Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	covenant_n	old_a	testament_n	1,680	5	9.6229	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51302	An explanation of the grand mystery of godliness, or, A true and faithfull representation of the everlasting Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the onely begotten Son of God and sovereign over men and angels by H. More ...	More, Henry, 1614-1687.	1660 (1660)	Wing M2658; ESTC R17162	688,133	604

contract and covenant in a familiar and kind way one with another And the holy Writers are so far from giving any considerable occasion to title the Gospel by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they frequently set it in opposition thereunto And if at any time they attribute that term to it it is ordinarily not without some softning or mitigating qualification as the Law of Faith not of Works and the Law of liberty Jam. 1.25 So that we see that there is a very sufficient ground why notwithstanding the Jews call'd their Pentateuch and other holy writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law that the primitive Christians should call the Evangelical writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenant it usually also signifying Testament to which the Author to the Hebrews alludes chap. 9.17 which comes exceeding near to the nature of a Covenant where one is constituted Heir upon Condition 9. The very Title therefore of that Authentical Volume of our Religion gives some general knowledge of the nature of it if it had been fitly translated out of the Greek But the Latine Christians as well in the old as in the new Testament ever translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Testamentum etiam ubi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nominatur as Grotius takes notice whenas God yet cannot die and therefore will never have occasion to make his last Will and Testament have given occasion to our English Translatours to follow them in the Title of this Book and to render it Testament rather then Covenant by which notwithstanding is to be understood Covenant Otherwise if you understand a last Will and Testament what sense will the Old Testament bear CHAP. VI. 1. That there were more Old Covenants then one 2. What Old Covenant that was to which this New one is especially counterdistinguished with a brief intimation of the difference of them 3 4. An Objection against the difference delivered with the Answer thereto 5. The Reason why the Second Covenant is not easily broken 6. That the importance of the Mystery of the Second Covenant engages him to make a larger deduction of the whole matter out of S. Paul 1. IN general therefore our Christian Religion is a Covenant the Terms and Conditions whereof are comprehended in those Books which we ordinarily call The New Testament which were better and more significantly rendred The New Covenant The nature whereof we cannot so well understand unless we reflect back upon the Old Covenants mentioned in the Scripture which preceded this and there being more then one take notice which of them especially this New one is set opposite to That there is mention of more Covenants then one is manifest from Ephes. 2.12 And particularly Circumcision in the book of Moses and the Prophets is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament Acts 7.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And God gave unto Abraham the Covenant of Circumcision 2. But questionless that One most eminent most solemn and most formal Covenant which God made with the Children of Israel beginning it at their going out of Aegypt but perfecting it on Mount Sinai in Arabia this is that Old Covenant chiefly glanced at by them that styled our Religion The New Covenant and they had a very good warrant for it out of the Prophet Jeremy ch 31. v. 31 32. Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Aegypt which my Covenant they brake although I was an husband unto them saith the Lord. But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those daies saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Which promise also is recorded in the 54. of Esay And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children So that there is found an Old and a New Covenant set opposite the one against the other by the Prophets own ordering The difference of whose natures consists mainly in this That the Old Covenant is an external Covenant something without a man the other an inwardly-ingrafted principle of Life This is that word which is in our heart as well as in our mouth of which Paul professes himself a preacher and therefore must be the gospel of Iesus Christ. 3. But you 'l say The Evangelists and the Apostles Writings are without too as well as the letter of Moses I but yet for all that it is very manifest and plain that they have not reached the Dispensation of the Gospel that have not attained to an inward principle of life Which being the great distinguishing design of the Gospel we are to look upon it in this design and end and that it has not done its work and is in a manner nothing to us till this be done He that believes in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of water And John 6. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him As the living Father has sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me Which passages plainly enough import the most intimate principles of life that may be the divine nature being turned as it were in succum sanguinem within us being converted into the juice and nourishment of our Souls 4. But our conversation under the Mosaical Covenant and our frame of Spirit there is but an ordinary accustomary temper or habit of doing or not doing such and such things and consequently all that righteousness but a fleshly rational fabrick of minde which Fear and Custome have carved out in the surface as it were of our Souls which characters by the same instruments are so preserved legible But under the Covenant of Christ nor Fear nor Custome but an inward spirit of life works us into everlasting holiness and a permanent Renovation of nature and Regeneration of the hidden man 5. From whence the reason is to be understood of that difference the Prophet Ieremie intimates betwixt the Old Covenant and the New That the old Covenant was broken by his people but the new one should not be broken For the one being an external yoke and the other the inward pleasure of life and radicate desire of the Soul it is no wonder that what is forced lasts not long but that upon the first opportunity and provoking occasion like unmanaged horses we cast off the burden that so pinches us and galls us in lying so heavy upon us and being no part of us But the perfect Law of liberty becoming as it were our own life and nature our greatest burden would

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. In what Law and Covenant agree 4. In what Law and Testament 5. I● what Covenant and Testament agree 6. That the Church might have called the Doctrine of Christ either the New Law or the New Covenant 7. Why they have styled it rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Reason 8. Other Reasons thereof 9. The occasion of translating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The New Testament 1. THE Third Derivative property of this Mystery is a power of winning assent which arises from the convincing clearness of the Truth of the Gospel This Assent which is general to all convincing Truths of what nature soever appropriated thus to this Divine Mystery is called Faith And this Faith in persons unconcerned suppose Angels or Devils whom the Gospel may not be meant for and yet believe the truth of it at least the good Angels or else in such persons as may be concern'd in the Gospel and yet will not close therewith though they believe it if there be any such that can doe so is vulgarly called an Historical Faith As if a man should throughly understand how such a one has purchased a Lordship upon such and such terms this is an Historical Knowledge in him and he can tell the whole transaction of the business and does believe it but in the mean time has no share there he professing himself either unable or unwilling to meddle upon these terms Such is Historical Faith which alone stands us in no stead to Salvation and gives no share or portion in the Kingdome of Heaven 2. But if out of this Belief and Knowledge we seriously close with the terms of the Gospel this will prove a Saving Faith and is not mere Historical knowledge and belief but Covenant The Conditions and Promises whereof are clearly comprehended in the New Testament as we ord●narily call it from the Latine translation But the Greek Inscription is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which might be better rendred the New Covenant but is capable also of being interpreted the New Law For of so large an extent is the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it denoting both Law Covenant and Testament as Hugo Grotius has observed out of Plato Aristophanes and Isocrates 3. And well may these three kinds of Rights pass under one common notion and name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we consider what agreement and affinity they have one with another For first Law and Covenant agree in Sanction especially publick Leagues and Covenants which of old were made by the mactation of some beast from whence Sanction is à Sanguine from the bloud of the Sacrifice For which cause also the Hebrew Doctours willingly deduce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 succidere as the Latins foedus à feriendo Whence the phrase of striking a covenant is so obvious both in Hebrew Greek and Latine Authors And that there is Sanction in Laws as well as in publick Contracts and Covenants is plain for that the bloud of him that transgresses is to satisfie the Law In legibus Sanctio dicitur ea pars saies Grotius quae Sanguinem delinquentis legi consecrat In laws that part is called Sanction which consecrates the bloud of the Delinquent to the law 4. Again Law and Testament have this common to them both that neither are without covenanting or contracting Nam haeres eo ipso quòd haeres est praestare debet factum defuncti subjectus alterius impeperio eo ipso quòd subjectus est ejusdem legibus parere debet For an heir or executor as such is hereby bound to perform the deed of the deceased and he that is a Subject is as such bound thereby to obey the laws of him whose subject he is as the same Author tells us 5. Lastly Covenant and Testament agree in this that at first it is free to a man whether he will contract or no and so whether he will take administration or no or be such a mans heir But it is not alwaies free whether a man will be such an ones Subject or no whenas Subjection may unavoidably descend on one as born of such parents and in such an ones Jurisdiction 6. Out of this distinct apprehension of these several significations of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may the more easily judge which is the most competible to the nature of the Gospel and observe the wisdome of the Ancients in making this Inscription rather then any other For they might have intitled it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having a double invitation thereto For first the Jews called their Pentateuch as also the rest of their Books of Holy Writ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Christian Doctrine is so termed also both by Paul and Iames Galat. 6. Bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ and Iam. 2. If you fulfill the royal law according as it is written Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self ye doe well They might also have inscribed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose determinate sense had been then The new Covenant But then it would have hid that special sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Author to the Hebrews alludes to chap. 9.17 7. But they have made choice of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first because they seem to have an intimation from Christ himself thus to style the Gospel Matth. 26.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is my bloud of the new Covenant The same also you may read in Mark and Luke So that here being mention of Bloud Sanction properly so called and which is most conspicuous in the nature of a Covenant is herein manifested The Author to the Hebrews does more accurately and fully prosecute this Matter chap. 7 8 and 9. where ver 19. he plainly parallels the bloud of Christ to the bloud of the Covenant made by God with the Jews For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the Law he took the bloud of Calves and Goates and scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled both the book and all the people saying This is the bloud of the Covenant which God hath enjoined unto you To which bloud of the Jewish Covenant all along to the end of the chapter he compares the Sacrifice of Christ and the shedding his most precious bloud when he did Foedus ferire make a Covenant of peace with God for remission of sins to all Mankind 8. The other reason why they have styled it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenant rather then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is because this Inscription more plainly insinuates unto us the sweet condescension of God Almighty and his singular goodness in the Gospel who in sending of Christ hath not dealt with us summo jure nor imperiously and minaciously as severe Law-givers use to doe but mildely and kindly as those that