Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	covenant_n	faith_n	seal_n	4,746	5	9.5373	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88089	Vindiciæ Christi, et obex errori Arminiano: = a plea for Christ, and obstrvction to the first passage, whereat the errors of Arminus steal into the hearts of men: shewing Christs satisfaction in his humiliation, to be the sole price of our redemption; and evidencing faith in that satisfaction, no instrumental cause of our justification in the fight of God, nor condition given us for life. Delivered in three sermons: by Richard Lewthwat Master of Arts, in Caius Colledge in Cambridge, at his Parish of Wigston in Norfolk.	Lewthwat, Richard.	1655 (1655)	Wing L1855; Thomason E480_6; ESTC R205317	30,584	39

life in the New Testament why then the old killing letter of the Law which granted life upon Do this and but upon that condition is to be termed Gospel that is good tydings rather then the New Testament Then indeed the Law is a Solomon heavy to Israel I but the Gospel is a Rehoboam far heavier For as Mr. Bridges in his Sermon upon the Canaanitish woman whose memory I shall ever honour and bless God for the unvaluable comfort I received thereby t is harder to believe then to keep all the commands of God t is harder for man barely considered as man for so it must be put I say t is harder for him to believe to rest upon Christ faithfully for salvation then to keep the whole Law This if time would permit were easily evidential but yet however t is granted by all that faith is beyond and out of the reach of any man and that unless the spirit of God shall vouchsafe to work it at his pleasure by an inward operation unbound to do it for any no man is able to gain all the Ministers and means in the world are not able to furnish one soul with it these things premised and received I leave the world to judge how improbable t is that faith should stand as a condition for life the Ministers that make faith a condition for life ex consequenti do make the Gospel no glad tydings but sad tydings they set out our life and escaping death at harder terms then the Law did which was yet impossible for man to observe or if not so yet they put it upon a condition non penes nos that is out of our power O miserable wretched times that mount Sion should be turned to mount Sinai that the blessed signs seals and tokens of our salvation by the Lord Christ should be turned to a Law and Covenant with us impossible to be performed by us save at the pleasure and assistance of Gods spirit blowing and breathing this sweet gale of faith and other graces but where it listeth Upon this subject I might increase into a volume and as the times are it were not unnecessary but I almost forbear give me your ears to a word or two more I confess sometimes I quote and alleadge the opinions of men especially of our modern Divines with whom I have even solely conversed but yet this I do not desiring to work ye to believe the things in hand because they have said it that respect I give onely to the holy Scriptures no I do it to prevent prejudice to the truths in hand I le therefore conclude all with that of Mr. Greenham in his tractate of Blessedness in his works set forth by Mr. Holland siding much methinks with what I have held forth to ye in these last Sermons speaking there of salvation the true blessedness of man he saith that our future salvation t is purposed by the father the son performs it and the holy Ghost ratifies it to us So that see the work of the holy Ghost is confirmation in this life to a soul of his future happiness granted by the father upon the purchase of the Son eternally before the ratification thereof by the holy spirit in time by faith And under favour this I take to be the most is attributed to the work of the spirit in all the Scriptures as concerning our salvation namely ratification confirmation assurance or manifestation of what in respect to our future condition hath been from everlasting gained by the son granted by the father and irrevocably concluded by both in their mutual and eternal covenant for the elect In respect therefore to illumination and faith conveyed to our souls which gives sight and hope of future glory through Christ which was promised to be wrought in the hearts of his disciples and Church by the holy Ghost he is called the Comforter not a Saviour Iohn the 14. ver 26. his work of faith upon the hearts of men is in Ephesians the 1. ver 14. termed the earnest of our inheritance the earnest money ye know gives a man to hope and expect the full pay at the appointed day according to promise or bargain faith is the earnest not the price of our inheritance And in another place we are said hereby to be sealed unto the day of redemption so that the work of faith is to give or work in us the hope expectation and assurance of the already concluded and accomplished salvation for us all which amount up to that description of faith by the Apostle Hebrews the 11. ver 1. Faith is the ground of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Let me add that of Mr. Maxey before the King at White-hall Tuesday the 8. of Ianuary 1604. in the conclusion of his Sermon upon that of the Apostle Rom. the 8. ver 30. Moreover whom he hath predestinated them also he hath called c. he hath these words Thus in predestination we behold God the Father choosing of his love in calling we hear God the Son teaching by his word in justifying we feel the comfort of God the holy Ghost sealing by his spirit By and by after he saith thus to our purpose calling inlightneth the mind with spiritual knowledge justifying goeth further and sealeth up the heart with heavenly comfort Yet more for our purpose presently after and alleadged out of Bernard Every one of us after this life desire and hope to enjoy eternall glory Behold saies he Conceditur in praedestinatione promittitur in vocatione ostenditur in justificatione percipitur in glorificatione In praedestination there is the first grant in calling it is directly promised in justifying it is plainly shewed in glorifying there is livery and seisin the full possession of all Thus ye may see that in Queen Elizabeths dayes and in the immediate succeeding times my opinion and Judgement which was that faith was but a blessed sign seal or pledge of Gods eternal favour purpose or dercee to save us not a cause or means to work God thereto not bent to it before was admitted the presence of the Court it self and the most of the Nation But now this illegitimate this child of Hagar the off-spring of shallow humane reason I mean the Arminian Tenents I say that now they have so long been favoured and countenanced that small parishes will deal by Christs doctrin I mean free grace as the blinded and perverse Jews did by our Saviour himself pelt him and stone him with reproaches at him that shall preach it as they dealt by our Jesus say he is mad or hath a devil at least most fiercely oppose it Now to draw to an end perhaps ye will say I set too too little price or value upon faith obedience or repentance and do account so sleightly of them as that man will hardly long after them As to this I shall need say no more then what hath been often spoken in your hearings as to this purpose I prize faith as Saint Peter did I call it precious faith though it becomes not his salvation yet it brings about invaluable blessings it gives light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death it takes off the heaviest burthen can be laid upon man in this life it cures the wounded spirit that cannot be born it brings peace external the blessings of this life it brings peace internall the peace of conscience by giving him hope and assurance of his peace eternal accomplished for him by Christ faith brings sanctification with it it outs sin and Sathan being in the heart it keeps Sathan from re-entrance Eph. the 6. ver 16. Take the shield of faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of Sathan without faith all our works are inacceptable to God little or no difference betwixt transgression of the Law and conformity to it as to the subject matter Many more are the benefits of faith so pretious tis that I say to God in my wishes dayly as the woman of Samaria to Christ concerning it or the water Lord evermore give me this this though thou strippest me of all things in this life whatever and O Lord give me obedience and due conformity to thy will though it will not save me from eternal destruction it will keep the doctrine of Christ from being evil spoken of from being blasphemed it will stave off the temporal wrath and vengeance of God from me it will keep thee from Gods becoming to thee as an enemy or Lord if I lapse to disobedience then grant me the renewing grace of repentance and conversion for then that shall become my sanctuary and City of refuge that I may be safe from the destroyer from the temporal vengeance of the Almighty FINIS