A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace, Title page – Errata
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 a… 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: Together with many other Points, both doctrinally an… practically profitable, are ſolidly handled.
By that faithfull ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt, and Miniſte… of the Goſpel, JOHN BALL.
Publiſhed by SIMEON ASH.
I the Lord have called thee in righteouſneſſe, and will hold thine hand, and w… keep thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, for a light of the Ge… tiles. Iſai 42. 6.
But ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God, the heaven… Ieruſalem, and to Ieſus the Mediatour of the new Covenant, and to the bloud ſprinkling, that ſpeaketh better things then that of Abel. Heb. 12 22, …4.
The ſecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will ſhew the… … Covenant: Pſal. 25. 14.
LONDON, Printed by G. Miller for Edwa…d Brewſter on Ludgate hill nea… Fleet-bridge at the Signe of the Bible. 16… ▪
To the Chriſtian Reader.
Good READER,
WE doe not conceive it neceſsary, to give credit unto the enſuing Treatiſe by our Teſtimony, ſeeing the learned, and holy works of the Reverend Authour doe abundantly praiſe him in the gate. His Catechiſme, with the expoſition thereof; his Treatiſe of the life of Faith, together with other Books more lately publiſhed, tending to reconcile the differences of theſe times, doe ſufficiently witneſſe to the world, both his great abilities and Pietie. And if God had been pleaſed to lengthen his life, we believe, he might have been very ſerviceable, in ſeeking to reconcile our preſent ſad differences about Church-Government, becauſe (as we understand) he had thorowly ſtudied all thoſe Controverſies. But ſeeing the Lord hath deprived us of his help in that kinde, we are right glad, that the Church ſhall have the benefit of any labours, which he hath left for publike uſe, and in ſpeciall of this ſubject (the Covenant of Grace) ſo needfull and profitable. And that acquaintance which we had with this faithfull ſervant of Ieſus Chriſt, doth incline us with all willingneſse, to give our approbation of this piece, although our manifold imployments have not ſuffered us to peruſe it, ſo exactly, as otherwiſe we ſhould have done.
We ſhall deſire, that by thy faithfull improvement hereof, thy knowledge of the foederall tranſactions betwixt God and his people, through Ieſus Chriſt, may be much augmented, unto his honour, and thine everlaſting happineſſe, in him, in whom we are,
Thy faithfull Friends,
EDWARD REYNOLDS.
DANIEL CAWDREY.
EDMOND CALAMY.
THOMAS HILL.
ANTHONY BURGESS▪
To the Reader.
Good READER,
THe worthy Authour of this Treatiſe (who was my very dear and much honoured friend) bequeathed unto me, as a legacie of his love, this, with the reſt of his Manuſcripts. This piece he prepared for the Preſſe, purpoſing the enlargement of it, if the Lord had continued his life and health: and I am confident, it would have come abroad better poliſhed; if he having compleated it, had then ſurvayed the whole fabrick, when ſet together. Although at the firſt I was unſatisfied in mine own thoughts, whether I ſhould adventure the printing of it, becauſe imperfect, yet upon the importunity of Friends, being incouraged by the judgement of ſome Reverend Divines, who had peruſed it, I have now made it publike, without any addition, diminution, or alteration. The ſubject of the book is excellent, profitable and neceſſary; even, the myſtery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifeſt to Col. 1. 26.the Saints. That bleſſed Apoſtle, who experimentally underſtood the utmoſt worth of humane learning, did yet contemne it, in compariſon of that knowledge which is taught in this Treatiſe. I determined not (ſaith he) to know 1 Cor. 2. 2.any thing among you (among you, knowing Corinthians,) ſave Jeſus Christ. Yea, doubtleſse, I count all things but loſse, Phil. 3. 8.for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord. Oh how incomparably ſweet and ſatisfying is it unto a ſelf-ſtudying Chriſtian ſoul, to be acquainted with the faithfull engagements of the Almighty Majeſtie, unto the poor penitent ſi…ner, through that Son of his loves, in a Covenant of free, rich, everlaſting grace! This Covenant being tranſacted betwixt Chriſt and God, here, here lyes the firſt and moſt firm foundation of a Chriſtians comfort. I will give thee for a C…venant of the people, and will Iſai. 49. 8. 2 Cor. 1. 10.eſtabliſh the earth, &c. All the promiſes of God in him are Yea, and in him Amen, to the glory of God. Therefore the Servants of the moſt High (notwithſtanding their own changeableneſſe and unworthineſſe) may hold up their hearts and hopes to enjoy all Goſpell-Prerogatives through him, becauſe God hath ſaid, I will make an everlasting Covenant with you, even the ſure mercies of David. Iſai. 55. 1, 3.The right underſtanding and the fruitfull improvement hereof, will be ſeaſonably ſupporting and ſolacing to Gods people in theſe dolefull diſtracted times. We have, through Gods mercy, a glorious work, the work of Church-Reformation under hand, now, though difficulties, delayes, and oppoſitions, doe caſt diſcouragements upon our hearts, yet from hence, we have heartning. The mountains ſhall depart, and the hils be removed, but Iſai. 54. 10. 11. 12.my kindneſſe ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the Covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. Oh thou afflicted, and toſſed with tempests, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy ſtones with faire colours, and lay the foundations with Saphires, &c. And when bloudy oppreſſours prevail and proſper, we may thus plead with our God, Have reſpect unto the Covenant: for the dark places Pſa…. 74. 10.of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. For the tenour of the Covenant which God makes with Chriſt and his ſpirituall ſeed, runs thus, If they break my ſtatutes, and Pſal 89. 31, 32.keep not my commandments: Then will I viſite their tranſgreſſions with the rod, and their iniquities with ſtripes. Nevertheleſs, my loving kindneſſe will I not utterly take from him: nor ſuffer my faithfulneſſe to fail. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips, &c. And, As for Zech. 9. 1….thee alſo, by the bloud of the Covenant, I have ſent forth thy priſoners out of the pit, wherein is no water. How pretious beyond all expreſſions are the treaſures of Gods love in the Covenant of Promiſe! Theſe mines are digged up and diſcovered in this diſcourſe, many obſcure Scriptures, full of rich Goſpell-Grace are here interpreted from the originall languages, and by a judicious comparing of one place with another. The book (I believe) will commend it ſelf unto the conſiderate Reader: and becauſe ſo many godly, learned, well-approved brethren, have been pleaſed to honour it with their atteſtation, therefore my further teſtimony would be altogether needleſs and unſeaſonable. If the phraſe of ſpeech ſeeme ſometimes knotty and unuſuall, I deſire that ſerious attention may take off that diſcouragement. A little diligence doth often conquer greatappearing difficulties, and love of truth will make laborious in ſearching after the knowledge of it. The Lord direct and proſper thy peruſall of this Treatiſe, that thereby thy ſoul may be edified in grace and comfort, through the accompliſhment of his glorious Promiſes in the Lord our Saviour, in whom, and for whom, I will endeavour to approve my ſelf,
June 12. 1645. Thy faithfull Friend and Servant, SIMEON ASH.
The Contents of the ſeverall Chapters.
Of the firſt part.
1. OF the ſignifications of the word Covenant. pag. 1.
2. Of the Cov. God made with man in the ſtate of Innocency. p. 6.
3. Of the Covenant of grace in generall. p. 14.
4. Of the Covenant of promiſe. p. 27.
5. Of the Covenant of promiſe made with Adam immediately upon his fall. p. 36.
6. Of the Covenant of grace, as it was made and manifeſted to Abraham. p. 47.
7. Of the Covenant of grace under Moſes till the returne of Iſrael from the Babyloniſh captivity. p. 92.
8. A particular explication of the Covenant, that God made with Iſrael, and what Moſes brought to the further expreſſure of the Covenant of grace. p. 122.
9. Of the Covenant that God made with David. p. 143.
10. Of the Covenant that God made with Iſraell after the Babyloniſh captivity. p. 156.
11. Of Truth and uprightneſſe. p. 166.
The ſecond part.
1. Of the New Teſtament, or Covenant, and how God hath revealed himſelfe herein. p. 194.
2. Chriſt the Mediatour of the New Teſtament, for whom he dyed and roſe againe. p. 203.
3. How Chriſt hath fulfilled the office of Mediatour, or how he is the Mediatour of the New Teſtament. p. 264.
4. How Chriſt doth bring his people into Covenant, or fellowſhip with himſelfe. p. 323.
5. How Chriſtians anſwer to the call of Chriſt, and ſo come to have Fellowſhip with him. p. 345.
Errata.
PAg. 1. l. 1. marg. foreign p. 12. l. 23 r. how that faith which the exact juſtice in the Covenant of nature preſuppoſeth p. 16. l penult. r. with Chriſt. p. 37. marg. foreign. & poſt. foreign. p. 41. l. ult. dele is. p. 54. mar. foreign, p. 56. marg. parvo neſciat. p. 70. l. 26. r. challenge that. p. 13 lin penult. foreign p. 143. lin. ult foreign. p. 204. l. 30. poſitions. p. 258. lin. ult. and then p 262. l. 1. believe not. p. 268. l. 5. dele as. p. 278 l. 11. ſurrogation. p. 279. l. 23. foreign p. 280. l. 35. dele which is penall only, not ſinfull. p. 287. l …. foreign. p. 290 l. 30. payeth. p. 301. l. 13. never. p. 309. mar. foreign. &c. p. 317. l. 20. the former by reall union, that is. p. 320 l 2. or which are. l. 3. are the works. p. 330. l. 19. deferred, l. 21. deferred no longer. p. 149. l. 1. 2 Sam. 21. 5.