A30345:56
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.
This Covenant entered immediately upon the fall, and so may be called a Covenant of Reconciliation, not of friendship. At the very instant, when God holy and true, was pronouncing judgements upon the several delinquents in the fall, setting down his sentence against the Tempter, both in his instrument the Serpent, and the main Author Satan, he brings in the party who should execute the same, in which execution is unfolded the Covenant of grace for the Salvation of the creature, that the Serpent had destroyed, that God might be known in wrath to remember mercy. At the very fall, and before judgement was pronounced upon the delinquents that were tempted, the Covenant of mercy was proclaimed, that by virtue of this Covenant God might prevent further waste of his creature, which Satan might have wrought upon his new advantage in following his good success, and that the tempted might have some comfort before their judgement, least they might have been swallowed up of wrath.
This Covenant entered immediately upon the fall, and so may be called a Covenant of Reconciliation, not of friendship. At the very instant, when God holy and true, was pronouncing judgements upon the severall delinquents in the fall, setting downe his sentence against the Tempter, both in his instrument the Serpent, and the maine Author Sathan, he brings in the party who should execute the same, in which execution is unfolded the Covenant of grace for the Salvation of the creature, that the Serpent had destroyed, that God might be knowne in wrath to remember mercy. At the very fall, and before judgement was pronounced upon the delinquents that were tempted, the Covenant of mercy was proclaimed, that by vertue of this Covenant God might prevent further waste of his creature, which Sathan might haue wrought upon his new advantage in following his good successe, and that the tempted might have some comfort before their judgement, least they might have been swallowed up of wrath.
The Author of this Covenant is God, considered as a merciful and loving Father in Jesus Christ: as a Creator he struck Covenant with Adam in his integrity; as a Saviour he looked upon the poor creature plunged into sin, and misery by reason of sin.