A30345:551
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 answer to this argument, that there is a two-fold intercession of Christ, one general for all men that they might believe. The other special for believers, that they might be gl•ified▪
They answer to this argument, that there is a two-fold intercession of Christ, one generall for all men that they might beleeve. The other speciall for beleevers, that they might be gl•ified▪
If you ask the ground of this distinction, they say, Christ upon the Cross prayed for his persecutors and them that put him to death, Father forgive them, they know not what they do. But if we search the Scripture we shall find no passage that saith, Christ1 prayed for every man that he might believe, nor is probable. For if he ask faith for all men, then absolutely or conditionally: not absolutely; for then all men should obtain faith, because Christ was absolutely heard in whatsoever he absolutely prayed for. If upon condition, doth he then pray to his Father, that they might not resist the first grace offered, or that they might believe, if they do not resist the first grace? But if absolutely he pray that they might not resist, then they do not resist grace: if conditionally, that they might believe, if they do not resist, then he prayeth that they might believe if they believe: for not to resist the first grace is to obey it, that is, to believe. Besides, if Christ pray for all men that they might believe, then also that they might enjoy the Gospel; which is the means of faith: and that either absolutely, and they should enjoy the Gospel, which we know they do no• ▪ ⟨p. 259⟩or upon condition, as the right use of their natural gifts, or the piety of their progenitors, or the like: And then these conditions our Saviour doth pray for absolutely or upon condition, or not at all: If absolutely, then all men should use their natural gifts well, because he is always heard in that which he doth ask absolutely: if not at all, then it is not of grace that men use their natural gifts well, or some grace is given to men without the intercession of Christ. And when the Gospel is vouchsafed to some that abuse their natural gifts, to others not, did our Saviour pray that some should have the Gospel absolutely, some conditionally? or is the Gospel granted to some for the intercession of Christ, to others without it, although he make intercession equally for all men? And if the Gospel be vouchsafed to some that abuse their natural gifts, why doth not God give the grace of faith also without that condition, under which only Christ asked faith for them. Moreover if Christ pray for all men that they may believe, he asketh this for the virtue and merit of his passion, or not. If not, then faith should not be given for the merit of Christ: