A30345:512
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.
Amongst many effects of Christs death reckoned up in this argument, this is the most general, and all the rest depend upon it: and if the means be not vouchsafed to all, none of the rest can be ⟨p. 234⟩common to every one. It is a received principle amongst them, that as God loved the world, and Christ gave himself a ransom for all men, or is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world so God willed that the Gospel concerning Christ should be published to all men in the world. Corvin. in Moll. cap. 31. sect. 33. If then the Gospel be not published, or God willed not that the Gospel should be published to all and every man in the world, Christ died not for all and every man. Adam and Noah having received the Covenant, were bound to teach their children, and so successively in all ages: Psal. 78. which had it been observed, none had failed to have the same published unto him. If this be applied to the present purpose, they must teach only, that Christ died for all and every man, if they that be in Covenant, shall carefully observe the charge and commandment of God. And by the same reason they may conclude, that God gave his Son to die, and that with plenary purpose, that no man should ever sin by ignorance, infirmity, impenitency, unbelief, or any particular transgression: that God purposed to give to every man the plentiful and effectual means of grace, and that every man should actually apply the death of Christ. For if every man successively had obeyed the commandment given to Adam, and fulfilled that charge, the doctrine of salvation had been published to every man, every man had been borne and lived in Covenant, every man had actually applied the death of Christ unto himself, every man had enjoyed all the Ordinances of God: yea, there had been no impenitent person, I might add, properly no sinner but Adam and Eve. Then they could not say, Christ came to save the world, under which infidels must be comprehended, or that he prayed for his persecutors and unbelievers, nor that he came to save his people from their sins: for if this charge had been obeyed, there had been no Infidel, nor persecutor, nor sinner amongst his people, but only our first Parents. And by the same evasion, they may hold that Christ died for all and every man, when he died for no man living, or that ever lived, but Adam only.
Amongst many effects of Christs death reckoned up in this argument, this is the most generall, and all the rest depend upon it: and if the meanes be not vouchsafed to all, none of the rest can be