A30345:533
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.
They demand further, how could God approve that such should repent and believe, as do not these things from him, and by the power of his grace, who therefore might glory, as he would have no creature to do? 1 Cor. 1. 30. And it is a most sure thing, God would have no creature to glory in himself, and most true, that faith will not, cannot glory in any thing, but in the Lord, and therefore we acknowledge that God of his grace hath chosen some men to faith and holiness, as in justice he purposed to leave and forsake others for their sin. For if God decreed not to give men faith and repentance, he is not the author of them. For God doth nothing in time, but what he decreed to do before all time. To exclude boasting it sufficeth not to say, that God gives grace, whereby we might believe, if we will, specially if we use our natural gifts well: for that makes ability to believe only to be of God, and that in part procured by our selves, but faith and repentance to be from the free use of our own will, whereby we are distinguished from others which believe not, to whom God wished as well, and who received as much grace from God, perhaps more. See Groven. dissert. de elect. & fid. praevis. But leaving that matter for the time, to the objection the answer is plain, that as God commandeth wicked men to repent and believe, so he testifieth what he doth desire and approve, but with-holding the internal and effectual working of his Spirit, they will not repent through their perverseness. As it is a duty which God requireth, so it is approved, but without his grace it cannot be performed. ⟨p. 247⟩It is a certain truth, if the wicked do repent unfeignedly, they shall be accepted, but repentance is the gift of God, which without his grace cannot be wrought. As God commandeth repentance, so he doth approve it, but he approves not that men should glory in themselves, because if they return as he commands, it is by his grace. God testified to Cain what he approved, Gen. 4 7. when Cain had not grace at that time to do what God required: nor did the Lord approve, that he should glory in himself, as if he could repent by his own power.
They demand further, how could God approve that such should repent and believe, as doe not these things from him, and by the power of his grace, who therefore might glory, as he would have no creature to doe?