Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	blood_n	bull_n	purge_v	993	5	9.4603	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47399	[The ax laid to the root, or, One blow more at the foundation of infant baptism and church-membership containing an exposition of that metaphorical text of Holy Scripture, Mat. 3, 10].	Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.	1693 (1693)	Wing K48_pt2; ESTC R20690	57,342	56

to it since they are forced to fly to such an Argument as this to prove Circumcision to be a Gospel Covenant I shall not now enter upon the Debate Whether the Ceremonial Law was a part of the Covenant of Works or not tho' I must say I judge it was an Appendix to it and that it appertained to the First Covenant the Apostle affirms Heb. 9.1 They are to clear up this viz. How the Ceremonial Law is part of the First Covenant and yet no part of the Covenant of Works 2. Yet their Work lies not so much in that neither as it doth in this Respect viz. They are to prove That the Ceremonial Law was part of the Covenant of Grace which as yet none of them that I ever heard of have attempted to do tho' we grant it was a Shadow of it when they have proved that they have in the 3. Third Place another Task viz. To prove that Circumcision was ● part of the Ceremonial Law for tho' it was a Figure or a Sign yet it may be doubted of Whether it was a part of that Law or not Yet 4. It might be a part of or appertain unto the Sinai Covenant for 1 t is called a Covenant that 's evident but Where is the Ceremonial Law ●o called 2. It gave the Children of Israel an Assurance of the Sinai ●ovenant and that the Apostle calls The great and chiefest Adv●ntage ●hey had by it 3. It also was of the same nature and quality and had ●e like Promises annexed to it upon their Obedience and the same ●hreatning upon their Disobedience 4. It obliged those who were Cir●umcised to keep the said Law Gal. 5.3 It was I have proved of the ●●me Nature and Quality i. e. a Conditional Covenant and like Promise ●f Earthly Blessings and like Threatnings annexed to it Secondly Was not the Ceremonial Law a Part of that Law St. Paul ●alls The Hand-Writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary 〈◊〉 us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross Col. 2.14 If Cir●●mcision was part of this Law sure it did not appertain to the Gospel or ●ew Covenant much less the Seal of it for then it could not be against us but for us not contrary to us but agreeable to us as a Choice Blessing 2. And if the Covenant of Circumcision was a Part of the Ceremonial Law 't is evident that Covenant is abolished and if the Covenant be cancelled or abolished What good will the Seal do them 3. That the Ceremonial Law was part of the First Covenant 't is evident Heb. 9.1 2. Then verily the First Covenant had also Ordinances of Divine Service and Worldly Sanctuary The Old Covenant comprehended not only the Sinai ministration as a Covenant of Works do this and live but also the whole Mosaical Oeconomy and Aronical Priesthood Sacrifices and all manner of shadowing Rites and Ordinances whatsoever amongst which Old Covenant Rites or Legal Ordinances Circumcision was one of the chief so that this makes against them 4. All the Holiness and Sanctification of the Ceremonial Law only appertained to the Flesh and therefore no part of the New Covenant Heb. 9.13 What tho' it was dedicated by Blood it was but Typical Blood Blood of Bulls and Goats that could not take away Sin purge the Conscience nor make any thing perfect Mr. Elton on Colossians speaking of Col. 2. ver 14. puts forth this Question viz. Quest. How were the Legal Ceremonies of the Jews a Hand-Writing of Ordinances Answ. I answer saith he they were so in regard of their Use to the Jews who in using them as it were Subscribed to their own Guiltiness of Death and Damnation In using Circumcision they made known they had ordinal Sin and were guilty of it their Washings shewed they were exceeding filthy in God's sight and so guilty of the Curse of the Law and so did their Sacrifices Hence God in infinite Mercy sent his Son to pay our Debts and he has satisfied Divine Justice and so has cancelled this Hand-Writing that witnessed our Guiltiness and bound us over to Punishment What good will it do them to grant That Circumcision was part of the Law I know not these Things considered For they evident it is were bound exactly to keep all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances of that Law which I think a Learned Man says were more then 300 nay and if they continued not in doing all these Things they were Cursed when they sate down and when they rose up whe● they went abroad and when they came home see Deut 27.20 to 26. Gal. ●● 10. Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of t●● Law to do them Mind it well all Things in the whole Book of the Law● not only the Ten Precepts but all things contained in the Ceremonial La● also 6. Therefore tho' the Blood of Bulls Goats and Heifers are called th● Blood of the Covenant yet it was not the Blood of the New Covenan● but of the Old neither the First Covenant was dedicated without Blood Heb. 9.18 True the Blood of the Old Covenant figured the Blood of the New yet that doth no more prove the Ceremonial Law was part of the New Covenant then the Shadow can be proved to be the Substance and therefore tho' those Sacrifices pointed to Christ yet that Law was part of the Covenant of Works i. e. no Life by it In those Sacrifices God's Soul had no Pleasure 7. Nor could they see or look beyond those things which are abolished see 2 Cor. 3.13 From hence I argue If the Ceremonial Law was a Hand-Writing i. e. a Bond or Obligation of Conviction Accusation and Condemnation to the Jews binding them farther to the Curse of the Moral Law it was no part of the Covenant of Grace but the former is true Ergo Therefore whatever gracious Design God had in it or however useful to the Elect yet in it self it was a Law of Works tho' given in Subserviency to the Gospel Law as the Sinai Law was 6. Obj. God gave himself to Abraham to be his God and the God of his Seed in the Covenant of Circumcision or made over himself by way of special Interest to them in it so Mr. Flavell positively affirms Therefore it was the Covenant of Grace Answ. I Answer This I am persuaded is the grand Cause of their great boldness and mistake in affirming the Covenant of Circumcision was the Covenant of Grace and therefore ought the more carefully to be Examined Considered and Answered for if Mr. Flavel and the rest of our Brethren are right in this Assertion i. e. That God gave himself in Circumcision to Abraham and to all his Seed to be their God by way of special Interest they say a great deal but this we deny 1. As to Abraham God gave himself to him to be his God yea gave him special Interest in himself but it was before he

compleatly Justified before God from the Guilt of Original Sin both Originans and Originations and yet when they come to Years of Discretion may yea must by their actual closing with or refusing the Terms of the Covenant either obtain the continuation and confirmation of their Covenant Interest or be utterly and finally cut off from it and so perish Eternally in their Ignorance of God and Rebellion against him Answer To which I must say That they seem to make the Covenant of Grace such a Conditional Covenant that renders it in Nature and Quality like the Sinai Covenant or Covenant of Works i. e. If they perform the Righteousness required they shall live if they Obey not or make not Good this pretended Covenant of Grace they shall dye or be cut off Let our Brethren who are sound in the Doctrine of Free-Grace consider this 2. And as the Promises of the New Covenant will admit of no such partial Interest saith a Learned Author so neither can this Opinion consist with the Analogy of Faith in other Respects for either the stain of Original Sin in these Infanrs is purged and the dominion of Concupiscence in them destroyed when their Guilt is pardoned or it is not if it be then the Case of these Infants in point of Perseverance is the same with Adult Persons that are under Grace by actual Faith and then a final Apostacy from the Grace of the New Covenant must be allowed to befall the one as well as the other notwithstanding all Provisions of that Covenant and Engagement of God therein to make the Promise sure to all the Seed Rom. 4.16 But this the Author will not admit If he say That their Guilt is pardoned but their Natures are not changed or renewed nor the Power of Original Corruption destroyed so as that Sin shall not have Dominion over them it will be replyed That then notwithstanding their supposed Pardon they remain as an unclean Thing and so uncapable of admission into the Kingdom of God Thus this worthy Author 3. To which let me add Certainly if Divine Habits were in those Infants they would immediately be manifested or be sure when they are grown up would appear in them by gracious Operations flowing from thence But since those Acts or Products of such a gracious Habit appear not in them 't is evident they never had them infused 4. All that are in the Covenant of Grace if they live the Fruits of Faith and Holiness will flow naturally from those sacred Habits God hath by his spirit planted in them as heat and light doth from the Fire when 't is kindled on the Hearth The Truth is such who are united to Christ and have Faith in him and so are actually in the Covenant of Grace are also washed and purged from Sin and Pollution see Ezek. 16. Rom. 5.14 Act. 15.10 None can have Union with Christ but by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit and wheresoever the Spirit of Christ is it applies The Blood of the Covenant not only for Pardon but also for the purging the Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God And therefore as the same Learned Author observes as certain as any derive a New Covenant Rite from Christ for Pardon they also receive a vital Influence from him for the renovation of their Natures and conforming their Souls to his Image Therefore to assert That the Grace of Christ is applied to some for remission of Sins only or that the guilt of any Sin can be pardoned to any Person and yet that Sin retains its Dominion over them is a Doctrine I understand not to be sound or agreeable to the Doctrine that is according to Godliness 5. To conclude with this 't is evident these Men must by their Notion make every believing Parent to be considered in respect of that Covenant made with Abraham a common Head and Father not only to his own natural Seed but to all Believers also as Abraham was and then it would follow that there are as many common Fathers like as Abraham was so called as there are believing Men in the World and so a knowing or knowledge of Men still after the Flesh which the Apostle disclaims 2 Cor. 5. 17. Besides the Thing is usurp'd in it self Therefore let all know That a Believers Right to the Blessings of the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham's or by vertue of that Promise made with him do relate to such a Seed as do believe and not as Co-ordinate with him in Covenant Interest they are not each one by this Covenant made the Father of a Blessed Seed as Abraham was the Father of the Faithful neither can they claim the Promise for themselves and their Seed according to the Tenour of Abraham's Covenant as he might as this Author observes but they must believe as Abraham did or have a Faith of their own For if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham 's seed and heirs according to the Promise Gal. 3 29. This the same Author notes Obj. 7. The Covenant of Circumcision was an Everlasting Covenant therefore it was the Covenant of Grace Answ. I Answer 'T is not unknown to our Opponants that the Hebrew Word for Everlasting sometimes signifies no more then a long continuance of time And so extensive was the Promise of God's peculiar Favours to the natural Seed of Abraham and the original of their Claim there-from that the severity of that Law afterwards given to them was so far restrained as that notwithstanding their manifold breach of Covenant with God and forfeiture of all legal Claim of their Right and Privileges in the Land of Canaan thereby that they were never utterly cut off from that good Land and ceased to be a peculiar People unto God untill the end or period of that time determined by the Almighty was fully come which was the Revealation of the Messiah and the setting up his spiritual Temple under the Dispensation of the Gospel and thus far the Word Everlasting doth extend 'T is said God promised to give the Land of Canaan to Abraham and to his Seed for ever and again Gen. 17.8 for an everlasting Inheritance whereas it is evident they have for many Ages been dispossessed of it Nor may this seem strange if we consult other Texts where the same Terms are used with the like Restriction for the Priesthood of Levi is called an Everlasting Priesthood Numb 25.13 And the Gates of the Temple Everlasting Doors Psal. 24.6 so the Statute to make an Atonement for the Holy Sanctuary and for the Tabernacle and for the Altar and for the Priests and for all the People of the Congregation is called an Everlasting Statute Levit. 16.34 And this shall be for an everlasting statute c. So that from hence 't is very clear that the Word Everlasting is to be taken sometimes with Restriction and referrs to the end of that Dispensation to which the Law Statute or Covenant did belong and when Christ came as