Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	aaron_n	apostle_n	covenant_n	12	3	7.2163	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45548	The first general epistle of St. John the Apostle, unfolded and applied the first part in two and twenty lectures on the first chapter, and two verses of the second : delivered in St. Dyonis. Back-Church, An. Dom. 1654 / by Nath. Hardy ...	Hardy, Nathaniel, 1618-1670.	1656 (1656)	Wing H722; ESTC R31526	315,886	434

for them calls God to record how earnestly he longed after the Philippians in the bowels of Iesus Christ. Indeed to all to whom he wrote he still expresseth his intire affection one of those titles which the holy Apostles use in their Epistles is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the vulgar rendreth and not unfitly Charissimi and our translation dearly beloved nor are we to imagine this a verbal complement but a real expression as they called them so they accounted them their dearly beloved We read concerning Aaron that he was to bear the names of the children of Israel in the brest-plate of judgment upon his heart so did those holy Apostles in a mystical sence nay S. Paul saith of the Corinthians that they were an Epistle written in his heart Let the same mind be in all Ministers towards their people that was in St. Iohn and the other Apostles Non minus vos diligo quos genui ex Evangelio quam si suscepissem conjug●o said St. Ambrose I love you no lesse whom I have begotten by the Gospel then if I had begotten you in matrimonial conjunction pro officio sacerdotis omnes christianos filiorum loco diligimus saith St. Ierome we love all christians as our children and this we do by reason of our office which obligeth us to it and if all much more those over whom divine providence hath placed us and let our love shew it selfe to be a parental love by the purity vehemency and activity of it that as parents love their little children not for their own but the childrens sake with a great measure of affection not sparing any cost pains for their good so let us love our people not theirs but them not coldly but fervently not lazily but diligently watching fasting praying preaching and every way endeavouring their spiritual good To end this first particular It is not unworthy our observation and imitation that this holy Apostle being to presse upon them a duty first expresseth his affection and the better to make way for his counsels coucheth them as it were in sweet and pleasing language verbis non duris sed ad admodum blandis utitur ut eo facilius persuadeat he useth not harsh and rough but sweet and soft words he well knew that the Sun-beams have a greater influence then the boysterous winds and those whom sincecerity hardnesse meeknesse softneth He well knew that if he could perswade the people of his love to them he should the better gain their observance of his advice since that cannot but be be well taken which appeareth to be spoken in love For this reason it is that this and other such compellations as brethren and beloved are frequently made use of by the Apostle yea that we find them so often intreating beseeching perswading that by their gentle expressions they might win upon those to whom they wrote My doctrine said Moses shall drop as the rain my speech shall distill as the dew to wit in a mild and gentle manner and indeed so it did for like a tender nurse he sings to the froward child reproving Israels ingratitude in a song Thus you see how as God did once to Elijah so the men of God to the people have for the most part come in the still voyce and surely it becommeth well all Gods Ministers to write after these coppies and to endeavour that by affectionate expressions and alluring phrases they may prevaile with those to whom they preach Indeed since we are Messengers of the word of truth we must abhorre lying flattery but withall since we are Ambassadours of the Gospel of peace we must use perswading lenity and bespeak the people in the most loving insinuating phrases as here we see St. Iohn did calling them my little children And let this suffice to have been spoken of the friendly compellation which seemeth very fitly to make way for the Faithful admonition These things I write to you th●● you sin not wherein there are two particulars further to be taken notice of The matter of the admonition in these words that you sin not The motive enforcing it as the end of what he wrote in those words these things I write unto you 1. Begin we with the matter of the admonition which is not to sin That I may the better illustrate what is the true full meaning of these words I shall intreat you to observe these ensuing particulars and those such as the comparing of this clause with the three last verses of the former Chapter manifestly prompts to 1. In the end of the preceding Chapter our Apostle tells those who say they have not sinned that they make God a lyar by which it appeares that this sin not is to be understood de futuro in reference to time to come as if he should say though you have sinned heretofore yet sin not that is abstain from sin hereafter and thus this admonition is the same with that of God by the Prophet Isay cease to do evill by the Prophet Ezechiel cast away all your transgressions and of Christ to the impotent man whom he had healed and to the woman which was charged with adultery sin no more It was one of the prohibitions given to the Nazarites that they should not drink vinegar but what need of this when as the sharpnesse of the liquor is enough to disswad● from drinking it the literal reason whereof was no doubt because it came of the wine and strong drink but Rabbanus maketh a moral application of it apt to our present purpose where he saith they drink vinegar who return to the oldnesse of their past sins of which every spiritual Nazarite must beware It is not unfitly observed to this purpose by Mendoza concerning Gods command of turning the rebels censers into broad plates which were fastened to the altar for a covering that this might he one reason that those censors might more●e ●e imployed in that sacrilegious way for whereas had the censors rema●ned and not been beaten into plates or if beaten and not fastened on the Altar they might have been easily again abused now they remained as memorials of their sins and yet no way was left for misimploying them afterwards and surely what should this but teach us how solicitous and careful we should be though we have done iniquity to do so no more and though We have sinned yet not to sin hereafter 2. But further in the ninth verse of the former Chapter he adviseth confession of sin and here he addeth sin not as if he would say as you confesse your sins past so sin not for time to come indeed this is both the truest and the safest the most reall and the most comfortable part of repentance wash you make you clean saith God by the Prophet he washeth and is clean saith St. Austin qui praeterita plangit iterum non admittit who bewaileth sin committed and doth not commit sin bewayled Our

a legall word and in both it represents this blood of Christ. 1. As it is a metaphoricall word What water is in the corporal that is this blood of Christ in the spiritual cleansing blood in a natural way is not cleansing but defil●ng and besmearing and yet what water doth to material that this blood doth to the immaterial cleansing in this respect it is that as men use to wash themselves in water so Christ is said to wash us in his blood to this the promise in Ezechiel properly alludeth where God saith I will sprinkle clean water upon you and for this end certainly Christ instituted water as the element in the holy Sacrament of Baptism that he might thereby signifie the cleansing efficacy of his blood 2. As it is a legall word What the blood of beasts in the law did tipically that the blood of Christ doth really to wit cleanse from sin The Authour to the Hebrews observeth that almost all things in the law were purified with blood and without shedding of blood there was no rem●ssion thus in the ceremonies for legal uncleanness there was for the most part blood used and in their sacrifices for expiation of moral uncleaness there was shedding of blood to both which the Apostle alludeth when he speaketh of the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an heyfer the blood of Bulls and Goats being shed in their sin-offerings and the ashes of a slain heyfer used in cleansing those that touched a dead body And surely what were all these cleansings by blood but types and figures of the cleansing by Christs blood for which cause the Apostle manifestly calls these purifyings patterns of the heavenly things indeed as the same holy writer saith it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin so that when expiation of sin is attributed to them it is only to be understood in a tipical and sacramental sense as they were shadows figures representations of this blood whereof my Text speaketh and therefore it is they all vanished and were abrogated from the time of the shedding of this blood in which they had their accompl●shment and by which this admirable effect was really and fully performed the cleansing from all sin For the better understanding of this precious truth give me leave briefly to resolve these three Queries What we are here to understand by the blood of Christ. What kind of causality this blood hath to the cleansing from sin Whence it is that this blood hath this causal●ty and when I have thus opened the vein of this clause I shall the better let out the blood contained it for your spiritual refreshment 1. In answer to the first of these you must know that this blood of Christ is here to be taken both metonymically and synechdochically 1. Metonymically Socinus making use of this trope understandeth by Christs blood Gods new Covenant in which this benefit is promised a sence which if admitted yet according to a right construction will nothing advance his design It is true he maketh it a metonymy of the adjunct as if the covenant were called Christs blood onely because it is confirmed by it but when St. Paul telleth us in general that all the promises are in him yea is well as Amen made as made good yea when our blessed Saviour in particular calleth it the blood of the new Testament or Covenant because it was shed not so much for confirming the covenant wherein rem●ssion of sins is promised us for the remission that is obtaining the remission of sins which is promised in that covenant it plainly appeareth that if by blood we will understand the covenant it must be a metonymy not so much of the adjunct as of the cause so it amounts to thus much that the remission of sin which is promised in the new covenant is procured by the blood of Christ which is as much as the orthodox doctrin asserts But the right metonymy here necessarily to be taken notice of is by the blood to understand the death of Christ and this of the cause for the effect because by the violent effusion of his blood his death was effected The better to clear this take notice that the blood of Christ was shed according to St. Bernard who supposeth they drew blood from his cheeks when they smote him seven but rather six several times Soon after his birth when at his c●rcumc●sion they took away the foresk●n of his flesh a little before his death in the garden when he was cast into that bloody sweat in his scourging when they plowed his back with whips and made long furrows on his shoulders upon his coronation when they platted his head with a crown of thorns at his death on the Cross in the piercing of his feet and hands with nayls after his death when his side was opened with a spear blood and water gushing forth and truly though none of these times his blood was shed in vain yet it is the blood of the Cross when together with his blood he powred out his life that was the offering for sin in which respect it is expressely so called by St. Paul It is indeed by some asserted that one drop of his blood by reason of the hypostatical union might have sufficed for the redemption of the world but that must be taken cum grano salis since supposing at least Gods decree it was no less blood then his life-blood that could avail to the accomplishing this expiation 2. Synecdochically Socin●anizing Vorstius making use of this trope extends the synecdoche to that which he cals the whole oblation of Christ and so comprehendeth not only his antecedent obedience but his subsequent glory to wit of his resurrection ascension session and intercession But inasmuch as the authour to the Hebrews expressely saith that when he had purged our sins he sate down at the right hand of God and again he entred into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us yea our blessed Saviour himself being ready to up the Ghost cried it is finished I shall not noubt to assert but that what concerned the acquisition of this great benefit was then fully performed though the resurrection with the consequents of it were needful for the effectual application of it to us This Synecdoche therefore is to be extended onely to his passion one part put for the whole of his sufferings and so we are to construe it not onely of his blood but his body since as the one was shed the other was crucified and as here his bloud cleanseth from sin so in St. Peter he is said to beare our sins on his body yea St. Paul ascribeth our reconciliation both to his bloud and to his body nor yet onely of his body and bloud but his soule also in which suffering a subtraction of the Divine vision he cryed out upon the Crosse My God my God