A30345:408
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.
Ninthly, True grace is permanent, and sound Christians are constant in their course, not shrinking in temptation, not starting aside like a broken bow. An hypocrite is wavering in respect of occurrences, halting and divided in respect of objects; in subjection to inordinate passions, powerless in the performance of holy duties, wise to hide and cover sin, glorious in empty shows of Religion, apt for advantage to swallow lesser sins without straining, slippery in earthly dealings, aiming at wrong ⟨p. 177⟩ends in the profession of the truth, indulgent to his beloved and darling sins, desirous to seem religious, though he much neglect the power of godliness. But the true Christian is unlike him in all these respects: He is sound and constant, a master of his affections, a bungler to colour or guild over sin, desirous to be good, and in every thing answerable to his profession, faithful in his place, plain in his dealings, innocent and harmless, as becomes the child of God; the same man at home and abroad, within and without, openly and in secret, in thought and discourse. This is that truth and sincerity which the Lord accepteth, and the godly strive after, and obtain in some measure.
Ninthly, True grace is permanent, and sound Christians are constant in their course, not shrinking in temptation, not starting aside like a broken bow. An hypocrite is wavering in respect of occurrences, halting and divided in respect of objects; in subjection to inordinate passions, powerlesse in the performance of holy duties, wise to hide and cover sinne, glorious in empty shewes of Religion, apt for advantage to swallow lesser sinnes without straining, slippery in earthly dealings, aiming at wrong ⟨p. 177⟩ends in the profession of the truth, indulgent to his beloved and darling sinnes, desirous to seeme religious, though he much neglect the power of godlinesse. But the true Christian is unlike him in all these respects: He is sound and constant, a master of his affections, a bungler to colour or guild over sinne, desirous to be good, and in every thing answerable to his profession, faithfull in his place, plaine in his dealings, innocent and harmelesse, as becomes the child of God; the same man at home and abroad, within and without, openly and in secret, in thought and discourse. This is that truth and sincerity which the Lord accepteth, and the godly strive after, and obtaine in some measure.