A30345:615
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.
And from hence we may learn how the new Covenant in many things hath the prerogative above the old. For wherein Moses mediated it was by the power of Christ, but Christ was that one Mediator, who mediated from his own authority and immediate power. Moses was called by God and the people, but an imperfect Mediator, as not a right middle person: but Christ was a fit middle person both God and man, partaking the nature both of the offending and offended party, and so a middle person not only in office, but in nature, willing and fitting to mediate. Moses by reason of his weakness, was neither powerful with God, nor yet fully compassionate and powerful with the people: But Christ was man for the whole body of his brethren to prevail for them: and man with his brethren, to be fully sensible and compassionate, Heb. 2. 17. Again, he was man with God to present a perfect ransom or price of reconciliation: and he was God with man to bow them sufficiently to accept the reconciliation offered. Moses stood in need to mediate for himself, as for the people: but Christ having no controversy for himself, mediated only for the people, and hath perfected, wherein Moses wanted. For he fully bows and circumciseth the hearts of his brethren to seek atonement and to walk suitably: He doth remove the guilt of sinfully from the conscience of the offending brethren, Heb. 9 14, 15. He is potent with God to satisfy revenging1 justice by presenting his blood to remove the curse of the Law, that those which are called might receive the inheritance. He alone ⟨p. 294⟩hath in his own person performed obedience to the broken Law of God, and fulfilled all righteousness: and by his cross hath cancelled the hand-writing that was against us, and broken down the partition, and slayed hatred and enmity betwixt the brethren, Ephes. 2. 14, 15. But of this more hereafter. The Fathers received2 not the promises, but saw them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and saluted them with great sweetness: but under the new Covenant we have received the promise, God hath sent his Son into the world, borne of a woman, and made under the Law, and openly manifested him to be the Son of God. And if