A30345:397
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 more sincerity, the more affinity with God: for truth is a near tie, and hath an uniting power in it. The true and sound1 Christian is the Lords near neighbour: so much the nearer, as the wicked are far off: for God will draw nigh to them, that draw nigh unto him in truth. God is the God of truth, Psal. 31. 5.2 Christ is truth, Joh. 14. 6. the spirit is the spirit of truth, Joh. 14. 17. Truth is one special branch of that Image of God according3 to which man was made. And the greater measure of truth in the inward parts, the more are we (to speak with the Apostle) changed into the Image of God. And the more we resemble God and have communion with him, the more is our affinity with him. Satan ever did, and still opposeth sincerity by persecutions, opprobries, and reproaches, as of pride, hypocrisy, dissimulation, specially when God afflicteth his people, Job. 2. 6, 9. But the more Satan opposeth truth and simplicity, the more should we be in love with it: for Satan would not load it with disgraces if it were not excellent. Satan labours to foist in the leaven of hypocrisy in our daily course, that by little and little he might pick the good seed of righteousness out of our hearts, but our care must be to disappoint him. Here our resistance is to hold us to our own, and pray to God to rebuke him.
The more sincerity, the more affinity with God: for truth is a neere tie, and hath an uniting power in it. The true and sound1 Christian is the Lords neere neighbour: so much the neerer, as the wicked are farre off: for God will draw nigh to them, that draw nigh unto him in truth. God is the God of truth, Psal. 31. 5