A30345:488
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.
Thus we are taught in the word of truth, to distinguish the state of the Gentiles living in their infidelity without God, from the state of the Gentiles reconciled. But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, &c. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. Eph. 2. 13, 16. And you that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your minds, by wicked works, yet now are reconciled. Col. 1. 21. Now, scil. the Messiah being exhibited, they are reconciled, and their sins pardoned, the promise of mercy pertaining to them, as well as to the Jews, when formerly abalienati à foedere promissionum, they were not reconciled. And when in the precedent verse he saith, that it pleased the Father by him, (scil. Christ) to reconcile all things unto himself, whether they be things in heaven, or things in earth; he speaks of actual reconciliation, not reconcilableness, and all things must be limited, as that signification of the word, and scope of the place doth necessarily require. The sentence is diversly interpreted, some think it not absurd to extend it simply to all things without exception, but especially to reasonable creatures, Angels and men. Others think it must necessarily be restrained to creatures of a certain kind, and interpret it of Angels and men reconciled one to another, who were formerly separated by mans disobedience. Others restrain it to the faithful in heaven and earth, and expound it of1 the Church and men in Covenant, who are received into favour and reconciled by the death of Christ laid hold on by faith. But to interpret it simply of all men penitent, impenitent, believers, infidels, obstinate, separated from God by their evil works, is directly contrary to the Text, and hath scarce a second Author. No man is to be excluded from seeking the benefit of reconciliation: but from the benefit it self the Apostle excludes them that be not in Covenant, and in the state of grace, to whom only this spiritual blessing doth pertain. And in the same manner this and the like words are to be limited in other places. Eph. 1. 10. Rom. 11. 32. And this they must not deny, if they would be at one with themselves: