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	sacrament_n	seal_n	5,151	5	9.5245	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03272	The baptizing of the eunuch in three sermons vpon Act. 8. 36. 37. 38. By Samuel Hieron.	Hieron, Samuel, 1576?-1617.	1613 (1613)	STC 13391; ESTC S119040	44,470	65

Certainely this is an argument of scanmes of grace amongst men There cannot but be a stomacke to the Sacrament where there is felt sweetnesse in the word And it is well knowne that in those prime daies when zeale was feruent the belieuers mette not together to heare but withall they did communicate and this vse continued many yeeres It was Popery that first brought in the seldomnes of this seruice and at last drew it to once a yeere making the people belieue that in respect of the difficultie to be well prepared it was better for them to communicate in heart with the Priest then to do it in act These dregs yet remaine among men and it is an vniustifiable error that they committe to passe ouer the Sacrament of the supper to some old people or women with child who must take it as was said in the daies of superstition for their viands Pro viatico being neerer in opinion and possibility to their last passage and themselues either to turne their backes or to sit by proclayming to the world their want of appetite to such an heauenly banquet I say the same reason is in both the Sacraments in regard of desiring comfort And therefore the doctrine is good hence that where grace is there is a desire of the Sacraments and a willingnesse to vse them according to the order of him that ordained them and where there is little respect to the seales surely there the couenant it selfe is not much esteemed A third doctrine out of this motion is The 3 doct That in whom there is any truth of Christianity in him there is also a desire to discover and to make it knowen to the world that he is a Christian I gather this out of the Eunuch his request to bee baptized which Sacrament his desire was to be partaker of not onely for the establishing of his heart and the confirming of his faith but withall that hee might haue vpon him the badge and cognizance of his new profession and might shew himselfe not to be ashamed of the name and title of a Christian And indeed it was an evidence of great resolution in this conuert that whereas it would not but breed him some question and trouble at his returne into his owne country to be fallen from the religion wherein he was borne and brought vp to be become one of that new Sect which was euery where spoken against f Act. 28 22. yet he fearing no hazard of his honour no losse of his office and dignity no incurring the hatred and censure of his country-men would needs be baptized and as it were enrouled and booked among Christians This is the nature of true conuersion albeit it may stirre but weakely at the first and seeme almost not to dare to shew it selfe as wee see in the case of Nicodemus and some other in our Sauiours time whom the opposition of the world made somewhat slow in the discovery of themselves yet when it is come to a fuller grouth so that a man is more then in the way to conversion and is indeed renued in the inner man then there will be a desire to make it knowen that he marcheth vnder the colours of the Lord Iesus and hath renounced all other wayes of saluation to rest onely vpon him So euen the same Nicodemus albeit in the beginning when he was but a beginner hee came to Iesus by night g Ioh 3.2 And after spake on his side at a Conuocation of the Pharisies but covertly and a farre-oft so that it could scarcely be smelt which way he did encline h Ioh. 7.50 Yet in time he grew to more opennesse as in joyning with Ioseph in the honourable interring of our Sauiour i Ioh. 19 39. And so much it seemeth to haue beene the purpose of the Holy Ghost to insinuate in the manner of reporting it Then came Nicodemus also which first came to Iesus by night c. As if he had sayd howsoeuer he was something timorous at the first yet now the fire was kindled and the light thereof brake forth more apparantly The same may besayd of Ioseph of Arimathea himselfe there is no speech of him at all during our Sauiours life and the text saith too he was a secert disciple k ver 38. but then saith S. Marke he went in boldly vnto Pilate c l Mark 15.43 So yet although there bee much weakenesse and faintnesse at the first tasting of religion whiles a man is but yet as it were in the throwes of his new birth yet when the worke is accomplisht and one is become a Christian indeed there is a willingnesse to make it to appeare and a kinde of neglect of all other things in respect of this one that a man may be knowen to haue given his name vnto Christ Not that the children of God doe seeke applause but that it may be seene they are not ashamed and doe therefore shew themselues in their kinde yea though some outward inconuenience do befal them It is said of Paul that assoon as he had receiued direction from Ananias he straight way preached Christ in the sinagogues c m Act. 9 20. As who would say he did euen long vntill he had giuen some euidence to the World what he was and what change God had wrought in his heart Thus in the first times of the Apostles preachings notwithstanding the sharpe persecutions raised vp aginst the Truth yet the beleeuers trouped togethet and drew themselues into societies and ioyned themselues to the assemblies and had fellowshippe with those which were in Christ before them in those things by which it could not but be descryed what they were The text speaking of the conuersion of these three thousand saith they were added to the Church n Act. 2.41 which argueth that they not onely in heart embraced the Truth but withall disposed of themselues so that it was manifest to all to what number they belonged And the number of them that beleeued saith Luke grew more and more o Act. 5.14 which sheweth a visible adhering to the fellowship of professors The like is intended in that speaking Barnabas was a good man c. and much people ioyned themselues vnto the Lord p Act. 11.24 so it is sayd of the conuerts at Ephesus they came and confessed and shewed their workes q Act. 19.18 when Christ commended mutuall loue vnto his disciples By this said he shall all men know you are disciples r Ioh. 13.35 as if he had said If you be such as you should be you wilde fire to manifost your selues to be my disciples you wil be willing to haue it knowen what you are Now then behold a marke whereby the world shall discerne you What should I say more in this It is certaine he that rightly apprehends the good to be gotten by Christ and is sensible of some interest in it for his owne particular will