Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/56

 44 his Highnesse: and of whom he requireth faith in his Promise, of them he exacteth obedience to his Commandement, scil. of all them that be outwardly in Covenant. Thus we find, that by faith Enoch walked with God, or walked before God in all well-pleasing. Heb. 11. 5. 6. Gen. 5. 22, 24. And to what end is remission from sinne promised, that man set free from the curse of the Law and stroke of revenging justice should wallow in profanenesse? No, but that he should serve God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life.

But how doth God require these things at the hand of the reasonable creature fallen, unlesse he give them sufficient grace to beleeve if they will?

The answer is, man in the state of Innocency, being made after the Image of God, had power both to beleeve and obey, which being lost by sinne, God is not bound to repaire. And though he had not justifying faith, because it argueth imperfection and sinne, and could not loose what he had not: yet by transgression he brought himselfe into such a state of bondage and wrath, which could not be removed but by faith in Christ.

2. When God in justice doth shut men up in ignorance and unbeliefe, and with-hold from them both the graces of his Spirit, and the meanes thereof, his judgements are just, though secret. And if for the sinne of man, God may justly cast off millions, and not vouchsafe so much as outward meanes of Salvation unto them; he may also exact faith and obedience upon promise of pardon and eternall happinesse, when he doth not deliver them from thraldome and bondage spirituall whereunto they plunged themselves. Was it injustice in God to promise acceptance to Cain if he did well, when as yet he was not set free from the bondage of Sathan.Sathan? [sic]

3. God doth deny nothing to them that be outwardly in Covenant with his Highnesse, that he is bound to give either in justice or by promise, so that it will be in vaine for them to plead with God: for if they come short of mercy promised, it is through their own wilfull neglect or contempt.

4. No man is hindred from beleeving through the difficulty or unreasonablenesse of the command, or through his owne simple infirmity, as being willing and desirous to beleeve, but not able, which inability deserves pitty: but his inability is of corruption