A30345:553
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.
if he ask for the merit of his passion, then he asketh it without any condition; for Christ d•ed absolutely & without condition for all men, as they teach, & what Christ hath merited for all men, that God giveth absolutely to every man. Christ upon the cross prayed for them that crucified him, Luk. •3. 34. But that might be of private duty as man, who subjected himself to the Law of God, which requires that we forgive our enemies, and pray for them that persecute us; not of the proper office of a Mediator, who was to intercede for his people by suffering death and making request. It behoved Christ, as he subjected himself to the Law, to fulfil all righteousness, and so to pray for his enemies, but that was not out of his proper office as Mediator, which was to offer up himself a Sacrifice or make intercession, as our high Priest. If any shall contend, that this is to be referred to the proper Mediatory intercession of Christ, it will not prove the matter in hand: for he prayed not for all and every man, but for them that crucified him, and that indefinitely, not universally; for them that were present at his crucifying, and in simplicity of heart (and not of affected ignorance (resisting the evidence of the Spirit speaking by Christ, and by miracles giving testimony to his doctrine) in obedience to the commandment of the Superiors, did crucify him, ⟨p. 260⟩but not for all them that had any hand in his death. He prayeth not that they might believe, if they were not wanting to themselves: but prayeth for forgiveness for them that had abused natural gifts, and supernatural means of grace: so that it cannot be referred to that general Intercession they speak of, with any show of reason.
if he aske for the merit of his passion, then he asketh it without any condition; for Christ d•ed absolutely & without conditiō for all men, as they teach, & what Christ hath merited for all men, that God giveth absolutely to every man. Christ upon the crosse prayed for them that crucified him, Luk. •3. 34. But that might be of private duty as man, who subjected himselfe to the Law of God, which requires that we forgive our enemies, and pray for them that persecute us; not of the proper office of a Mediatour, who was to intercede for his people by suffering death and making request. It behoved Christ, as he subjected himselfe to the Law, to fulfill all righteousnesse, and so to pray for his enemies, but that was not out of his proper office as Mediatour, which was to offer up himselfe a Sacrifice or make intercession, as our high Priest. If any shall contend, that this is to be referred to the proper Mediatorie intercession of Christ, it will not prove the matter in hand: for he prayed not for all and every man, but for them that crucified him, and that indefinitely, not universally; for them that were present at his crucifying, and in simplicity of heart (and not of affected ignorance (resisting the evidence of the Spirit speaking by Christ, and by miracles giving testimony to his doctrine) in obedience to the commandement of the Superiours, did crucifie him,