due to parents; for when a child had no mind to relieve the wants of his fa ther or mother, he would say to them"It is a gift (corban) by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me" i. e. "I have devoted that to God which you ask of me, and it is no longer mine to give." Mark vii. 11.

make no express provision for the pardon of offences committed against the precepts of it on the repentance of such offenders, but pronounces a sentence of death upon them, Gen. ii. Gal. iv. 24. Ps. lxxxix. 3, 4. The covenant of grace is generally defined to be that hich was made with Christ, as the second Adam, and in him with all the elect as his seed, Isa. xlii. 1-6. 1 Pet. i. 20. Is. lii. 13.

CORDELIER, a Franciscan, or religious of the order of St. Francis. The denomination cordelier is said to have been given in the war of St. Lewis I. The covenant of works was made against the infidels, wherein the friars with Adam; the condition of which was, minor having repulsed the barbarians, his perseverance during the whole time and that king having enquired their of his probation; the reward annexed name, it was answered, they were peo-to this obedience was the continuance of ple cordeliez, "tied with ropes;" al-him and his posterity in such perfect holuding to the girdle of rope, or cord, tied with three nots, which they wore as part of their habit.

liness and felicity he then had while upon earth, and everlasting life with God hereafter. The penalty threatened for the breach of the command was condemnation. terminating in death temporal, spiritual, and eternal. The seals of this covenant were, the tree of knowledge and the tree of life; and, perhaps, the Sabbath and Paradise, Gen. ii. iii. Gal. vi. 24. Rom. v. 12, 19. This covenant was broken by Adam's eating of the forbidden fruit, whereby he and his posterity were all subject to ruin, Gen. iii. Rom. v. 12, 19; and without the intervention of the divine grace and mercy, would have been lost for ever, Rom. iii. COVENANT, a contract, or agree- 23. The Divine Being, foreseeing this, ment between two or more parties on in infinite wisdom and unspeakable comcertain terms. The terms made use passion planned the covenant of grace; of in the Scriptures for covenant are by virtue of which his people are reinand Six. The former signifies stated in the blessings of purity; knowchoosing, or friendly parting; as in co-ledge, and felicity, and that without a venants each party, in a friendly manner, consented, and so bound himself to the chosen terms; the latter signifies testament, as all the blessings of the covenant are freely disposed to us. The word covenant is also used for an immutable ordinance, Jer. xxxiii. 20. a promise, Exod. xxxiv. 10. Is. lix. 21. and also for a precept, Jer. xxxiv. 13. 14. In Scripture we read of various covenants; such as those made with Noah, Abraham, and the Hebrews at large. Anciently covenants were made and ratified with great solemnity. The Scriptures allude to the cutting of animals asunder; denoting that, in the same manner, the perjured and covenantbreaker should be cut asunder by the vengeance of God. Jer. xxxiv. 18.

CORNARISTS, the disciples of Theodore Cornhert, an enthusiastic secretary of the states of Holland. He wrote, at the same time. against the Catholics, Lutherans, and Calvinists. He maintained that every religious com- || munion needed reformation; but he added, that no person had a right to engage in accomplishing it without a mission supported by miracles. He was also of opinion, that a person might be agood Christian without being a member of any visible church.

possibility of any farther defalcation.

II. The covenant of grace. Some divines make a distinction between the covenant of redemption and that of grace; the former, they say, was made with Christ in eternity; the latter with believers in time. Others object to this, and suppose it a needless distinction; for there is but one covenant of grace, and not two, in which the head and members are concerned; and, besides, the covenant of grace, properly speaking, could not be made between God and man; for what can man restipulate with God, which is in his power to do or give him, and which God has not a prior right unto? Fallen man has neither inclination to yield obedience, nor power to perform it. The parties, therefore, in this covenant, are generally said to be the Father and the Son; but Dr. Gill supposes that the Holy Ghost should not be excluded, since he is The covenant of works is that where-promised in it, and in consequence of by God requires perfect obedience from it, is sent down into the hearts of behis creatures, in such a manner as to lievers; and which must be by agree

The covenants which more especially relate to the human race, are generally called the covenant of works and the covenant of grace.

ment, and with his consent. If we be- IV. These two covenants above-menlieve, therefore, in a Trinity, it is more tioned agree in some things, in others proper to suppose that they were all they differ. 1. "In both," says Witsius, engaged in this plan of the covenant, "the parties concerned are God and than to suppose that the Father and Son man.-2. In both, the saine promise of were engaged exclusive of the Holy eternal life.-3. The condition of both is Spirit, 1 John v. 6, 7. As to the work of the same, perfect obedience to the law the Son, it was the will and appointment prescribed; for it is not worthy of God of the Father that he should take the to admit man to a blessed communion charge and care of his people, John vi. with him but in the way of holiness.-4. 39. Heb. ii. 13, redeem them by his In both is the same end, the glory of blood, John xvii. Heb. x. obey the law God. But they differ in the following in their room, Rom. x. 4. justify them respects: 1. In the covenant of works, by his righteousness, Dan. ix. 24, &c., the character or relation of God is that and finally, preserve them to glory, Is. of a supreme lawgiver, and the chief xl. 11 Jesus Christ, according to the good rejoicing to communicate happidivine purpose, became the representa-ness to his creatures. In the covenant tive and covenant head of his people, of grace he appears as infinitely merciEph. i. 22, 23. Col. i. 18. They were ful, adjudging life to the elect sinner, all considered in him, and represented agreeably to his wisdom and justice.-2. by him, Eph. i. 4. promises of grace and In the covenant of works there was no glory made to them in him, Tit. i. 2. mediator: the covenant of grace has a i Cor. i. 20. he suffered in their stead, mediator, Christ.-3. In the covenant of 2 Cor. v. 21. He is also to be considered works, the condition of perfect obedias the mediator of the covenant by whom ence was required to be performed by justice is satisfied, and man reconciled man himself in covenant. In the coveto God. See art. MEDIATOR. He is also nant of grace the same condition is prothe surety of this covenant, Heb. vii. 22. || posed, but to be performed by a mediaas he took the whole debt upon him, tor.-4. In the covenant of works man is freed his people from the charge, obey-considered as working, and the reward ed the law, and engaged to bring his as to be given of debt. In the covenant people to glory, Heb. ii. 13. Is. xlix. 5, 6. of grace the man in covenant is consiHe is called the testator of the cove- dered as believing; eternal life being nant, which is denominated a Testa- given as the merit of the mediator, out ment, Heb. vii. 22. Heb. ix. 15. He dis- of free grace, which excludes all boastposes of his blessings according to his ing.-5. In the covenant of works somewill or testament, which is unalterable, thing is required as a condition, which signed by his hand, and sealed by his being performed entitles to reward. The blood. In this covenant, as we before covenant of grace consists not of condiobserved, the Holy Spirit also is en- tions, but of promises: the life to be obgaged. His assent is given to every part tained; faith, by which we are made thereof; he brings his people into the partakers of Christ; perseverance, and, enjoyment of its blessings, 1 Pet. i. 2, in a word, the whole of salvation, are 2 Thess. ii. 13. He was concerned in the absolutely promised.-6. The special incarnation of Christ, Matt. i. 18. and end of the covenant of works was the assisted his human nature, Heb. ix. 14. manifestation of the holiness, goodness, He takes of the things of Christ, and|| and justice of God; but the special end shows them unto us: cleanses, enlight- of the covenant of grace, is the praise ens, sanctifies, establishes, and comforts of the glory of his grace, and the revehis people, according to the plan of the lation of his unsearchable and manifold covenant. Rom. viii. 15, 16. See HOLY wisdom."-7. The covenant of works was GHOST. only for a time, but the covenant of grace stands sure for ever.

III. The properties of this covenant are such as these: 1. It is eternal, being made before time, Eph. i. 3, 4. 2 Tim.i 9.-2. Divine as to its origin, springing entirely from free grace, Rom xi. 5, 6. Ps. lxxxix. 2, 3, 28.-3. It is absolute and unconditional, Eph. ii. 8, 9.-4 It is perfect and complete, wanting nothing, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5-5. It is sure and immoveable, Isa. liv. 10. Isa. lv. 3.-6. Called new in opposition to the old, and as its blessings will be always new, Heb. viii. 6, 8.

V. The administration of the covenant of grace.-The covenant of grace, under the Old Testament, was exhibited by promises, sacrifices, types, ordinances, and prophecies. Under the New it is administered in the preaching of the Gospel, baptism, and the Lord's supper; in which grace and salvation are held forth in more fulness, evidence, and efficacy to all nations, 2 Cor. iii. 6-18. Heb. viii. Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. But in both periods, the mediator, the whole

substance, blessings, and manner of ob- the things of this world.-2. A rapacity taining an interest therein by faith, are in getting.-3. Too frequently includes the very same, without any difference, sinister and illegal ways of obtaining Heb. xi. 6. Gal. iii. 7, 14. The reader, wealth.-4. A tenaciousness in keeping. who may wish to have a more enlarged It is a vice which marvellously prevails view of this subject, may peruse Wit-upon and insinuates into the heart of sius, Strong, or Boston on the Cove- man, and for these reasons: it often nants, in the former of which especially bears a near resemblance to virtue; he will find the subject masterly hand-brings with it many plausible reasons; led. and raises a man to a state of reputation on account of his riches. "There cannot be," as one observes, "a more unreasonable sin than this. It is unjust; only to covet, is to wish to be unjust. It is cruel: the covetous must harden themselves against a thousand plaintive voices. It is ungrateful: such forget their former obligations and their present supporters. It is foolish: it de

COVENANT, in ecclesiastical history, denotes a contract or convention agreed to by the Scotch, in the year 1638, for maintaining their religion free from innovation. In 1581, the general assembly of Scotland drew up a confession of faith, or national covenant, condemning episcopal government. under the name of hierarchy, which was signed by James I, and which he enjoined on all his sub-stroys reputation, breaks the rest, unjects. It was again subscribed in 1590 and 1596. The subscription was renewed in 1638, and the subscribers en gaged by oath to maintain religion in the same state as it was in 1580, and to reject all innovations introduced since that time. This oath, annexed to the confession of faith, received the name of Covenant, as those who subscribed it were called Covenanters

fits for the performance of duty, and is a contempt of God himself: it is unprecedented in all our examples of virtue mentioned in the Scripture. One, indeed, spoke unadvisedly with his lips; another cursed and swore; a third was in a passion; and a fourth committed adultery; but which of the saints ever lived in a habit of covetousness? Lastly, it is idolatry, Col. iii. 5. the idolatry of Solemn league and covenant, was es- the heart; where, as in a temple, the tablished in the year 1643, and formed miserable wretch excludes God, sets a bond of union between Scotland and up gold instead of him, and places that England. It was sworn to and subscribed confidence in it which belongs to the by many in both nations; who hereby Great Supreme alone." Let those who solemnly abjured popery and prelacy, live in the habitual practice of it conand combined together for their mutual || sider the judgments that have been indefence. It was approved by the par-flicted on such characters, Josh. vii 21. liament and assembly at Westminster, Acts v.; the misery with which it is atand ratified by the general assembly of tended; the curse such persons are to Scotland in 1645. King Charles I. dis- society; the denunciations and cautions approved of it when he surrendered respecting it in the Holy Scripture; himself to the Scots army in 1646; but, and how effectually it bars men from in 1650, Charles II. declared his appro- God, from happiness, and from heaven. bation both of this and the national co- Scott's Essays, 72, 73. South's Serm., venant by a solemn oath; and, in Au- vol. iv. ser. 1; Robinson's Mor Exergust of the same year, made a farthercises, ex. iv; Saurin's Serm., vol. v. ser. declaration at Dunfermline to the same purpose which was also renewed on occasion of his coronation at Scone, in 1651. The covenant was ratified by parliament in this year; and the subscription of it was required by every member, without which, the constitution of the parliament was declared null and void. It produced a series of distractions in the subsequent history of that country and was voted illegal by parliament, and provision made against it. Stat. 14. Car. 2, c. 4.

COVETOUSNESS, an unreasonable desire after that we have not, with a dissatisfaction with what we have. It may farther be considered as consisting in, 1, An anxious carking care about

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12. Eng. Trans.

COUNCIL, an assembly of persons met together for the purpose of consultation: an assembly of deputies or commissioners sent from several churches, associated by certain bonds in a general body, Acts i. vi. xv. xxi.

COUNCIL, Oecumenical or General, is an assembly which represents the whole body of the Christian church. The Romanists reckon eighteen of them, Bullinger six, Dr. Prideaux seven, and bishop Beveridge eight, which, he says, are all the general councils which have ever been held since the time of the first Christian emperor. They are as follow:-1. The council of Nice, held in the reign of Constantine the Great,

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on account of the heresy of Arius.-The council of Clermont, in 1095. The 2. The council of Constantinople, called first crusade was determined in this under the reign and by the command of council. The bishops had yet the preTheodosius the Great, for much the cedency of cardinals. In this assembly same end that the former council was the name of Pope was for the first time summoned.-3. The council of Ephesus, given to the head of the church, excluconvened by Theodosius the Younger, sively of the bishops, who used to asat the suit of Nestorius.-4. The coun- sume that title. Here, also, Hugh, cil at Chalcedon, held in the reign of archbishop of Lyons, obtained of the Martianus, which approved of the Eu- pope a confirmation of the primacy of tychian heresy.-5. The second council his see over that of Sens. l'he council of Constantinople, assembled by the of Rheims, summoned by Eugenius III. emperor Justinian, condemned the three in 1148, called an assembly of Cisastrian chapters taken out of the book of Theo- Gaul, in which advowses, or patrons of dorus, of Mopsuestia, having first de-churches, are prohibited taking more cided that it was lawful to anathematize than ancient fees, upon pain of deprivathe dead. Some authors tell us that tion and ecclesiastical burial. Bishops, they likewise condemned the several deacons, sub-deacons, monks, and nuns, errors of Origen about the Trinity, the are restrained from marrying. In this plurality of worlds, and pre-existence council the doctrine of the Trinity was of souls.-6. The third council of Con- decided: but upon separation the pope stantinople, held by the command of called a congregation, in which the carConstantius Pogonatus, the emperor, in dinals pretended they had no right to which they received the definitions of judge of doctrinal points; that this was the first five general councils, and parti- the privilege peculiar to the pope. The cularly that against Origen and Theo- council of Sutrium, in 1046, wherein dorus, of Mopsuestia.-7. The second three popes who had assumed the chair Nicene council.-8. The fourth council were deposed. The council of Clarenof Constantinople, assembled when don in England, against Becket, held in Louis II. was emperor of the West. 1164. The counsel of Lombez, in the Their regulations are contained in country of Albigeois, in 1200, occasiontwenty-seven canons, the heads of which ed by some disturbances on account of the reader may find in Dupin. What the Albigensis; a crusade was formed ever may be said in favour of general on this account, and an army sent to councils, their utility has been doubted extirpate them. Innocent III. spirited by some of the wisest men. Dr. Jortin up this barbarous war. Dominic was says, "they have been too much extol- the apostle, the count of Toulouse the led by Papists, and by some Protestants. victim, and Simon, count of Montfort, They were a collection of men who the conductor or chief. The council of were frail and fallible. Some of those Paris in 1210, in which Aristotle's councils were not assemblies of pious metaphysics were condemned to the and learned divines, but cabals, the ma- flames, lest the refinements of that phijority of which were quarrelsome, fana-losopher should have a bad tendency tical, domineering, dishonest prelates, who wanted to compel men to approve all their opinions, of which they themselves had no clear conceptions, and to anathematize and oppress those who would not implicitly submit to their determinations." Jortin's Works, vol. vii. charge 2; Broughton's Dict.; Mosheim's Eccl. Hist. Index.

on men's minds, by applying those subjects to religion. The council of Pisa, begun March the 2d, 1409, in which Benedict XIII, and Gregory XII. were deposed. Another council, sometimes called general, held at Pisa in 1505. Lewis XII, of France, assembled a national council at Tour (being highly disgusted with the pope,) 1510, where COUNCILS, Provincial or Occasional, was present the cardinal De Gurce, dehave been numerous. At Aix la Cha-puted by the emperor; and it was then pelle, A. D. 816, a council was held for regulating the canons of cathedral churches. The council of Savonnieries, in 859, was the first which gave the title of Most Christian King to the king of France; but it did not become the peculiar appellation of that sovereign till 1469. Of Troyes, in 887, to decide the disputes about the imperial dignity. The second council of Troyes, 1107, restrains the clergy from marrying,

agreed to convene a general council at Pisa Murray's History of Religion.

COUNCIL of Trent. See TRENT. COURAGE is that quality of the mind that enables men to encounter difficulties and dangers. Natural courage is that which arises chiefly from constitution; moral or spiritual is that which is produced from principle, or a sense of duty. Courage and Fortitude are often used as synonymous, but they may

be distinguished thus: fortitude is firm- || of non-existence." We cannot, howevness of mind that supports pain; cour-er, here enter into the multiplicity of age is active fortitude, that meets dangers, and attempts to repel them. See FORTITUDE.

Courage, says Addison, that grows from constitution, very often forsakes a man when he has occasion for it; and when it is only a kind of instinct in the soul, it breaks out on all occasions, without judgment or discretion; but that Courage which arises from a sense of duty, and from a fear of offending Him that made us, always acts in an uniform manner, and according to the dictates of right reason.

the arguments on both sides; it is enough for us to know what God has been pleased to reveal, both concerning himself and the works of his hands. "Men, and other animals that inhabit the earth and the seas; all the immense varieties of herbs and plants of which the vege table kingdom consists; the globe of the earth, and the expanse of the ocean; these we know to have been produced by his power. Besides the terrestrial world, which we inhabit, we see many other material bodies disposed around it in the wide extent of space. The moon, which is in a particular manner connected with our earth, and even dependent upon it; the sun, and the other planets, with their satellites, which like the earth circulate round the sun, and appear to derive from him light and heat; those bodies which we call fixed

CREATION, in its primary import, signifies the bringing into being something which did not before exist. The term is therefore most generally applied to the original production of the ma terials whereof the visible world is composed. It is also used in a secondary or subordinate sense to denote those sub-stars, and consider as illuminating and sequent operations of the Deity upon the matter so produced, by which the whole system of Nature, and all the primitive genera of things, receive their form, qualities, and laws.

cherishing with heat each its peculiar system of planets; and the comets which at certain periods surprise us with their appearance, and the nature of whose connection with the general system of There is no subject concerning which Nature, or with any particular system learned men have differed in their con- of planets, we cannot pretend to have jectures more than in this of creation. || fully discovered; these are so many "It is certain," as a good writer ob more of the Deity's works, from the serves, "that none of the ancient philo- contemplation of which we cannot but sophers had the smallest idea of its be- conceive the most awful ideas of his ing possible to produce a substance out creative power. of nothing, or that even the power of the Deity himself could work without any materials to work upon. Hence some of them, among whom was Aristotle, asserted that the world was eternal, both as to its matter and form. Others, though they believed that the gods had given the world its form, yet imagined the materials whereof it is composed to have been eternal. Indeed, the opinions of the ancients, who had not the benefit of revelation, were on this head so confused and contradictory, that nothing of any consequence can be deduced from them. The freethinkers of our own and of former ages have denied the possibility of creation as being a contradiction to reason; and of consequence have taken the opportunity from thence to discredit revelation. On the other hand, many defen ders of the sacred writings have asserted that creation out of nothing, so far from being a contradiction to reason, is not only probable, but demonstrably certain. Nay, some have gone so far as to say, that from the very inspection of the visible system of Nature, we are able to infer that it was once in a state

"Matter, however, whatever the varieties of form under which it is made to appear, the relative disposition of its parts, or the motions communicated to it, is but an inferior part of the works of creation. We believe ourselves to be animated with a much higher principle than brute matter; in viewing the manners and economy of the lower animals, we can scarce avoid acknowledg ing even them to consist of something more than various modifications of matter and motion. The other planetary bodies, which seem to be in circumstances nearly analogous to those of our earth, are surely, as well as it, destined for the habitations of rational intelligent beings. The existence of intelligences of an higher order than man, though infinitely below the Deity, appears extremely probable. Of these spiritual beings, called angels we have express intimation in Scripture (see the article ANGEL.) But the limits of the creation we must not pretend to define. How far the regions of space extend, or how they are filled, we know not. How the planetary worlds, the sun, and the fixed stars are occupied, we do not pretend