Selected quad for the lemma: body_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
body_n	nature_n	soul_n	unite_v	6,882	5	9.6339	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27499	The still-borne nativitie, or, A copy of an incarnation sermon that should have been delivered at St. Margarets-Westminster, on Saturday, December the five and twenty, 1647, in the afternoone, by N.B., but prevented by the committee for plunder'd ministers, who sent and seized the preacher, carried him from the vestry of the said church, and committed him to the fleet, for his undertaking to preach without the license of Parliament ...	Bernard, Nicholas, d. 1661.	1648 (1648)	Wing B2018; ESTC R18366	26,917	36

Incarnation of Christ Jesus And therein consider First the Vnion of the two Natures God and Man in this mystery Secondly the Conception of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost The Nativity or Birth of Christ of the most blessed Virgin Mary In speaking to the Vnion I have foure things to go through withall first to shew the severall unions in Christ Secondly the signification of this word person Thirdlly the manner of the Union and Lastly the Reasons of the Union And of the first thus much There are in the person of Christ three unions and ale-immediate first the union of the Deity to the soul Secondly the union of the Deity to the body And Thirdly the Union of body soul together the two first werenot of nature nor of merit but wholly supernaturall And so not subject to separation by force of any natur al action or passion But the third being natural did leave a place for suffering and separation So that when Christ suffered death the Deity forsook neither soule nor body only the body was forsaken by the soule The plurality of which substances and Vnions notwithstanding Christ must be considered but as one that is in person Which word that you may understand aright know that it is derived a personando which is distinct sounding And is nothing else in Logick but what a Noune Substantive proper of the singular Number is in Grammer that is one particular compleate subsistence which Logicians call an Individuum but with this differenc That Person is a particular reasonable creature whereas a particular thing if it be unreasonable as a tree or horse c is not called a person but by the Schooles a Suppositum And in this sence Christ is said to be one Not in nature for so is no man in a strict sence for the soule and the body of men are of two different natures as well as fountaines or beginnings But in person wherein though there may be aliud et aliud one and another thing yet there cannot be alius and alius one and another person And so much for the meaning of the word person Now for the manner of this union we must know that things are united or made on many wayes As 1 Faedere by a covenant as Christ the faithfull And this may make one body but not one person 2. By transmutation as Snow and Water but this makes one substance as well as suppositum but so is not Christ 3. By aggregation as many materialls united make an house but this is violent and not voluntary as was Christ 4. By composition as body and soule make one man being united but this is natural and so is not the union of the Deity to the Humanity in Christ Lastly therefore by Assumption and this is singular proper to Christ alone For the cleare avoiding of old and dangerous heresies and errours which have risen about this Article of our Faith we conceive it not unnecessary to deale warily with those terms and words which we borrow from the Latines in expressing our mind in this matter such as are Vnion Assumption c. As in this nice and narrow sence To Assume and to Vnite do equally belong to the same Agents But to be Vnited and to be Assumed cannot be praedicated equally by the same Subjects Concerning the former it will appeare plainely by and by For the latter the difference is thus To be united may not unproperly be attributed to God and Man in thus speaking God was united to Man and man was united to God and with this not a Caviller will find fault But to say as on the one side truely Man was assumed to and by God so on the other God was assumed to or by Man were erroneous in it selfe and dangerous in the consequents For Relation we must allow to be in God if we acknowledge a Trinity of persons but suffering we dare not impute least with it we make him also changeable Now to be Vnited here is only a terme of Relation but to be Assumed is alway a terme of Passion To assume and to be assumed are words expressing doing and suffering and in the present matter divide unto us God and man God the Agent whose part therefore is to Assume Man the Patient or sufferer whose it is therefore to be Assumed To Assume as it is a compounded word so it doth signifie a double action the first is taking the second is application taking to The first is caled principium the second is called terminus assumptionis The first belongeth to all the three persons in the Trinity As the father did take and give the humane nature to his Son as he saith Lo a body hast thou given me So the Son did take not the nature of Angels saith the same Apostle but the seed of Abraham so likewise the Holy Ghost did whose it was to sanctifie the nature assumed and by whom also we believe it was conceived take our nature in the first act It was taken not to the father nor to the Holy-Ghost but to the second person which is Iesus Christ In the thing assumed it is worth our consideration 1. Negatively to observe that when God took our nature he separated it from sinne and personality he took not our sin for that was contrary to his nature He took not any person of man at all for that was contrary to his Vnity for so there should have been Two Persons in the second person of the Trinity As therefore our nature that was assumed received fulnesse of grace from that most holy nature which assumed it So it owes its personal existence to the second person in the Trinity having none of its owne to which it was united 2. Positively learn what we meane by our nature for Nature in Scripture is sometimes put for the corruption of our nature as Ephes. 2. 3. but so Christ tooke not our nature unlesse it were by way of imputation For this is the Nature which by the Schooles is alwayes opposed to Grace Sometime in Scripture it is taken for some part of nature as for Reason only Rom 2 14 Or for sence only 2. Pet 2 12 Iude. 10. but so Christ took not our nature that is some part of our nature For that were to fal into the errour of the Appollinarians and Monothelites By Nature therefore we understand not one or some but all the partt of nature whether essentiall as soule and body or integrall as the soules faculties and the bodies Members united as also whatever flowes from the Principles of nature as Growth from Vegetation Eatting Drinking c from Sence Discourse and speech from reason not refusing the very infirmities of nature as in the Soule Sorrow Greife Anger Pity Vexation in the will the contradiction of the naturall and Physicall part though with subjection too to the moral and deliberative in the understanding Negative Ignorance And in the Body Hunger and Thirst Wearines and Weeping Sense of

Pain and mortality Ine breif by nature we meane whatsoever is generall to and in all men so that it be not Grace or sinne For nature is that which grace nor Sinne nor gives nor takes away but is only perfited and Sanctified not added by Grace corrupted and vitiated by sinne not extinguished Againe that is naturall in a man which may be wel or il used Grace only cannot be abused Sinne only cannot be wel employed Nature only may be the weapon of unrighteousnesse to sinne Or the instrument of righteousnes to obedience By which descriptions of nature it will be no hard mater for an ordinary understanding to find out what in man was united and assumed to the Deity of Christ in the work and mystery of the Incarnation And now when a man considers the severall immediate unions in Christ and finds the supernaturall Vnions of the Deitie inseparable even where soule and body parts He begins to be sensible of a naturall combate between Flesh and Spirit I meane soule and body Yet ending in an acknowledgement of the faithfullnes of God in Christ transcending all other freindship For look we after Damon and Pythias Nisus and Eurialus Theseus and Perithous Scipio and Laelius Ionathan and David Ruth and Naomi the only pair of Woman-freinds I never read or heard of And we shall find these come short of the love betweene every man's soule and body and yet these two are in men ready to fall out one with another to see their owne falsenesse discovered by the apposed faithfullnesse of God So that the Soul chargeth faithles dealing to the body first recounting it's care study pains griefe joy suffering for the body all which were the body away the soule might be freed from as having no back to be cloathed no belly to be filled no posterity to be provided for no cheekes to blush no nor any subjection to corporall strokes nor temptation to sinne and yet how doth this accursed earth forsake me saith the soul then when if I am evill and evill I am by conjunction with that too I must anticipate those wofull torments due for sinne while that lyes steeping in the grave Or if good which I am by conjunction with Christ then when I have most use and should have most joy of the body that unnaturaly sinkes from me Leaving me indeed to enjoy but alone the glorified Mansion of the Saints wherein is the glorious body of my Lord and my God a most blessed and beatificall object But wanting a bodily eye to apprehend that fullnes which dwels in him bodily I suffer a comparative imperfection which makes me cry out How long Lord just and true Where I ow and without al wearines would and could tender all worship c. But all bodily service I come short of having as before no eye bodily to see so here no knee to bend no hand to lift up no tongue to speak To the honour of him that sits upon the throne and the Lamb for ever On the other side the body though slower yet fals in heavier in the charg and like the Moon in the Hebrew Apologue against the Sun that would be divorc'd recriminates thus The Soul is false to me and unkind For its care study paines c. are for its owne Pride and arrogancy For when the soule is taken away a winding sheete is as good to me as Salomans Wardrobe a grave as pallace yea an Vrne as the Vniverse were it not for the soules Vanity nothing more thrifty then the belly nor more hardy then back the posterity nothing glory or sham too late stroks unfelt temptations unaccepted sinne unperfited I have been a true drudge to the soul an ungrudging slave I see now an il rewarded servant My two feet have been teady to run my two hands to work My 2 eyes to spy My two ears to hearken my tongue though but one yet as busie as any two twoes beside to speak yea al my senses and organical members have been but the Pedees Posts to bring home the farr fecht and deare bought Dainties of experience and knowledg to the Lady {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} this soule And yet see her faithfulnesse If I have done evill it was caeca obedientia and were she a Papist she by her own doctrin ought to suffer alone she goes but before for a few more stripes which her knowledge demerits I my ignorance notwithstanding shall be forced after to the encrease of her torment as well as mine if I have done well she anticipates my reward and Crowne and glory leaving me unwilling to part with her a loathing to my freinds a companion to the Wormes and brother to corruption not affording nec beneficium salis so much kindnes as salt or a searecloth will do me to keepe me from stinking and putrefaction And here is the regreet of the two dearest freinds nature ever knew Now observe how much kinder and constanter Christ is to both then either to other For beside that he is and does what ever each of these is or doth to one another and that not only per modum efficientiae as an Efficient working that good that is in them but also per modnm eminentiae by way of Excellency doing greater things for them both then they are able to apprehend at present Like a soule caring studying labouring greiving joying suffering for both Like the Body going working seeing hearing speaking for both Like a soule to the Body informing and conserning both Like a body to the Soule serving both And al this in an ineffable and glorious way for the advancing of both He doth further when the soule is taken out of the body as it were out of a sheath take it into his hands doe's of the rust forbisheth it and brightning it with his owne glory Clothes it with Majesty Nay more But I had need learue St. Pauls {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} unut terable words to expresse the happines of it there For the things which eye hath not seen to supply the want of sight nor eares heard to make up the losse of bodily teares c. are there ready to entertaine it On th' other side the Body whose estate seems to be most deplored when freinds avoid the sight of it the soule in whose service it is either worn out or wounded to death forsaking it hath notwithstanding the everlasting armes underneath it treasuring it up for one of his jewels in whose sight the death of the Saints is precious For no doubt God who telleth the wandrings bottle up the teares numbreth the haires and writes in a book all the part of his servants living Can doth though the grave cause all the joints to drop asunder the bowels to engender wormes and a stinch turnes the pleasant eye balls the sometime seat of delight into a rotten Gelly dry the braine consume the mucles rack the whole to peices and then grind it againe to

dust preserve each atom and by a most inscrutable providence keep every more of that dust to the glorious resurrection And this although not comparable in it selfe to the glory of the soule yet hath in it an unspeakeable weight of comfort And therefore O My soul though I desire thee not to be so unnatural to cast of the body Yet learne to know a truer freind then my flesh Let thy care be to gain and keep Christ thy study to please him thy labour to serve him thy joy to know him thy greife to offend him thy suffering for him rather yea more then ever it hath been for this body of mine who will stay longer by thee prove kinder to thee then e're that hath been or is like to be And O My flesh though I would not have thee unreasonable yet begin to be sensible of a truer Guide a constanter keeper and a blesseder governour then ever my owne soule hath or will be to thee Let thy feet stand in the Gates of Sion or be running towards the house of God Let thy hands be working the thing that is good Let thine eyes be lifted up to the place where Christs honor dwells And let this be thy Covenant with them and make thy tongue to tell of his praise and speake good of his name that will restore all these left to corruption by the soul to become vessels of glory in the resurection of the just And in the meane time keepeth them that that not a haire of thy head shal be lost And O thou very God of peace who when thou beginnest to take into favour lovest with an everlasting love for such is thy Covenant into protection never leavest nor forsakest such is thy unchangeable nature so take my soule into favour my flesh into tuition that both being sanctified throughout My soule may long for thee my flesh may cry out for the living God! My Soule love thee as it is beloved of thee and my body serve thee as it is and shall be preserved by thee for ever Secondly when I contemplate the unity of Christ's person therein consider how near Man is brought to God I am enforced to acknowledge all promised Vnions of God to man possible all commanded Vnions of man againe to God reasonable The promised Vnions of God to Man are 1. Pastorall He our shepheard we his Flock 2. Oeconomicall he our Master wee his servants 3. Consanguineal He our Father we his Sonnes and Daughters 4. Conjugall he our Husband we his Spouse here his hride in the resurrection his Wife for ever and the like In the first his call and our following declares us one way In the second his command and our obedience one Worke In the third his tender care our dutifull honour one Generation or Kindred In the Last his holy desire and our chast submission one love And all these unions made easie even to faith by the Vnity of Christ's person He that gave us his sonne how shall he not with him freely give us all things The commanded Vnions of man to God are 1. Of Judgement that wee as he doth approve the things that are more excellent 2 Of Will for election that we as he doth desire truth in the inward parts and this is to chuse the better part 3. Of Affection that we as he doth hate the evill and love the good being merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful 4. Of Conversation that we be holie as he is holie perfect as our Father which is in Heaven is perfect that we purifie our selves as he is pure And all this is but to be one spirit as the Apostle saith He that is joyned to the Eord is one Spirit And good reason For God requires no more of us then St Paul did of the Galatians and upon the same ground Be ye as I am for I am as ye are O yee Sonnes of Men be ye as Gods And the Children of the most high for the sonne God is God yet for your sakes became the sonne of Man And O my Soule since thou hast no reason to doubt have faith to pray Philosophie ●ath taught thee That every Essence is an Vnity not only in number as opposed to multitude but even in nature as an undivided being the desire of which last Vnity is the cause of sorrow in the sense of division Thy sinfull and therefore wofull experience hath taught thee to feele thy selfe involved in the curse of Simeon and Levi to be divided and scattered But this Mystery is that which teaches thee by the Gospell to expect Vnitie as a gift to desire it as a benefit On therefore my soule take with thee words and say O Lord I am by sinne either a solitary wild Wolfe or at best a strayed sheep from the sold of peace but by this I know thou canst I hope thou wilt make the Wolf lye downe with the Lamb or cause thine owne immaculate Lamb the Lamb of God to take away that sinne which makes me a Wolfe in thy sight Or if a strayed sheep seeke O seek according to thy promise that which was lost and bring againe that which was driven away bind up that which was broken strengthen that which was sick feed me upon a good Pasture and on the high Mountaines of Israel fold me O my God I am by nature a fugitive or a Captive a Rogue or a slave without Master or under a cruell Master where my work is sin my wages death I sow the wind and reap the Whirlewind but O thou great Commander of all hearts who rulest by love and so makest thy service to be perfect freedome I want a service do thou entertaine me I am weary of my Old Master do thou redeeme me I yeild to thy Yoke accept thy condition embrace thy Covenant and for reward build upon thy courtesie Thy Gospel shall be my Indenture thy Sacraments the Seales thy sonne the Vndertaker of my truth thy Holy Spirit and my owne Conscience the Inward thy holy Angels and the World the Eye-witnesses of my fidelity Thy secrets I will keep Thy commands I will religiously obey Thy talents improve Thy goods not wast No contract will I make prejudicial to thy service For this purpose I yeild my Eare to the awle and doore of thy house bore it for I will not go from thee for ever O Lord my God my poore soule is by sin become either an Orphant to my sorrow or a Bastard to my shame either fatherlesse without God or of a faulty Father Iohn 8. 48. The first is the object of pity but the last of reproach Thou hast promised to succour the first but hast commanded thy doores to be shut against the last Thou wilt be a Father to the Fatherlesse but a Bastard shall not enter into thy Congregation to the tenth Generation O my God my soules substance is true borne as in thy Creation only since sinne an Orphan of grace the Child of wrath by nature