to the people God as it were whispered that secret unto Samuel the day before 1 Sam. 9. 15. Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came according to the manner of Princes with some special favourite Fifthly The Lords receiving every small thing that comes from them with grace and favour when mean while he rejects the greatest things offered by others doth certainly bespeak Believers the special favourites of God There was but one good word in a whole sentence from Sarah and that very word is noted and commended by God 1 Pet. 3. 6. She called him Lord. There were but some small beginnings or buddings of grace in young Abijah and the Lord took special notice of it 1 Kings 14. 12. Because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam Let this be an encouragement to young ones in whom there are found any breathing desires after Christ God will not reject them if any sincerity be found in them a secret groan uttered to God in sincerity shall not be despised Rom. 8. 26. The very bent of a Believers will when he hath no more to offer unto God is an acceptable present 2 Cor. 8. 11. The very intent and purpose that lies secretly in the heart of a Believer not yet executed is accepted with him 1 Kings 8. 18. Where as it was in thine heart to build an house to my name thou didst well that it was in thine heart Thus small things offered to God by Believers find acceptance with him whilst the greatest presents even solemn assemblies Sabbaths and prayers from others are rejected They are a trouble unto me saith God I am weary to bear them Isai. 1. 14 15. Incense from Sheba the sweet Cane from a far Country are not acceptable nor sacrifices sweet unto God from other hands Jer. 6. 20. From all which it appears beyond doubt that the persons and duties of Believers are accepted into the special favour of God by Jesus Christ which was the second thing to be spoken to and brings us to the third general viz. Thirdly How Christ the Beloved procures this benefit for 3. Believers And this he doth four ways First By the satisfaction of his blood Rom. 5. 10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son No friendship without reconciliation no reconciliation but by the blood of Christ therefore the new and living way by which Believers come unto God with acceptance is said to be consecrated for us through the veil of Christs flesh and hence believers have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Heb. 10. 19 20. Secondly The favour of God is procured for Believers by their mystical union with Christ whereby they are made members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5. 30. So that look as Adams posterity stood upon the same terms that he their natural head did so Believers Christs mystical members stand in the favour of God by the favour which Christ their spiritual head hath John 17. 33. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Thirdly Believers are brought into favour with God by Christs becoming their Altar upon which their persons and duties are all offered up to God the Altar sanctifies the gift Heb. 13. 10. And this was typified by that legal rite mentioned Luke 1. 9 10. Christ is that golden Altar from whence all the prayers of the Saints ascend to the throne of God perfumed with the odours and incense of his merits Rev. 8. 34. And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne and the smoak of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand And thus you see how the persons and duties of Believers are brought into favour and acceptance with God by Jesus Christ. The Uses follow Inference 1. If all Believers be in favour with God how great a mercy is Inference 1. it to have the prayers of such ingaged on our behalf Would we have our business speed in Heaven let us get into favour with God our selves and engage the prayers of his people the favourites of Heaven for us vis unita

The freedom of Believers is a comfortable freedom the Apostle comforts Christians of the lowest rank poor servants with this consideration 1 Cor. 7. 22. He that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lords freeman q. d. Let not the meanness of your outward condition which is a state of subjection and dependance a state of poverty and contempt at all trouble you you are the Lords freemen of precious account in his eyes O 't is a comfortable liberty Sixthly and Lastly 'T is a perpetual and final freedom they that are once freed by Christ have their manumissions and final discharge from that state of bondage they were in before Sin shall never have dominion over them any more it may tempt them and trouble them but shall never more rule and govern them Acts 26. 18. And thus you see what a glorious liberty the liberty of Believers is The improvement whereof will be in the following Inferences Inference 1. How rational is the joy of Christians above the joy of all Inference 1. others in the world shall not the captive rejoycé in his recovered liberty The very Birds of the air as one observes had rather be at liberty in the woods though lean and hungry than in a golden Cage with the richest fare every creature naturally prises it none more than Believers who have felt the burthen and bondage of corruption who in the days of their first illumination and conviction have poured out many groans and tears for this mercy What was said of the captive people of God in Babylon excellently shadows forth the state of Gods people under spiritual bondage with the way and manner of their deliverance from it Zech. 9. 11. By the blood of thy Covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water Believers are delivered by the blood of Christ out of a worse pit than that of Babylon and look as the Tribes in their return from thence were overwhelmed with joy and astonishment Psal. 126. 1 2. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion we were like them that dream then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing they were overwhelmed with the sense of the mercy so should it be with the people of God 'T is said Luke 15. 24. when the Prodigal Son there made the embleme of a returning converting sinner was returned again to his Fathers house that there was heard musick and dancing mirth and feasting in that house The Angels in Heaven rejoice when a soul is recovered out of the power of Satan and shall not the recovered soul immediately concerned in the mercy greatly rejoyce Yea let them rejoyce in the Lord and let no earthly trouble or affliction ever have power to interrupt their joy for a moment after such a deliverance as this Inference 2. How unreasonable and wholly inexcusable is the sin of Apostasie from Jesus Christ What is it but for a delivered captive Inference 2. to put his feet again into the shackles his hands into the manacles his neck into the iron yoke from which he hath been delivered 'T is said Mat. 12. 44 45. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none then he saith I will return into mine house from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished then goeth he and taketh with him seven other Spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first Even as a Prisoner that hath escaped and is again recovered is loaded with double irons Let the people of God be content to run any hazzard endure any difficulties in the way of Religion rather than return again into their former bondage to sin and Satan O Christian if ever God gave thee a sight and a sense of the misery and danger of thy natural state if ever thou hast felt the pangs and throes of a labouring and distressed Conscience and after all this tasted the unspeakable sweetness of the peace and rest that is in Christ thou wilt rather choose to dye ten thousand deaths than to forsake Christ and go back again into that sad condition Inference 3. How suitable and well-becoming is a free spirit in Believers to Inference 3. their state of liberty and freedom Christ hath made your condition free O let the temper and frame of your hearts be free also do all that you do for God with a spirit of freedom not by constraint but willingly Methinks Christians the new nature that is in you should stand for a command and be instead of all arguments that use to work upon the hopes and fears of other men See how all creatures work according to the principle of their natures you need not command a Mother to draw forth her breasts to a sucking Child nature it self teaches and prompts to that you need not bid the Sea ebb or flow at the stated hours O Christian why should thy heart need any other argument than its own spiritual inclination to keep it s stated times and seasons of communion with God Let none of Gods commandments be grievous to you let not thine heart need dragging and forcing to its own benefit and advantage Whatever you do for God do it cheerfully and whatever you suffer for God suffer it cheerfully it was a brave spirit which acted holy Paul I am ready saith he not only to be bound but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Acts 21. 13. Inference 4. Let no man wonder at the enmity and opposition of Satan to the Inference 4. preaching of the Gospel For by the Gospel it is that souls are recovered out of his power Acts 26. 18. 't is the express work of Ministers to turn men from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Satan as one faith is a great and jealous Prince he will never endure to have liberty proclaimed by the Ministers of Christ within his dominions and indeed what is it less when the Gospel is preached in power but as it were by beat of Drum and sound of Trumpet to proclaim liberty liberty spiritual sweet and everlasting liberty to every soul that is made sensible of the bondage of corruption and cruel servitude of Satan and will now come over to Jesus Christ and oh what numbers and multitudes of prisoners have broken loose from Satan at one proclamation of Christs Acts 2. 41. but Satan owes the servants of Christ a spite for this and will be sure to pay them if ever they come within his reach persecution is the Genius of the Gospel and follows it as the shadow doth the body Inference 5. How careful should Christians be to maintain their spiritual liberty Inference 5. in all and every point thereof Stand fast saith Paul in the liberty wherewith