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	humane_a	union_n	3,291	5	9.5119	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64806	Panoplia, or, The whole armour of God explained and applyed for the conduct and comfort of a Christian in all his tryals and tentations : as also the dying preachers legacy in several sermons, being the last labours of the reverend author in the course of his ministry : together with certain seasonable considerations proving the lawfulness and expediency of a set form of lyturgy in the church / by Richard Venner.	Venner, Richard, b. 1598?	1662 (1662)	Wing V194; ESTC R27038	215,543	611

2. The Breakers down of the fence of this Vineyard and the wild beasts that devour this Vine 3. And the thief that enters this House For when either the Husbandman Vinedresser or House-keeper are asleep how soon may the Field the Vine or House be surprized and Tare-sown wasted or entred by an Enemy 2. Exhortation For how often are we exhorted hereunto to Vigilancy and Industry for the prevention of all Errours Heresies and dangerous opinious repugnant to the Truth Rom. 16.17 I beseech you mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them for they that are c. and so frequently in the Epistles And that charge of the Apostle at his Farewell is never to be forgotten Acts 20.28 to 33. Take heed to your selves and to all the flock c. And for instance 1. And how praise worthy were the primitive Churches that took such care by their great grave and general Councels to prevent the growing and overspreading of those Tares that began to spring in their Times Those four first general Gounsels especially at Nice against the Heresie of Arius and other Errours Anno 330. circiter 2. Constantinople against Macedonians who denied the Holy Spirit to be consubstantial with the Father and the Son An. 380. 3. Ephesus against Nestorius that held two persons in Christ Anno 431. 4. Chalcedon against Autyches and Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria who blasphemously affirmed the two Natures in Christ to be confounded and become but one nature after the union of the humane with the divine nature Anno 451. To which four Councels the Reformed Churches do adhere 2. The like care did the Orthodox party take from time to time by Councels and Synodes General National and Provincial to crush if it might be Errour in the bud and prevent it of taking Root and growth 3. The like godly care have all the Reformed Churches of Christendome taken viz. 1. England 2. France 3. Helvetia 4. Bohemia 5. Belgia 6. Augusta and 7. Saxony in the harmony of their Confessions and in Articles of Religion as also by Counsels and Synodes National and Provincial 1. To preserve Union and Peace amongst the Churches 2. And to prevent Schism Faction and Divisions which are the very Nurseries of Errours and Heresies to the great disquiet and trouble and as much as in them is to the utter undoing and ruine of the Church and the overthrow of her Doctrine Peace Unity and Concord 1. Of the Rule upon which she is founded 2. Yea and of her Piety Unity Peace and Concord which are the Materials wherewith this House is raised and cemented fast together 3. Reproof How justly doth this third Use serve to reprove the faults of all those Leaders Teachers Doctors and Pastors of the Church especially that are negligent in this case and Gallio-like in another case Acts 28.17 1. Care not what Errours invade the Church and seduce the Children and Members of the same 2. Or hinder and not admit of such means whereby the maladies of a Church may be either prevented or cured so that they may sit at ease and enjoy Immunity and Liberty without controul And the first we shall take take to task for this fault are the I. Romanists or those of the Church of Rome statu quo in the state it now standeth and that for three things especially viz. 1. Separation 2. Vncertainty of or obstinacy in their Doctrine or Tenents as now it is with them 3. Their Independency and uncontrouableness admitting no means of redress The 1. Began or entred them The 2. Enlarges them And the 3. Confirms them and makes them obstinate and incorrigible in Erronr 1. They entred with Schismatical contentions Excommunication and Separation from the Eastern Churches about divers things in which they manifested great Pride and Arrogancy all tending to Schism and Division as the Celebration of Easter c. 2. In their progress they made a further Separation from the Truth in divers particulars which are evidently known and strenuously as well as voluminously refuted by many Worthies From all which Worthies they always separated and departed Ap. So that nevertheless they do charge the crime of Schism and Heresie upon the Reformed Churches yet the truth is that these never separated from them in what they were right when the Apostle left them till forced thereunto but only from their newly introduced Errors and Heresies which in porgress of time produced an incompatability of peace and Communion with Rome If they held to the orthodox faith and right Doctrine of the Antients they must proclaim no peace with Rome ☞ So as that the charge of Heresie and Schism fixed and charged by them upon us is clearly and really found upon themselves II. Touching the uncertainty of their Doctrine and Tenets and their obstinacy in the same it is evident and clear that when they once laid aside the Scriptures and made the Popes Decrees or Decretals of equal Authority with the Seriptures the word of God 1. Their Tenets are marvellously varied and altered 2. And they are still obvious to more variations and changes neither can they be otherwise whilest they do ascribe a power to the Pope to add at his pleasure to their unwritten Traditions which must as inviolably be observed as the commands of God and therefore it is no wonder that they do obstinately persist and continue in the same III. Touching their Independency it is clearly manifest that the Pope and the Clergy maintain themselves to be free from yea and above the controule of any Authority whether Civil or Ecclesiastical Ap. And therefore they did not only 1 Resist the pious and grave admonitions of the antient Fathers of the Eastern Churches and others of former times 2. But since they would never endure the tryal of an Oecumenick or general Councel though they have been often called upon to that end 3. Much less of any inferior Synode or other Councel or any part of the Reformed Churches in all their advertisements tending thereunto So that by this means they prevent all ways imaginable by which they may be reformed of the manifold Maladies and Errors that are crept in amongst them which now can no more be conceal'd than Gray hairs in the head and the oyl in the hand of a man Hos 7.9 2. The second sort of persons jnstly blame-worthy for preventing a Church of the means of recovery out of Errours and Heresies and hindering the Church of helps in that case are the antient Separatists of former times which are guilty of 1. Schism 2. Heresie And herein to let pass all those abominable Heresies of divers recorded by the Antients Epiphanus Augustinus Ambros c. I shall only look upon the two Sects of the fairest of them and that began with the greatest pretence of piety and zeal of Gods glory viz. 1. Novatians and 2. Donatists 1. Novatians took their name of their Leaders which were 1. Novatus A

Use I. Informs us how wanting we be in performing good works how wicked we be in producing and practising so much evil as provokes the curse of Christ Use II. Of reproof to men of all ages babes old and young for that having so much means they continue so weak sick and wicked as they do and produce no better fruit Use III. Exhorts men of Eminency and Authority and all men to labour for proficiency which to effect prune and lop off superfluities which hinder growth and fruit viz. Idleness Pride Worldliness Custome of smaller sins and ill company Make use of such things as further Increase and Fruitfulness viz. Industry Humility heavenly Mindedness Conscience of all duty and Gods Society All which are soveraign Antidotes against Dwarfishness and Barrenness and then provide for growth and fruit thus Get the Spirit and let the Vine-dressers be diligent Make use of Ordinances and Means Exercise your Graces and use good company Use IV. Of Examination teacheth us to try whether we Increase or not Use V. Of Comfort But alas When can all this be done Not in a moment or in one hour c so that I am at a stand what to do the acceptance of me and my labours of late and the manifold exceptions against both my sickness and weakness neither considered nor pitied have put me almost upon the resolution of the Prophet Jer. 20.8 9. viz. To preach no more for as he so have I been rewarded c. But that I have a glorious God and Father in heaven that design'd me to this work from my birth a gracious Redeemer that doth command me often to feed his Sheep John 21.15 16 17. A blessed Spirit that doth encourage and strengthen me hereunto That many Souls are to be edified and instructed I have a Conscience to be discharged as in the sight of God A great Account to be answered and cleared And a Soul to be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus And but that the Word of God is as a fire burning in my heart with zeal for his glory and the good of souls I had been utterly discouraged long since in our confused times But a necessity is upon me yea woe is to me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 8.16 Therefore with the Prophets Isa 62.1 Jer. 4.19 I will not nor I cannot hold my peace for Sions sake for your souls sake till your righteousness appear in brightness and that you do grow on to perfection in some good measure Therefore though aged and weak I shall resolve with aged St. Peter not to be negligent to put you in remembrance of the things that concern your salvation though you know them and be established in the present truth 2 Pet. 1.12 13 14 15. Now to pursue our premised and intended Method I hope I need not produce many particular proofs For the whole Scripture aims at this and perswades us to grace and to the fruits thereof by many Arguments 1. Yet to give you in a few for many St. Peter layes a strict charge upon us for the root 2 Pet. 3.17 18. Beware of being misted c. But grow in grace c. Auxanete implies Motion and Augmentation Growth and Increase a progress to a fulness and abundance 2. And for the fruit our Apostle is as serious 1 Cor. 15.58 Be ye stedfast c. Always abounding 3. And for both the Apostle tells us That this is the main end of the work of the Ministry and the manifold gifts of God upon men viz. For the edifying of the body of Christ unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ vers 13 14. That we be not children c. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head Christ c. and may receive increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love Ephes 4.12 to 17. 4. And answerable hereunto are our Apostles incessant prayers for the Colossians Col. 1.9 10 11. That they might be filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that they might walk worthy of the Lord c. being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God strengthened with all might by his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness And this is a passing from strength to strength fath to faith and from glory to glory 1. From strength to strength Psalm 84.7 i e. Never weary but encreasing in strength and courage till they came to Mount Zion to Gods House so doth the Christian till Heaven From Faith to Faith Rom. 1.17 Not to several kinds of Faith but from one degree of faith to another till it do attain its full accomplishment in Life Eternal From glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 i.e. From glory begun upon Earth by Grace to glory consummated and perfected in the glory of Heaven Thus much for Scripture proof 2. I shall add a few instances of either sort proficients non-proficients men of stature and Dwarfs fruitful and barren 1. For the first sort Christ is the incomparable president and most transcendent pattern in this for he encreased in wisdom and stature c. Luke 2.5 2. For stature he encreased by little and little as Children do and that Lege humanae naturae by the course of Nature Enthyminus And for Wisdom although the fulnesse of the Godhead did dwell in him bodily Col. 1.19 and that God gave him the Spirit beyond measure John 3.34 Yet because he assumed a reasonable Soul as well as an humane Body the Deity thereto united was so vailed that the graces thereof discovered themselves by certain degrees according to the nature of his humane Faculties so he is said to encrease And he encreased in Wisdome Experimentally for though he was a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered Heb. 5.8 ☞ As God he was absolutely perfect and needed no encrease but as Man consisting of an humane Body and Reasonable Soul and as a man obvious to sufferings he is said to encrease in wisdom and stature c. But this first is an instance beyond Example a President that admits no parallel incomparable 2. Come we to a second that reflects more upon us viz. The Thessalonians that were here exhorted to this duty how are they commended 2 Thess 1.3 4. in that the Apostle gives thanks to God for them that their Faith grew exceedingly and that their Charity towards each other abounded so that the Apostle c. did glory in them in the Churches of God c. Oh how well were it if all people would give their Teachers cause thus to glory but these Examples are Rare 1. Their faith encreased in regard of the Object when they apprehended more profound Mysteries of faith then before Subject When more confirmed in the Mysteries apprehended and that we give a more full Assent unto them without any staggerings or