A30345:41
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.
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, ⟨p. 10⟩Do this and live: and the exact and rigid exaction of perfect obedience in his own person, without the least spot or failing for matter or manner. The good that God promised was in it kind a perfect system of good, which was to be continued so long as he continued obedient, which because it might be continued in the eye of creating power for ever, we call it happiness, life, and everlasting happiness. But upon a supposition of Adams persisting in a state of obedience, to say that God would have translated him to the state of glory in Heaven, is more then any just ground will warrant; because in Scripture there is no such promise. And if we must not presume above what is written, we may say, Adam should have continued in that blessed estate in which he was created, but as for his translation after some number of years spent on earth, we read it not. In this state and condition Adams obedience should have been rewarded in justice, but he could not have merited that reward. Happiness should have been conferred upon him, or continued unto him for his works, but they had not deserved the continuance thereof: for it is impossible the creature should merit of the Creator, because when he hath done all that he can, he is an unprofitable servant, he hath1 done but his duty. The obedience that God required at his hands was partly natural, to be regulated according to the Law engraven in his heart by the finger of God himself, consisting in the true, unfeigned and perfect love of God, and of his Neighbour for the Lords sake: and partly Symbolical, which stood in obedience to the Law given for his probation and trial, whether he would submit to the good pleasure of God in an act of it self merely indifferent, because he was so commanded.
This Covenant God made with man without a Mediatour: for there needed no middle person to bring man into favour and friendship with God, because man did beare the image of God, and had not offended: nor to procure acceptance to mans service, because it was pure and spotlesse. God did love man being made after his Image: and promised to accept of his obedience performed freely, willingly, intirely, according to his Commandement. The forme of this Covenant stood in the speciall Promise of good to be received from justice as a reward for his work,