Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	contain_v	law_n	moral_a	2,485	5	9.8922	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15396	A catholicon, that is, A generall preservative or remedie against the pseudocatholike religion gathered out of the catholike epistle of S. Jude, briefly expounded, and aptly, according to the time, applied to more then halfe an hundreth of popish errours, and as many corruptions of manners. With a preface seruing as a preparatiue to the catholicon, and a dyet prescribed after.; A catholicon.	Willet, Andrew, 1562-1621.	1602 (1602)	STC 25673; ESTC S114006	113,250	270

vpon their bellie and suffer their wife and children to want who herein are worse then infidels that were but naturall men 1. Tim. 5. 8. Whatsoeuer they know naturally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here it shall not be amisse briefly to shew Doctr. 3. how farre this naturall knowledge doth extend it selfe as there are three degrees thereof in naturall things ciuill and morall duties and spirituall 1. This light of nature doth teach not onely men but bruit beasts what is naturally good as to eate to drinke to sleepe to shunne that is hurtfull to nature Isa. 1. 3. The oxe knoweth his owner the asse his masters cribbe But to doe these things well and to referre them to a good ende is a worke of grace aboue nature 2. Nature also giueth some light of morall duties Rom. 2. 14. The Gentiles doe by nature the things contained in the law though not as they should 3. The light of nature serueth also for the knowledge of spirituall things Rom. 1. 20. The godhead and eternall power are seene in the creatures but after a generall confused and vnperfit manner An example of naturall knowledge we hauein labal Gen. 4. 20. who inuented tents and the keeping of cattell Of morall duties in Pharao who thought it vnlawfull euen by the light of nature to touch an other mans wife Gen. 12. 18. Abimelech also being an heathen man had some knowledge of God when he said to Abraham God is with thee in all that thou doest Gen. 21. 22. But this naturall light is imperfect and insufficient like vnto that light which was made at the first to distinguish the day and night before the Sunne was created Gen. 1. 2. which was but a dimme and obscure light to the brightnes of the sunne like as the cloud on the forepart gaue light to the Israelites on the backe part it was darkenes to the Egyptians Exod. 14. 20. Such difference is there betweene the light of nature and the light of grace The reason of this naturall light S. Paul sheweth Rom. 1. 20. That the world should be left without excuse This light of nature is not sufficient to direct men but to correct them not to conduct them but to condemne them not to iustifie them but to testifie against them First then here we reprooue certaine errors of the Papists who doubt not to affirme that nature doth not onely affoard a Error 29. generall and common knowledge of the Godhead but that it is able to bring a man to the true knowledge and worship of God that by the light of nature a man may attaine to right morall duties and true vertuous acts But for the first our Sauiour sheweth that to know the onely very Lord is a worke of faith and giuen by Christ ioh 17. 3. And for the other S. Paul testifieth that we are not able of our selues to think a good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. much lesse to produce any vertuous act Secondly if notwithstanding the light of nature be able to giue some direction to discerne betweene good euill betweene iust things and vniust the light of grace ought to doe much more wherefore if Christians beeing taught of God shall come short euen in externall duties of ciuill honestie the Gentiles shall rise vp in iudgement against them yea I am afraid that many of vs that do professe the name of Christ doe not shew that example of iustnesse sobrietie temperance humblenes which is to be found among the heathen nay I am more afraid that euen among Christians such enormous sinnes may be found that the Gentiles would haue beene ashamed of as the Apostle vpbraideth the Corinthians with such fornication as is not once named among the Gentiles that one should haue his fathers wife 1. Cor. 5. 1. so for craft extortion adulterie malice and such like I doubt me many Christians exceede the profane Gentiles The ninth lecture v. 10. Woe vnto them c. The Apostle In what sense the Apostle crieth Woe now amplifieth and enlargeth the former part wherein he had described the great sinnes and corruptions of these deceiuers false hypocrites both by examples in this verse of Cam Balaam Core and by similitudes and comparisons in the two verses following v. 12 13. This verse hath two parts the denouncing of a woe the ground therof which is the imitation of Cams enuie Balaams couetousnes Core his rebelliō schisme which did arise of pride But it will be here obiected how the Apostle hauing before made mention of Michael that he would giue no rayling sentence against the deuil so soone forgetteth himselfe and pronounceth a curse against these men Ans. There is great difference when one out of his priuate corrupt affection raileth or curseth as Shemei did Dauid 2. Sam. 16. and when one in the name of the Lord pronounceth a curse which is no imprecation of euill but a prediction of their iust punishmēt as the Prophets euery where and our Sauiour often doe crie woe against the wicked hypocrites Whereof there are two reasons yeilded one by Ambrose Non maledicit propheta in psal 119. sed quasimedicus vult illos sanare vt de proprijs flagitijs erubescant The prophet curseth not but as a physitian he would heale thē that they may be ashamed of their sinnes Hierome giueth an other reason answering vnto a cauill of wicked Porphirie who obiected that Peter did curse Ananias and Saphira to death Not so saith he sed dei iudicium spiritu annuntiat vt poena duorum Ad Dem●tr●ada hominum sit doctrina multorum But he with a propheticall spirit doth declare Gods iudgement that the punishing of two might be a warning to many And so doth the Apostle here prophesie and foretell the fearefull ende of these wicked men and testifie Gods iust iudgement against them The doctrine here is that it is no idle speech or word of course where we Doctr. 1. finde Woe in Scripture but it is an euident demonstration of Gods iudgement sure to follow if no amendment goe before So the Lord saith by the prophet Isa. 14. 24. Surely as I haue purposed it shall come to passe and as I haue consulted it shall stand For like as an ouerflowing streame can not be kept backe so the decree of God shall ouerflow Isa. 10. 22. and Gods arrowes are as of a strong man that is expert none shall returne in vaine Ier. 50. 9. Thus the woe of Christ propounded ouer Corazin and Bethsaida two vnthākfull citties of Iudea vndoubtedly was accordingly accomplished Matth. 11. and those eight woes thundred out by our Sauiour against the Scribes and Pharises Math. 23. answerable to those eight beatitudes Mat. 5. had their effect accordingly for both the countrie pollicie and priesthood of the Iewes was within 42. yeares destroyed The reason is giuen Isay 45. 23. I haue sworne by my selfe the worde is giuen out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne