A39669:2141
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.
2d. Use for Conviction.
If none be in Christ but new creatures, and the new creation 1make such a change as hath been described, This may convince us how many of us deceive our selves, and run into dangerous and fatal mistakes in the greatest concernment we have in this world. But before I fall into this use I desire none may make a perverse and ill use of it: Let not the wicked conclude from hence that there is no such thing as true religion in the world, or that all who do profess it are but a pack of hypocrites: neither let the godly injure themselves by that which is designed for their benefit, let none conclude that seeing there are so many mistakes committed about this new creature, that therefore assurance must needs be impossible as the Papists affirm it to be. The proper use that should be made of this doctrine is, to undeceive false pretenders, and to awaken all to a more deep and thorough search of their own conditions; which being precautioned, let all men be convinced of the following truths.
If none be in Christ but new creatures, and the new creation 1make such a ch•nge as hath been described, This may convince us how many of us deceive our selves, and run into dangerous and fatall mistakes in the greatest concernment we have in this world. But before I fall into this use I desire none may make a perverse and ill use of it: Let not the wicked conclude from hence that there is no such thing as true religion in the world, or that all who do profess it are but a pack of hypocrites: neither let the godly injure themselves by that which is designed for their benefit, let none conclude that seeing there are so many mistakes committed about this new creature, that therefore assurance must needs be impossible as the Papists affirm it to be. The proper use that should be made of this doctrine is, to undeceive false pretenders, and to awaken all to a more deep and thorough search of their own conditions; which being precautioned, let all men be convinced of the following truths.