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	promise_n	seal_v	2,532	5	9.8875	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41945	The great sin and chief guiltines of Scotland in the contempt of the Gospel as it was branched out in particulars by the Commission of the Generall Assembly in the year 1650 ; now re-printed at the desire of the Synod of Lothian, for the fast appointed by them in the year 1654.	Church of Scotland. General Assembly. Commission.	1654 (1654)	Wing G1753; ESTC R8653	7,365	16

THE GREAT SIN AND CHIEF GUILTINES OF SCOTLAND In the contempt of the GOSPEL As it was branched out in particulars by the Commission of the Generall Assembly in the Year 1650. Now Re-printed at the desire of the Synod of Lothian for the Fast appointed by them in the Year 1654. Printed Anno Dom. 1654. At Edinburgh the seventh Day of May 1654. THe Synod of Lothian and Tweddail considering the continuing evidences and effects of Gods wrath and his Hand still stretched out against the Land Do find it their duty to stirre up themselves and these under their charge to accept the punishment of our iniquities and to turn to him that smites us And therefore do seriously recommend to the severall Presbyteries within their bounds that from time to time as they shall have occasion they appoint and keep Solemn Fasts for stirring up the people to be humbled in the sense of their iniquities and to repent for the same And specially for the contempt of the Glorious Gospel of the Son of GOD and not imploying of Him in His Mediation and Offices for reconciliation and amendment Which as it is the chief cause of the LORDS controversie against us so unlesse this be reformed we cannot expect that our other iniquities shall be amended or that the LORD will turn from the fiercenesse of his anger against us And albeit this hath been recommended in many former Causes of Humiliation and particularly insisted on in a Printed Paper of the Commission 1650. Yet their is cause to fear that the people do either little understand or lay to heart the hainousnesse of this sin And therefore the Synod seriously recommends that Ministers be the more carefull in their Doctrine to lay it out before them Extracted SINS Relating to the GOSPEL-ORDINANCES FIrst To the Word Neglecting to come and attend on the Preaching of the Word both on the LORDS Day and on week dayes in these places where such exercises are on these dayes 2. Not coming to the Preaching of the Word for the right end viz. to find communion with Christ and a taste of his goodnesse and excellency and to be built up in the most holy faith but either out of custome or to eschew censures or to satisfie and hold off the challenges of a naturall conscience or some by-respect And not preparing the heart before hand in secret to come with Godly fear and reverence humility spirituall hungring and thirsting after the Kingdom of God and the righteousnesse thereof and desiring as new born babes the sincere milk of the Word to grow thereby 3. That when the people are at the Preaching of the Word besides great carelesnesse overlinesse sleeping wandring of the heart and in advertency to what is Preached the Word is not heard as an Ordinance and mean appointed of God to work upon and carry in grace and comfort unto the heart but is only regarded as other discourses proceeding from mens ability and parts and is accordingly esteemed by the most part or at most is only made use of as a mean of informing the judgement 4. That in the Preaching of the Word neither do Ministers speak the same as the Oracles of God not remembring themselves to be the ambassadours of Christ speaking in Gods stead nor do the people present themselves in so immediat a way before God himself as to receive the Word not as the word of man but as the true Word of God Whence it cometh to passe that there is litle trembling at the Word and so litle rejoicing in it 5. That people in the hearing of the Word content themselves with mans teaching and do not in the conviction of their own blindnesse and utter inability of themselves to perceive the things of the Spirit and of the insufficiency of the outward means without Gods immediat work therewith upon the heart imploy himself to teach them inwardly by his Spirit joining with the outward means according to the promise of the Covenant They shall be all taught of God Whence it cometh to passe that there is so much Preaching and so little profiting so much learning and so little speed coming in the knowledge of God 6. The not mixing of the Word Preached with faith while as in the hearing thereof even these who seem to give most heed thereunto do for the most part rather imploy the judgement to consider and judge of the pertinency coherence the way of uttering of the Doctrine delivered or in a meer speculative way to apprehend the matter and truth of what is spoken than they do labour with the heart to close with imbrace and apply to themselves the truth Preached 7. No care to lay up and hide the Words of Christ in the heart to remember the same for use making But letting them slip and run thorow which the Apostle accounteth a neglecting of the great Salvation of God Heb. 2.1.3 Nor imploying the Spirit to bring the Word that hath been heard but forgotten to remembrance Not making conscience to confer on the Word Preached and to whet it one upon another Not taking pains nor delighting in it in privat to read and meditate on it 2. IN relation to the Sacraments And first in generall and common Not making use of them as Seals of the Covenant of Grace and promises thereof made to us in Christ but laying all the weight of confidence upon themselves and being content with the deed done which was the ordinary sin of the Jews in the use of Circumcision and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Law so often charged upon them in Scripture Then particularly In Baptism I. In Parents bringing their Children thereunto either out of meer fashion and custom as meerly to have a difference put between them and unchristned people or in effect as unto a meer Ceremony and not from any sense that they are unclean from unclean born dead in sins and children of wrath of themselves defiled with Originall guilt and corruption nor from a desire that they may be spiritually regenerated incorporated unto Christ to be made partakers of the vertue of His Death and Resurrection to be washed from their filthinesse in the blood of Christ and to get interest in the Covenant of Grace and promises thereof sealed up unto them 2. Not setting themselves in the Administration of this Sacrament to consider and prize the free love and grace of God which hath prevented us and our seed in providing such a fountain for sin and uncleannesse in Christ making such a Covenant with us so well ordered in all things and sure preventing us and our seed with the Seal thereof nor to apply the Covenant and the promises thereof for our selves and our seed and this Sacrament as the Seal of the same 3. The great and evident slighting of the Administration of the Sacrament while as few in the Congregation joineth therein either for their own edification or to hold up the baptized to God that he might blesse his own Ordinance

to them and receive them in amongst his Children in Christ And many withdraw themselves from the Administration thereof as if it did not concern them and only the Minister and Presenter were to be actors in it 4. Parents not making conscience to make known unto their Children when they come to years of Capacity their Baptism the ends and use thereof and the obligation thereby lyeth upon them as consecrated to Christ 5. The not making use of this Sacrament all along the course of our life for renewing and strengthning our comfort in the faith and assurance of our Regeneration and Adoption and of our interest in God as our God and Father in Christ and for strengthening through Christ our resolutions and endeavours of Mortification and newnesse of life Which is a great despising of this Ordinance In the Lords Supper 1. The great prophanation thereof by the coming and admitting thereunto of many grosse ignorants who cannot discern the Lords Body nor knoweth how to examine themselves many prophane Ones godlesse Livers without the Worship of God in private and into many places all sorts of persons promiscuously without making a difference between the precious and the vile whereby the Blood of Christ is much prophaned altho the constitutions of our Kirk were they well observed doth sufficiently guard against these evils which no doubt is one of the main sins for which God hath been provoked to suffer so much of our blood to be shed See 1 Cor. 11.30 2. The little or no care or pains that is taken for preparation to so high and holy an Ordinance wherein we are called to the nearest and most familiar Communion with Christ that is here upon earth most part contenting themselves giving their presence at a Preparation Sermon many not making conscience of so much as this Very few separating themselves as is needfull to Examine themselves that being sensible of their guiltinesse spirituall inlacks c. they might come with humble broken and contrite spirits with spirituall hunger and thirst for Christ Crucified And sincere purposes of heart to forsake their former sinfull courses and to renew their Covenant with God in the strength of Christs Grace 3. The great and lamentable blockishnesse of the most part in the participation of this Ordinance who may be have some kind of amazement at the Solemnities thereof but do no wayes therein exercise themselves in remembring the Lords Death till he come again to apply the same to themselves for peace with God and mortifying the body of sin for working deep Repentance and Gospel-sorrow for sin and getting the Love of Christ more kindled in them and their hearts inlarged with greater thankfulnesse toward him who loved us and gave himself for us And on the other hand the great heartlesse sinfull dejection or many sensible souls who at no time are readier to be plunged in legall heavinesse and feeding as it were on Gall and Worm-wood then at this Ordinance wherein they ought to be most rejoicing through faith on the propitiation in the Death of Christ so familiarly set forth therein to them 4. That the time and occasion of this Sacrament is used by the most part only for some outward restraint of grosser sins for a day or two before and after but all such goodnesse being as a morning Cloud no constancy nor reall Reformation but presently turning to wonted naturall worldly and carnall courses Notwithstanding renewed remembring of the Death of Christ and Profession of renewing Covenants with God 3. IN relation to the Ordinance of Discipline 1. Much partiality in the administration thereof with respect of persons and according to affection which appeareth in that While as Offences and Scandals in meaner persons are taken notice of challenged and censued There is not the like Christian Freedom faithfulnesse and zeal used toward such as are more eminent for wealth place or dignity in the world 2. Want of a Spirit of Meeknesse sometimes in the administration thereof whereby men if GOD peradventure would give them Repentance might be recovered out of the snares of Satan And on the other hand want of zeal often times to save others with fear plucking them out of the fire 3. Much vilifying contemning of the Censures and Exercise of Discipline yea hating thereof and the Officers of the Kirk for it 4. Not making use of it as a spirituall Medicine and Means of Salvation but as a meer Punishment which as it is in it self a mis-apprehension and abuse of this Ordinance so is no doubt the cause of so much impatience and indignation against it in people and of so much inequality and mixture of selfish affection in the administration thereof 5. The great formality that is every where in the use thereof while as so be it that persons under censure continue out their set time and dayes of Censure little care or respect is had of the effects for which it was instituted to wit humiliation of heart and godly sorrow bringing forth Repentance not to be repented of which maketh the administration thereof to look too like the way of Popish Pennance 4. IN relation to Prayer 1. Great neglect thereof by most part of persons and Families throughout the Land in private and secret 2. Many more eminent persons in the world accounting the performance thereof in their Families although this be incumbent to them by their place and station a disparagement and therefore turning it over upon others as a Service below them 3. In the publick Prayers of the Kirk Peoples lying by from joyning therein all along with their Spirits which should be striving together with the Minister either muttering words of their own or taking liberty to themselves to be idle in the Work and roaving in their thoughts as if the Minister only were to be an Actor in that Service 4. Not using this Ordinance as a mean of communion with God and of obtaining blessings from Him But using it meerly as a duty and many as a matter of meer task Whereof many may be convinced by this That they do not make conscience nor set themselves to observe what commeth of their Prayers how they are taken of their hand what speed they have come and what answer they get 5. The little care that is had either by Ministers or others to pray in the Spirit or to imploy the Spirit of Grace and Supplication for this Service The most part in their performances thereof too evidently acting meerly their own memory invention wit c. and that often times with apparent affectation 5. RElating more immediately to Christ Himself and the free grace of God in him which is the Matter and Object of the Gospel As 1. Grosse ignorance in the most part and great short-coming of the best in the knowledge of Jesus Christ His Person Offices His blessings and benefites of the Covenant of Grace established in Him and the way of making use of Christ and the Covenant of Grace 2. Undervaluing and