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
A17301	Grounds of Christian religion laid downe briefly and plainely by way of question and answer / by H.B.	Burton, Henry, 1578-1648.	1631 (1631)	STC 4143; ESTC S734	16,088	50

the kingdome of heauen reuealed in Christ the second Adam the Lord from heauen and by him purchased and prepared vnto all the elect So that naturall moralists are here rewarded with outward blessings so Gods children are here afflicted but their reward is in heauen Q. It should seeme then that the estate we haue in and by Christ is infinitely better then that which we lost in Adam A. Yes certainly and that in regard of many more priuiledges and prerogatiues then haue vet béen mentioned for by this we are partakers of the diuine nature made one mysticall body of Christ vnited to him our head made the adopted Sonnes of God coheires with Christ hauing the holy angels appointed for our guardians which Adam had not till after the fall he beléeued in Christ. Psal. 91. 11. Heb. 1. 6. 14. Againe we haue in Christ such a kind of sanctification and holinesse as Adam neuer had for Adams righteousnesse was a created righteousnesse connaturall vnto him but ours is a righteousnesse and holinesse that fioweth from Christ our head as beames from that sunne and as streames from that fountaine into all his mysticall members yea they are the graces of Christ glorified so as they are of a glorified nature as 2. Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 6. 4 5. 1. Cor. 15. 45 46 47 48 49. Q. How is the couenant of grace sealed vnto vs A. By foure seales first by the seale of the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 1. 20 21 22. and Eph. 1. 13. and 4. 30. Secondly by the seale of faith Ioh. 3. 33. and 1. Ioh. 5. 10. Thirdly by the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper Q. How proue you the Sacraments to be seales A. Rom. 4. 11. Circumcision was a seale of Abrahams faith and of the Couenant of grace which God made with him Q. But doe not the Sacraments of the new Testament differ from those of the old A. They differ not in regard of their diuine institution end and vse all of them pointing out Christ vnto vs in his death whereby the Couenant of grace was ratified onely circumcision and the Paschall Lambe poynted out Christ to come and Baptisme and the Lords Supper point him out already come as the Lambe slaine Q. What other argument haue you to prooue all the Sacraments as well those of the Old Testament as those of the New to be seales of the Couenant of grace A. This that all of them as types or signes point vnto Christs death wherein the Couenant is ratified Q. How may a Sacrament be defined or what is a Sacrament A. A Sacrament is a sacred action of Christs institution wherein the visible elements sanctisied by the Word doe not onely signifie and represent to the outward senses but also instrumentally conney and seale to the faith of the receiuer that holy inuisible grace whereof it is a signe and seale Q. How proue you this definition of a Sacrament And first how proue you a Sacrament to be an action A. By these reasons 1. Because it is no longer a sacrament then it is in the action 2. Because the force and efficacy of the sacrament consists in the action rightly performed Q. How proue you this in the Sacraments A. Thus circumcision is an action the cutting off the foreskin The slaying and eating of the Passeouer is all in action so baptizing an action so of the Lords Supper the whole celebration of it is action as consecrating giuing receiuing eating drinking al is action Do this in remembrance of me Q. What vse make you hereof A. Hereby I learne that that is no sacrament which is idly gazed vpon or reserued in a box or carryed about in solemne pomp to be adored for Christ but is very Idol Q. Why call you the Sacrament an action sacred A. In regard of the parties conuersant about the sacrament who are all sacred Q. Who are they A. The minister of the Gospel the communicants the holy Ghost working in and by them Q. What is the action of the minister about the sacrament of the Lords Supper A. To sanctifie or consecrate the elements by the Word of God prayer to a sacramentall or holy vse 2. He is to eate and drinke the Lords Supper 3. He is to distribute the consecrated bread and wine vnto the people the communicants Q. What doth the Ministers action in consecrating the elements and distributing of them to the people signifie A. His consecrating of the elements signifieth Christs consecrating of himselfe for vs his distributing of them to euery Communicant signifieth Christ giueth himselfe to euery true beleeuer Q. What is the action of the holy Ghost about the Sacrament A. To seale inwardly to the beléeuing soule of the communicant the merits and vertue of Christs death Q. What is the action of the Communicants in the Lords Supper A. Twofold 1. Outward with the hand of the body to take eate drinke 2. Inward with the hand of the soule to wit faith to receiue and spiritually to faéd vpon the body and bloud of Christ. And with these two is ioyned the action of prayer and thanksgiuing in the very act of receiuing Q. How is the minister sacred or holy A. By his ministeriall calling as he ought also to be holy in his conuersation Q. What if he be profane in his life A. Yet that hinders not but tha the may administer the Sacrament sith his calling is holy Q. How is the Communicant sacred or holy A. Not onely by his common calling as he is a Christian whereby he hath a right to the outward ordinance but specially by his holy faith and life being a liuing member of Christ by which he hath an interest to Christ himselfe in the ordinances Q. May none of these three agents the holy Ghost the Minister the Communicants be wanting to make vp the full Sacrament A. No sir The minister may not communicate alone without the people communicating with him and the element is of no efficacy without the holy Ghost do apply the inward grace which he doth to euery beléeuer Q. You say a Sacrament is instituted of Christ why so may not the Church instiuute a Sacrament A. No onely Christ is the authour of a Sacrament for these reasons 1. because he is the authour of saluation and therefore he onely may appoint the meanes as the Word Sacraments secondly because Christ only can make the Sacraments effectuall by his spirit thirdly because his heauenly wisedome knew best how and wherof to institute the sacramentall signes or elements Q. But may not the Church dispense with the Sacraments as by altering of them by adding or taking away A. No in no case for it brings that curse Reuel 22. 18. 19. Deut. 4. 2. 12. 32. Pro. 30. 6. Q. May not the cup be taken away in the Lords Supper A. No for it is the communion of the bloud of Christ. Q. Is not the bloud of Christ contained in his body which is represented vnder the

so hath an interest to eternall life in and with Christ as fellow-heirs with him Q. Why doe you call faith in Christ a sauing faith A. To distinguish it from common historicall faith mentioned Iam. 2. 19. and to shew it to be an instrument of saluation by Christ. Q. Why doe you call it a liuing faith A. Because vniting the heart and soule to Christ there is a communion of spirituall life as Gal. 2. 20. this faith also working by loue whereby it is known from a dead faith as Iam. 2. 17. Q. Why call yee it a iustifying faith A. Not that it doth iustifie vs as an act or work but onely as an instrument applying Christs righteousnesse to our iustification Q. How is this faith wrought in the heart A. By the Spirit of Christ and that ordinarily by hearing the word preached Q. Why call you this faith a gift of grace A. Because it is not of our selues but it is the frée gift of God as Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Q. How is this faith stedfast A. In a twofold regard first of sure euidence secondly of perseuerance Q. May a beleeuer then be sure of his saluation by faith A. Yea hee is and ought to be so 2. Cor. 13. 5. Q. Doth not a beleeuer often doubt of his saluation A. Yes he may during some strong fit of temptation yet as the sunne vnder a cloud shineth all the while though we sée it not so faith vnder the cloud of temptation beléeueth truely though we féele it not Q. But may not this faith bee quite extinguished and lost for euer A. No not possibly Q. How so A. First because it is a frée gift of grace for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Secondly because he that truely beléeueth hath eternall life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death vnto life Thirdly because Christ prayeth that our faith faile not whose prayer must néeds be effectual Fourthly because we are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation Fifthly from the nature of sauing grace Ier. 32. 40. and 1. Ioh. 3. 9. Q. Is not this a doctrine of presumption A. Nothinglesse it being a doctrine of singular comfort to Gods child to incourage and strengthen him against Satans temptations and owne infirmities as knowing that his faith shall not faile nor stands it with the nature of a true beléeuer to be carelesse of his saluation because he is sure of it sith he knoweth that saluation is not attained but by the meanes appointed of God he hath in him an inward principle of grace holding him on towards perfection Q. But doth faith onely iustifie Doe not workes also iustifie A. Faith onely iustifieth as an instrument and that perfectly in Gods sight works are said to iustifie before men but not before God as Rom. 4. 2. Iam. 2. 18. Q. But are not good workes necessary to saluation A. Yes but not as meritorious causes of saluation but onely as fruits of faith and duties of loue and they appointed vs to walk in to the kingdome being created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes that we should walk in them that according to them not for them we may freely receiue the recompense of reward Q. But are not beleeuers altogether freed from the morall Law by Christ it being that couenant of works made with Adam in Paradise before the fall do this and liue A. Christ the second Adam by his exact fulfilling of the Law and suffering the penalty of our transgressions hath fréed vs from the rigour and curse of it but yet he hath left it as a rule of direction for a holy life Q. How proue you that A. By the very manner of giuing the Law in mount Sina where before the decalogue or ten commandements the Lord saith I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage and thereupon inferreth Thou shalt haue no other Gods before mee c. Q. Why what is the meaning of those words I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Q. They are not onely a history but a mystery containing a cléere type and figure of our redemption by Christ from our spirituall bondage vnder Satan and sinne So that that couenant in Sina being rightly and spiritually vnderstodd was not the first couenant of workes giuen to the first Adam but it was the very euangelicall the second Couenant of grace and faith giuen in Christ the second Adam Q. But the Apostle saith The Law is not of faith how then comes the law to be giuen vnder faith A. The law in that place is taken for the first couenant to wit of works which hath no communion with faith belonging to the second couenant But the Law as it is giuen in mount Sina the literall veile being remoued is not deliuered as the first couenant but as a rule of conuersation to the faithfull vnder the second couenant Q. But the Apostle calls the giuing of the Law in mount Sina the first couenant standing in opposition to the second as Agar to Sara the bond-woman to the free Sina to Sion and Ierusalem A. The Apostle compares it so only in regard of the literall killing sense to which the carnall Iew was captinated and thereby slaine while not looking vnto Christ the redéemer that brought them out of the spirituall Egypt and bondage they sought to be iustified by the workes of the Law which Saint Paul beates downe in that epistle to the Galatians But to the beléeuing Iew the Law was no other but the swéet yoake and light burthen of Christ. Q. Shew me then the proper differences between the first Couenant and the second A. The opposite differences betwéen the two couenants are these First the first couenant was of mans workes the second of Gods grace and these two are vnreconcileable Rom. 11. 6. The second The first couenant was made with Adam and all his posterity vniuersally the second onely with Abrahams séed called the womans séed Gen. 3. 15. to wit Christ and all the elect The third The first couenant stood vpon mans owne righteousnesse the second stands vpon anothers righteousnesse to wit Christs righteousnes made ours by imputation The fourth The first couenant stood vpon the mutability of mans will and therefore was quickly broken but the second stands firme vpon the sure foundation of Gods immutable vnchangeable will good pleasure and purpose in himselfe and so can neuer be broken called an euerlasting couenant The fifth The first was acouenant of iustice without mercy the second was a couenant of méere mercy Psal. 89. 28. yet in Christ iustice and mercy met together Psal. 85. 10. The sixt The first couenant had no other reward reuealed to the first Adam from the earth earthy but what was confined to the earthly Paradise but the secōd hath