A30345:565
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.
The Incarnation of Christ is from the Deity, which did assume the humanity, which when it was not, could not assume it self. The manifestation of God was a work truly divine, from the humanity of Christ as an instrument, from the Deity as the true cause. Christ as1 man teacheth as an instrument, and Christ the Word teacheth as Mediator: for he is not only Mediator, who supplieth the room of an instrument: but the Deity did move the humanity as his instrument, that is, personally united, and not as another's.2 To lay down his life passively belongs to the flesh, to lay down ⟨p. 268⟩his life or soul actively to the word. The resurrection of Christ is3 an essential part of our Redemption: but Christ rose not by the propriety of his flesh, but by the power of his Deity. Christ as Mediator performed many divine acts: but the humanity alone cannot be the beginning of a divine act: as Christ as Mediator hath authority to forgive sins, to send the holy Spirit not meritoriously alone, as Bellarmine distinguisheth, but efficiently, to conjoin us unto God, and bring us to salvation. Christ as Mediator is the King and Head of his Church, which dignity and office4 cannot agree to him that is mere man. For the Head is to give influence of sense and motion unto the body, and Christ gives supernatural sense and motion unto his mystical body, and that both by way of efficiency, and by way of disposition, fitting us that an impression of grace may be made upon us. He prepareth and fitteth men to the receipt of grace by the acts of his humanity,5 in which he suffered death, and dying satisfied Gods wrath, removed all matter of dislike, procured the favour and acceptation of God, and so made men fit to receive the grace of God, and to enjoy his favour. He imparteth and conferreth grace, by the operation and working of his divine nature, it being the proper work of God to enlighten the understandings of men, and to soften their hearts.