A30345:479
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.
We thus judge (saith Paul) that if one died for all, then were all dead. And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Here the Apostle saith expressly, Christ died for all simply meant, in respect of the impetration of a new Covenant, and salvation according to that Covenant: common misery is concluded from this, that Christ died for all men: sc. that all were dead: which is universally true of every man. And upon this ground he exhorts men to live unto Christ, scil. that Christ died for all men. Some learned Divines not partial refer1 this to the greatness of the price and dignity of Christs death, which was sufficient for the redemption of man-kind, if they did repent and believe: but the Apostle rather speaks of Christs death for all in respect of application, event, or effect: for all not simply, but for all to whom the fruit and benefit of Christs death is offered in the Gospel, and received by faith. Thus Vorstius▪ 2Christ died, and was raised up for all men in general, if we consider the amplitude of divine grace offered in Christ: but in respect of the event or effect both are done for all the elect and believers only. And in this latter sense that phrase is used of the Apostle in this place. And this the circumstances of the text will plainly enforce. For he speaks of the death of Christ, not as it ⟨p. 215⟩was purposed and decreed of God, but as it was actually suffered by Christ, when the far greatest part of the world, was for present state drowned in Infidelity and Idolatry, wherein they had continued a long time, being rejected and cast off of God. The end of Christs death and resurrection there named by the Apostle, showeth it is to be meant of the fruit and application, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but to him which died for them, that is, that by force of that communion which they have with him their head, being dead unto sin, they should live unto righteousness. But that can agree unto none, who are not partakers of the fruits of Christ; none are fitted by grace to live unto Christ, but they that have put on Christ by faith. That All for whom Christ died, is that world, which God in Christ hath reconciled unto himself, not imputing their sins, ver. 19.