A39669:2011
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.
Secondly, The Scripture every where makes this giving or indwelling of the spirit the great mark and trial of our interest in Christ; concluding from the presence of it in us, positively as in the Text; and from the absence of it, negatively, as in Rom. 8. 9. now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, the same is none of his; Jude ver. 19. sensual, not having the spirit; this mark therefore agreeing to all believers, and to none but believers; and that always, and at all times: it must needs clearly infer the souls union with Christ in whomsoever it is found.
Secondly, The Scripture every where makes this giving or indwelling of the spirit the great mark and tryal of our interest in Christ; concluding from the presence of it in us, positively as in the Text; and from the absence of it, negatively, as in Rom. 8. 9. now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, the same is none of his; Jude ver. 19. sensual, not having the spirit; this mark therefore agreeing to all believers, and to none but believers; and that alwayes, and at all times: it must needs clearly inferr the souls union with Christ in whomsoever it is found.
Thirdly, That which is a certain mark of our freedom from the Covenant of works, and our title to the privileges of the Covenant of grace, must needs also infer our Union with Christ, and special interest in him: but the giving or indwelling of the sanctifying spirit in us, is a certain mark of our freedom from the first Covenant under which all Christless persons still stand; and our title to the special privileges of the second Covenant in which none but the members of Christ are interested: and consequently it fully proves our Union with the Lord Jesus. This is plain from the Apostles reasoning, Gal. 4. 6, 7