A39669:759
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.
Infer. 2.
If such a receiving of Christ as hath been described, be saving and justifying faith? Then faith is a work of greater difficulty 1than most men understand it to be, and there are but few sound believers in the world.
- 1Infer. 2.
Before Christ can be received the heart must be emptied and opened: but most mens hearts are full of self righteousness, and vain confidence: this was the case of the Jews, Rom. 10. 3. being ignorant of Gods righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.
Mans righteousness was once in himself, and what liquor is first put into the vessel, it ever afterward savours of it: 'tis with Adams posterity as with Bees which have been accustomed to go their own hive, and carry all thither; if the hive be removed to another place, they will still fly to the old place, hover up and down about it, and rather dye there, than go to a new place. So it is with most men. God hath removed their righteousness from doing, to believing: from themselves, to Christ; but who shall prevail with them to forsake self? nature will venture to be damned rather than do it: there is much submission in believing, and great self denial: a proud self-conceited heart will never stoop to live upon the stock of another's righteousness.