A39669:2432
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, From the established order of salvation which is fixed and unalterable: God that hath appointed the end, hath also 1established the means and order by which men shall attain the ultimate end. Now Conformity to Christ is the established method ⟨p. 516⟩in which God will bring souls to glory. Rom. 8. 29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate, to be conformed to the image of his Son; that he might be the first-born among many brethren. The same God who hath predestinated men to salvation, hath in order thereunto predestinated them unto Conformity to Christ, and this order of heaven is never to be reversed, we may as well hope to be saved without Christ, as to be saved without Conformity to Christ.
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Secondly, The nature of Christ mystical requires this Conformity, 1and renders it indispensably necessary. Otherwise, the body of Christ must be heterogeneous; of a nature different from the head: and how monstrous, and uncomely would this be? This would represent Christ to the world in an image, or Idea, much like that, Dan. 2. 32, 33. The head of fine gold, the breast and arms of silver, the thighs of brass, the legs of iron, the feet part of iron, part of clay. Christ the head is pure and holy, and therefore very unsuitable to sensual and earthly members. And therefore the Apostle in his description of mystical Christ describes the members of Christ (as they ought to be) of the same nature and quality with the head. 1 Cor. 15. 48. As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly; and as we have born the image of the earthy, so we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. That image or resemblance of Christ which shall be complete and perfect after the Resurrection, must be begun in its first draught here, by the work of regeneration.