Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	covenant_n	sacrament_n	seal_n	4,627	5	9.5821	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12190	The returning backslider, or, A commentarie upon the whole XIIII. chapter of the prophecy of the prophet Hosea Wherein is shewed the large extent of Gods free mercy, even unto the most miserable forlorne and wretched sinners that may be, upon their humiliation and repentance. Preached by that learned and judicious divine, Dr. Sibbs, late preacher to the honourable society of Grayes Inne, and master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge. Published by his owne permission before his death.	Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.	1639 (1639)	STC 22500; ESTC S117394	275,564	592

degree of sinne to another then there is Gods judgement and wrath revealed from Heaven against this Now when God heales he heales perfectly but in some regards slowly as wee shall see hereafter In regard of Forgivenesse of sinnes he healeth perfectly but by little and little in regard of the other of Sanctification he stops up the issues of our corruption by little and little For other things and judgements in this world he remooves the malice and takes away the sting of them which is the venome as he saith afterwards For mine Anger is turned away which being remooved and turned from things then they are no more judgements What cared Paul for imprisonment Acts 16. when hee knew Gods wrath accompanied not the stocks let wrath be taken from the suffering that the soule be sound then it is no matter what condition a man be in he carries Heaven and Paradice with him Therefore so farre God remooves those diseases and sicknesses of condition as they carrie venome in them so changing the condition that whatsoever we suffer it hath the nature of an exercise medicine or correction onely But that which invenomes all and makes the least crosse a curse Psal 89.46 and sinkes deepe is the anger of God joyned with things The least crosse when it carrieth with it the anger and vengeance of God and reports that to the soule I have offended God and it is just with him thus to inflict wrath upon me this is terrible and it puts a sting to the crosse Now God here promiseth to remoove that I will heale their backsliding This principally in the first place is meant of healing in regard of Iustification taking away that guilt from the soule which inthralls it and binds it over to condemnation and judgement God will set the soule at a spirituall liberty and so heale it Thus you see the point cleere That God is the great Physitian of the soule Reason 1 For God who made the soule knowes all the diseases windings and turnings of it he is an excellent Anatomist Heb 4.13 all things are naked and open before his eyes he knowes the inward part of the soule the seate of all sinne We know not our selves as he knowes us there is a mistery of selfe-deceit in the heart which he knowes who can search all the hidden corners of the heart which is the Reason why he is so good a Physitian and so excellent because he is a discerner and searcher of the heart who can see all and so can cure all being above the sting of conscience he hath a remedy above the malidy he is greater then our conscience therefore hee can cure our conscience Reason 2 And in the next place as hee can heale our soules so hee is willing to doe it which his willingnesse we may know by the medicine he doth it by his owne deare Sonne hee hath provided a plaister of his Sonnes blood to heale us And besides his owne inward willingnesse being now a gratious Father to us in Christ Jesus 2 Cor 5. ●0 he sends his Ambassadors to heale and cure us in his Name to apply his medicines and to beseech and intreate us to be reconciled God by them intreats us to intreat him for pardon and mercy and is so willing to be intreated that ere we shall sit out hee teacheth us words as we heard Take unto you words c. as he is an able so hee is a willing Physitian Christ the great Physitian together with his Father expects not that we should first come to him but he comes first and sends to us 1 Ioh. 4 9 10. The Physitian came to the sick though for the most part the sicke if able goe to the Physitian But here is the contrary hee came from Heaven took our nature upon him and therein died by which his blood-shedding he satisfied the wrath of God justly offended with us Isa 53.10 So he heales our soules that way having undergone the anger and wrath of God that his blood might quench and appease that anger Isa 53.11 12. by a plaister thereof made and applied to our soules Doe we doubt of his willingnesse Gods willingnes to save us Mat. 11.28 when hee comes to us and calls us Come unto me all yee that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest It is his Office which he hath assumed to heale our soules The many cures he hath done sheweth the ability and willingnesse of the Physitian cures whereof we are uncapable of by reason of our meane condition A King as his place is greater so sometimes his sinnes are greater then others are 2 King 33.12 yet he cured Manasseth that sinnefull King together with Mary Magdalen Paul Peter and the rest who were a company healed by this Physitian Therefore all this is for the glory of our Physitian we may see what he can doe by what he hath done as amongst us Physitians are sought after according to their skill and cures done Consider in the Sacrament how ready God is to cure and to heale us how gratious he is in the Sacrament of Baptisme wherein he ingageth us to beleeve Psal 119.49 admitting us into the Covenant and preventing us with mercy before we knew what a Covenant or Seale was And so to perswade us of his willingnesse to forgive our sinnes and heale our Rebellions hee hath ordained the Sacrament not for his sake but to strengthen our weake faith and help us The point is easie for matter of our understanding but hard in regard of use and Application especially when it should be made use of in time of temptation then let us lay it up as a comfortable point this gratious Promise of God I will heale their backsliding I will love them freely c. Lay this up against the houre of temptation make use of it then alleadging unto God his owne Promise and nature as David did Lord remember the Promise wherein thou hast caused me to trust Ezek. 16.6 Thou hast promised pardoning and healing of all our transgressions c. Remember thy free Promises made in Jesus Christ God cannot denie himselfe nor his Word but loves to have his bonds sued remember this And when conscience is surprised with any sinne though it be never so great looke not on the disease so much as who is the phisitian and what his plaister and medicine is God is the Phisitian and the blood of Christ is the Plaister What if our sinnes be mountaines Mic. 7.18 19. there is an ocean and a sea of mercie to swell above and cover these mountaines of our sinnes Our sinnes in this case are like fire which falling into the sea is by and by quenched What if our sinns bee of never so long standing as these their backeslidings heere had continued hundreds of yeares wherein they were a backesliding generation yet it is no matter of what standing or continuance the disease is

so long as God hath promised to bee the Phisitian and the blood of Christ is the Plaister that healeth us The Question is not what how many Jsa 1.18 19. how grea● and of what continuance our sinnes are but how wee stand affected towards them hate them and resolve against them That sinne connot hurt us which wee fight against mourne for complaine of resolve to leave and truely hate Let us never stand then in comparisons with our sinnes which beare no proportion to the infinite skill and power of our great Phisitian and to the infinite worke of Christs all sufficient satisfaction What canst thou object o man It is Christ that iustifieth the ungodly who art thou that condemneth Rom. 8.33 34. It is he that died yea rather who is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and also maketh intercession for us Thou canst not satisfie for the least sinne God hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all Levi. 16.21 Isa 53.5 The chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes wee are healed Let us therefore bee wise for afterwards heare reade lay up and meditate for the time to come for times will come if wee belong to God that nothing will content or pacific the soule but the infinite worth and merit of an infinit and free mercy apprehended in the face of Jesus Christ When our sins are set in order before us the sinnes of our youth middle and old age our sinnes against conscience against the Law and Gospell against examples vowes Promises Resolutions and admonitions of the Spirit and servants of God When there shall bee such a terrible acouser and God shall perhaps let the wounds of conscience fly open and joyne against us when wrath shall appeare bee in some sort felt and God presented to the soule Heb. 12.29 as a consuming fire no comfort in heaven or earth appearing hell beneath seeming readie to revenge against us the quarrell of Gods Covenant O then for faith to looke through all these clouds to see mercy in wrath Heb. 12.6 love in correction life in death the sweetnesse of the promises the vertue and merit of Christs sufferings death resurrection and intercession at the right hand The sting of death removed 1 Cor. 15.55 sinne pardoned and done away and glory at hand In somme this promise made good which leads unto all this happinesse as wee shall by and by heare I will heale their backesliding I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away O this is a marvelous matter then to be perswaded of Therfore let us make a right use of these words in due season For they are Pro. 25.11 like appels of gold with pictures of silver like balme to a greene wound like delivery in a shipwracke but indeed all comparisons come farre short of this illustration as the terrour of incensed wrath in the fearefull apprehension of eternall unspeakeable miserie is beyond any other feare apprehension or joy But least this grace be abused by others for wee must not with-hold the childrens bread for feare others partake with them unto whom it belongs not let them know this much that those who turne this grace into wantonnesse and will be evill because God is thus gracious that there is no word of comfort in the whole Scripture for them who stand resolved to goe on in their sinnes presuming of mercy See what God saith in this case Deu. 29.18 19 20. Least there should bee among you a roote that beareth gall and wormewood and it come to passe when hee heareth the words of this curse that hee blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of mine heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven Psal 68.21 God will wound the hairie scalpe of such an one who goes on in his wickednesse and meanes to bee so And in the New Testament those who thus make a progresse in sin what do they They are said to treasure up unto themselves wrath Rom. 2.5 against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Therefore Gods word speakes no comfort to those who purpose to live in any sinne All the comfort can bee spoken to such is That yet they are not in hell that yet they have time to returne to this great Phisitian of the soule But take such an one in his present condition hee can have no comfort in this estate wherein there is but a step betweene him and hell So as when the rotten thred of this uncertaine life shall faile or is cut asunder downe they fall Wee have no comfort heere for them till they returne This pretious balme belongs to the wounded conscience Briefly for use then Vse Seeing that our God is a healing God as wee can admire the wisdome skill and excellencie of our Phisitian so let us much more make use of him 2 Chro. 16.12 upon all occasions Trust and cleave to him not like good Asa but not good in this who forgot himselfe and sent first to the Phisitians But let vs especially rely upon God and looke to him Isa 4.5 who can create help and must blesse all meanes whatsoever Hee is a healing God who will heale all rebellions and the most grievous sicknesses he is a Physition that is good for all turnes There are some diseases which are called the scorne of Physitions as the Goute the Ague and the like wherein in some cases they are put to a stand and know not what to doe but God is never at a losse his skill cannot be set downe he is good at all diseases to pardon all manner of sins Therefore let us goe to him for cure seeing there is neither sinne nor griefe nor terror of conscience arising thereupon which can be so great but God can cure both the sinne and the terror if we take a right course and speake peace to the soule God is a healing God arising when he comes with healing in his wings As he saith Mal 4.2 I will heale their rebellion c. And as he is a healing Physition so he puts his patients to no charge for as he saith I will heale their backesliding so he saith I will love them freely Therefore let us the more build upon this truth That free mercy is the scope of God in the new Covenant which is indeed the summe of all Godlinesse For what is the Gospell but the triumph of mercy doe but consider the scope of God in the new covenant whereof the Sacrament is a seale which is onely to shew forth the exaltation of the Grace and Mercie of God in Jesus Christ above all