A30345:494
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.
A man must believe before he can be in the state of grace, and know he doth believe, before he can believe that he is the child of God, neither of which can be affirmed of the weary as simply such. Thus then I grant all men are bound to believe in Christ: but thence it will not follow, that Christ died for all men equally, to purchase for them actual reconciliation on Gods part, and with full and complete will and purpose quantum in se to save them: but only that Christ died for them as an all-sufficient and efficient Saviour, so that in the Covenant of grace salvation might be and is tendered unto them upon condition of true repentance and faith unfeigned. For they to whom the Gospel is preached, and by whom it is professed, are bound to believe what is offered in the Gospel, as it is offered there in, viz. if they hunger and thirst, deny themselves, and be weary of their sins. But it is one thing to deny our works, and rely upon the free mercy of God in Christ, another to believe that Christ died for our redemption in particular. Whosoever is bound to believe hath Christ as an allsufficient and efficient Saviour, in and through whom Salvation might be obtained, and undoubtedly shall be obtained by him, if he renounce his own works, and fly to the sole mercy of God in Christ, as the object of faith, in order of nature before either the act of faith, or proposal of the commandment to believe: He hath also the rule of new life, and is admitted into the Covenant ⟨p. 225⟩according to the external administration, wherein Christ is offered as a sufficient and efficient Mediator, so that pardon of sin, adoption and eternal happiness shall redound to all and every one by his death, if they do believe: and as a Mediator by merit and saving efficacy to reconcile them actually unto God that be in Covenant effectually.
A man must believe before he can be in the state of grace, and know he doth beleeve, before he can beleeve that he is the child of God, neither of which can be affirmed of the weary as simply such. Thus then I grant all men are bound to beleeve in Christ: but thence it will not follow, that Christ died for all men equally, to purchase for them actuall reconciliation on Gods part, and with full and compleate will and purpose quantum in se to save them: but only that Christ died for them as an all-sufficient and efficient Saviour, so that in the Covenant of grace salvation might be and is tendered unto them upon condition of true repentance and faith unfained. For they to whom the Gospell is preached, and by whom it is professed, are bound to beleeve what is offered in the Gospell, as it is offered there in, viz. if they hunger and thirst, deny themselves, and be wearie of their sinnes. But it is one thing to deny our workes, and relie upon the free mercy of God in Christ, another to beleeve that Christ died for our redemption in particular. Whosoever is bound to beleeve hath Christ as an allsufficient and efficient Saviour, in and through whom Salvation might be obtained, and undoubtedly shall be obtained by him, if he renounce his owne works, and flie to the sole mercy of God in Christ, as the object of faith, in order of nature before either the act of faith, or proposall of the commandement to beleeve: He hath also the rule of new life, and is admitted into the Covenant