Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	christian_a	church_n	true_a	4,006	5	4.8519	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29528	The saints solemne covenant vvith their God as it was opened in a sermon preached at Beccles in the countie of Suffolk, at the taking of the Nationall Covenant there, by the ministers and other officers of that division / by Ioh. Brinsley ...	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1644 (1644)	Wing B4728; ESTC R19027	25,595	42

sort unto them viz. by their Sacrifices A true Character of a formall Hypocrite who so pleaseth himself in the opus operatum of a dutie as that hee thinketh God cannot but be well pleased with it He so looks upon his services and duties as if God were beholding to him for them and obliged to him by them Thus Scultetus and some others here carrie it 3 But not to rest in either of these There is yet a third and a last sense which I rather incline unto apprehending it both more simple and genuine The persons to whom this Citation is here directed they were not any select companie whether of True Worshippers or Formall Hypocrites but the whole body of the Jewish Church collectively considered consisting of both these yet here called by the name of Saints Because there were some and no question many such amongst them Saints in truth as well as in appearance Now the determination here as often elswhere is taken from the better part It is an honour saith Calvin writing upon the Text which God putteth upon his Saints to denominate a promiscuous multitude consisting of good and bad from them I though they be the far lesse number That was the case here in the Text In the Iewish Church at this time the greatest part were no better then formall Hypocrites yet in as much as there was a partie of Saints amongst them God calleth them all by this name Secondly If they were not all Saints yet they ought to have been so They were all Saints by calling called to be Saints and so called Saints and that to put them in mind of their Dutie what ones they all ought to be Now taking the word in this sense we shall finde this subsequent clause to be a description generally of all the visible members of that visible Church they were such as had made a Covenant with God over Sacrifice with Sacrifice by Sacrifice For the full and cleere understanding whereof wee might take notice of an ancient custome in use both amongst the people of the Iews and other Nations also who were wont in their making of Covenants for the greater solemnity of them to make them with or by Sacrifice Which they did after this manner Having slain the Sacrifice they divided laying the parts one over against the other and so the Covenanters went between them Thus the Lord himself who was the first instituter of this Ceremonie made a Covenant with Abraham Gen. 15. Intending there to make a solemne Covenant with him he directeth Abraham what to do viz. Take an Heighfer and a Goat and a Ram c. And what should he do with them Why divide them in pieces parting them asunder laying the parts one against the other And to what end was this Why that the Lord might passe betwixt them which accordingly he did in that visible signe of a Burning Lampe in the midst of a smoaking furnace Verse 17. Behold a smoaking furnance and a Burning Lampe passed between those pieces Thus did God make this Covenant with Abraham a Covenant with or By Sacrifice And thus the Lords people the people of the Iews were wont to make Covenant with him Bringing a Sacrifice before the Lord they cut it in pieces and so passed betwixt the parts Such a Covenant the Lord putteth the Princes and People of Israel in minde of that they had made with him Ier. 34. 18. The Covenant which they had made before me when they cut the Calf in twain and passed betweene the parts thereof This it seemeth was their Custome which as they took it from God himself so the Heathens borrowed it from them who were wont to make their Covenants also after the same manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jungebant foedera Porcâ Killing and cutting a Swine in pieces Similis labris lactucae a fit Sacrifice for such Sacrificers they struck their Covenants And from this Custome as our Aynsworth elswhere wel observes it cometh that phrase of Striking or Cutting a Covenant I have made a Covenant with my chosen saith the Lord Psal. 89. The Originall hath it Karati Berith Exciosi foedus as Montanus renders it I have Cut or Struck a Covenant Which phrase is also here retained in the Text Those that have made a Covenant Corethi Berithi Ferientes Pactum that have Cut or Struk a Covenant by Sacrifice viz. by cutting of the Sacrifice and parting it a sunder have made a covenant with me Such a Covenant had the people of the Iews entred and made with their God a Covenant and a Solemne Covenant And such a Covenant must all the Lords People enter with their God all that would be owned and acknowledged of God as his People as his Saints they must strike Covenant and a Solemne Covenant with their God Upon these two I shall insist severally briefly by way of Explication putting them together in the Application 1 The Lords people are all Covenanters snch as have struck a Covenant with God Such were the members of the Iewish Church and such are the true members of Christian Churches A truth which needeth no confirmation This it is that gives both Esse and Distinguere that maketh a people to be Gods people and distinguisheth them from all other people Even the Covenant betwixt God and them This it was that distiuguished the seed of Abraham and the people of the Iews from all other people in the World and that made them Gods people even the Covenant betwixt God and them the signe and seale whereof they carried in their flesh the Seale of Circumcision which is therefore called The Covenant My Covenant shall be in your flesh that is a signe of the Covenant And this it is that now distinguisheth the true Church of Christ and the true members thereof from all others even the Covenant betwixt God and them the signes and seals whereof are the two Sacraments of the new Testament Baptisme and the Lords Supper both Seals of this Covenant the one of their entrance into Covenant the other of their continuance in that Covenant Q. For the opening and illustrating of this the Question will be What is this Covenant betwixt God and his People A. To this the Prophet Ieremy will return us an answer in a few words Ier. 31. This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel c. I will be their God and they shall be my People This is the Covenant which God maketh with them and from thence we may easily learne what is the Covenant that they make with him the one being but a Counterpaine to the other viz. That he shall be their God and they will be his People It is the nature of Covenants to be mutuall And such is the Covenant betwixt God and his people consisting of two parts the Covenant on Gods part and the Covenant on their parts The Covenant on Gods part is that hee will be their God