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
A47350	A sober discourse of right to church-communion wherein is proved by Scripture, the example of the primitive times, and the practice of all that have prosessed the Christian religion, that no unbaptized person may be regularly admitted to the Lords Supper / by W. Kiffin ...	Kiffin, William, 1616-1701.	1681 (1681)	Wing K425; ESTC R10604	54,122	194

Sacred Records that it was ever Practised Nor can such as undertake it perform what they promise for the Child viz. Faith and Repentance being the two great Graces of the Gospel and the sole Gift of God Besides Christ looks for a Believer which no Infant can at present be said to be the want of which makes the Baptism null for if there be no Bond no Covenant no Obligation in it as 't is plain there is not and they confess it than there is no Sealing for a Seal serves but to Ratifie and Confirm a Bond and Covenant and as there is no Sealing so there is no exhibition or conveyance of any thing from Christ for there are no Pipes to receive it that is as an Ordinance there is no Reason in the use of it no Faith no Sense no Receptive Faculty proportionable to the Ordinance in the manner of Conveying it c. So that the Conclusion is that Infant Baptism is as much a nullity as the Marrying or Ordination of Infants and being really so by the grant of the Favourers of this Opinion it will unavoidably follow that their admitting persons upon pretence of that Baptism to the Lords Supper is neither more nor less than an admission without Baptism and a plain Declaration that they esteem this Ordinance to be unnecessary and consequently a direct throwing it out of the Church as was said before so that Paedo-Baptism is but a perverting or an abuse of the Ordinance of Baptism but this Opinion quite abolishes it which is the necessary effect and Consequence of their declaring it to be needless in order to admission into a Church c. But to Return we can have no better Instances of the practice of Antiquity then what we find Recorded of the Cathecumeni who were excluded not only from the Eucharist but from the very Sight thereof and therefore after the Words Holy things to Saints they went out not because they were without Faith for there were two sorts viz. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Sancta Sanctis ‡ Audientes competentes or Electi Hearers and such as were competent or Elect the first were Beginners which heard Sermons and had a desire to Christ the other were such as desired Baptisme and had given up their Names for it as * Lib. de cura pro mortuis c. 12. Austin and others mention Now these were supposed to have Faith and waited only a fit time for the Administration of Baptism during which time they were not at all admitted to the Lords Supper though judged Believers but as soon as Baptized they were admitted to the Lords Supper on the same day also To Illustrate this point further we will give a Brief Abstract of some things Recorded in that Excellent History compiled by the Divines of Magdeburg * * Cent. 4. cap. 6. p 233. ●… Printed 〈◊〉 Basil 〈◊〉 BAsilius non alios quam Cathecumenos Baptizatos esse scribit qui in Paschate convocabantur Exhort ad Baptismum Baptisandi autem in Asiaticis Ecclesiis prius aliquandiu in Doctrina Pietatis erudiebantur Cathecumeni dicebantur quemadmodum ex Basilio Paulo ante Retulimus ' Resurrectionis inquit gratiam in die Resurrectionis excipiamus Quamobrem Eccleisia suos procul alta voce convocet Alumnos ut quos pravum peperit tunc demum lacte sanae eruditionis sideCathecumenos Enutritos cibi firmioris degust●…tione Institutoque perfecto corroboret Et ibidem rursus ' sciendum est Inquit quod primum docere instru●…e oportet atque ita Deum preclarissimo baptismate rite Instructe Dignari Narrat Idem Athanasius de Judaeis ' quod ad Episcopt ejus urbis Genua ad voluti Baptisma Petierunt quos ipse cum Clericis suis suspitiens perdies plurimos in Doctrina Christianae Pietatis crudierit Et Catechumenos inde factos post tridui Jejunium Baptizarit Basil Writes That there were no others but Catechumens 〈◊〉 Baptized who were called together at Easter Such as were to be Baptized in the Churches of Asia were first for some time instructed in the Doctrine of Piety and were called Catechumens as we have before recited it from Basil Let us receive saith he the grace of Resurrection in the day of Resurrection For that Reason the Church with a loud Voice calls together from afar those she brings up that such as were brought forth naught may at length by the Milk of sound Doctrine being Catechumens nourished by Faith be strengthned by the tast of more more solid food perfect Institution And there again we must know says he that it is necessary first to teach and instruct and afterwards dignifie or vouchsafe to him that is so rightly Instructed with the most excellent Baptisme Athanasius declares the same thing of the Jews that they cast themselves at the feet of the Bishop of that City v. where they lived and desired Baptisme whom when he and his Clergy beheld he instructed them for many days in the Doctrine of Christian Piety and being thereby made Catechumens after three days Fast he Baptized them This practice of Catechising and then Baptizing and afterwards receiving into Church-fellowship was so Universal among all the Christians of those times as appears by those few Instances and many more cited from Athanatius Nazianzen Optatus Milevitanus Epiphanius Hillarius Ambrose Jerome Sozomen and others that we find no Opposition at all to it all Candidates for Christianity being that way only admitted the necessity of it being reputed so great that it became the very inlet of Poedo-baptism So that the Conclusion is undoubted that we have got above Four hundred Years of Primitive Antiquity to Witness our practise And in the Fifth Century Augustine gives the Sense of that Age thus Trans●ant per Mare Rubrum i.e. baptizentu● manducent Manna id est Corpus Sanguinem Domini Tract 11. in Joh. ' Let them that is the Cathecumens past through the Red-Sea that is be baptized and let them eat Manna that is the Body and Blood of the Lord. And in the Seventh Century Isidorus de Officiis makes Three Degrees The First is ' Of the Cathecumens who were such as were first come from Gentilism and had a mind to believe in Christ The Second of Competents who desire Baptism when they were instructed in the Doctrine of Christ And the Third of the Baptized who were then Church-Members Haymo says in Century Nine * In cap. 1. ad Ephes Catechumeni sunt fideles quia credunt in verum Deum sed quia nondum baptizati non sunt Sancti ' That the Catechumes are the Faithful because they Believe in the true God but because they are not Baptized they are not Holy But what needs any more of these Quotations when all that know any thing of the practise of Antiquity must confess That this Opinion we oppose was never in the World for Sixteen hundred years and more

the secretest of our thoughts and Affections and let Christ in the Water be Honoured as Christ for that sweet Union and Fruit which he brings to poor Souls thereby If Jordan be precious when God will use it for the Angels Healing by it much more this 2 Kings 5. ●… John 5.2 ' Pag. 81. The Lords Scope in Baptism is an inward Grace but this general Priviledge is to all equal viz. A badge of an outward Member distinction from the common Rout of the World out of the Pale of the Church The Lord appointed Circumcision as a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith chiefly yet as an over-plus he allowed it to be the Differencer of all other Nations from the Jews It was a Fence and Wall of Separation from them in all their Converse So is Baptism now a mark or badge of external Communion whereby the Lord settles a Right upon the Person to his Ordinances that he may comfortably use them as his own Priviledge and wait for the inward Prerogative of Saints by them And yet this as much as men boast of it is but a shell in respect of the other So far he Again Baptism holds out the Souls Interest in the Death Burial and Resurrection of Christ in a more special manner then any other Ordinance it is called the Stipulation or Answer of a good Conscience by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead 1 Pet. 3.21 that is when a Conscience appeased and pacified with the discharge of Sin can cry Abba Father with a holy security and speak to God himself c. Now this Stipulation of a good Conscience is the Effect of Baptism and which Baptism Seals For what it finds ● Seals although it doth also Exhibit more of the same kind A Learned Expositor Mr. Tho. Godwin gives his Sense of this place thus ' The Answer of a good Conscience is here Attributed to Christs Resurrection as the thing signified and represented in Baptism and as the cause of that Answer of a good Conscience even Baptism saith he doth now save us as being the Ordinance that Seals up Salvation not the putting away the filth of the Flesh or the washing of the outward man but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead To open this saith he Our Conscienccs are that Principle within us which are the Seat of the guilt of all the Sins of the whole Man unto whose Court they all come to accuse us as unto Gods Deputy which Conscience is called Good or Evil as the State of the Man is Now in Baptism forgiveness of Sins and Justification being Sealed up to a Believers Faith and Conscience under that lively Representation of his Communion with Christ in his Resurrection hence this is made the fruit of Baptism that the good Conscience of a Believer Sealed up in Baptism hath wherewithal from thence to Answer all Accusations of Sin that can or do at any time come in upon him and is as it is here added by vertue of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ namely in this Respect that his Communion with Christ in his Resurrection hath been represented in his Baptism as the Ground of his Faith and of that Answer unto all Accusations By all which we may by the way see of what necessity Faith is required of the Persons that are Baptized if they will receive any benefit thereby Also how Baptism being the first Ordinance to be Administred answers to the first Grace Received From whence it appeareth That as the Grace of Regeneration gives a Right to the Enjoyment of Gospel Institutions so Baptism with respect to Priority and Order is the first Institution without which none may regularly partake of other Church-Ordinances And this further may be noted as considerable that as there is but one Beginning of Natural Life to man and one beginning of Spiritual of Life which is by Regeneration John 3.3 Ames Medulla Theol pag. 183 The Supper of the Lord ought oftentimes to be Administred to the same Person c. So Baptism is to be but once Administred whereas if Baptism had the same import and signification with respect to the Priviledges that are to be enjoy'd at the Second Coming of Christ as the Supper of the Lord hath there would be the same Reason for the frequent Administration of it as is for the Supper of the Lord. 4. It is commendable to keep the Ordinances of Christ pure as they were delivered because it prevents the creeping in of the Inventions of Men in the Worship of God For as it was before Noted Man is naturally apt to be medling that way and mixing something of his own with those Sacred Institutions which God has with greatest severity prohibited having not spared any no not his own People though what they have done therein seems not to be out of any wicked intentions but rather out of an Ignorant Zeal Of which there are many Instances in Scripture as before recited particularly the Memorable Cases of Nadab and Abihu Lev. 10.2,3 Uzzah 2 Sam. 6.6,7 c. Suitable hereto Mr. Burroughs very excellently expresses himself in his Book intituled Gospel-Worship or the Right Manner of Sanctifying the Name of God pag 8 9 c. ' All things in Gods Worship must have a Warrant out of Gods Word must be Commanded it 's not enough that 't is not Forbidden and what hurt is there in it But it must be Commanded When we come to Matters of Religion and the Worship of God we must either have a Command or somewhat out of Gods Word by some Consequence drawn from some Command wherein God manifests his Will either a Direct Command or by comparing one thing with another or drawing Consequences plainly from the words we must have a Warrant for the Worship of God c. When any Creature is raised in a Religious way above what it hath in it by Nature if I have not Scripture to warrant me I am therein Superstitious We must be all Willing-Worshippers but not Will-Worshippers Matth. 15.9 Isa 29.13 Pag. 10. ' You see how severe God was to Nadab and Abihu for but taking other Fire then that which God appointed to offer up Incense though there there was no direct Commandment against it c. Page 11. ' In the matters of Worship God stands up little things such things as seem to be very small and little to us yet God stands much upon them in the matter of Worship For there is nothing wherein the Prerogative of God doth more appear then in Worship as Princes stand much upon their Prerogatives There are things in the Worship of God that are not written in our hearts that only depend upon the will of God Revealed in his Word which were no Duties except they were Revealed there And these are of such a nature as we can see no Reason for but only this Because God will have them Though men would think it