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	seal_n	seal_v	4,393	5	10.3434	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10036	The doctrine of the sacrament of the Lords Supper handled. And plainely layd open out of the 1. Cor. 11. 23.24. &c. Wherein the nature of this sacrament is faithfully discussed, the matter of it, together with the necessity of often receiuing, truly declared; the words of consecration embowelled, and errours with the cauills of papists soundly confuted. By Richard Preston preacher of Gods word at Rushden in Northamptonshire.	Preston, Richard, d. ca. 1624.	1621 (1621)	STC 20283; ESTC S115177	102,646	398

there is some darkenesse many Papists and vnskilfull men haue bin deceiued therein take this as a more fuller definition A Sacrament is an ordinance of God whereby Christ al his benefits in certain visible signes external rites are represented sealed and most certainly conuayed to euery Christian beleeuer I say that a Sacrament is the Ordinance not of man but of God in which by certaine visible signes and externall rites Christ his benefits are shewed to euery Christian For looke as Gods Word is his owne ordinance to beget Faith in our hearts whereby Christ and all his benefits as by a hād may be apprehended and conuayed vnto vs Euen so Sacraments are speciall Ordinances of God whereby our Faith beeing ingendered and begotten by the operation of Gods Spirit and the ministery of the Word may bee further increased confirmed and strengthened to the end we may bee made more fully partakers of Christ and all his benefits to our saluation for Christ and his benefits are offered to vs in both the difference only standeth in this the word offreth Christ to our eares that we may heare of him and his redeeming of Mankinde but the Sacraments offer Christ to our senses Seeing Feeling Tasting As by the ministerie of the word we heare of Christ with our eares so by the Sacraments we may as it were see Christ with our eyes feele Christ with our hands and taste of Christ with our mouthes Againe I adde in the last place that as Christ and his benefits are represented to our senses so he is also sealed and most certainely conuayed to euery true beleeuer Heere wee may see three most notable ends of a Sacrament 1 That it is an outward signe to represent and set before our eyes Christ and his merits as circumcision to the Iewes was a signe of that couenant God made with them in his Sonne Christ namely that hee would be their God and they should be his people c. So baptisme and the Lords Supper are much more euident signes to vs that are dull of conceite not onely of the couenant but also of the Mediatour of the couenant Christ Iesus himselfe 2 The Sacrament serueth to be a seale to confirme our faith and to take away all doubtings and therefore it is called the seale of the Righteousnes of faith Rom. 4.11 because it certifies a man thereof and putteth him out of all doubts As when his Maiesties Highnesse sends forth his letters Patents if wee heare them read yet see not the broad seale we are in some doubt but if we aske for the seal and see it then we are confirmed Euen so our highest Prince hath sent vs his letters patents from heauen notwithstanding oftentimes we haue refused them and called them in question but now in that hee hath together with thē sent vs his broad seale yea his great seales the Sacraments we may then very well rest our selues and be confirmed 3 The Sacrament is also an Instrument to conuey Christ his benefits to vs for wee like Thomas that wold not beleeue are not contented till wee see and feele Christ and therefore the Sacrament is a meanes to bring him to vs if wee haue the hand of faith to receiue him Heere wee are taught in the feare of God Vse not onely to esteeme highly the Sacraments but to labour for a true vse of them that by the meanes hereof wee may fully and assuredly bee made partakers of Christ See the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God toward vs how desirous he is if we had grace and hearts to consider it that wee should not perish but beleeue and so come to be saued Hath God contented himselfe onely with speaking or sending vs his word from heauen that he will be reconciled to vs if we beleeue and repent though this had bin sufficient hee beeing our King and Prince and therefore ought not once to call his Word in questiō No verily but to shew his desire of our good and to take away all excuse from vs if we doe not imbrace his mercy he hath caused this Word to be written in a booke for our learning preserued it in his Church and conuayed it from hand to hand from one generation to another and now at last it is come to vs so as daily wee may reade and heare of Christ And to take away all doubts touching the truth of this word he hath put to it his broad seals with the inscription and Image of Christ that euery way wee might bee made partakers of Christ by Hearing Seeing Tasting feeling and smelling In so much that if wee doe not repent and beleeue God may iustly complaine of vs as sometimes he did of the Iewes Isai 5.4 What is it that I should do that I haue not done already to this people Hauing laid downe the definition of a Sacrament what it is wee will in the next place speake of the things whereof the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is instituted and they are Bread and Wine resemblances and signes of the body and bloud of Christ He tooke bread here is the element of bread first mentioned to signifie to vs the Body of Christ Quest Quest But why did Christ take bread and chuse it for this purpose rather then any other sustenance or any other Creature Sol. Sol. Bread comprehendeth vnder it and signifieth all manner of prouision and necessary meanes as meate rest sleepe Physicke recreation c. Gen. 43.25 Exod. 18.12 Deut. 8.3 Mat. 4.4 Marc. 3.20 Luk. 11.3 2. Bread of all other Creatures is most wholesome other meates may haue compositions and mixture but this is called panis Azymus Azymus because it is without leauen and cleane yea pure and good 1. Cor. 5.7 3. It is the easiest and soonest come by many people could scarce bee made partakers of other Creatures either through their owne wants or scarcitie of the thing when as this is ready at all times 4. It is quickly broken and when it is broken soone it may be deliuered and handsome to bee carryed in the hand and showne to the Congregation it is not so with other creatures that require cutting or pulling 5. Christ thought good to take the name of bread to himselfe and to bee called Bread Ioh. 6.32.33.50.51 c. 6. The vse of bread in the Law was holy 1. For the consecration of the high Priest Exod 29.23 Ezek. 44.7.2 For the offering of first fruits of Corne 2. King 4.42 and 3. For the high Priests owne eating Leuit. 24.5.9 This Bread was called the face or shewbread Exod. 25.30 Because it was alwayes in the presence of God It was a type of the true bread Iesus Christ that came downe from heauen and also shadowed forth the Eucharist of the New Testament 7. There can bee no full banquet where bread is wanting though there bee much cheere but where bread is though other things bee wanting there may be a full feast 8. Bread

lazy calling wee get our liuings easily by pattering on a booke a little c. some say and it is no maruell that they must labor for vs. But we see by that which hath beene spoken that they are greatly deceiued Our Sauiour compareth the worke of a Minister to things of great labour as to plowing fallowing planting watering rearing an house seeding of Cattell watching by night c. In all which great diligence is required The worke of an husbandman is neuer at an end sometimes he fallowes sometimes he stirs sometime he carieth out his cōpasse sometimes he sowes sometimes he harrows somtimes he weeds yea euery moneth brings with it new worke So the Minister that is Gods husbandman if he haue care to doe his duty shall neuer finde time to be idle neither shall any man haue any iust cause to say that because hee is a Minister therefore he hath an easie occupation 2 Here may be reproued idle Ministers who are notwithstanding called to this high calling such are blinde Watchmen that haue no knowledge and dumbe Dogges that cannot barke Isa 56.10 they lye and sleepe and delight in sleeping If they cate the fat and clothe themselues with the wooll Eze 34.3 they care not greatly what becomes of the flock such slow bellies are from the Diuell fishers of money rather then from God fishers of men they can hunt wel after many liuings yet bend themselues to doe no good It were to be wished that the gouernours of the Church would vse their authority to reforme this grosse idlenesse of Ministers Oh that these wells without water were stopped vp 2. Pet. 2.17 and these clouds without raine were dispersed Iude v. 12. that Gods people might obtaine the riuers of waters and those streames that shall neuer run dry Vse 2 2. Vse of this Doctrine may serue to teach vs with care and conscience to looke to our callings when one thing is concluded another most beginne still the end of one is the beginning of another we must euer be doing something either preaching or praying or reading or conferring or visiting the sicke or studying or admonishing c. When we haue planted knowledge then practise must bee vrged when practise is approued then perseuerance must be pressed when perseuerance is allowed thē progresse must be vrged there is still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something left to doe And to conclude as it was with Peter touching his net so it is with all painefull ministers touching their office they busie themselues sometime in preparing sometimes in mending sometimes in casting abroad sometimes in drawing in their nets alwayes in necessary employments This Cup is the New Testament in my blood That which hath bin formerly deliuered touching the bread that sacramentally it is the body of Christ may here be spoken touching the Cup that sacramentally it is the blood of Christ And as there it was said This is my body that is a Sacrament of my body So it is here said and elsewhere in Mathew and Marke This is my blood that is Mat. 26.28 Mar. 14.25 a Sacrament of the New Testament in my blood Now for the better vnderstanding of these words we are to marke and consider what a Testament is and what things are therein contained Secondly what the difference is of the Olde and New Testament Thirdly the benefit that wee from thence may gather Testamentō est externa morituri voluntas qua bona sua dispensal et quibus vult gratuito largitur Musc in Coen Do. 1 Touching the nature of the word Testament we must vnderstand it to be a promise or a couenant made betweene one that is sicke and ready to yeelde vp his Ghost and his children or other his deare friends to whom hee bequeatheth his goods and lands and it is impressed in paper with pen and inke yet so as that paper is a full testimony witnesse or signe of all the gifts and Legacies that the party sick and ready to depart promised gaue and bequeathed to his children or friends In like manner Christ his Testament was his finall promise and couenant made to his Elect touching his gift of Grace and free remission of sins confirmed vnto them at his departure out of the world not in paper but in the powring and shedding forth his blood for the blood of Christ giues life to this Testament as Moses plainely tells vs There is life in the blood This word Testament implies a promise Leuit. 17.11 and therefore teacheth vs that This Sacrament doth confirme strengthen Doct. nourish our faith because it seales the promise we should beleeue As it is with those to whom Legacies are bequeathed they neuer are in doubt or feare of the payment because say they it was his will and Testament but the more they thinke of them the more they are confirmed So it is with all the faithfull nay they in better case for the executors of a mortall man may fly or dy or be bankrupt they may fully assure themselues of the payment of their Legacies bequeathed vnto them by Christ who who will neuer faile them for what hee hath promised in his last will and Testament shall be established The things to bee considered in and about a testament are such as these 1. The Testator 1 The Testator who makes his will and testament and that is Iesus Christ Mat. 16.16 Mar 1.11.3.11 I am 1.17 Isa 9.6 Heb. 1.2 the eternall Sonne of God the Author of euery good and perfect gift the euerlasting Father the heire of all things c. Hee had free liberty and power to make his last will and testament Ob. But a seruant in the house Ob. of his master and a sonne vnder the gouernement of his father can be no Testators Christ was both a seruant and a sonne how could he then be a Testator Sol. God gaue all power and authority vnto him Sol. as Christ himselfe testifieth Mat. 28.18 All power is giuen vnto mee in heauen and in earth and God made him the heire of all things as hee saith in another place All things are deliuered vnto mee of my Father Luk. 20.14 Mat. 11.27 therefore hee had free power to be a Testator Secondly God his Father sent him into the world for this end that he should confirm with his death this new Testament Behold saith the Lord the daies come that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israell Ier. 31.31.32 Heb. 8.7.8.9.10 and with the house of Iudah c. The Legacies 2 The Legacies that the Testator bequeathed are many but principally Redemption Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 liberty from the powers of hell death Sathan flesh world sinne c. by his blood he hath redeemed vs and free remission of sinnes This is my blood which is shed for many Mat. 26.28 for the remission of sinnes These Legacies were Christs own proper goods they did not