A30345:276
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.
The blood of Bulls and of Goats, and 1the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, sc. from a trespass merely committed against the Law of Ceremonies: but the bloody sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Christ, whereof the legal Sacrifices were types and shadows, was alone appointed of God, and is effectual to cleanse us from all sins committed against the Moral Law of God, and to purify us from such dead works, as, not expiated by his blood, would bring forth everlasting death. Of necessity therefore the first Covenant, because it is of grace, must bring forth a second,2 in which is fulfilled that which in the first is prefigured. The Law was given by Moses, and the righteousness of faith was taught by Moses, as our Saviour testifieth. Why then doth the Apostle in the words following add by way of opposition, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ? The sense of the place seems to be this, That the Law prefiguring Christ, and redemption in him, and teaching and commanding what oug•• to be done, but neither giving grace to do it, not containing the substance of the thing prefigured, was given by Moses: but grace to do what was commanded came from Christ, in whom also the substance of what was prefigured by the Ceremonies, is fulfilled. But if the Law of Moses sent the Jews to Christ, and directed them how to walk believing in him, but of it self did not give grace or truth, of necessity it must make known Christ3 in some sort, and command faith in him: which is proper to the Covenant of grace. The Law is a killing letter (saith the Apostle) and the ministration of death and condemnation. But the same Law, which is called a dead or killing letter, is styled a lively word, or lively oracles, that is, such as give life: The words of Paul therefore ⟨p. 120⟩are not to be understood absolutely of the Law, but as it was4 separated from Christ and the Gospel, of men who did rest in the Law, and sought to be justified by it: whereas Christ was the end of the Law, which the Jews not perceiving, they erred from the truth, and perverted the true sense and scope of the Law. For the ministry of Moses, as it is referred to the mind and counsel of the Lord, is bright and illustrious: