Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	circumcision_n	covenant_n	seal_n	7,337	5	9.8059	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47454	The counterfeit Christian, or, The danger of hypocrisy opened in two sermons : containing an exposition of that parabolical speech of our Blessed Saviour, Matth. XII, 43, 44, 45 ... / by Benjamin Keach ...	Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.	1691 (1691)	Wing K55; ESTC R18720	49,835	62

And hence it is likewise there are so many Whisperers Tatlers and Backbiters in Congregations and so consequently so much trouble and disorder in our Churches Tho Godly Christians may be guilty of great Disorders and many Infirmities yet I am perswaded were there not many false and deceitful carnal and hypocritical Professors it would never be as it is What makes the best Design that ever was amongst us for the promoting the Interest of Christ and good of the Churches so neglected and like to sink in the Bud but the great discouragement these sort of People lay it under They have no mind to such a good and great Work they are for enriching themselves and to lay into their own Coffers and Treasuries but not to cast into Christ's Treasury And this evil Example of theirs lays a Temptation on sincere and upright Men and Women What do such and such do they are far richer than I and they will do nothing To these let me speak one word Why will you do no more for God because some who love him not will do nothing Alas you had need do the more I am perswaded you would not willingly be found foolish Virgins in the Day of Christ How do you know but these very Men shall be found to be such who value the gratifying of a base Lust above the discharging a holy and acceptable Duty to Christ who give more to deck and adorn their Houses and please the base Lust of their Children than they will give to promote the Gospel and recover the languishing Interest of Jesus Christ that is in our hands And may not this be the reason our Assemblies are so thin on Lecture-days is it not because the Hearts of People are not right with God Can godly Christians be always under the same Temptation Can Sin predominate in them and they act thus habitually to the scandal of their sacred Religion Can Sin be in the Affections of Saints because there are some Infirmities in their Conversations Is not a true Child of God quickly convinced of his Fault and doth he not straitway reform But this is a constant course of evil and wilfully persisting in nay and ye shall incur their displeasure perhaps if you deal plainly with them Sure Christ is at the Door Now the Kingdom of Heaven may certainly be compared to ten Virgins five wise and as many foolish read the latter end of Mat. 24. and the beginning of the 25th Chapter Multitudes of Foolish Virgins 't is to be feared are now got into the Church as Christ signifies it would be a little before his Coming whose latter end will be worse than the first This also reproves those who foment such Notions and strive to distil them into the Minds of People that are absurd and tend to blind and ruin their Souls telling them they are in the Covenant of Grace and Church-Members by their Parents Faith and have the Seal of the Covenant yet I could never learn what it doth seal or make firm to them For a Seal all know usually makes sure all that is contained in the said Covenant Shall they miss of the Blessings of the Covenant of Grace who have it sealed to them Alas hereby 't is to be feared many think they are in a good Condition though never united by saving Faith to Jesus Christ Can it seal and not seal Covenant-Mercies to them Or can they perish after they are in the Covenant and have the Seal of it Circumcision was a Seal 't is true of that Faith Abraham had being yet uncircumcised it was not a Seal of that Faith which he had not but of the Faith which he had and therefore it could not be a Seal to his Male Infants of the Righteousness of their Faith which they had being yet uncircumcised because they had no such Faith before Circumcision as to believe in God and to have it imputed to them for Righteousness as had Abraham their Father to whom Circumcision was only called a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that believe It was a Seal to him of the latter Blessing as well as the former for the Promise that he should be the Heir of the World the Apostle shews was not through the Law nor in or through Circumcision nor had any that dignity conferred upon them but Abraham only which clearly shews Circumcision did not appertain to the Covenant of Faith Likewise it may reprehend another sort who tell the People they were made the Children of God Members of Christ and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven in their Baptism or rather Rantism O the danger of this pernicious Doctrine how many flatter themselves with the Hopes of Heaven from this false Foundation thinking they sucked in the true Faith and true Religion with their Mother's Milk and were made Christians by a Priest's scattering a little Water on their Faces when Babes tho they live in all manner of horrid Sins and are Enemies to the Life and Power of Godliness This is a way of making Christians which Christ and his Apostles never taught and it is a healing of the Hurt of the People slightly taking them off from seeking after Grace and true Regeneration for if they were made true Christians then regenerated then doubtless their State is good and so 't is to be feared thousands of them conclude and never doubt of their Salvation Moreover it reproves all who rest on Morality who because they live a sober Life and pay every Man his own doing justly c. conclude all is well yet look after no other Religion And it also as much reprehends those who boast of their Knowledg and spiritual Attainments they conclude their State is good because they are Members of a true Church and have been Baptized indeed and break Bread Read and Pray in their Families and discharge all other External Duties of Religion but rest wholly upon these things and never were brought to be poor in Spirit nor obtain real Union with Christ but are ignorant of the Faith of the Operation of God What means the Pride of some their Earthliness Contention Whispering Backbiting want of Love Divisions c. shutting their Eyes at further Light and discovery of Truth O look about you for the Lord's sake lest after all your high Profession and Hopes of Heaven you do not at last drop down to Hell Lastly It reproves all such nice and scrupulous Persons who seem to make it their chief Business to render all odious who are not of their own fantastical Humor Women must not wear a bit of Lace c. nor a gold Ring nor Men wear a Periwig though never so short and modest and advised to do it by able Physicians for their Health-sake because the Apostle saith 'T is a shame for a Man to wear long Hair therefore they run into Extreams and cut their