A30345:252
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 was such a Covenant whereby the spiritual seed was made a Kingdom of Priests, an holy Nation, and a peculiar treasure unto the Lord. The word Segullah signifies ones own proper good, which he loveth, and keeps in store for himself, for his special use: a rare and exquisite treasure; a thing desired, dear and singular or proper to a man himself. The Hebrew Logicians call their fifth predicable, Segullah: Others interpret the word, a beloved treasure, a glorious thing & to be desired, an holy treasure, a treasure which hath both magnificence, splendour and ornament, Eccles. 2. 8. the peculiar treasure of Kings. Aquila renders it substance: Sim: treasure, or peculiar substance, the Septuagint, plenty of riches, so as it doth import multitude or great abundance: Vatablus, a treasure entirely beloved, 1 Chron. 29. 3. I have of mine own proper good, of gold; of my proper goods of excellency, that which was most dear unto me; of gold most pure and refined, that which is chosen and laid up in a treasury. A peculiar people then is a people entirely beloved of the Lord, which is proper to him, the possession whereof pertains to none other, which he layeth up (as it were) in his treasure, Exod. 19. 5. The Chaldee Paraphrast renders it, ye shall be beloved before me. Theod•t. a chief, special, or excellent people: and so Deut. 26. 18. The Paraphrast hath it, he chose to himself Israel his beloved, and in other places. And so other Hebricians, Segullah signifieth, that ⟨p. 104⟩they should be beloved before him, as a desirable treasure, which1 a King delivereth not into the hands of any of his officers, but keepeth to himself. R. Menachen in Exod. 19. Mal. 3. 17. The Greek translation turns it, a people for peculiar possession. Aqu. a peculiar people, dear and precious, which he will not part withal. In the new Testament both expressions are used: for Paul calleth them a peculiar people: Peter, a people for peculiar possession, which God doth challenge as proper to himself. Vulg. Populus acquisitionis,