Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/45

 Rh even to the times of the Prophets lesse cleare: in the times of the Prophets even to John the Baptist, more cleare. Even from the first giving forth of the promise untill the comming of Christ in the flesh, the revelation was more cleare, distinct, ample, as the comming of the Messiah did approach neerer and neerer. For the Church by how much it was neerer to her beginnings, by so much it was the ruder, and therfore to be instructed in a more rude forme. As the time of the Sunne approacheth neerer, or if further off, so is the light that goeth before it, greater or lesser: and as the time of the arising of the Sonne of righteousnesse is more remote or nigh at hand, so was the revelation that went before more dimme or cleare. It was meete and expedient that when the comming of the glorious King of peace and righteousnesse did draw nigh, the hearts of men should be raised up in desire and expectation of him: But the better they were acquainted with his person and office, the more distinctly they understood the time of his comming, the more lively tast they had of the benefits they should receive by him, and the greater tokens they saw of his glory approaching, the more their hearts would be enlarged to desire and expect him. Moreover it was the good pleasure of God to manifest the riches of his grace, not all at once, but by degrees, as he saw it most expedient for the glory of his great Name, and the good of his people in severall ages and states of the Church, of which we shall have occasion to speake largely in the Chapters following. But here two things must be noted to prevent some doubts that may arise. First that clearenesse of Revelation is two­fold. One on the part of the revealer, when the revealer dealeth so, that unlesse he have a rude hearer, or altogether malitious, it may be understood of the hearer what he meaneth. The other cleare, even on the part of the hearer, when it is so great that the rudenesse of the hearer cannot hinder, that he should not perceive what is spoken, but his malice only. In the first sence, the revelation of Christ in the Covenant of the promise was cleare: but the testimony concerning the Kingdome of Christ could not be understood of a rude hearer before the accomplishment.

If it be objected, how then could they be saved?

In the second place it is to be observed, that Christ doth not save as clearly knowne, but as he is sincerely acknowledged. But when the Revelation was sparing and darke, no man can deny that