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
B05829	Certain select cases resolved. Specially, tending to the right ordering of the heart, that we may comfortably walk with God in our general and particular callings. / By Thomas Shephard, sometimes of Emanuel College in Cambridge; now preacher of Gods word in New-England.	Shephard, Thomas, 1605-1649.	1695 (1695)	Wing S3105A; ESTC R227738	42,314	125

15. 28. Thus much of the first part of living to God by Faith in God Q. What is the second part viz. our observance A. It is the duty that is to be performed to God of us through the power of his Holy Spirit working in us by Faith according to the will of God Eph. 6. 6 7. Psal 139. 24. Rom. 6. 1. Luk. 1. 74. Q. Wherein consists our observance of God A. It is either Moral or Ceremonial Q. Wherein consists our Moral observance of God A. In two things 1. In suffering his will whereby a believer for the sake of Christ chooseth rather to suffer any misery than to commit the least sin Heb. 11. 26. Act. 21. 13. 2. In doing his will whereby a Believer in sense of Christs love performs universal obedience to the Law of God Rom. 7. 22. 1 Ioh. 5. 3. Luk. 1. 6. Phil. 3. 12. Q. Is there any use of the Law to a Christian A. Although it be abolished to a Christian in Christ as a Covenant of life for so Adam and his posterity are still under it yet it remains as a rule of life when he is in Christ to prepare the heart for Christ Rom. 6. 14 15. Mat. 5. 17 18 19. 20. Ezek. 10. 11. Rom. 9. Q. Why is not a Christian so under the Law as a Covenant of life so as if he breaks it by the least sin he shall dye for it A. Because Jesus Christ hath kept it perfectly for him Rom. 8. 3 4. Ro. 5. 20 21. Q. Can any Man keep the Law perfectly in this life A. No for the unregenerate wanting the Spirit of Life cannot perfect an act of life in obedience to it The regenerate having the Spirit but in part perform it only imperfectly Rom. 8. 7. Rom. 7. 21. Q. What befalls the unregenerate upon their disobedience unto it A. The eternal curse of God for the least sin and the inctease of Gods fierce and fearful secret wrath as they increase in sin Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 2. 5. Q. What befalls the regenerate after their breach of the Law and imperfect obedience unto it A. The Lord may threaten and correct them but his loving kindness incovering their sins in their best duties by Christ accepting their meanest services so far as they are quickened by his Spirit is never taken from them Psal 89. 31 32 33. Zach. 3. 1. to 8. Isa 56. 7. Rom. 7. 20. Q. What is that imperfect obedience of Believers which is accepted A. When they so observe the will of Christ as that therein 1. They confess and lament their sins 1 Ioh. 1. 9. Rom. 7. 24. 2. They desire mercy in the blood of Christ and more of his Spirit Phil. 3. 9 10 11. 3. They return him the praise of the least ability to do his wil. P● 50. 23. Cor. 15. 10. Q. How is the Law or ten Commandments divided A. Into two Tables The first shewing our duty to God immediatly in the four first Commandments The second our duty to man in the six last Commandments Q. What rules are you to observe to understand the Moral Law A. These 1. That in whatsoever Commandment any duty is enjoyned there the contrary sin is forbidden and where any sin is forbidden there the contrary duty is commanded 2. That the Law is Spiritual and hence requires not only outward but inward and Spiritual obedience 3. Where any gross sin is forbidden there all the signs degrees means and provocations to that sin are forbidden also and are in Gods account that sin And so where any duty is commanded there all the signs means provocations to that duty are commanded also 4. That the Law is perfect and therefore there is no sin in all the Scripture but is forbidden in it nor no duty required if moral but it is commanded in it Thus much of our Moral observance of God Q. What is our ceremonial observance A. The celebration of the two Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper Q. What is a Sacrament A. It is an holy ceremony wherein external sensible things by the appointment of Christ are seperate from common use to signisie exhibit and seal to us that assurance of eternal life by Christ Jesus according to the covenant of his grace Gen. 17. 9 10. Q. Which are the Sacraments A. They are two Baptism and the Lords supper Q. What is the external sensible part of Baptism A. Water John 3. 23. Q. What is the inward and spiritual part of Baptism signified exhibited and sealed thereby A. Christs Righteousness and his Spirit 1. Washing away our sin and so delivering us from death 2. Presenting us clear before the Father and so restoring us again to life Rom. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 11. Mat. 3. 11. Q. What follows from hence A. 1. That it is a Sacrament of our new birth ingrafting into Christ John 3. 5. 2. That as we are perfectly justified at once and being new born once shall never die again Hence this Seal is to be Administred but once Q. What is the external and sensible part of the Lords Supper A. Bread and Wine with the Sacramental actions about the same Q. What is the inward and spiritual part of it signified sealed and exhibited thereby A. The body blood of Christ crucified offered given to nourish strengthen believers renewing their faith unto eternal life 1 Cor. 11. 24. Joh. 6. 54 55. Q. What follows from hence A. 1. That it is the Sacrament of our growth in Christ being new born because it is food given to nourish us having received life 2 That therefore it is to be administred and received often that we may grow 3 That children and fools wicked ought not to partake of the Sacrament because they cannot examin themselves and so renew their Faith 1. Cor. 11. 28. Q Ought not the Sacrament to be administred to carnal people if they have been baptised A. No because such as are not within the Covenant have no right to the Seal of the Covenant Q. Where are believers who have right unto this Sacrament to seek fruition of it A. Because it ought not be administred privately as the Papists would Hence Gods people are to seek to enjoy their right to it in some particulat visible Church in joyning with them as fellow-members of the same body I Cor. 11. 20 22. 1 Chron. 10. 17. Act. 2. 42. Q. What members ought every particular visible Church to oonsist of A. Christ being head of every particular Church and it his body hence none are to be members of the Church but such as are members of Christ by faith 1. Cor. 1. 2. 1. Thes 1. Q. But do not Hypocrites and no true Members of Christ creep in A. Yes but if they could have been known to be such they ought to be kept out and when they are known they are orderly to be cast out Mat. 25. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Rev. 2. 20. Tit. 3. 20. Q Are these Members bound only to cleave to Christ their head by Faith A. Yes to one another also by Brotherly love which they are bound to strengthen confirm as well as their Faith by a solemn Covenant Eph. 4. 15 16. Col. 1. 4. Ier. 50. 4. Isa 56. 45. Zach. 11. 14. Zeph. 3. 9. Psal 119. 106. Q. What benefits are there by joyning thus to a particular Church A. 1. Hereby they come to be under the special Government of Christ in his Church and the Officers thereof Isa 30. 20. 2. Hereby they have the promise of specia● blessing and on their children also Psal 133 3. Exod. 20. 6. 3. Herein they have the promise of God special presence 1. Revealing unto them his will Psal 27. 4. Psal 63. 2 3. 2. Protecting rhem Isa 44. 6. 3. Hearing al their Prayers Deut 4. 7. Mat. 18. 19 Q. Are there not some who never find these benefits A. Yes because many knowing not how to make use of Gods Ordinances nor feeling a need of Gods presence only in them their sin also blinding partly hardning their hearts polluting Gods house they then becom worse when they have best means Mat. 11. 23. Ier. 17. 5 6 Heb. 6. 8. 1 Sam. 5. 8 9. Ezek. 14. 4. 1 King 8. 21. Q. What are the miseries of those who carelesly wilfully despise so refuse to joyn to Gods Church A. Besides the loss of Gods presence in the fellowship of his people it is a fearful sign continuing so God never intends to save thei● souls Ast. 2. 47. Isa 60. 12. Rev. 2. 23. 24. Q. What therefore ought people chiefly to labour for and to hold forth unto the Church that so they may be joyned to it A. A threefold work 1. Of Humiliation under their misery death sin as their greatest evil Ast. 2. 37. Mat. 3. 6. 2. Of Vocation or their drawing to Christ out of this misery as to their greatest and only good Act. 2. 38 41. 3. Of new Obedience how they have walked in Christ since called Act. 9. 26 27. Mat. 3. 8. FINIS

rationally wrapt up in the Covenant of grace Indeed gross scandalous sins nay infirmities when they are given way to and not resisted may keep the soul from the fruition for a time of Gods Covenant but never from the eternal jus and right unto it for as the habit of Faith or Grace gives a man a constant right to the promise and Covenant which seed ever remains which habit ever lasts Jer. 3. 9. so the act of Faith or Grace gives a man fruition of the Covenant and the benefit of the promise and hence by the acting and venting of some sins wherein there is included the neglect of the exercise of grace He that is really in covenant with God may be deprived of the fruition of it yet seeing the seed of God and the habit of grace ever remains he cannot by any sin break his covenant for the covenant of grace is absolute wherein the Lord doth not only promise the good but to begin perfect fulfil the condition absolutly without respect of sin ex parte creaturae Indeed if Gods covenant of Grace did as that of works depend upon man to fulfil the condition having sufficient grace to fulfil it then gross sin might well break the Covenant but seeing God hath undertaken to fulfil the Covenant absolutely not withstanding all the evils and sins of the soul no sin can possibly break that knot and covenant which so firm and resolute love hath once knit And therefore if this be a good argument Infirmities cannot break covenant What cause have I to be humbled for them so as to say It is thy mercy Lord that I am not consumed for them as you write you may upon the same ground say so If the Lord should desert you or you for Take the Lord and so fall into the foulest sin which I suppose corrupt conscience dares not be so bold as to think or allow of 2. Secondly I say the least sins or infirmities do break the first covenant of works and hence you do not only deserve but are under the sentence of death and curse of God immediatly after the least hairs-breadth swarving from the Law by the smallest sin and most involuntary accidental infirmity According to the Tenor of the Law the soul that sinneth shall die and cursed is he that continueth not in all things of the Law Gal. 3. 10. The least sin being ex parte objecti in respect of God against whom it is committed as horrible and as great as the greatest For it being an infinite wrong being the dishonour of an infinite Majesty there can be no greater wrong than an infinite one unless you can imagin a thing greater than that which is insinite and therefore in this respect there is as much venom and mischief done against God in the least as in the greatest sin And therefore it and whosoever commit it deserve death for it as if they had committed the foulest sin in the world and therefore after the least and smallest infirmities you may from hence see what cause you have freely to be humbled and to confess for them how worthy you are to be destroyed yea even to look upon your self as lying under the sentence of the Law and death immediately after the commission of them and so to mourn bitterly for them Object But you will say a Christian that is under the Covenant of Grace is not within the Covenant of Works that Bond is cancelled the last will must stand and therefore he being out of that Covenant no sins of his can be said to break the Covenant for no man can be said to break that Law under which he is not and which he is not bound to keep Answ I answer every Believer has a double being or standing and so there may be put upon him a double respect 1. First he may be considered as united to and having a spiritual being on Christ and so it is true he is under Grace and the Covenant of Grace and not under the Law nor the Covenant of works and hence not being under the Law nor bound to keep it as a covenant of life tho' it be a rule of life no sin can condemn him there being no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. But as Christ is above condemnation and law and death and curse so is he And this truly understood is the foundation of a Christians joy and peace and glory every day yet so as tho' sin doth not condemn him yet he has good reason to say it is mercy and meer mercy Lord that I am not consumed that I am condemned For sin is the same nay grace and Gods love aggravates sin for to sin against the law deserves death without recovery but to sin when grace has received me and loved me when the blood of Christ has been shed abundantly to deliver me from sin Oh this makes the most secret silent sin a crying one So that if you do consider this well you may see what little cause there is to have your heart rising against the deepest humilation for the least sin tho' you be in Christ and under grace For as Daniel when he was put into the Lions den had not the cause to wonder that he was not torn in pieces by them and why because it was not from any defect on their parts to tear him in pieces but from the omnipotent power and mercy and grace of his God that muzzell'd their mouths so tho' no Lion can ●ear tho' no sins can hurt or condemn a Christian as he is considered in Christ yet has not he cause to confess and wonder and say Lord it is thy meer grace and mercy that it is not so which is the act of humilation your letter saith you can hardly come unto and why not because Gods grace puts any less evil in sin but because it is meerly grace that keeps it from spitting that venom which otherwise it would Secondly A Christian may be considered in respect of his natural being in hi●●elf and thus he is ever under the Law and as oft as he sinneth under the sentence of death and as the Apostle speaks by na●ure even we justified quickned are the children of wrath as well as others And thus after the least involuntary accidental sin you may easily see what cause you have to lie down deeply humbled mourning under the sentence of death and Gods eternal curse as a condemned man going to execution to feel that fire that shall never go out looking upon your self as you are in your self a forlorn cast-away every moment and this truly understood is the foundation of a Christians sorrow shame and confusion of face self-loathing self-forgetting self-forsaking and condemning every day and believe it Sir it is no small Piece of a Christians skill and work to put a difference between himself and himself himself as he is in Christ and so to joy and triumph and himself as he is growing on