A30345:636
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.
Further they object, that Christ ever prayed1 for the absolute perseverance of believers, but after a sort, and upon condition. But the prayer of Christ is certain, and not suspended. They for whom Christ prayed do not love the world, but that they love not the world, is an effect of Christs prayers, not a condition required in them that he might pray for them. Some prayers raci•ly include a condition in him for whom we pray, as if we pray God to give eternal life to a sinner, we presuppose faith and repentance: because without faith and repentance life cannot be given, nor desired: but some prayers presuppose no condition in him for whom we pray, as when we pray God to give faith or repentance to any man. Now the Intercession and request which Christ maketh for the faithful doth presuppose no condition; for he prayeth not simply that life might simply be given to the faithful, but that they might be kept from evil, and if they be kept from evil, they must persevere in the faith: for to fall from the faith is the greatest evil. Neither can it be said that Christ prayeth for them that would persevere, but he prayeth that they should persevere: for the object of the thing for which we pray, must be distinct from the thing it self prayed for. No man would pray for men to persevere if they do persevere: but rather that they might persevere, which otherwise would not. Yet they reply, Christ prayeth that his Apostles ⟨p. 302⟩might be kept from evil, as he had kept Judas. Joh. 17. 12. Belike then Peter had no greater assurance of his recovery, nor the rest of the Apostles of their perseverance in the faith, then Judas had. Judas was given to Christ in respect of his office and ministry, but not as an heir of Salvation, or as the faithful are said to be given; The particle translated But, in that clause (But the child of perdition) is not ever an exceptive, but an adversative in many places; as2 Gal. 2. 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.