A30345:447
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.
So that properly the1 beginning of the new Covenant is to be fetched from that time, wherein Christ hath fulfilled all things, which were shadowed of him in the Law, or foretold in the Prophets, that is, after that Christ was corporally ascended into Heaven, and had sent down the holy Spirit in the visible shape of fiery tongues upon his Apostles,2 at the solemn feast of Pentecost; For the sum of the Gospel or new Testament is this, that the Ceremonial Law is ceased, and the use of the Law (whereby we were kept in bondage until faith was revealed) abolished: and that Christ being already crucified, dead, buried, and received into Heaven, remission ⟨p. 197⟩of sins in his blood is clearly, plainly and openly propounded, offered and given to all them that by true and lively faith do believe that he is Christ the Lord and Saviour, and that the Spirit of Adoption is sent into their hearts, who by firm affiance and confidence do rest in the Redeemer, that being taught of God they stand not in need of the legal pedagogy. Surely, that doctrine concerning faith in Christ, cannot strictly be called the Gospel, which did take place, the Mosaical worship as yet in force, and that by the approbation of Christ, those things not being fulfilled as yet, which were preached in the Gospel. For the Gospel is a message of good tidings or things past, which affect the heart with singular joy and cheerfulness. And as the old Covenant was not promulgated without great pomp upon Mount Sinai, the people of Israel hearing and beholding, and swearing unto it, Exod. 19. 18. and 20. so it was meet that the New Testament, should be published on a solemn set day, in the assembly almost of all Nations, with great splendour and glory, as it was on the feast day of Pentecost. And before that time the doctrine concerning faith was of that sort, that men were rather called to the future Kingdom of God, then commanded to rest in the present state of things. John the Baptist put over his hearers to▪ Christ, Joh. 1. 26, 27. Luke▪ 3. 16.