A30345:40
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 Author of this Covenant was God his Creator and Sovereign, who had bestowed many and great blessings upon man, furnished him with excellent abilities, and enriched him with singular privileges. This Covenant God made in Justice; yet so as it was of Grace likewise to make such a free promise, and to bestow so great things upon man for his obedience. God did in strict justice require obedience, promise a reward, and threaten punishment: but yet as bountiful and gracious unto his creature, entire and perfect, if he should so continue. God did in justice proportion the reward and the work, the weight of the blessing promised, and the work of obedience required: but yet I cannot think it had been injustice in God to have given less, or not to have continued so great things to man, so long as he continued his obedience: No, God was pleased to manifest his goodness to man continuing in obedience, no less then his justice, as formerly in creation he had showed himself exceeding gracious to man, above other visible and corporal creatures.
The Author of this Covenant was God his Creator and Soveraigne, who had bestowed many and great blessings upon man, furnished him with excellent abilities, and enriched him with singular priviledges. This Covenant God made in Justice; yet so as it was of Grace likewise to make such a free promise, and to bestow so great things upon man for his obedience. God did in strict justice require obedience, promise a reward, and threaten punishment: but yet as bountifull and gratious unto his creature, intire and perfect, if he should so continue. God did in justice proportion the reward and the worke, the weight of the blessing promised, and the work of obedience required: but yet I cannot thinke it had been injustice in God to have given lesse, or not to have continued so great things to man, so long as he continued his obedience: No, God was pleased to manifest his goodnesse to man continuing in obedience, no lesse then his justice, as formerly in creation he had shewed himselfe exceeding gratious to man, above other visible and corporall creatures.
This Covenant God made with man without a Mediator: for there needed no middle person to bring man into favour and friendship with God, because man did bear the image of God, and had not offended: nor to procure acceptance to mans service, because it was pure and spotless. God did love man being made after his Image: and promised to accept of his obedience performed freely, willingly, entirely, according to his Commandment. The form of this Covenant stood in the special Promise of good to be received from justice as a reward for his work,