A30345:534
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.
It may be asked, to what end doth God invite and persuade wicked men to repent and believe, if he give them not grace to believe if they will. The latter part of that question must be explained, for if this be the meaning, that many men through their own default be left of God without grace sufficient to bring them to life eternal, it is that experience it self confirmeth, in many Infidels who have departed this life, before they had means to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. And if God may deny to some both means and grace sufficient to bring them to life eternal, he may justly with-hold the graces of his Spirit from them that be called and invited in the Ministry of the word, when grace is freely given, and both the one and other be deprived through their own default. But if the meaning of that latter clause be, that though wicked men should seek and truly desire grace, yet God doth violently with-hold it from them, then it is most false, and implies a contradiction, as if men without the grace of God, could truly desire grace. Now the end of this invitation may be considered according to the means and invitation it self, and the will1 of God exacting of man what is good and acceptable, and what in duty he oweth unto God: and in this respect the salvation of the party invited is the end of the invitation: or it may be considered according to the will of God, whereby he doth not only ordain and approve means to such an end, but will so bring to pass that the effect shall follow: or hereby he not only commands them to believe, and others to further their salvation, but willeth effectually to bring them to salvation and draw them unto him by the powerful operation of his Spirit, so he doth not will the salvation of all that be called. As men are called to repent that they might live, and God doth in calling them a vow it is his desire, they would repent that they might live, so the end of the invitation is ⟨p. 248⟩life and salvation. This is manifest, in that the Lord doth earnestly again and again call upon impenitent and obstinate sinners to repent and believe, protesting that he desires not their death, but rather that they should repent and live, when yet in his just and dreadful judgement he hardeneth their hearts for their perverseness and rebellion, that they cannot repent.
It may be asked, to what end doth God invite and perswade wicked men to repent and believe, if he give them not grace to believe if they will. The latter part of that question must be explained, for if this be the meaning, that many men through their own default be left of God without grace sufficient to bring them to life eternall, it is that experience it selfe confirmeth, in many Infidels who have departed this life, before they had means to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. And if God may deny to some both meanes and grace sufficient to bring them to life eternall, he may justly with-hold the graces of his Spirit from them that be called and invited in the Ministery of the word, when grace is freely given, and both the one and other be deprived through their owne default. But if the meaning of that latter clause be, that though wicked men should seek and truly desire grace, yet God doth violently with-hold it from them, then it is most false, and implies a contradiction, as if men without the grace of God, could truly desire grace. Now the end of this invitation may be considered according to the meanes and invitation it selfe, and the will