The Method of Grace, Frontispiece – Dedication
The Effigies of John Flavell.
Aetatis suae 50 An̄o Dom 1680.
R:White sculp.
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 Minister of the Gospel.
Which things the Angels desire to look into,
1 Pet. 1. 12.
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Basilius, in Psal. 115.
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Nazianzen.
LONDON, Printed by M. White, for Francis Tyton at three Daggers in Fleetstreet near the Inner-Temple-Gate. 1681.
To the Worshipful John Upton of Lupton, Esq, and the most accomplished and vertuous Lady his dear Consort; the Author wishes Grace, Mercy and Peace.
Honoured and Worthy Friends,
IT was a comfortable expression which Ambrose used in his Funeral Oration at the death of Theodosius; aTheodosius tantus imperator recessit à nobis, sed non totus recessit; reliquit enim nobis liberos suos, in quibus debemus eum agnoscere. Ambros. in obit. Theodos.that though he were gone, yet he was not wholly gone; for he had left Honorius with others of his Children behind him, in whom Theodosius still lived. Your renowned and worthy Ancestors are gone, yet blessed be God, they are not wholly gone; whilst the prudence, piety and publickness of their Spirits still lives and flourishes in you, the topbranch of a renowned and religious Family. 'Tis a great truth which Philo Judaeus recommends to the observation of all posterity bforeign. Philo Judaeus foreign, A Book fit for the hands of all Gentlemen, translated by Laurentius Humphredus in his excellent Tract de nobilitate.that it is not a natural descent from the most honourable and illustrious progenitors, nor the greatest affluence of riches and pleasures that makes a man either honourable or happy; but the inhabitation of God in his soul, as in his Temple, though (saith he) those that never tasted Religion nor have seen its glory will not credit this assertion. The soul which is filled with God, saith cforeign. …otinus.Plotinus, and brings forth the beautiful fruits of righteousness, this is the truly noble soul: our new birth makes us more honourable than our natural birth, let our birth-right dignities be what they will. The Children of Nobles are by nature the Children of wrath even as others: omnis sanguis concolor, all blood is of one colour; it is all tainted in Adam, and mingled together in his posterity: there is no King saith dNeminem regem non ex servis esse oriundu…, neminem servum non ex regibus: omnia ista longa varietas miscuit, & sursum deorsum fortuna versavit. Senec. Epist. 44.Seneca, which rose not from a servant: there is no servant which rose not from a King: these things have been blended and tossed to and fro, by a long variety.
But though the priviledges of natural birth signifie nothing as to eternal salvation, yet in civil and political respects and considerations, those that by birth, education or estate possess an higher station in the world, differ from the vulgaras stars of greater magnitude and lustre: their interest and influence is great in these things, and the welfare of Kingdoms eQui … ma tractant gubernacula, qui privatis, qui publicis rebus intersunt ac praesunt, nisi viri summi ac nobiles? Quis in senatu praeit, in foro praesidet, domi, foris imperat? Principes sanè viri & nobiles: quis jubet, vetat, agit, satagit, quis versat & volvit omnia, quis leges fingit, & refingit, quis in pace rempublicam, contra hostes bella administrat; praeterquam magni viri & nobiles? Nec mirum ei rerum summa committi, qui & virtute sua, & commendatione majorum, ad hominum famam & existimationem dimanavit. Laurentius Humphredus de nobilitate, pag. (mihi) 64.greatly depends upon them.
It is therefore a great design of the enemy of mankind to corrupt persons of eminent rank and quality both in religion and morality; and by their influence and example to infect and poyson the whole body politick: and his success herein deserves to be greatly lamented and bewailed. Persons of eminency are more especially fIn maxima fortuna, minima est licentia. Salust.obliged to shun base and sordid actions. Hierom professed gNih…l aliud video in nobilitate appetendum, nisi quod nobiles quadam necessitate constringuntur ne ab antiquorum probitate degenerent. Hieron.he saw nothing desirable in nobility except this, that such persons are bound by a certain kind of necessity not to degenerate from the probity, or stain the glory of their Ancestors. But alas! how many in our times have not only exposed Christianity to contempt, but obscured hFaxit Deus opt. max. ut eum finem consequatur, quem mihi proposui, quo tandem aliquando vetus & veneranda nobilitas r… deat, quae prudentiae & dectrin… gloriâ, & factorum splendore, majorum laudes obscuret, inustamque augusto nomini suo maculam tollat & deleat. Humph. de Nob. p. 58.the glory of their own families, and the Kingdom in which they had their birth and breeding; so that if you will take right marks of your way to Heaven, you will have little direction from those of your own rank, but as iEadem ratione hanc vitae viam quaeri oportet, qua in alto iter navibus quaeritur; nisi aliquid coeli lumen observent, incertis cursibus vagantur: quisquis rectum iter vitae tenure nititur, non terram debet aspicere, sed coelum; & ut apertius loquar, non hominem debet sequi sed Deum: ita que si oculos in coelum semper intendas, & solem quà oritur, observes, eumque habes vitae quasi navigii ducem; sua sponte pedes inviam dirigentur, Lactan. lib. 6. c. 8.Mariners take their direction at Sea, by looking up to the Heavens, so must you. In this general corruption it is very hard to escape infection: many (as Salvian complained) kMali esse coguntur ne viles habeantur. Salv. de Gubernat.are compelled to be evil, lest they should be accounted vile: and incur the offence of God, to avoid the slights and censures of men. Although there is no more reason why they should be offended at the rational and religious pleasures, you and other pious Gentlemen take in the ways of godliness, than there is that you should envy the sinful pleasures they take in the ways of wickedness. It was an excellent Apology that Tertullian made for the Christians of his time against the Gentiles, lQuo vos offendimus si alias praesumimus voluptates? si oblectari nolumus, nostra injuria est: reprobamus quae placent vobis, nec vos nostra delectant. Tertul. Apolog. adv. Gent.Wherein (saith he) do we offend you, if we believe there are other pleasures? If we will not partake with you in your delights, it is only our own injury: we reject your pleasures, and you are not delighted with ours.
But by how much the infection spreads and prevails among those of your Order, by so much the more we have reason to value you, and all those that remain sound and untainted both in religion and morality, as persons worthy of singular respect and honour, and blessed be God there is yet a number of such left.
Sir, It was a special happiness which Chrysostom earnestly recommended to persons of quality, that they would so order their conversations, that their Parents might rather glory in them, than they in their Parents; mMelius est de contemptibili fieri clarum, quam de claro genere contemptibilem esse. Chrysostom in Mat. 4. Nec fieri potest quin hunc comitetur ignobilitas etiamsi vel A…is, vel Proavis natus sit vitâ inculpatis, qui ab eorum studiis alienus est, seque longissimè tum dictis, tum factis à-nobilitate disjungit.otherwise (saith he) it is better to rise to honour from a contemptible Parent, than to be contemptible from an honourable Parent: but blessed be God, you and your worthy Ancestors mutually reflect honour upon each other.
Had God suffered you to degenerate, as many do, it would have been but a poor consolation to have said, my Progenitors were men of honour, the love and delight of their Country. This as nQuid oculis capto ad visum profuerit perspicax majorum acies, cùm eâ privatus est? Vel quid ad interpretandi facultatem, impeditae linguae hominem juverit, parentes vel avos fuisse vocales? Pari ratione, nec injustis justi parentes, nec luxu perditis, temperantes: nec omnino boni malis quicquam utilitatis afferunt, &c. Philo. foreign.one excellently expresseth it, would be the same thing as if one that is blind himself, should boast what a sharp and piercing sight his father had, or one that is lame himself should glory in those feats of activity his Grandfather performed: but God (to whose bounty therefore you are doubly obliged) hath made you the inheritor of their vertues, as well as of their lands, and therein fulfilled many thousand prayers which have been poured out to God upon your account. But I must forbear, lest I provoke others to envy, and draw upon 1 …my self the suspicion of flattery: what hath been already said may serve for a sufficient reason of this Dedication. I know the oQuando bona audientis & grata mens est, facilè assentitur sermonibus veritatis. Chryso. Hom. 26. in Mat.agreeableness of such discourses to the pious dispositions of your souls is of it self sufficient to make it welcome to you. It is a Treatise of Christ, yea, of the method of grace in the application of Christ; than which no subject can be more necessary to study, or sweet to experience. pforeign. Plato.All goodness is attractive, how powerfully attractive then must Jesus Christ be who is the ocean of all goodness, from whom all streams of goodness are derived, and into whom they all empty themselves? qforeign.If Pindarus could say of the lovely Theoxenus, that whosoever saw that august and comely face of his, and was not surprized with amazement and inflamed with love, must have an heart of Adamant or Brass, what then shall we resemble that mans heart unto that hath no fervorous affections kindled in it by the incomparable beauty of Christ! A beauty which excels in lustre and brightness that visible light which so dazels our eyes rforeign. Plato.as that light doth darkness it self, as Plato speaks of the divine light. Christ is foreign an inexpressible beauty, and all other beauties are but foreign, an image, nay a shadow of his beauty. How was holy Ignatius ravished with desires after Christ when sforeign. Ignatius Epist.he cried out, O how I long to be thrown into the jaws of those Lions which I hear roaring for me! and if they will not dispatch me the sooner, foreign, I will enforce them to it by violence, that I may enjoy the sight of my blessed Jesus. tO Cor meum quomodo non te evellis post tantum decorem? Niremberg. Vivere renuo, ut Christo vivam.O my heart (saith another) how is it thou art not drawn up by the very root by thy desires after Christ? The necessity and the trial of our union with, and interest in this lovely Lord Jesus, is the main subject of this discourse: without the personal application of Christ by faith, our hopes of Heaven are but deluding dreams, Heb. 3. 11. I sware in my wrath foreign, if they shall enter into my rest: what then? Nay, there is all: but it is a dreadful Aposiopesis (as one calls it) such a pause, as may justly shake every vein of the unbelievers heart: if they shall enter, as if he had said, if ever they come into my glory, then say I am no God, for I have sworn the contrary.
I will not be tiresom, but conclude all in few requests to you, and to God for you both. That which I request of you is,
(1.) That you will search and try your own hearts by these truths, especially now when so great tryals are like to be made of every mans root and foundation in Religion. Account that your first work, which Bellarmine calls the first error of Protestants, to make sure your interest in Christ; uPrimus haereticorun… error est, posse fideles eam notitiam habere de sua gratia, ut certâ fide statuant sibi remissa esse peccata. Bellarm. de justific. lib. 3. cap. 3.every thing is as its foundation is: a true Diamond will endure the smartest stroke of the Hammer, but a false one will fly.
(2.) That you be humble under all that dignity and honour which God hath put upon you: be ye cloathed with humility. It was the glory of the Primitive Christians, that they *Non eloquimur magna, fed vivimus. Tertul. Apolog.did not speak but live great things. Humility will be the luster of your other excellencies: Estates and Honours are but appendants and fine trappings which add not any real worth, yet xNarrant Bucephalum quoties nudus esset, equisonem admittere in tergum voluisse: sed regiis phaleris & bullis decoratum, neminem praeter regem ipsum tulisse: ita sanè-fit in novis hisce optimatibus, &c.how are some vain minds puffed up with these things! but ye have not so learned Christ.
(3.) That you steddily persevere in those good wayes of God in which you have walked, and beware of heart or life apostasie. You expect happiness whilst God is in Heaven, and God expects holiness from you whilst you are on earth. It was an excellent truth which Tossanus yObtestor etiam vos liberos, & generos charissimos ne illius veritatis evangelicae unquam vos pudeat: potest enim laborare, sed non vinci veritas: & non semel expertus sum Dominum Deum mirabiliter adesse iis qui coram ipso ambulant, & in sua vocatione sedulò & integrè versantur; licet ad tempus, odiis, aut simultatibus, aut calumniis agitentur. Melch. Adams in vita Tossani.recommended to his posterity in his last Will and Testament from his own experience. I beseech you, saith he, my dear Children and Kindred, that you never be ashamed of the truths of the Gospel, either by reason of scandals in the Church, or persecutions upon it; truth may labour for a time but cannot be conquered, and I have often found God to be wonderfully present with them that walk before him in truth, though for a time they may be opprest with troubles and calumnies.
(4.) Lastly, That you keep a strict and constant watch over your own hearts, lest they be ensnared by the tempting, charming and dangerous snares attending a full and easie condition in the world. There are temptations suited to all conditions: those that are poor and low in estate and reputation, are tempted to cozen, cheat, lie and flatter; and all to get up to the mount of Riches and honours: but those that were born upon that mount, though they be more free from those temptations, yet lie exposed to others no less dangerous, and therefore we find, not many mighty, not many noble are called, 1 Cor. 1. 26. Many great and stately Ships, which spread much sail, and draw much water perish in the storms, when small Barks creep along the shore under the wind, and get safe into their Port. Never aim-at an higher station in this world than that you are in: zLugebat moribundus Hermannus plus temporis operaeque se palatio quàm Templo impendisse; luxum & vitiae Aulae, quae corrigere debuisset, adjuvasse, atque ita multo peccati dolore, trepidâ spe divinae clementiae, plurimo astantium horrore, anceps sui, anima aeternitatem ingressa est. Hist. Bohem. lib. 11.some have wisht in their dying hour they had been lower, but no wise man ever wisht himself at the top of honour at the brink of eternity.
I will conclude all with this hearty wish for you, that as God hath set you in a capacity of much service for him in your generation, so your hearts may be enlarged for God accordingly; that you may be very instrumental for his glory on earth, and may go safe, but late to Heaven. That the blessings of Heaven may be multiplied upon you both, and your hopeful springing branches; and that you may live to see your Childrens Children and peace upon Israel. In a word, that God will follow these truths in your hands with the blessing of his spirit, and that the manifold infirmities of him that ministers them, may be no prejudice or bar to their success with you or any into whose hands they shall come, which is the hearty desire of
Your most faithful friend and Servant in Christ,Jo. Flavel.