A30345:61
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 form of this Covenant stands in gracious and free promises of all good to be repaired, restored, augmented, and a restipulation of such duties as will stand with free grace and mercy. For the Covenant of Grace doth not exclude all conditions, but such as will not stand with grace. The Covenant which was made of free love, when we lay wallowing in our blood, and which calls for nothing at our hands but what comes from, and shall be rewarded of mere grace, is a Covenant of grace, though it be conditional. So the pardon of sin is given of grace, and not for works, though pardon be granted only to the penitent, and faith on our part, a lively, unfeigned and working faith be required to receive the promise.
The forme of this Covenant stands in gratious and free promises of all good to be repaired, restored, augmented, and a restipulation of such duties as will stand with free grace and mercy. For the Covenant of Grace doth not exclude all conditions, but such as will not stand with grace. The Covenant which was made of free love, when we lay wallowing in our blood, and which calls for nothing at our hands but what comes from, and shall be rewarded of meere grace, is a Covenant of grace, though it be conditionall. So the pardon of sinne is given of grace, and not for workes, though pardon be granted only to the penitent, and faith on our part, a lively, unfained and working faith be required to receive the promise.
The parties covenanting are two, and so are the parts of the ⟨p. 18⟩Covenant, the one in respect of God, the other in respect of man. A Covenant there is betwixt God and man, but no mutual obligation of debt: for such mutual obligation is founded in some equality; but there is no equality between the Creator and the creature, much less betwixt the Lord most high, and man a sinner. If man had never offended, God almighty, who gave him his being and perfection, could not have been indebted unto him, but as he was pleased to recompense the good of obedience, in the creature that never deserved punishment: much less can God be indebted to the creature that hath offended, who can neither endure his presence nor bear the weight of his wrath, nor satisfy Justice, nor deliver his soul from the thraldom of sin. The obligation of man to God is of double right and debt: but it is of rich grace and abundant love, that God doth bind himself unto man. God doth promise in this Covenant to be God and Father by right of redemption, and Christ to be Saviour of them that believe in God by him, and in faith do yield sincere, uniform, willing, upright and constant obedience unto his Commandments.