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
A90063	Irenicum; or, An essay towards a brotherly peace & union, between those of the congregational and presbyterian way; shewing out of the most learned and renowned divines of the congregational way, that their positions concerning 1. Church matters and members. 2. Church constitution and form. 3. Church state. 4. Church officers and ordination. 5. Church government and censures. 6. Church combinations and synods. 7. Communion with and separation from churches. are sufficient for the establishing a firme and lasting peace between them and the Presbyterians ... In pursuance of the good design begun at the Savoy, where it was agreed, and declared, that such reforming churches as consist of persons sound in the faith, and of conversation becoming the Gospel, ought not to refuse the communion of each other ... Drawn up and published by Discipulus de Tempore Junior.	Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669.; D. T.	1659 (1659)	Wing N910; Thomason E978_1; ESTC R202985	58,516	89

faith Mr. Cotton of Infant Baptisme page 57. line 31. 2. God may approve a man to be admitted into the Covenant whose person he approves not Mr. Cotton Infant Bapt. page 66. line 39. 3. For it is one thing for the Word of God to approve men to be in Covenant another thing to approve them in the Covenant God he did never approve Saul nor Jehu in their Kingdome yet he approved both should be admitted to their Kingdome Mr. Cotton of Infant Bapt. page 68. line 19. Object But is it not said John 4. that God seeketh such to worship him as worship him in Spirit and truth therefore none but such may be admitted to the Ordinances of God And is it not said Acts 2.47 the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved or saved men as some translate it therefore none but such as are in the state of grace and salvation should be added to the Church Answ It is said God seeketh such to worship him as worship him in Spirit and in truth but it is not said God findeth such in every Church Mr. Cotton of Infant Baptisme page 103. line 35. Much lesse none but such 2. It is said Acts 2. The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved but it is not said he added none other Were not Ananias and Sapphyra added to the Church and Simon Magus also who yet for ought appears were none of them saved Mr. Cotton of Infant Bapt. page 67. line 35. Object But as none invisibly before God are by him approved at all to have right to any priviledges of grace but only as he looketh upon them in his Sonne No more are there any before man visibly to be approved of so as to have right to the same but as they appear to be in Christ by some effect of faith declaring the same Answ If you mean by grace saving grace it is true none have right to any priviledge of saving grace Mr. Cotton but as God looks at them in his Son either by faith or by election unto faith if you mean by grace the outward dispensation of the covenant of grace and of the seal thereof it is true none have right to any priviledge of the covenant or the seal of it but as they are in Christ either by faith or by election unto faith or by the fellowship with the Church whereof Christ is the head in which respect all the members of the Church and their seed are in Christ as branches in the vine or olive and may be cut off for want of faith to make them fruitful in him Mr. Cotton of infant bapt p. 55. l. 28 c. 2. But when you say none have right to the covenant or the external priviledges thereof but as they appear to be in Christ by some effect of faith declaring the same that you cannot make good from Scripture-light Mr. Cotton of infant bapt p. 56. l. 1 c. Hitherto of Church matter and Church-members Now out of this that hath been spoken I draw these plain positions with some inferences 1. The Church of the old Testament and new do not differ one from another in the qualification of their matter and members See the answer to the first question Therefore the Church of the old Testament consisted of visible Saints as well as the Church of the new 2. Sole want of grace doth not make a man uncapable of Church-membership unless ignorance and scandal do accompany it See the answer to the second and third question Therefore no man may be denyed membership because it doth not appear to the Church in the best judgement of charity and discretion thar he hath true saving grace 3. The members of the visible Church are Saints in respect of outward calling not inward inherent grace See answer to the four th question 4. The holiness from which the members of the visible Church are denominated Saints is not by imputation or regeneration but by separation to God and his worship See answ to quest 5. According to which Saul and Judas and Demas may be denominated Saints See answ to quest 6. Therefore all assemblies of people thus set apart to the worship of God are Churches of Saints and one Church may not say unto another stand apart from me for I am holyer then thou 5. The covenant of grace separates men and women from other people sets them apart to the Lord and his holy worship gives them right to holy priviledges denominates them holy or Saints See the answer to the fifth question Therefore the covenant of grace and not any other constitutes the Church and gives Church membership 6. Neither faith nor consent to the covenant is necessary to the bringing of men outwardly into covenant See the answer to quest 7 8. Therefore an explicite consent is not required to the constituting of a Church 7. The covenant of grace is applied to men not onely because they have faith and are converted but that they may have faith and be converted See answer to question 7. and 9. Therefore by a like reason men are to be admitted members of the Church not onely because they have faith and are converted but that they may have faith and be converted for the Church and the covenant are commensurate 8. Though Christ be a living head yet he counts it no dishonor to him to admit of dead members in his Church which is his mystical body as knowing how to glorifie himself in or by dead members See answer to quest 10. And though Christ be spiritual yet he doth not despise to take into covenant with himself those that are but natural See the answer to the 11. quest Therefore they arrogate to themselves to be wiser and holyer then Christ himself who despise and depart from Church assemblies and communion because of the mixture of those which are not spiritual and have nor the life of grace 9. Christ though he be married to the Church is not presently married to every member of the Church See answer to question 11. 10. Profession of faith in order to admission unto Church-membership is onely required of those that from Judaism and Paganism are converted unto Christ and not from such as being born in the Church are admitted in their infancy for their baptism seals to them their initiation into Church-membership See answer to question 12. Therefore it is an injury done to any that have been baptized in their infancy to deny them admission into the Church unlesse they make a profession of their faith and that before the whole Church 11. It is not the grace of faith but the doctrine of faith the profession whereof is required in Church-members See answer to question 13. Therefore it is irregular to put people upon the relation of the time and manner of their conversion 12. It were an inextricable perplexity to suspend the essence and validity of Churches and Church administrations upon the hidden sincerity of

Cotton of Infant Baptism page 132. line 11 12. Quest 2. Who then may be admitted or accounted members of the Church in the New Testament and who not Answ The ignorant persons that are grosly ignorant of the first principles and foundations of Religion are not to be received members into the Church or if born in the Church yet so continuing in their ignorance to their ripe age are not to be confirmed members That is they are not to be admitted to the seal of the Lords Supper and so are not to be admitted to other rights of a Church-member as election of officers admission of members censure of offenders c. Mr. Cotton Holiness of Church-members pag. 19. line 32. 2. Atheists Witches Papists and all Hereticks who either deny the faith or profess a false faith against the foundation of Christian Religion they are not to be received members into the Church without reformation and repentance Pag. 20. l. 4. 3. Notorious persons scandalous for any gross crime as Idolatry Adultery Fornication Drunkenness Oppression Perjury Profaneness Lying are not to be received into the Church or not continued in it Ibi. pag. 20. line 11. Quest 3. Yea but if a man be not tru●ly converted and regenerate is not that enough to make him uncapable of Church-membership though he b● neither grosly ignorant nor notoriously scandalous Answ Irregeneration alone doth not keep any from Church fellowship Mr. Cotton unless it be accompanied with such fruits as are openly scandalous and do convincingly manifest unregeneration as gross ignorance palpable hypocrisie or such like spiritual wickednesses Mr. Cotton Holiness of Church-members p. 92. line 35. And therefore though it be comfortable and desireable in the admission of members into the Church when the whole Church and all the members thereof are satisfied in the sincerity of the regeneration of such who are to be received especially in the first planting or gathering of Churches yet neither in judgement nor in practice do we suspend their admission till we be convinced in our consciences of the certain and unfallible signes of their regeneration Mr. Cotton holinesse of Church members p. 2. line ult And as for that the Members should at several times in several companies repair to those that are to be admitted to examine the time and manner of their conversion I am afraid it is a presumed kind of liberty which wants precept and example for any thing that ever appeared to me in the Scripture Mr. Hooker Survey of Discipline part 3. page 5. Object 1. But is it not said John 3.3 5. except a man be born again of water and of the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven therefore he cannot be admitted into the Church for that is the kingdom of heaven except he be regenerate Answ By the kingdom of heaven there is meant not the Church of God but the state of glory Mr. Cotton of Infant Baptism pag. 139. line 2. Object 2. But it is spoken of the new Hierusalem Rev. 21.27 which is the Gospel-Church that no unclean thing shall enter thereinto therefore no unregenerate person ought to be admitted into the Church Answ That text is a part of the description of the pure Church of the Jews after their last conversion called the new Hierusalem by the condition of such Proselites as from among the Nations shall enter into fellowship with them they shall not be prophane persons corrupters and defilers of others nor makers of images which are abominations and lyes and that the description agreeth to infants though unregenerate as well as to others Mr. Cotton of Infant bapt p. 133. l. 24. Quest 4. But is there not more required to Church-membership then that a man be neither ignorant nor scandalous Is there not positive holinesse required why else are the members of the Churches in the New Testament so frequently called Saints Answ Saints by external calling as distinct from Saints by internal calling are the true matter of the visible Church Mr. Hookers Survey of discipline part 1. pag. 21. line 28. Quest 5. Who then are Saints by external calling Answ There are three sorts of holiness one by imputation from Christ a second by regeneration from the spirit a third by separation to God and his worship and to participation of the Ordinances through the Covenant many enjoy this last holiness though they do not enjoy the two former Mr. Cotton of infant baptisme p. 125. line 1. And they may be holy by covenant who are not yet holy by the spirit of regeneration Ibid. pag. 67. line 30. and they w ho believe with temporary or historical faith onely may be holy by covenant Ibid. line 28. And the covenant of grace is holy because it gives right to holy priviledges and denominates them holy whether persons families or Nations nations holy by covenant therefore Churches those whom God calls to such covenant with himself Mr. Cotton of infant bapt for it separates them from other people and sets them apart to the Lord and his holy worship as it is Deut. 7.6 7 8. Ibid. pag. 111. line 11. Quest 6. But can any be said to be in or belong unto the covenant of grace but those that are in the state of grace Answ There is a twofold state of grace one adherent which some not unfitly call federal grace sanctifying to the purifying of the flesh Heb 9.13 the other inherent sanctifying the inward man And of this there are two sorts one whereby persons in covenant are sanctifyed by common graces which makes them serviceable and useful in their callings as Judas Demas and such like hypocrites and according to this fence may we not say Saint Saul Saint Demas Saint Judas and that the Church made up of such as these is a Church of Saints The other whereby persons in covenant are sanctified unto union and communion with Christ Mr. Cotton of infant baptisme p. 43. l. 16. Now though all that are in the Church be not sanctified and in the state of grace in this last and strictest fence yet in the two former they may Quest 7. But seeing faith is the condition of the covenant are not all who believe not excluded from the covenant and must they not first come to faith before they can come to the Covenant Answ 1. There is no place proves all are excluded from the outward dispensation of the Covenant but Believers onely Mr. Cotton of infant baptism p. 58. l. 12. If the covenant were onely to them that believe then the faith whereby we believe is not given to any by the covenant Ibid. p. 62. l. 3. If the Church consists onely of real Saints then real sanctifying grace is never given to any in the Churchy but alwayes in the world 2. It is not first faith and then to the covenant but first the covenant and then faith written and wrought in the heart by the spirit to fulfill the covenant Mr. Cotton f infant baptisme page 54.

line 38. Quest 8. But is not mens consent to and acceptance of the covenant necessary to the bringing them into covenant Answ Gods appointment makes a covenant whether the creature assent to the agreement or no. Mr. Cotton of infant baptisme pag. 64. line 35. Quest 9. But yet men must have faith before they can be in covenant must they not Answ The children of the faithful are not first converted and so come under the Covenant but first under the Covenant and so come to be converted Mr. Cotton of Infant Bapt. page 29. line 7. God did establish his Covenant with Isaac Gen. 17.21 yet it doth not appear that Isaac had any faith then much lesse was it visible Idem page 33. line penultima The Apostle expounds the Covenant as given not only to them who are converted and so brought on to believe but to them who yet want faith and conversion Acts 3.25 26. Mr. Cotton of Infant Bapt. page 34. line 16. Quest 10. But is not the admitting of such who have no true faith nor saving grace to be Church-Members and to have right to the Covenant is it not a dishonour to God and Jesus Christ Doth it not make Christ the head of an heterogeneal body and to have members unsutable to himself a living head and dead members surely Christ will admit of no such members Will any man admit of dead branches to be set in his Vineyard Answ 1. It is true the Church which is the mystical body of Christ ought to be sutable to Christ her head and so she is many times but not alwayes every Member yea very seldome every Member if at any time Mr. Cotton of Infant Bapt. page 102. line 36. It is utterly untrue to say that Christ admits not of any dead Plants to be set in his Vineyard or that he takes not to himself a compounded body of living and dead Members or that the Church of God is not a mixed company c. Ibid. line 14. 2. Though no man will admit of dead Plants to be set in his Vineyard or grafted in his stock yet many Plants that are grafted and set may prove dead Men indeed will not admit dead Plants to be grafted or set because they know not what to do with them when they are dead But if dead Plants after they are grafted would grow either to be fruitful or if not fruitful good fire-wood it would be no bad husbandry to set and graft dead Plants And so it is here God thinks it no bad husbandry in him to admit dead Plants to be set and grow in his Vineyard and if they grow fruitful well if not to tolerate them there till they grow up to fulfill their iniquity as he did the Jews Matth. 23.32 because he knows then how to illustrate the glory of his justice in casting them into the fire of hell John 15.6 Matth. 3.10 Idem page 101. line 31. 3. Dead persons if in Covenant are alive to God Luke 20.77 38. And though a twig cannot receive life from the stock unlesse it bring life with it before it be engraffed yet Christ can give life to dead branches that are put to him as well as the dead Corps of Elisha could give life to the dead man cast into his grave 2 Kings 13.21 Idem page 150. line 13 c. Quest 11. But will Christ being spiritual endure a natural wife Answ To say he will not were to charge Christ himself with folly and with indignity offered to himself that he being spiritual should take so many thousand Infants into Covenant with him who for the most part are natural for one that is born of the Spirit there are twenty born of the flesh Mr. Cotton of Infant Bapt. page 160. line 14. Besides though Christ by taking a company to be a Church unto himself doth enter into a Marriage-Covenant with them yet not into Marriage-Covenant with each Member at first Ibid. line 20. Quest 12. May any man be admitted a Member of the Church but upon profession of his faith Answ Profession of faith and repentance is required from Converts of grown years whether Jews or Pagans Mr. Cotton of Infant Bapt. page 154. line 12. But as for those that are born within the Church and have been baptized in their infancy Baptisme is a Sacrament sealing unto them as other spiritual benefits so their initiation into Church-membership Mr. Cotton Holinesse of Church Members page 96. line 27. Quest 13. But seeing some are to be admitted upon profession of faith and you said before that a man may be a Church Member and in Covenant that hath but a temporary or historical faith if you put such a man upon the profession of his faith do you not cause him to dissemble and lye and play the hypocrite Answ True or false profession may be attended either in respect of the doctrine of faith professe● or in respect of the grace of faith professing it if the profession of the doctrine of faith be true though the grace of fa●th in the profe ●or of it be uncertain Or it may be hypocritical and false yet we dare not deny the nature and power of a Church to such As the Church judgeth not of hidden crimes so neither doth the faithful Judge of the Churches by their hidden hypocrisie but by their open scandals in doctrine or life God would have his people live without anxious perplexity as in marriage 1 Cor. 7.32 so in every society It were an inextricable perplexity to suspend the essence and validity of Churches and Church Administrations upon the hidden sincerity of Churches and Church-Officers or Members Mr. Cottons way of the Churches cleared part 2. page 40. line 20. Doctor Ames makes it most probable that there is no particular Church wherein the profession of the true faith doth take place but there are some found that are true believers in the same place Ibid. page 91. line 2. Quest 14. But is it not a dangerous thing to account wicked men and hypocrites Church Members and in Covenant Doth it not harden them in their sinnes and make them promise themselves life in the way they are in and keep them from returning from their evil wayes Answ We do not promise life to any by the Covenant unlesse they be Elect and because though they be Elect yet that is unknown to them and till they repent and believe we tell them they cannot partake in the saving benefits of the Covenant till they be regenerate and quickned by the Spirit as Christ told Nicodemus Mr. Cotton of Infant Bapt. page 33. line 25. Quest 15. But God approves and receives none but believers Heb. 11.6 Without faith k is impossible to please God and how can the Church approve or receive any whom God doth not approve and receive Answ 1. That text Heb. 11.6 shews that no man can be accepted of God without faith but not that God cannot receive any into outward fellowship of the Covenant without

engaging of the people to reformation by Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth had the vertue of a covenant to constitute the Church See Chapter second answer to question the fourth Therefore much more the late solemn league and covenant 6. Peoples ordinary and fixed attending together upon one Ministery and joyning ordinarily together in the duties of publike worship hath the nature and vertue of a Church covenant See chap. 2. answ to quest 4. And therefore they who most urge the necessity of a covenant cannot condemn our Parochial assemblies as no Churches for want of such a covenant 7. The work now to do in England is not to make Churches where none are but to reduce them to their primitive institution See chap. 2. answ to quest 5. Therefore they who have troubled themselves and the Church so much with constituting and gathering new Churches have troubled themselves and others with a work they have nothing to do withall and so have cause to fear that the Lord Christ will say unto them another day Who hath required this at your hands CHAP. III. Of Church State Question 1. WHat think you of the Assemblies and Congregations of England Answ The faithful Congregations in England are true Churches of Christ Mr. Hooker Survey of discipline preface a 3. Mr. Hooker Quest 2. But what is meant by faithful congregations Answ 1. There is the nature of a true visible Church where the word of God is purely preached Mr. Cotton the Sacraments duely administred with discipline also according to the word of God But then the Sacrament must not be administred to undue persons such as are the ignorant and scandalous nor the ignorant and scandalous must not be admitted into the Church if discipline be rightly administred yea though all these do not concur joyntly yet the essence of a true Church may be found though defective for integrity Mr. Cotton Holinesse of church-members pag. 10. line 17. 2. For where there hath been a Church that hath yeelded professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ then in case a settled Ministry be continued there God still continues a true visible Church there Mr. Cotton holiness of Church-members pag. 5. line 12. And the essence of a true visible Church is preserved though there be found in it some hypocrites and some notoriously scandalous both in judgement and practice Mr. Cotton holiness of Church-members p. 19. l. 1. 3. Neither doth the hypocrisie of sundry members of the Church and the toleration of some open scandals presently take away the nature of the Church Mr. Cotton holiness of Church-members pag. 2. line 8. 4. For the members of the Church though orderly constituted may in time grow corrupt which though they ought not to be tolerated in the Church yet their continuance therein through the defect of the execution of discipline and Church-censures doth not immediately dissolve the being of the Church as appears in the Church of Israel and in the Churches of Galatia Corinth Pergamus and Thyatira Platform of discipline from New England chap. 3. sect 3. 5. Yea if all the members of the Church should make but an hypocritical ignorant and verbal profession of Christ and faith in him yet I will not deny but such a society may have the name of a Church and thus far the nature of it that the actions thereof are not null Mr. Cotton holiness of Church-members p. 62. l. 33. Quest 3. But there are many precious promises made to and many glorious things spoke of the Church of Christ and can they be truely applied to such a Church as this Answ Look what promises are made to the invisible Church Mr. Cotton they are for their sakes offered to all the members of the visible whereof the lively are the chief Mr. Cotton of infant baptisme p. 6. l. 9. 2. It is one thing to prophesie of the transcendent glorious happiness of an exact pure Church in some age of it another to command and foretell the perpetual continuance of it in such a degree of purity Mr. Cotton of infant bapt p. 134. l. 20. Quest 4. But were it not better therefore to gather the Saints those that are really gracious and holy into bodies by themselves separate from the rest that are corrupt members Answ This were upon the point to cast them upon supposal that these corrupt members be such as receive her membership in their infancy out of the Church Mr. Cotton and the Lord hath allowed but two causes for the casting off any person out of the Church first obstinacy persisted in after the admonition fo● an offence first private Mat. 18.17 Secondly breaking ou● into some heinous crime against the light of nature 1 Cor. 5.11 Mr. Cotton holiness of Church-members p. 56. l. 21. Quest But if such members as these are be not to be cast out nor withdrawn from what is to be done Answ Such as are born of Christian parents and baptized in their infancy into the fellowship of the Church Mr. Cotton are initiated members of the same Church though destitute of spiritual grace untill they justly deprive themselves of the priviledge of that fellowship for even of such is the Kingdom of God Mark 10.14 Mr. Cotton holiness of Church-members pag. 1. line 16. 2. Such members of the Church as were born in the same and received their membership in their infancy by vertue of the covenant of their parents when growing to years of discretion they desire to be made partakers of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper unto which because holy things are not to be given to the unworthy therefore it is requisite that these as well as others should come to their tryal and examination and manifest their faith and repentance by an open profession thereof before they be received to the Lords Supper or otherwise not to be admitted thereto Platform of discipline from New England chap. 12. sect 7. 3. Yet these Church members that were so born or received in their child-hood before they are capable of being made partakers of full communion have many priviledges which others not Church-members have not they are in covenant with God have the seal thereof upon them to wit baptisme and so if not regenerate are in a more hopeful way of attaining regenerating grace and all the spiritual blessings both of the covenant and seal they are also under Church-watch and so consequently subject to the reprehensions admonitions and censures thereof for their healing and amendment as need shall require Platform of discipline chap. 12. sect 7. Infants though born in the Church yet if when they grow up to years they shall degeenrate into a prophane or scandalous course they shall not be tolerated to abide in the Church yea if they shall not take hold of the covenant of their fathers but content themselves in an ignorant civil worldly course of life they shall not be allowed to enter into the holy communion with the sincere members