A30345:462
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.
Touching the first there be two main opinions of Divines. The first sort hold, that he died for all and every man with a purpose to save. But in the explication of their Tenet they add.1 1. That Christ died for all men considered in the common lapse or fall, but not as obstinate, impenitent, or unbelievers. Christ died not, say they, for Cain and Judas, as such, or as they should perish, nor for Abel and Peter as faithful, in respect of the impetration of Salvation: but without difference for them considered2 in the common state and condition of the fall and sin. 2. That Christ died for all men in respect of the impetration of Salvation, but the application thereof is proper to believers. 3. That Christ died not to bring all or any man actually to Salvation, and make them partakers of righteousness and life; but to purchase salvability and reconciliation so far, as that God might and would, salvajustitia, deal with them upon terms of a better Covenant, which might well stand although it should be applied to no man, no man should be reconciled or saved by Christ, God should have no Church on earth, or Saint be crowned with glory in heaven. 4. That Christ hath purchased salvability for all men, but faith and regeneration he hath merited for none: because God is bound to give that which Christ hath merited of him, although it be not desired or craved. Exam. Censur. Cap. 8. pag. 95. & Cap. 7. pag. 87 & Respons. ad specul. 11. 107. Other positions they hold, which •ang not together, nor agree3 with that which hath been mentioned; as that God neither would, nor could by right condemn any man for the sin of Adam, and that Original sin so called, is properly neither sin, nor punishment: And then if Christ died for mankind in the common lapse, he died for them that never had sinned, nor deserved punishment. Again they teach that all Infants, whether of believing4 or Infidel parents, dying without actual sins committed in their own person, are restored into the favour of God, regenerated and saved: and that because God hath taken all mankind into ⟨p. 205⟩