Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	circumcision_n	covenant_n	seal_n	6,166	5	10.0625	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36343	A door opening into Christian religion, or, A brief account by way of question and answer of some of the principal heads of the great mystery of Christian religion wherein is shewed by the way that the great doctrines here asserted are no wayes repugnant, but sweetly consonant unto the light of nature and principles of sound reason / by a cordiall well-wisher to that unity and peace which are no conspiratours against the truth.	Cordiall well-wisher to that unity and peace which are no conspiratours against the truth.; Cordiall well-wisher to that unity and peace which are no conspiratours against the truth. Of the sacraments.	1662 (1662)	Wing D1909; ESTC R26732	293,130	633

obtain the pardon of all their sins much after the same manner as he hath consecrated his bow in the Cloud Gen. 9.13 to be a token of the Covenant between him and men with every other living creature that the waters shall become a flood no more to destroy all flesh Gen 9.13.15 This or the like to be the undoubted sense of the words mentioned The Baptisme of Repentance for c. may with evidence enough be evinced from the Apostle Pauls doctrine concerning Circumcisien which was the Sacramental predecessor unto Baptisme and instituted by God himself upon the same or like account with it and to perform the same or like service in and to the Church And he Abraham received the sign of Circumcision a Seal that is for or as a seal of the righteousness of the Faith which he had yet being uncircumcised Rom. 4.11 First the righteousness of Faith that is which God hath promised unto Faith or those that believe whereof Circumcision was in the institution of it intended by God for a seal was and is the very self-same thing with remission of sins or which is the same with these the non-imputation of sin as the Apostle towards the beginning of this Chapter had expresly proved from the Prophet David Now the signe of Circumcision is said to have been received by Abraham as or for a seal of the righteousness of Faith that is of a true and unfeigned Faith Faith of the same kinde with that which was found in himself whilst he was yet uncircumcised and by which he was justified or made righteous before God because it was intended by God in the institution of it for a confirmatory or securing pledge that whosoever truly believed in him as Abraham did should be justified hereby or made righteous or which is the same as was lately said should obtain remission of sins Therefore Baptisme succeeding Circumcision in place and office in the Church of God cannot reasonably but be looked upon as intended by him for a Seal likewise of the same great benefit or blessing for greater there is none to be conferred on men by him upon the same or the like terms For the Covenant of Grace was alwayes for substance one and the same though differently managed under the Law and under the Gospel according to the various or manifold wisdom of God and the difference between Faith and Repentance whatever it be maketh no difference in the terms of this Covenant to be performed by men as well the one as the other having the same promises and being equally required of them under both the said dispensations of the Covenant Secondly There is no whit more reason if so much to conceive that Baptisme should procure or contribute any thing towards the procurement of remission of sins then that Circumcision should in the dayes thereof have procured or wrought somewhat towards the procurement of the righteousness of Faith which is the same as was lately shewed with remission of sins But the Apostles Doctrine in the context before us is clearly this that Abraham was invested with the righteousness of Faith before he was circumcised and consequently that circumcision did not procure it or act any thing towards the procurement of it but was only a Seal or confirmation of it being already obtained Therefore neither is Baptisme any procuring cause or means of remission of sins but only an insuring pledge from God that by and upon Repentance it hath been namely in case men have repented before Baptisme or else shall be obtained by or upon their repenting afterwards in case they shall repent Notwithstanding even from hence it appeareth that in some cases Baptisme possibly may in a kinde of remote sense contribute towards the obtaining of Remission of sins as namely in such a sense in which Miracles in the Primitive times did sometimes operate and contribute towards the obtaining of the same blessing This they did by awakening and prevailing with some to believe the Gospel preached unto them by those who wrought them by means of and upon which believing they had the blessing of remission of sin conferred upon them by God So Baptisme being preached unto men who have not yet repented as a pledge or signe from God to assure them that upon their repentance the great blessing of forgiveness of sins shall come upon them they may hereby be admonished and perswaded to repent and so upon their repentance come to have part and fellowship in the inestimable priviledge of remission of sins Quest 41. But if remission of sins can no otherwise or in no nearer-hand sense then that you have now declared be ascribed unto Baptisme how shall we understand those Scriptures which seem to promise this great priviledge unto it in a more plain and direct way As Then Peter said unto them Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins c. Acts 2.38 Here the promise of remission of sins is made to Baptisme as well as to Repentance and so of Salvation as well as unto Faith or Believing Mark 16.16 Again And now why tarriest thou Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling c. Acts 22.16 In this Text Baptisme alone seems to be entituled to remission of sins Answ 1. Although Baptisme be joyned with Repentance in the same exhortation unto the obedience whereof remission of sins is in effect promised yet it doth not follow from hence that the obtaining of the blessing here promised dependeth either in whole or in part upon Baptisme but may depend upon Repentance only unless we shall conceive which is not improbable that in the promise of remission of sins the Apostle intended to include the sensible and present fruition and enjoyment of it Taking the promise in this comprehensive sense Baptisme may well have a part in the obtaining of it it having been instituted by God as it were on purpose to give men the fullest assurance of remission of sins upon their Repentance as was lately argued But otherwise it is a true and useful rule which Peter Martyr giveth us where he saith Neque semper conjunctio utranque partem necessariò ponit P. Mart. loc com class 4. c. 8. sect 18 that a conjunction copulative doth not necessarily or alwayes entitle both the particulars which it conjoyneth unto the procurement or attainment of that which is promised or ascribed unto them According to this rule he interpreteth the saying of Christ John 3.5 Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God with which he paralleleth this Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in tbine heart thou shalt be saved That Mark 16.16 pointed at in the question is of like character with these Thus when Christ saith John 6.40 This is the will of him which hath sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth