A30345:171
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.
The second exposition is, that faith is graciously imputed, reckoned or esteemed for righteousness, or in the place or steed of righteousness, because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to none but believers. For those sinners only are justified before God, who (we speak of them that live till they come to years of discretion) by a sound and saving faith do lay hold of, and rely1 upon Jesus Christ, as he is set forth of God to be a propitiation. Hence it is, that the Covenant of Grace, in steed of the righteousness of the Law required to legal Justification, which is wanting in us by reason of our sins, exacteth no other thing inherent in us, as a cause of Justification, or condition in respect whereof we are justified, but faith alone. And thus in a fit sense it may be said, that faith is of grace accounted, in steed of legal righteousness: not that it is the meritorious or material cause of our Justification, as legal righteousness should have been, if Justification had been by the Law, nor that it is accepted for the perfect righteousness of the Law: but because it is the sole instrumental or conditional cause, required on our part to Justification, in respect whereof we are acquitted from our sins. For in the Covenant of works perfect obedience is required at our hands to Justification: but in the2 Covenant of Grace nothing but faith on our parts is called for, and that not as the form or matter of Justification, but the instrument only, whereby we receive remission of sins, and are partakers of the merits of Christ.
The second exposition is, that faith is graciously imputed, reckoned or esteemed for righteousnesse, or in the place or steed of righteousnesse, because the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to none but beleevers. For those sinners onely are justified before God, who (we speake of them that live till they come to yeares of discretion) by a sound and saving faith doe lay hold of, and rely1 upon Jesus Christ, as he is set forth of God to be a propitiation. Hence it is, that the Covenant of Grace, in steed of the righteousnesse of the Law required to legall Justification, which is wanting in us by reason of our sins, exacteth no other thing inherent in us, as a cause of Justification, or condition in respect whereof we are justified, but faith alone. And thus in a fit sence it may be said, that faith is of grace accounted, in steed of legall righteousnesse: not that it is the meritorious or materiall cause of our Justification, as legall righteousnesse should have been, if Justification had been by the Law, nor that it is accepted for the perfect righteousnesse of the Law: but because it is the sole instrumentall or conditionall cause, required on our part to Justification, in respect whereof we are acquitted from our sins. For in the Covenant of workes perfect obedience is required at our hands to Justification: but in the