A30345:413
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.
Uprightness of life, is a conversation, way, or course of life agreeable to the word of God in that calling or vocation, wherein God hath placed us. Thus it is said of David, That he walked 1with God in truth and uprightness of heart. And he that walketh in his uprightness, feareth the Lord. He that is upright in the way, is an abomination to the wicked. The way of the just is uprightness. He that speaketh uprightness shall dwell with the everlasting burning. This is expressed by the phrase of going with a right foot. Gal. 2. 14. of ordering our steps aright, Prov. 4. 26. and making even paths for our feet, Heb. 12. 13. Uprightness is an universal and constant cleaving to the Lord, notwithstanding all occurrences that might divert or turn us out of the way. All the upright in heart shall follow it, or, shall follow2 him; that is, they shall cleave to the Lord, and go after him continually, and never forsake him, although they endure many and great evils, for his names sake. An upright heart is an heart fixed and established in respect of the object, or main business,3 opposite to a double, divided mind, wavering between two different objects, unstable, inconstant, turned with every blast, resolving now this, anon that, one thing to day, another to morrow, this in one company, that in another. And the paths of uprightness are contrary to all crooked ways, which lead unto death. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are 4upright in their hearts. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. We may take the description of an upright man from the Psalmist in other words, He hath clean hands and a pure 5heart, and hath not lift up his soul unto vanity. A pure heart is the foundation of an holy life, and words and works, as it were the building settled upon it.