A30345:177
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.
But first we read, that God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation 1by faith in his blood, that by the faith of Jesus, we might receive remission of sins: but we find not, that he hath ordained Christ to be a propitiation through works, that by works we should be saved. And if God have not taught any such manner of Justification, it is not for us to receive it. We read of two ways of Justification, by faith and works: but of a third manner by faith and works, both as joint causes or con-causes, we find nothing in Scripture.
But first we reade, that God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation 1by faith in his bloud, that by the faith of Jesus, we might receive remission of sinnes: but we find not, that he hath ordained Christ to be a propitation through works, that by works we should be saved. And if God have not taught any such manner of Justification, it is not for us to receive it. We reade of two waies of Justification, by faith and works: but of a third manner by faith and works, both as joynt causes or con-causes, we find nothing in Scripture.
Secondly, By the doctrine of faith we are bound to acknowledge and confess that Christ Jesus by his eternal Priest-hood, is not only the sole meritorious cause of all grace or righteousness inherent, requisite to final absolution: but these presupposed in the party to be absolved, he is likewise the sole immediate cause of final absolution or justification. Without observation in some measure to all the Commandments of God, we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven: but we enter not for the obedience we have performed. To what use then doth our inherent righteousness or observance of Gods commandments serve us? If it hath been sincere and ••fained, though imperfect, yet the faith that brought it forth will make a sincere and faithful plea for mercy in the day of trial, in which he that hath been an hearer only, and no doer of the Law, or hath done in part, what God would have done, but not sincerely, nor faithfully, shall not be heard. Our imperfect