A30345:275
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.
Therefore the words of the Prophet as touching the writing of Gods Law in our hearts, can import nothing but this, that the Laws which were before by the ministry1 of Moses delivered only in Ink and Paper, should by the power of the holy Ghost, through the faith of Christ be wrought and written in the affections of the heart: that God in Christ would not only administer outwardly the letter of the Law, whether in writing or preaching, but would by the regeneration of the Spirit, give grace inwardly to the obedience thereof. And as the Law written in the tables of the heart, and engraven in tables of stone, is one for substance: so is the new and the old Testament. The Law is not opposed to the Law: but the writing to writing. Writing in tables of stone pertained to Moses or to the Old Testament: writing in the heart to Christ, or the new Covenant. The Law is the same, but otherwise administered in the hand of Christ, then in times past in the hand of Moses. Moses gave the Law in tables of stone, but could not give power or ability to do what the Law required: but Christ writeth the Law in the heart, and enableth the faithful in some measure to do what he commandeth. And in the same place the Lord by the Prophet showeth, that when he made this Covenant with2 the Fathers which they brake, he declared himself to be an husband unto them, or joined himself in marriage unto them. But God never joined himself in marriage unto a people, but by the Covenant of grace. It may be said the Apostle showeth the former3 Covenant to be faulty, or that another Covenant was lacking. But that is not mentioned to prove the Covenants to be ⟨p. 119⟩two in substance opposite one to the other: but because the first Testament did not contain the Image of the things themselves, and therefore was not to be rested in, as if we could be justified by4 the works of the Law, or ceremonial observances annexed: but must be used as an introduction to lead us unto Christ, who is the very Image of the things themselves. This first Covenant therefore could not be fulfilled or effectual, but by the bringing in of a second, which was prefigured thereby. For the blood of Bulls and Goats was not available to purge away sin: but did prefigure the blood of Christ, which is effectual to purge our consciences from dead works.