A39669:1655
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, What Believers are not freed from by Jesus Christ in this world. Secondly, What that bondage is from which every Believer is freed by Christ. Thirdly, What kind of freedom that is which comes in upon believing. Fourthly, Open the excellency of this state of spiritual freedom.
First, What those things are from which Believers are 1not made free in this world? we must not think that our spiritual liberty by Christ presently brings us into an absolute liberty in all respects. For,
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First, Christ doth not free Believers from obedience to the moral Law: 'Tis true we are no more under it as a Covenant for our justification; but we are, and must still be under it as a rule for our direction. The matter of the moral law is unchangeable as the nature of good and evil is, and cannot be abolished except that distinction could be destroyed, Mat. 5. 17, 18. The precepts of the Law are still urged under the Gospel to enforce duties upon us, Eph. 6. 12. 'Tis therefore a vain distinction invented by Libertines to say it binds us as Creatures not as Christians: or that it binds the unregenerate part, but not the regenerate: but this is a sure truth, that they who are freed from its penalties, are still under its precepts: though Believers are no more under its curse, yet they are still under its conduct: the Law sends us to Christ to be justified, and Christ sends us to the Law to be regulated. Let the heart of every Christian join therefore with Davids in that holy wish,