A30345:120
A treatise of the covenant of grace wherein the gradual breakings out of Gospel…A treatise of the covenant of grace wherein the graduall breakings out of Gospel…
A treatise of the covenant of grace wherein the gradual breakings out of Gospel grace from Adam to Christ are clearly discovered, the differences betwixt the Old and New Testament are laid open, divers errors of Arminians and others are confuted, the nature of uprightness, and the way of Christ in bringing the soul into communion with himself ... are solidly handled / by that faithful servant of Jesus Christ, and minister of the Gospel, John Ball ; published by Simeon Ash.A treatise of the covenant of grace wherein the graduall breakings out of Gospel grace from Adam to Christ are clearly discovered, the differences betwixt the Old and New Testament are laid open, divers errours of Arminians and others are confuted, the nature of uprightnesse, and the way of Christ in bringing the soul into communion with himself ... are solidly handled / by that faithfull servant of Jesus Christ, and minister of the Gospel, John Ball ; published by Simeon Ash.
London: printed by G. Miller for Edward Brewster, 1645
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.
These words do contain a manifest distinction betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent, and a promise of assured victory to the seed of the woman over Satan, and all spiritual enemies to be administered according to the decree of God. So we read, that the names of some are written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, Rev. 17. 8. that God hath saved some, and called them with an holy calling, not according to their works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given them in Jesus Christ before the times of the ages, 2 Tim. 1. 9. that God hath from the beginning chosen some to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, 2 Thes. 2. 13. In all which passages that choosing, writing and calling is to be understood, which is taught in this famous promise, whereunto they seem to be referred. For the phrase is, from ⟨p. 42⟩the beginning or the beginning, doth sometimes note the time of1 the constitution of the Jewish Church, and its policy, presently from the going out of Egypt: as Psal. 74. 2. Remember the Congregation which thou hast purchased of old. LXX. [Greek or Hebrew], It2 signifies also the beginning of the dispensation of the Gospel preached of Christ himself: for then a new manner of revelation of the Doctrine of the Gospel was brought in, Luk. 1. 2. Also from the beginning is as much as from the beginning of the world, from the foundation of the world, or at least, little after the beginning of the world, Joh. 8. 44. the devil is said to be a murderer from the beginning, and to sin from the beginning. 1 Joh. 3. 8