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
A36343	A door opening into Christian religion, or, A brief account by way of question and answer of some of the principal heads of the great mystery of Christian religion wherein is shewed by the way that the great doctrines here asserted are no wayes repugnant, but sweetly consonant unto the light of nature and principles of sound reason / by a cordiall well-wisher to that unity and peace which are no conspiratours against the truth.	Cordiall well-wisher to that unity and peace which are no conspiratours against the truth.; Cordiall well-wisher to that unity and peace which are no conspiratours against the truth. Of the sacraments.	1662 (1662)	Wing D1909; ESTC R26732	293,130	633

wrought it self into the most considerable parts of the then known world planted it self took root and prospered in the chief Cities and places thereof notwithstanding the Powers of the Earth set themselves as one man with all their policy rage and indignation to extinguish it and to hinder the course and progress of it Quest 18. What are the Scriptures Or of what Books or Writings do they consist so that none but these and the things contained in them ought to be reputed the Scriptures or any part of them Answ The Scriptures consist partly of the Books of the Old Testament and partly of those of the New and not of any other Books or Writings or of any Traditions whatsoever Quest 19. What are the Books of the Old Testament which make one part of the Scriptures Answ The five Books of Moses which are these Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomie Besides these the Books of Joshua the Judges Ruth the first and second of Samuel the first and second of the Kings the first and second of the Chronicles the Books of Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job the Books of the Psalms the Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles or the Song of Solomon the Books and Writings of the Prophets as the Prophecie of Isaiah Jeremiah the Lamentations of Jeremiah the Prophecies of Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggie Zachariah Malachi Quest 20. What are the writings of the New-Testament which make up the other part of the Scriptures Answ The writing of the Gospel by four Evangelists Matthew Mark Luke and John the Acts of the Apostles written by the Evangelist Luke the Epistle of Paul to the Romans his first and second to the Corinthians his Epistle to the Galathians to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Colossians his first and second Epistle to the Thessalonians his first and second to Timothy his Epistle to Titus to Philemon the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of James the first and second Epistles of Peter the first second and third Epistles of John the Epistle of Judes the Apocalyps or Revelations Quest 21. Why should these Books and none but these be accounted the Scriptures Answ A sufficient account hereof hath been given already in this Chapter viz. in those Arguments and Considerations by which proof was made that God is the Author of the Scriptures Besides this the Books of the Old Testament lately mentioned and no other but these were as hath been also said committed unto the Jews as the Oracles of God that is to teach and instruct the world in things appertaining unto God and to salvation And for the Books of the New-Testament now rehearsed these and no other but these have from the Apostles days been received upon the same account by the general consent of all Churches that have been and are accordingly judged truly Christian and sound in the Faith CHAP. III. Of Christ his Person Eternal Generation and Incarnation in time Quest 1. YOu have affirmed Christ to be the Son of God and of the Virgin Mary In what sense or respect do you mean that he is the Son of God Answ Christ may be called the Son of God three ways First by Nature Secondly by Creation or miraculous Production Thirdly by Adoption Quest 2. How is he or why do you call him the Son of God by Nature Answ The Scripture frequently calleth him in respect of his Divine Nature or God-head the Son of God and the only begotten of God Joh. 1.14 18. Joh. 3.16 18. 1 Joh. 4.9 Heb. 1.2 3 5 8. besides many other places So that Christ considered as God is and may be called the Son of God by Nature because he received this his Being from God the Father in such a way or by some such Eternal and Divine act which holdeth the best proportion and nearest resemblance amongst all actings known unto men and whereof they are capable with the act of natural Generation Quest 3. How is Christ the Son of God by Creation or miraculous Production Answ Because in respect of his Humane Nature and as Man he received his Being from God by the secret and extraordinary operation of his Spirit in the Virgin by which she was inabled to conceive him and did conceive him without the knowledge and co-operation of man Quest 4. How is He the Son of God by Adoption Answ Inasimuch as God the Father chose Him to be and accordingly hath made Him Heir of all things that is Proprietour and Lord of all things under him and for him Heb. 1.2 Joh. 3.35 Quest 5. Why do you affirm him to be also the Son of the Virgin Mary Answ Because as Man he was conceived in her Womb by means of the coming of the Holy Ghost upon her and her being over-shadowed by the power of the most High and was accordingly brought forth by her according to the orderly course of Nature and as other children are usually born of their Mothers respectively Luk. 1.31 35. Mat. 1.20 21. Quest 6. But is it not contrary to reason and above reason to believe that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth a Child Answ It is neither contrary to reason nor above reason to believe that God is able to make a Virgin to conceive and bring forth Nor is it contrary to reason or above reason to believe that God should be willing to cause a Virgin actually to conceive and bring forth when he hath a design requiring such an exercise or interposure of his Power for the regular and due accomplishment of it But it is most contrary unto reason not to believe that a Virgin hath conceived and brought forth when God hath said it and given sufficient proof that he hath said it yea and hath given a most rational account both why such a thing should be I mean that a Virgin should conceive as why he should say and declare it unto the world All this He hath done in the Gospel Quest 7. But is it possible that the two Natures Divine and Humane so vastly yea infinitely differing the one from the other should meet together so as to constitute and make one and the same Person Answ With God the Scriptures saith all things are possible Mat. 19.26 And again The things which are unpossible with men that is which men are apt to judge or think to be impossible are possible with God Luk. 18.27 A kind of shadowey proof of the possibility that two very different Natures may conspire to constitute the same Person we have continually before our eyes in the course of Nature where that spiritual Substance which we call the Soul in due conjunction with an earthly Body make one and the same Person of a Man Quest 8. But was not Christ a compleat Person whilest he yet subsisted in the Divine Nature only and before his assuming of the Nature of Man unto him Answ He was in simple consideration a most compleat Person whilest he subsisted in the God-head only before and without his being made Man But he was not a Person actually and every ways accomplished and fitted to perform the great works of the Redemption and Salvation of the World until as the Scripture speaketh Joh. 1.14 He was made flesh that is assumed the Humane Nature into personal union with

his God-head Quest 9. But did not his assuming the Nature of Man into Vnion with his Divine Person destroy the truth of his being a Person causing him to cease from being a Person any longer and to become some other thing Answ In no wise Because he did not take or unite another Person to his Divine Person but only another Nature namely the Nature of Man wherein his Divine Person subsisted without any breach made upon any personal propriety in Him For that Humane Body and Humane Soul which He assumed was no Person of Mankind nor did they ever subsist of or by themselves or apart from his God-head only his assuming and uniting them unto his Divine Person made this of a consideration by it self far differing from all other persons subsisting either in the one nature or the other I mean either in the Divine Nature or Humane Quest 10. What occasion or necessity was there for the Incarnation of the Son of God or that Christ should become Man Answ As it was one of the greatest highest and most wonderful dispensations wherein God ever appeared to clothe his Son with flesh and to invest him with the Nature of Man So was there the greatest occasion before him that can lightly be imagined to put forth his hand thereunto viz. The saving of a miserable lost and ruined world in a way which pleased him as excellently comporting with his Infinite Wisdom and Righteousness Quest 11. Was it then necessary for the Salvation of the World that Christ should become Man Answ Had it not been some-ways at least or in some respect necessary hereunto it is not likely that God would have lift up his hand to so great a Dispensation in order to it it being repugnant to Infinite Wisdom to levie great and more then ordinary means when the end may be otherwise obtained Quest 12. In what respect was it necessary for the Salvation of the World that Christ should be Incarnate and made Man Answ That God might save the World in a way and by means pleasing unto himself and well becoming him Quest 13. But might not God have saved the World without the Incarnation of his Son Answ It is the opinion of many pious and learned men both Ancient and Modern that He might And if we respect the absoluteness of his Power and the justness of his Prerogative to do with his own what he pleaseth unto which neither his Justice though Essential to him nor his Severity against sin are any Enemies it seems very reasonable to conceive that indeed he might But if we respect the Infiniteness of his Zeal not unto things or ways that are simply good or lawful but unto such which are best and most excellent and honourable for him it seems more probable that he could not inasmuch as he could not will so to do it Quest 14. But doth the Scripture afford any ground to conceive that it was more honourable for Him to save the World by means of his Sons being made Man then it would have been to have done it in some other way Answ The Scripture plainly affirmeth That it became him intending to bring many Sons unto Glory to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through sufferings Heb. 2.10 Which words imply that no other way of saving the World would have become at least so well become him that is have been so honorable unto him as that which he hath now taken as viz. by such a Mediatour or Undertaker of the work whom he might Consecrate unto it or put into the most regular capacity for the performance of it by the suffering of death Now Christ had not been capable of this Consecration unto the great work you speak of the saving of the World by suffering death had he not assumed such a Nature wherein he might suffer it Besides if it should he said or thought that there is or was any other way of saving the World equally or as well becoming God as to save it by the Incarnation of his Son as now he hath done he cannot be said to have chosen or taken up this way by counsel but rather that he fell upon it as it were by lot For where several means are equally and in every respect alike expedient and this equality perfectly known before hand there is no place for counsel or for choyce properly so called Quest 15. But why might not God with as much honour to himself have saved the World by an Angel or by the Incarnation of an Angel as by the Incarnation of his Son Answ First The just severity of God against Sin being provoked by Man could not so well or so observeably satisfie or content it self by the Sacrifice of an Angel being a creature of another nature differing from that which had provoked it Secondly There being a world of men that had provoked God the death or annihilation of an Angel or of the Humane Nature though personally united to an Angel if such a thing could or should be supposed would have been a Sacrifice of no considerable Balance in the Eye of Justice to make an attonement for such a vast number of Creatures so considerable as Men are Thirdly and lastly The Honour and Dignity in Equity belonging to so great an Undertaking prosperously atchieved and performed as the Salvation of a lost World were too high and glorious an Investiture for the greatest of Angels and only becoming the only begotten Son of God See Phil. 2. v. 9 10 11. Quest 16. But though it be granted that the Incarnation of the Son of God was necessary for the Redemption and Salvation of the World yet whether was it necessary that he should be conceived and born of a Virgin and not in the ordinary way of natural Propagation Answ There may be several reasons why it should be necessary or at least why it should be more expedient and better becoming the Wisdom of God that he should be born of a Virgin then according to the course of ordinary Propagation Of which reasons one of the chief may be this It being the will and pleasure of God to involve Adam's whole posterity viz. which should according to the course of nature descend from him and which was seminally in his Loyns in the guilt of his first sin and condemnation due thereunto it was necessary that Christ should be conceived and born in a way besides the course of Nature that so he might be born free from this guilt and condemnation and so be in a due capacity to make attonement for those that were lyable unto them Quest 17. But if Christ were the Son of a Virgin or of a Woman only