A30345:538
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.
Now let us come to the second opinion, which is that Christ died, and by his death satisfied the justice of God for all that have believed, do believe, or shall believe; that they, and they only are partakers of the saving benefits of Christs death. The death and redemption of Christ they deny not to be sufficient for the salvation1 of all men: nor that it is effectual in many particulars, to some that believe not sincerely: but that, if the will of God, or the event be considered in respect of saving benefits, it was peculiar to the faithful. For Christ the Mediator of the Covenant of grace, died for them only that be comprehended in the Covenant of grace. His blood is the blood of the everlasting Covenant, of the Covenant that God of his grace hath stricken with his Church, and was shed for them that have been, are and shall be called into that Covenant. This is my blood of the new Testament, which is shed for many for remission of sins: For many both Jews and Gentiles, of which the Church was to be gathered. Luke hath it, which is shed for you; and so it was shed for them, and for many of the same spiritual estate and condition with them, for ⟨p. 250⟩many under the same Covenant. The word many is used for all sometime, Rom. 5. 15, 16, 19. but here it is used rather to distinguish them that be in Covenant, from them that be cast off, and them to whom remission of sins purchased by the blood of Christ2 is sealed in the Sacrament, from them to whom it is applied. The remission of sin here spoken of, is not put for remissiblenesse, but actual remission granted and received, for remission in act and application, whereof all are not partakers. If all be taken for the common sort and poor of the people (which yet may be questioned, and cannot be proved by any passage of Scripture, or show of reason) and our Saviour used that phrase to testify his abundant love and humility, in that he shed his blood for the poor and inferior ranks of men in this world, it makes nothing against the former interpretation. For not many mighty, not many noble, but the poor and base of this world are called and admitted into3