A39669:2548
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, 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 ⟨p. 542⟩be persuaded to bear the cross of Christ. Thus Christ and unbelievers part upon terms, God will come down no lower, and the unbeliever will come up no higher. God will not alter his terms, and the unbeliever will not alter his resolution, and so Christ is refused, Salvation neglected, and in effect the unbeliever chooseth rather to be damned, than to comply with the severe terms of self-denial, mortification, and bearing the cross of Christ. Thus it excludes the saving act of faith.
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 perswaded to do. He will be perswaded 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 ⟨p. 542⟩be perswaded to bear the cross of Christ. Thus Christ and unbelievers part upon terms, God will come down no lower, and the unbeliever will come up no higher. God will not alter his terms, and the unbeliever will not alter his resolution, and so Christ is refused, Salvation neglected, and in effect the unbeliever chooseth rather to be damned, than to comply with the severe terms of self-denial, mortification, and bearing the cross of Christ. Thus it excludes the saving act of faith.