A30345:184
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.
It will be said, Faith was not reputed to Abraham for righteousness, after that he excelled with many virtues having embraced Christ: But the holy Ghost rather testifies, although the excellency of Abraham's virtue was great, whereby he had increased by long perseverance, yet he was not otherwise accepted as righteous unto life, but because by faith he received grace offered in the promise. The faith of Abraham was great and excellent for degree and measure, but it was not accepted for righteousness in regard it was strong and eminent: but because it laid hold upon the promised feed. The faith of Abraham was eminent, but not perfect, and justified him not absolutely as an excellent ⟨p. 73⟩virtue, but relatively as it received the promise of mercy, not as if Abraham was thereby made perfect by inherent holiness, for then Abraham had whereof to glory in himself, but as in himself a sinner and ungodly he obtained free and full remission of the mere grace and favour of God. So that we may conclude from this passage of holy writ, that Abraham was justified by faith alone: but this his faith though alone in the act of Justification, no other grace coworking with it, was not alone in existence, did not lie dead in him as a dormant and idle quality. Saving faith is lively and operative, attended with every other grace of the Spirit, setting them upon their work, animating and quickening them thereto, and regulating them therein. It stirs up sorrow for sin, and purpose of amendment; it raiseth the soul earnestly to long after, and heartily to crave mercy: it comes to Christ as an humble, poor, penitent petitioner for forgiveness: but that which is done by faith stirring up sorrow, and working by prayer, is not done partly by faith, partly by sorrow, and partly by prayers, but by that faith which doth enforce to pray. For faith leaneth upon the promise, and no promise is made, the condition of prayer being shut forth. Ask, and it shall be given you, Mark 11. 24. Therefore our Saviour Christ being entreated of many that he would heal them, attributeth all the force of their prayers to faith, Thy faith hath saved thee. And so by what faith Abraham embraced the promise, by the same he offered up his Son Isaac.
It will be said, Faith was not reputed to Abraham for righteousnesse, after that he excelled with many vertues having embraced Christ: But the holy Ghost rather testifies, although the excellency of Abrahams vertue was great, whereby he had increased by long perseverance, yet he was not otherwise accepted as righteous unto life, but because by faith he received grace offered in the promise. The faith of Abraham was great and excellent for degree and measure, but it was not accepted for righteousnesse in regard it was strong and eminent: but because it laid hold upon the promised feed. The faith of Abraham was eminent, but not perfect, and justified him not absolutely as an excellent