A39669:2547
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 the sin of unbelief or not receiving Christ is. By unbelief we are not here to understand the relics or remains 1of that sin in the people of God which is mixed with their imperfect faith, for there is some unbelief still mingled with faith in the best hearts. He that can say Lord I believe, hath cause enough to cry out with tears help thou my unbelief. However, this doth not bring the soul under condemnation or into the state of wrath. The word condemns this unbelief in them, but doth not condemn their persons for this unbelief. But the unbelief here spoken of is the neglecting or refusing to take Christ upon the terms of the Gospel, and so is exclusive of the saving act or effects of faith.
First, What the sin of unbelief or not receiving Christ is. By unbelief we are not here to understand the reliques or remains 1of that sin in the people of God which is mixed with their imperfect faith, for there is some unbelief still mingled with faith in the best hearts. He that can say Lord I believe, hath cause enough to cry out with tears help thou my unbelief. However, this doth not bring the soul under condemnation or into the state of wrath. The word condemns this unbelief in them, but doth not condemn their persons for this unbelief. But the unbelief here spoken of is the neglecting or refusing to take Christ upon the terms of the Gospel, and so is exclusive of the saving act or effects of faith.
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First, It is exclusive of the saving act of faith which (as hath been already declared) is the due receiving of Christ offered in the Gospel, consenting to take him upon his own terms. This the unbeliever will by no means be persuaded to do. He will be persuaded to accept the promises of Christ, but not to accept the person of Christ: he is willing to accept Christ in part, a divided Christ, but not to accept Christ entirely in all his offices. He will accept the righteousness of Christ, in conjunction with his own righteousness, but he will not accept the righteousness of Christ as the sole matter of his Justification exclusive of his own righteousness; he is willing to wear the Crown of Christ, but cannot