A30345:629
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.
For the understanding hereof, we must know that the Intercession of Christ is a available to the faithful presently, but in a manner suitable and convenient to the present estate and condition of the Church, so that there may be left room for another life, and therefore we must not conceive all presently done. As the Sun shineth on the Moon by leisurely degrees, till she come to her full light; or as if the King grant a pardon to be drawn; though the grant be of the whole thing at once, yet it cannot be written ⟨p. 299⟩and sealed but word after word, and line after line, and action after action: so the grant of our holiness is made unto Christ at first, but in the execution thereof, there is line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little; such an order by Christ observed in the distribution of his Spirit and grace, as is most suitable to a life of faith, and to the hope we have of a better Kingdom. I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, saith Christ to Peter, yet we see it did shake and totter: the prayer was not that there might be no failing at all, but that it might not utterly and totally fail.
For the understanding hereof, we must know that the Intercession of Christ is a vaileable to the faithfull presently, but in a manner suteable and convenient to the present estate and condition of the Church, so that there may be left roome for another life, and therefore we must not conceive all presently done. As the Sunne shineth on the Moone by leasurely degrees, till she come to her full light; or as if the King grant a pardon to be drawne; though the grant be of the whole thing at once, yet it cannot be written ⟨p. 299⟩and sealed but word after word, and line after line, and action after action: so the grant of our holinesse is made unto Christ at first, but in the execution thereof, there is line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little; such an order by Christ observed in the distribution of his Spirit and grace, as is most suteable to a life of faith, and to the hope we have of a better Kingdome. I have prayed for thee, that thy faith faile not, saith Christ to Peter, yet we see it did shake and totter: the prayer was not that there might be no failing at all, but that it might not utterly and totally faile.