Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
book_n new_a scripture_n testament_n 8,305 5 8.0705 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A61117 Scripture mistaken the ground of Protestants and common plea of all new reformers against the ancient Catholicke religion of England : many texts quite mistaken by Nouelists are lay'd open and redressed in this treatis[e] by Iohn Spenser. Spencer, John, 1601-1671. 1655 (1655) Wing S4958; ESTC R30149 176,766 400

There are 2 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

which followes after that he tooke bread or doe this in remembrance of me so they will forget c. Answer How farre this is from truth cleerely appeares by what our approued authours write in this point who most exactely exanime all precedents and consequences belonging to these words which also I haue hetherto indeauored to doe in this treatis Obiection So they will forget that this cup which our Sauiour said was his blood was after consecration called by him the new Testament for that it was a holy signe of the new Testament Answer The obiecter would make vs to be of a very short memory should we forget these words which vsually we pronounce euery day in saying Masse we therefore remember very well that our Sauiour sayd according to S. Luke and S. Paul This cup is the new Testament in my blood but we remember not that either S. Luke or S. Paul or any other writer of holy Scripture euer alleadged this reason here mentioned in the obiection that this sacred cup was called by our Sauiour the new Testament in his blood for that it was a holy signe of the new Testament and I would gladly haue any Protestant helpe the weakenesse of our memory by producing any clere text of Scripture where this reason is giuen and if there be noe such to be found as vndoubtedly there is not then they must giue vs leaue to esteeme this explication according to their own principles groundlesse and noe way belonging to Christian faith but a mere glosse framed from their naturall discours or rather a pure mistake grown from their ignoranee of the true meaning of the word new Testament here according to the Scriptures acception of that word which that it may appeare We must not by new Testament here vnderstand as many ignorant readers of Scriptures may and doe happily misconceaue the bookes of the Gospel commonly called the new Testament for none of those were then written neither is there any one of vnderstanding who will thinke that the cup which our Sauiour had in his hand was a signe of the bookes of the new Testament much lesse that by new Testament in our Sauiours blood should be vnderstood a signe of the said bookes Secondly we must conceaue that the very same thing may be a signe in respect of one thing and an essentiall and substantiall part in regard of another thus words and sentences are signes of the inward thoughts and affections of the speaker but part of his outward discours and in this manner the words new Testament were a signe of our Sauiours internall will and intention but withall were a necessary part of the compleat Testament of the new law then inacted by our Sauiour and so beare the name of the whol Testament as we shall presently see I answer therefore to the obiection and deny that by new Testament is vnderstood a signe of the new Testament but truly really though partially the new Testament it selfe solemnised by our Sauiour in his last supper not long before his death and that in his own most precious blood there properly receaued and diuided amongst his Apostles whereby he certified and obliged himselfe to be the authour head protectour defendour of his law and all those who should truly professe it by giuing what he held in his hands to the Apostles and they testified and obliged themselues and all Christians representatiuely to teach professe and continue in that law by receauing and diuiding of it amongst them Now to make cleare what I haue sayd wee must also know in generall what a Testament is In latin it is called testamentum of wose etymologie Iustinianus Instit. de testamentis ordinandis sayes Testamentum ex eo appellatur quòd testatio mentis sit it is called a testament because it is the testification of our mynde or will so that a true testament includes two thinges a reall minde and intention to doe what we testify and an outward testification of what we intend or oblige our selues to doe so that neyther this outward testimony without the inward will nor the inward will without the outward testifying of it can be compleatly termed a testament not the inward will alone because that cannot be vnderstood amongst men vnlesse it be externally testifyed not the outward testimony alone because it must haue something reall which it testifyes but the outward testification as corresponding to the inward will and exhibiting it to others is a testament now all kindes of externall significations of our wills ot intentions are not sufficient but such as signify by way of a compleate confirmation that the will of him who makes this testament is such as it is signifyed there to be and hence it is that so many witnesses subscriptions seales and other solemnityes are not mere signes buts parts of the testament as the pronuntiation of the wordes in a sermon though it be a signe of the minde of a preacher yet it is essentially required as a part of the sermon Now this outward part of the testament or last compliment or confirmation of it was accustomed to be exhibited in bloud as witnesses Liuie speaking of a solemne league or testament made betwixt the Romans and the Albans and no lesse Moyses in Exodus speaking of the testament or pact made betwixt Allmighty God and the Israëlites vnto which our Sauiour may we haue alluded in the institution of the chalice vsing according to the first two Euangelists the very same phrase or maner of speech This is the bioud of the testament which our Lord hath made with you c. This is my bloud of the new Testawent c. the word testament is in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berith and in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diatheke and though the Hebrew word signify a pact league or solemne promise mutually obligatory betwixt two parties and the Greeke word a testament or last will of a person before his death and confirmed by it as S. Paul sayes Hebr. 9. yet because that last will is the most solemne and strong of all other pacts or leagues the Greeke word diatheke often signifyes a pact or promise mutuall in Scripture And the Septuaginta translate the Hebrew Berith by the Greeke diatheke as S. Hierome notes Zachar 9.11 and Psal. 82.1 Mach. 1. and often the English Protestant translations for berith put testament thus they call the arke of Moyses the arke of the testament Berith in Hebrew Seeing therefore in the 24. of Exodus the bloud is there sprinkled first vppon the aultar which supplyed the place of God and then amongst all the people wherby as Interpretours and ancient authours obserue was signifyed that the bloud of that party who first broke this pact or testament should be shed and dispersed as that was and that our Sauiour in S. Matthew and S. Marke commāded his bloud to be deuided amongst his disciples drinke yee all of this ir is so farre from
twelue seates iudging the twelue tribes of Israell And S. Paul Know you not that the Saints shal iudge the world if the world shall be iudged by you are you vnworthie to iudge of small matters Know you not that vvee shall iudge the Angells how much more things of this life And S. Iohn brings in the 24. Elders saying thou hast made vs a kindome and Priestes and vve shall reigne vppon the earth whence most clearly appeares that the Saints in heauen haue those two highest dignities which are in esteeme amongst men of Iudges and Kings of the whole world which notwithstanding is aboue the power of all mortall men to confer vppon them and only in the power of God and therefore these iudiciary and Royall powers must be of a higher ranck and order then are any dignities meerely ciuill humane and naturall And the like dignities are ascribed in holy writ to the Angells for our Sauiour calls them holy Angells and soe they must haue true holinesse wihch is a gift of God aboue the force of nature They were the Promulgers of the ould lavv the Embassadours of God in matters of highest concernment the inflicters of Gods punischments Gen. 19.1 Reu. 15. trough out The captaines generalls of the armies of God Iosua 5.14 The Gouerners controulers of kingdomes Dan. 10.12.13.14 The. deuiders of the Reprobate from the elect in the day of Iudgment Mat. 13.49 And the Sendres of the wicked in to hell fier ibidem with many such like dignities and preheminences all great and high in them selues and aboue the reach both of all humane and Angelicall nature bestowed freely vppon them through the liberality of God And as this supernaturall excellency is found in Saints and Angells soe is it ascribed all soe to other things in Scripture to which God hath freely communicated certaine blessings and priuileges Thus we read in Iosua Loose the shoes from thy feete for the place where thou standest is holy And in Exodus Loose thy shoes from thy feete sor the place where thou standest is holy ground Thus the bread of the temple is called holy bread and sanctifyed bread The Temple is called holy yea soe holy that our sauiour saith that the temple Sanctisieth the gold which is in it and the Alter sanctifieth the gift which is offered vppon it Thus the most inward place of the temple had noe other name then Sanctam Sanctorum the holy of holies that is the most holy place of the whole world The holinesse of these and the like things where in soeuer it consisted issued not from any ciuill or humane power but was drawne from the power and authority of God as authour of the true Sauing religion of those times Thus I haue made it cleare out of Scripture that there is a worth a dignity a power an excellency which is meerely created and infinitely inferiour to the attributes and perfections of God and yet far excelling all ciuill and humane worth and aboue the reatch sphere and force of all ciuill power and authority The most cleare rule to the capacity of the vulgar to distinguish ciuill worths and excellencies from Spirituall and supernaturall is that those which are common to the true religion with all other kinds and professions of men are only ciuill and naturall such as are wit vnderstanding knowledge learning eloquence nobility valour Gouernment Magistracy c. But those which are proper to the true religion are Spirituall and Supernaturall as are the dignity of a Saint in heauen of an Angell a holy man yet liuing a Prophet an Appostle a Bishop a Priest a Godfather a God mother c. And because these and the likc excellencies are proper to religion they may in a large sence be termed religious excellencies or dignities· That this may be better vnderstood the Reader may take notice that the word Religion may eyther be taken in a strict sense for the vertue of Religion as it is distinguished from othet infused and supernaturall vertues whereby true worship and honour is giuen to God or in a more large and generall sence for the whole profession of those who esteeme them selues to haue the true sauing way of seruing God and attaining Saluation And this is the more obuious and vulgar vnderstanding of this word Religion thus we commonly say the Catholicque Religion c. that is theyr whole beleefe and profession In the first strict and and rigid sense Religion is taken amongst the Schoole doctours when they dispute of the nature of infused vertues and in the like sense it is often taken in the bookes of Moyses Exod. 12.26.43 Exod. 29.9 Leuit. 26.31 n. 19.2 where it is restrayned eyther to sacrifice or or some other worshrp of God In the Second more large acception it is found both in the old and new testament Hester 8.17 Soe that many of an other nation and sect ioyned them selues to theyr Religion and ceremonies Hester 9.27 Vppon all those who would vnite them selues to theyr Religion Acts 26.3 Saint Paul saith that before his conuersion Hee liued a Pharesie according to the most certaine sect of his Religion Iames e. 2. If any one seeme to be religious and bridleth not his tongue this mans religion is vaine In which texts it is manifest that Religion is taken for the whole beleefe and Profession both of Iewes and Christians Hence it followes that as the word Religion soe the word Religious deriued from it may be taken in the two fore said differēte senses yet I find it vsually in Scripture in the secōd larger acception where a Religious Persone signifies nothing but a person truly deuout vertuous and fairhfull Thus Acts 2.5 But there vvere dvvelling in Ierusalem Ievves Religious men of all nations vvhieh are vnder heauen And Acts 10.2 where it is said of Cornelius that he vvas Religious and fearing God vvith his vvhole houshould giuing many almes to the common people and all vvayes praying God And Acts 13.50 The Iewes stirred vp certaine Religious and honest woemen and the chiefe of the citty c. And Iames the 1.26 If any man seeme to himselfe to be Religious not bridling his tongue this mans Religion is vaine where Religious is taken for pious vertuous c. For ells the ill gouernment of the tongue would not hinder a true exercise of the vertue of religion strictly vnderstood as it differs from other theologicall and morall vertues as it hinders not the true exercise of faith and hope as they are particular vertues This large acception therefore of these words Religion and Religious being soe clearely deliuered in Scripture It will be sufficient for defence of the Catholique Romaine faith in this point to affirme that when our Doctours say that any thing created may be or is worshipped with Religious worship that it is Religious in this large acception found soe familiarly in Scripture that is vertuous pious christian a worship belonging to our Religion proper to