The Gospel Method of Gods Saving Sinners, Title page – To the reader
Methodus Evangelica; OR, THE GOSPEL METHOD OF Gods ſaving Sinners BY JESUS CHRIST: Practically Explained in XII PROPOSITIONS.
By the late Learned Dr. ABRAHAM CLIFFORD.
To which is prefixed a PREFACE, by Dr. Manton, and Mr. Rich. Baxter.
LONDON, Printed by J. M. for Brabazon Aylmer at the three Pigeons in Cornhill. MDCLXXVI.
IMPRIMATUR
Hic Tractatus de Foedere Gratiae.
Jan. 24. 1675. Gul. Jane Rev. Dom. D. Epiſcopo Lond. à Sacris domeſt.
Academiac Cantabrigienſis Liber
To the Worſhipful and truly Religious Patriot of his Country JOHN STEPHENS of Overlyppiat in the County of Glouceſter, Esq
SIR,
THough we live in an age wherein Religion is more talkt of, than practiſed; and profaneneſs more in faſhion than Piety: Yet (bleſſed be God) there are ſtill ſome among us (and thoſe not a few) who dare not make their luſt their law. What a deluge of errours, in opinion as well as practice, hath of late years, overflowed this Nation, every corner thereof hath more cauſe to bewail, than skill to cure. Amongſt the which, the Solifidian or Antinomian makes not the leaſt buſtle, nor by their ſpecious pretences do the leaſt miſchief, who, whilſt they ſeem to cry up the noble Grace of Faith, beat down the power of Godlineſs. As if pleading for duty, (though but in its proper place) were to derogate from the freeneſs of Gods Grace, or allſufficiency of Chriſts merits. But, that theſe not only may, but muſt go together (though ſome there be that ſeem to deny the latter) the Authour of this enſuing diſcourſe hath learnedly avouched. The work; as (at firſt) it was, at my requeſt by the Authour undertaken, (though then without the leaſt intention, in either of us, of publiſhing it) ſo being at his death wholly left to my diſpoſe; I held it a duty incumbent upon me, to do what I could to make the ſame more publick, ſince it was ſo hopefully brought to the birth, eſpecially being preſſed thereunto by divers knowing Chriſtians (Divines and others, who had got a ſight of it.) Many friends the Authour I know had, (Perſons of Honour, and others) for whom (whilſt living) he had a great reſpect, and who had the like for him. Some of whom may (perhaps) expect to have been here remembred. But ſince Providence hath ſo ordered it, as to leave the publiſhing thereof to my diſpoſe, I muſt crave their leave, to let the World know that amongſt my many Friends, there is none for whom I have ſo great and deſerved a reſpect as for your ſelf, and therefore ſince it muſt abroad, I am bold to ſend it forth under your favour. And that upon a double account: firſt, that being brought up at your feet (as my Gamaliel) and having the happineſs in the morning of my age, to have the greateſt part of my Education under your perſonal direction: ſo I am willing (before my Sun go down, it being now far in the afternoon with me) to leave ſome acknowledgment behind me of what reſpect I owe, not only to your whole family, but principally to your own Perſon. And next, for that you are a Perſon (without flattery be it ſpoken) ſo eminently taken notice of in your Country, as able to judge of what is herein written, and one that hath always been of the ſame Judgment and Practice with the Authour, of which whoever is not, I pity his condition, and ſhall pray for his Converſion, and ſhall ever remain,
SIR, Your old faithful Servant, John Clifford.
TO THE READER.
Good Reader,
THere are two things of which we would premoniſh thee as to the enſuing Treatiſe concerning the conditionality of the Covenant of Grace, the occaſion of it, and the uſefulneſs. For the firſt the occaſion, we have it from other hands thus. That the Doctor viſiting his Friends in Glouceſterſhire was deſired to give them a Sermon, but being wholly a Stranger there, inquired after the ſtate of the Congregation to whom he was to Preach, that he might the better ſpeak to their edification; and being informed that divers who were likely to be his Auditors, were levened with Antinomian Fancies and Conceits, not willing to hear of any Conditions in the New Covenant, and decrying all enforcements to Duty and Obedience as Legal Preaching, he thought it his duty to diſpoſſeſs them of theſe errours. Proving with mighty evidence, out of Heb. 5.9. that Jeſus Chriſt is the Author of Salvation only to ſuch as obey. Which argument though proſecuted by him with great Learning, Judgment and Affection, to the great ſatisfaction of a numerous Congregation both of Strangers and Inhabitants then preſent, yet ſome few ſeemed to remain ſtill unſatisfied. To remove whoſe ſcruples he firſt took much pains with them in Private Conferences, wherein they profeſſed themſelves unable to anſwer his Arguments, yet reſolved ſtill to retain their preconceived Opinions; but he not deſpairing of their conviction, after his return thence penned this Diſcourſe, that upon calm thoughts they might more deliberately weigh the matter, and ſent it to his Fathers Brother to be communicated to any whom he thought fit, but with a ſtrict injunction not to publiſh it in Print, and though much ſolicited by his Ʋncle and divers Miniſters and good Chriſtians who had got a ſight of it, ſuffered not his reſolution to be expugned until a little before his death, when giving way to their importunity, he conſented that if God afforded not him time to put his laſt hand to it, they might diſpoſe of it at their own pleaſure. For the other, the Seaſonableneſs and Uſefulneſs of it, we can write of that as from our ſelves. There have been and ſtill are two extreams in the World, ſome truſt to their own External ſuperficial Righteouſneſs as the ground of their acceptance with God, againſt whom Chriſt ſpake that Parable, Luke 18.9. he ſpake this Parable againſt certain that truſted in themſelves that they were righteous, &c. theſe make their outward obſervances, partial obedience, luſtre of ſome moral vertues their only Plea before God, without any reflection on the Merits of a Saviour; the other extream is of thoſe who teach Men to look at nothing in themſelves at all, no not as an evidence or condition or means of Application, have no conſideration of Faith or of Repentance, or new Obedience in the ſetling of their peace and quiet of their Souls; which what a Salve it is for impenitent unbelievers, what a reproach to the Goſpel, and how derogatory from the ſtrain of Chriſtianity, is eaſily evident to thoſe who are any way acquainted with the Tenor of it; Chriſt is an able Saviour, the Covenant of Grace is a ſafe and ſure refuge, the diſpute is about the ſincerity of our claim; but we will not debate the caſe here, it is the buſineſs of this Treatiſe, which we would not let go (eſpecially it being preſented to us for that end) without annexing our conſent and approbation.
We are thine in the Lords work, Tho. Manton. Rich. Baxter.