A30345:523
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.
to wit because these Apostates profess the faith for a time, and so seem both to themselves, and ⟨p. 240⟩to others judging in charity, to be true believers, when in deed they are nothing less. But it seems more simple, if we say, that some who after fall away, for a time do truly believe: which Christ doth therefore call Temporaries, Math. 13. 21. And then concludes, to take away the show of repugnancy, which seems to be betwixt this and the former places. We must hold, that Christ in act and very deed is the redeemer of the faithful, as long as they be such: although in power, yea and in will he be the Saviour of the whole world. To let pass other things which pertain not to this question, it is plain the Apostle speaks of them for whom Christ died in act, event or application, in which sense they confess he died not for all men, but the faithful only as such. And as these false teachers were called into the Covenant, accepted the condition, believed in Christ, for a time rejoiced in him, and brought forth some fruit, so we confess they were bought by the blood of Christ, because all these were fruits of Christs death, whereof they were made partakers. As in the Parable, the Lord is said to remit to his servant a thousand Talents, when he desired him, sc. inchoately or upon condition, which1 was not confirmed, because he did not forgive his fellow servant: so the false Prophets are bought by the blood of Christ, sc. in a sort, as they believed in Christ, but not sincerely and unfeignedly. We2 read of some Apostates, that they had been enlightened, and tasted of the heavenly gift, and been partakers of the holy Spirit, who afterwards did revolt from the faith. To these men, their sins were remitted in a sort in this world, and in a sort they were bought by the blood of Christ, but inchoately only, and as they tasted the word of life. Had they eaten the word of life, that is, had they soundly and truly believed in Christ, they had received perfect and consummate remission of sins, both in this world3 and in the world to come; they had been perfectly redeemed and reconciled unto God: but because they did not eat, tasted only, they received not perfect remission, they were not perfectly redeemed. To this taste answereth the Sow that is washed, and returneth again to the wallowing in the mire: