A30345:267
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.
if we consider the words of the Law, it doth command that we love God above all, and our Neighbour as our selves: but if we search out the meaning of the words, we shall find it to be such a love as proceeds from faith; and from what faith, but in the Messiah? That is the foundation upon which all works of love are builded. In faith it self or with it, there is a motion of the soul towards, or a desire of the heart to obtain the good promised, joined with an hatred of sin and wickedness, which may be called inchoate love: but true, sound, entire love, whereby we affect God as our Father most nearly conjoined to us, and reverence him as the fountain of all good things and benefits, which of his mere grace he conferreth upon the children of his love, and we daily expect from him, even such as accompany life and salvation: this is the effect of faith, and followeth the apprehension and habitation of Christ in the heart.
if we consider the words of the Law, it doth command that we love God above all, and our Neighbour as our selves: but if we search out the meaning of the words, we shall find it to be such a love as proceeds from faith; and from what faith, but in the Messiah? That is the foundation upon which all works of love are builded. In faith it self or with it, there is a motion of the soule towards, or a desire of the heart to obtaine the good promised, joyned with an hatred of sinne and wickednesse, which may be called inchoate love: but true, sound, intire love, whereby we affect God as our Father most neerely conjoyned to us, and reverence him as the fountaine of all good things and benefits, which of his meere grace he conferreth upon the children of his love, and we daily expect from him, even such as accompany life and salvation: this is the effect of faith, and followeth the apprehension and habitation of Christ in the heart.
Faith in Christ is not commanded in the Moral Law as it was engraven in the heart of Adam in the state of innocency: but as it was given to Israel, to be a rule of life to a people in Covenant, it was presupposed or commanded. For the general substance of duty, the Law then delivered and formerly engraven in the heart was one and the same: but not in respect of the subject by whom, the object to whom, or the grounds whereupon obedience was required. Confidence in God was required of Adam by the Law of nature written in his heart. Confidence in God through Christ or the Messiah was required of the Israelites by the Law published upon the Mount. Adam was to perform obedience to the Lord immediately without a Mediator, being himself pure and innocent. But the Israelites being in themselves sinner. ould not in their own names perform service pleasing and acceptable unto the Lord. Adam knew he was beloved of the Lord, so long as he continued in obedience, but had no warrant to wait upon his mercy, when he had broken the Covenant of works. But to the Israelites God bound himself in Covenant upon Mount Sinai, promising to be their God, and take them for his people, notwithstanding they were sinners in themselves, which could not be without forgiveness: and this Covenant they might and did renew by repentance after transgression. The Law is not to be confounded with the Gospel, but the sacred and inviolable knot of the one with the other is to be maintained, unless we shall make God contrary to himself.