A30345:492
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.
The maintainers of universal redemption think it may strongly be proved by this reason, All men are bound to believe in Christ: but Christ died for all men, that are bound to believe in him; which some propound in this form; Every man is bound to believe, that Christ died for him: but whatsoever a man is bound to believe that is true: therefore he died for every man. But if by believing in Christ they understand nothing but bare assenting to this proposition, that Christ died for all men, and for me as a man, for the impetration of righteousness quantum in se, or to purchase the grace of the Father and pardon of sins, no man is bound to believe it, because it is not revealed in Scripture, much less made known to every man in the world by means sufficient. Every man called, whether he hearken to God calling or not is bound to believe that Christ is offered unto him as a Saviour, so as if he believe he shall be saved: but that Christ died for him in particular for the impetration of righteousness, and for every particular ⟨p. 223⟩man in the world, that he is not bound to believe, because it is not found in Scripture, nor can he believe it, according to their grounds that urge this argument, neither can such persuasion be the ground of justifying faith. I say every man in the world good or bad cannot believe it, as they teach: For either they be considered as in the common Mass, as all Infants, and then they be actually restored into grace; or as impenitent and unbelievers, fallen from the Covenant themselves, (or as Arminius addeth, in their parents) and then Christ died not for them as such. If they be admitted into Covenant, and continue therein,1 Christ died for them in respect of application: if they be fallen from that state by impenitency, obstinacy, rebellion, Christ died not for them as such: If they be cast off, and not so much as outwardly called, how can they believe that Christ died for them, specially, when by transgression they have departed from that Covenant, and fallen from that state unto which (they say) they were admitted. Neither can this persuasion be the ground of faith justifying, for many ungodly men are persuaded that Christ died for all mankind, that neither will, nor can, nor ought as such, to believe in Christ, or rest upon him for Salvation:
The maintainers of universall redemption thinke it may strongly be proved by this reason, All men are bound to beleeve in Christ: but Christ died for all men, that are bound to believe in him; which some propound in this forme; Every man is bound to beleeve, that Christ died for him: but whatsoever a man is bound to beleeve that is true: therefore he died for every man. But if by beleeving in Christ they understand nothing but bare assenting to this proposition, that Christ died for all men, and for me as a man, for the impetration of righteousnesse quantum in se, or to purchase the grace of the Father and pardon of sinnes, no man is bound to beleeve it, because it is not revealed in Scripture, much lesse made knowne to every man in the world by meanes sufficient. Every man called, whether he hearken to God calling or not is bound to beleeve that Christ is offered unto him as a Saviour, so as if he beleeve he shall be saved: but that Christ died for him in particular for the impetration of righteousnesse, and for every particular