Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	assume_v	divine_a	union_n	2,494	5	9.4017	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33955	A cordiall for a fainting soule, or, Some essayes for the satisfaction of wounded spirits labouring under severall burthens in which severall cases of conscience most ordinary to Christians, especially in the beginning of their conversion, are resolved : being the summe of fourteen sermons, delivered in so many lectures in a private chappell belonging to Chappell-Field-House in Norwich : with a table annexed, conteining the severall cases of conscience which in the following treatise are spoken to directly or collaterally / preached and now published ... by John Collings.	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.	1649 (1649)	Wing C5305; ESTC R24775	174,484	300

the eye of his reason as that there is a God that we are all gone a stray from the wayes of God in which we were first see to these even the carnall man may give a cleare attest for he sees a great deal of reason that demonstrates these and such like truths unto him But now there are some truths which to the eye of Reason are as dark as midnight as Christs assuming the humane nature and the Doctrine of the Trinity and the sublime Doctrine of Christs union with the soule c. Now these also in some manner are cleare to the spirituall mans eye of Faith in regard that he doth beleeve the Word of God and that so plainly holds out these divine truths it is clear to him that they are truths he sees a great deale of reason for him to beleeve contrary to reason but yet when he comes to think how should these things be and so puzle his faith with reason he doth not clearly then see that upon a particular enquiry which in a generall notion seemed very cleare unto him as in particular that truth concerning the essentiall and reall union betwixt Jesus Christ and the soule the true Beleever thinks he sees it very clearly and beleeves it very stedfastly while he onely considers the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it and looks upon it as it is a truth but now when he comes to consider how should this be there that knowledge which seemed cleare before appeares very dark and misty and so concerning assent which followes the knowledge of any truth I remember a passage of a Reverend Divine of our owne There is a manifestation of things by reason and by revelation an evidence direct and not direct and evidence direct and by consequence an evidence of the thing in it selfe and by the effect matters of faith are manifest by revelation but in reason insearchable and incomprehensible The Divinity of the Scripture is in it self evident to the spirituall man so is it that there is a providence other things are evident from this ground Ball upon faith p. 22. thou mayest not judge that thou hast no faith or that thou dost not assent to the truth of God because every truth in the Scripture is not in it self evident unto thee so as thou canst give a cleare and rationall assent unto it it may be a clear assent to the truth in generall though not in the particulars there it may be dark as in that Doctrine of the Trinity I may be perswaded and clearely to my thinking see that there is a Trinity it may be a notion as cleare as the Sunne unto me because I take the witnesse of Gods Word as a sufficient evidence to me but yet if I will go pose my Faith with Reason I shall not be able from an evidence of Reason to give direct assent unto that truth It may be cleare as any thing to my faith That Gods essentiall presence is wholly every where yet when I come now to look to see this with reason how the incomprehensible God should be wholly in this or that roome when I come neer I have a very dark sight and my assent is scarce clear to this truth Some Pictures the further you stand off them the more you see of them it is a clearer sight that you have of the picture at a distance then close by it So it is with some divine truths they seem very cleare to the Christian aloofe off while he onely views them with the eye of his faith and does not come neer them with the feet of his reason but if once he drawes neer with those earthy feet to them they seem very dark And thus I have shewed you what doubts a Christian may meet withall in relation to his assent what weaknesses may be incident to it and consistent with it though arguing imperfection and weaknesse 1. He may doubt whether he doth assent or or no and yet at that time truly assent and close with the Word of Truth 2. He may doubt whether the Scriptures be the Word of God or no or at least may be tempted to doubt and there I have given some marks by which a Christian may distinguish a temptation to doubting from a reall doubting proceeding from unbeleefe 3. Hee may doubt concerning some particular truths in the Word of God and through ignorance or weaknesse not fully assent to them and yet fully close with the Word so farre as is revealed to him 4. He may doubt concerning the meaning of this or that portion of Scripture and dissent from the ordinarily received truth of it and yet truely assent to the Word of God yea he may mistake a Scripture and hold that as a truth from that Scripture upon his mistake which is indeed an errour and yet savingly assent to the Word of Truth so it be not in necessary fundamentals Lastly he may not clearely by an evidence of Reason or a direct and distinct evidence of Faith assent unto severall truths which are in the Word of God and yet truly assent unto the Word Thus you see true Faith may consist with much weaknesse and doubting as with much imperfection and ignorance in respect of the required knowledge so with much imperfection and doubting in relation to the act of assent Make use of this to see Gods goodnesse that wil take such sacrifices at our hands not to presume to hug these imperfections but be alwayes striving against them 1. Caution provided we alwayes strive against them that thou dost not wilfully cherish any of them there are many and may bee many deficiencies in the understanding that God will passe over but if they come to bee the rebellions of the will thou shalt know hee is angry It is said Rom. 4. 19. 20. that Abraham staggered not through unbeleefe Abraham doubted through infirmity though when he lay with Hagar and bid Sara say she was his sister Strive against these weaknesses and let them be thine meerly through weaknesse if they be not of wilfulnesse meerly of infirmity not through unbeleef and the Lord is mercifull and thy faith may be true If thou dost stedfastly assent to all the Truth of God that is the foundation of faith and necessary to salvation and fully and impartially close with the whole Word of God and every particular portion of truth in it when it is once cleare to thee that it is a syllable of that Word of Truth and livest a life answerable to it though for the present thou thinkest thou dost not assent and though thou mayest be tempted sometimes to doubt of the whole Scripture and though thou mayest doubt concerning some particular truths that are taken for truths and are so and concerning this or that portion of Scripture and mayest take up that as a truth which is an errour from it and though thou mayest not for the present by a cleare evidence of reason or a direct and distinct evidence of faith assent