A30345:654
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 fullness of grace is of two sorts: First, in respect of the grace it self: And secondly, in respect of him that hath it. The fullness of grace in respect of grace it self, is then, when one attaineth to the highest and uttermost of grace, both quoad essentiam & virtutem, intensivè & extensivè: in the essence and virtue of it intensively and extensively, that is, when he hath it as far forth as it may be had, and to all effects and purposes whereunto grace doth or can extend it self; as he is said to have life perfectly, or the fullness of life, that hath it, not only in the essence, but according to all the operations and acts of life, sensitive, intellectual, rational, spiritual and natural. This kind of fullness of grace is1 proper to Christ only. The fullness of grace in respect of the subject or him that hath it, is then, when one hath grace fully and perfectly according to his estate and condition, both intensively to the uttermost bound that God hath prefixed to them of such a condition, and extensively in the virtue of it, in that it extendeth to the doing and performing of all those things that may any way pertain to the condition, office, or estate of such as are of his place and rank. Or we may say, there is a fullness according to measure, the fullness of a measure or vessel, a fullness for themselves only, a fullness of activity, courage and resolution: and so2 John the Baptist, Steven and others are said to be full of the holy Ghost, of wisdom and understanding. But fullness without ⟨p. 312⟩measure, like the fullness of light in the Sun, or water in the sea, which hath an unsearchable sufficiency and redundancy for the whole Church, is proper to Christ alone. So that as he was furnished with all spiritual endowments of wisdom, judgement,3 power, love, holiness, for the dispensation of his own office: So from his fullness did there run over a share and portion of all his graces unto his Church.
The fulnesse of grace is of two sorts: First, in respect of the grace it selfe: And secondly, in respect of him that hath it. The fulnesse of grace in respect of grace it selfe, is then, when one attaineth to the highest and uttermost of grace, both quoad essentiam & virtutem, intensivè & extensivè: in the essence and vertue of it intensively and extensively, that is, when he hath it as farre forth as it may be had, and to all effects and purposes whereunto grace doth or can extend it selfe; as he is said to have life perfectly, or the fulnesse of life, that hath it, not only in the essence, but according to all the operations and acts of life, sensitive, intellectuall, rationall, spirituall and naturall. This kind of fulnesse of grace is