A30345:55
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.
Not so: but the Law hath a double respect: one as the unchangeable rule of life and manners, according to which persons in Covenant ought to walk before and with the Lord, and in this sense it belongs to the Covenant of grace. The other, as it is propounded in form of a Covenant, as if he must necessarily perish, who doth neglect or break it in the least jot or tittle, and in this sense the Covenant of grace and works are opposite. The matter of Evangelical precepts and of the Moral Law is the same, but the form of promulgation is not the same: the rule is one, but the Covenants differ. Materially the Law, that is, the matter and argument of the Law, as a rule, stands in force: but if formally it did continue as a Covenant, there could be no place for repentance, nor for the promise of forgiveness, or mercy reaching to the pardon of sin, or the quickening of them that be dead in trespasses. The Covenant of works is of justice, the Covenant of grace is of grace and mercy, which cannot agree and take place in one and the same subject: for he that trieth justice, perceiveth not the force of mercy, & è contra. This might be common to both Covenants, that God doth freely give reward, because he was not bound unto it by any Law, and that is done of grace, which we are not tied unto by Law: but in the Covenant ⟨p. 16⟩of Grace, he gives the reward of mere and rich grace, and that to the creature which hath deserved Hell.
Not so: but the Law hath a double respect: one as the unchangeable rule of life and manners, according to which persons in Covenant ought to walke before and with the Lord, and in this sense it belongs to the Covenant of grace. The other, as it is propounded in forme of a Covenant, as if he must necessarily perish, who doth neglect or breake it in the least jot or tittle, and in this sense the Covenant of grace and workes are opposite. The matter of Evangelicall precepts and of the Morall Law is the same, but the forme of promulgation is not the same: the rule is one, but the Covenants differ. Materialy the Law, that is, the matter and argument of the Law, as a rule, stands in force: but if formally it did continue as a Covenant, there could be no place for repentance, nor for the promise of forgivenesse, or mercy reaching to the pardon of sinne, or the quickning of them that be dead in trespasses. The Covenant of workes is of justice, the Covenant of grace is of grace and mercy, which cannot agree and take place in one and the same subject: for he that try•th justice, perceiveth not the force of mercy, & è contra. This might be common to both Covenants, that God doth freely give reward, because he was not bound unto it by any Law, and that is done of grace, which we are not tied unto by Law: but in the Covenant