A39669:2129
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.
Inference 5.
If none but new creatures be in Christ, how small a remnant 1among men belong to Christ in this world! Among the multitude of rational creatures inhabiting this world, how few, how very few are new creatures? 'Tis the observation of the learned Mr. Brierwood, that if the world be divided into thirty parts, nineteen parts are heathenish Idolaters; six parts Mahometans, and only five out of thirty, which may be in a large sense called Christians: of which the far greater part is overspread with popish darkness: separate from the remainder, the multitudes of profane, merely civil and hypocritical professors of Religion; an• how few will remain for Jesus Christ in this world? Look over the Cities, Towns and Parishes in this populous Kingdom; and how few shall you find that speak the language or do the works of new creatures? How few have ever had any awakening convictions on them? And how many of those that have been convinced have miscarried and never come to the new birth? The more cause have they whom God hath indeed regenerated to admire the riches of Gods distinguishing mercy to them.
If none but new creatures be in Christ, how small a remnant 1among men belong to Christ in this world! Among the multitude of rational creatures inhabi•ing this world, how few, how very few are new creatures? 'Tis the observation of the learned Mr. Brierwood, that if the world be divided into thirty parts, nineteen parts are heathenish Idolaters; six parts Mahumetans, and only five out of thirty, which may be in a large sense called Christians: of which the far greater part is overspread with popish darkness: separate from the remainder, the multitudes of prophane, meerly civil and hypocritical professors of Religion; an how few will remain for Jesus Christ in this world? Look over the Cities, Towns and Parishes in this populous Kingdom; and how few shall you find that speak the language or do the works of new creatures? How few have ever had any awakening convictions on them? And how many of those that have been convinced have miscarried and never come to the new birth? The more cause have they whom God hath indeed regenerated to admire the riches of Gods distinguishing mercy to them.