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A17599 Aphorismes of Christian religion: or, a verie compendious abridgement of M. I. Calvins Institutions set forth in short sentences methodically by M. I. Piscator: and now Englished according to the authors third and last edition, by H. Holland.; Institutio Christianae religionis. English. Abridgments Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Piscator, Johannes, 1546-1625.; Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603. 1596 (1596) STC 4374; ESTC S107177 82,272 222

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effect contraries as that any thing at one time both be and be not for that he can not c Tit. 1.2 Heb. 6.18 lye nor denie d 2. Tim. 2 13 himselfe for this is against his nature And these propositions or sentences are meere contradictorie Christes bodie is a true bodie Christes body is not a true bodie but an infinite XXVI Neither yet shall this helpe the aduersaries to say that vnlesse it be graunted Christes bodie is euery where it will necessarily follow that it is seuered from the diuine nature which is euery where and whereunto it is personally vnited for although Christs body be not euery where but contained in one certaine place yet neuerthelesse it is euer personally vnited to the Deitie of the word for the personall vnion doth not make equall the humane nature with the diuine or change the properties of the diuine nature into the humane Christ is that word Iohn 1.1 that the humane nature may haue the same proprieties with the diuine but is such an vniō as that therby the humane nature subsisteth in the person of the word so that it is as a part thereof neither hath it by it selfe or without the word any subsisting Therefore well spake the fathers in the Councell of Chalcedon The difference of natures in Christ is not taken away because of the vnion of them but rather by this doctrine of the vnion of natures we learne that the proprieties of both natures are kept as concurring and meeting together into one person or * Hypostasis substance XXVII Seeing therefore the bodie of Christ is finite and taken vp from earth to a Act. 19.10.11 heauen and must be contained there vntill the b Act. 3 21. 1. Cor. 11.26 day of iudgement it followeth that it is not in all places nor in the Sacramentall bread included XXVII And albeit we say that Christes body is in heauen and no where else according to the true proprietie of a body yet we tye it not to any certaine place in heauen but we iudge him to be there free as it beseemeth and is conuenient for that celestiall glory which to search into we deeme also to be a vaine and bold curiositie XXIX Whereby it is very manifest that they slaunder vs which say that we tye the body of Christ to a certaine place in heauen XXX And whereas yet they say that albeit Christs body be in heauen visible yet this letteth not but that it may be in the Sacramentall bread in an inuisible manner first they can not proue this by the Scriptures next they speake flat contradictories against themselues when as they say that Christ is in the bread really substantially corporally if that be so he must be there also in a visible manner For whatsoeuer humane bodie is any where substātially the same is there also visibly For this visibilitie is a propertie which cā not be seuered from the substaunce of mans bodie For this cause Christ when he appeared after his resurrection to his Apostles desired to a Luk. 24.36.37.38.39 proue that his very body was there present substantially he reasoneth if so I may speake frō the * That which may be seen visibilitie and * That which may be touched felt palpabilitie thereof and so appealeth to the very senses of his Disciples that they might testifie the truth of his resurrection XXXI And whereas yet they make an other exception that it is vnmeet to submit the nature of a glorious body to the lawes of common nature that makes nothing to proue the inuisible presence of Christes bodie in the Sacramentall bread For the glorie a Luk. 23 36 c. Act 7.55.56 1.9.10.11 hath not abolished the truth of the bodie wherein the visibilitie thereof is contained Next this also is to be considered that in that first Supper of Christ with his Disciples that his body was not yet glorified and there is none other celebration of the Lordes Supper now then was at that time XXXII And albeit we deny the body of Christ to be included in the Sacramentall bread yet we say not that Christ is altogether in euery respect absent from his holy Sacrament or that the bread wine be but bare and emptie signes For Christ is truly present by the grace of his holy spirite where two or three a Mat. 18.20 are gathered togethe in his name and lifteth vp also euen to heauen vnto himselfe the hearts of the faithfull by the promise of the Gospell that they may contemplate there namely in the heauenly b Heb. 9.12.24 sanctuarie that his sacrifice which he offred for them vpon his Crosse and by faith feed thereupon vnto life euerlasting XXXIII Againe if the body of Christ be not in the Sacramentall bread it followeth also that we must not adore his body there but we must worship and adore him in heauē where a Col. 3.1 he sitteth at the right hand of God the father whither also in elder ages in the celebration of the Lordes Supper the people were inuited when they were put in minde of the place with sursum corda lift vp your harts vnto the Lord. XXXIIII Neither must the Lordes Supper be a diuine action performed by the Minister of the Church alone but the Pastor must declare and lay open with a good voyce and in a plaine manner what the misterie thereof is vnto the people XXXV In like manner we must reiect priuate communions as when this Sacrament is administred to particular persons readie to dye without any congregation or companie of the faithfull to be partakers with him of that holie communion for the Apostle speaking of the celebration of the Supper saith a 1. Cor 11.20 when ye meet together againe for that this Sacrament is a speciall symbole of the communion of Saintes and this the Apostle meaneth where he saith for b 1. Cor. 10.17 we that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread XXXVI The worthinesse of the communicants consisteth in this that they a 1. Cor. 11.28 acknowledge and bewayle their owne vnworthinesse and by faith call vpon God that he will of his grace and mercy in Iesus Christ make them worthy XXXVII Yet to speake more distinctly plainly to the vnderstanding of the ignorant to the end they may come prepared and aduisedly to the holy Communion and for that the abuse of this holy Sacrament is one cause of all these iudgements which are past and haue consumed many and yet are still threatned against vs therefore the vnworthy receiuers which dishonour God hurt and hinder their owne saluation and prouoke Gods wrath against his Church and people they are these which follow XXXVIII 1 In the first place I set all Atheists mē without God without a Ephe. 2.12 Psal 14.1 Christ or any Religion meere Epicures in the world therefore ought they to
came of Abrahams progenie that is to the Greekes d Rom. 3.29 Gentiles e Rom. 1.16 as Paule speaketh XVIII The second difference is that the couenant of grace before the comming of Christ was couertly and darkely administred by certaine a Gen. 18.22 c. 49.10 Deut. 18.15 2. Sam. 7.12 Psal 2. 72. 45. Esa 7.14 and chap. 9.6 chap. 53. Mich. 5.2 promises of the Messias which then was to come and ratifie the couenant and by b Gen. 15.18 Heb. 10.1 1. Cor. 2.17 Iohn 19.36 types and ceremonies shadowing prefiguring Christ to come But when Christ was come the dispensation of this couenant was more cleare and more manifested in the c Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.15 and 16. preaching of the Gospell and the seales thereof Baptisme and the Lords Supper all which are liuely d Act. 1.18 Math. 26.28 Mar. 14 14. Luke 22.20 1. Cor. 11.25 testimonies that Christ is already come and hath fully confirmed this holy couenant XIX The third difference is that before Christes incarnation the couenāt of grace was administred with a Gal. 3.24 c. 4.1.2.3 lesse efficacie but after with b Act. 2.17 Iohn 7.38.39 greater working grace power of the holy Ghost For albeit the holy spirite wrought in the elect vnder the old Testamēt by those diuine promises ceremonies but specially by the c Psal 51.9 sacrifices such a measure of the knowledge of God as was sufficient vnto their euerlasting saluation yet he giueth his elect vnder the Gospell a d Iere. 3.34 Esa 11.9 and chap. 54.13 Iohn 6.45 1. Cor. 2.10 1. Iohn 2.10 and 27. greater light of knowledge so a greater measure of the true loue of God That one example of Abrahams faith the father of e Rom. 4.18 c. Heb. 11.17 c. all the faithfull can not disproue this assertion concerning the regular and ordinarie administration vnder the Gospell XX. The fourth difference is for that the administration of the old Testament was more a Act. 15.15 burdensome greeuous because of the multitude of rites and ceremonies which exceeded in number charge labour the ceremonies of our time XXI And whereas God hath now after Christes Ascension abrogate those sacrifices ceremonies of the old Testament we must not therefore thinke any change in him For he is rightly said to be inconstant and mutable which chaungeth his purpose or doth any thing contrary therunto But the Lord in abrogating those sacrifices in prescribing another forme of worship hath neither altered his purpose nor done any thing contrary thereunto For his scope in the seruice and worship prescribed in both Testaments is to bring his elect to the knowledge of their saluation in Christ Neither hath he done any thing contrary vnto this but in his great wisedome he hath called and doth conduct cōtinually his elect diuerse waies to that end he appointed as he thought best both for those elder ages for these times vnder the Gospel Not vnlike a skilfull Phisitiō which cureth not a mā in his old age with the same medicines which he vsed for his youth for so doing we may not think him incōstant for changing his prescriptions For that he wisely considereth the diuersitie of temperature which is in old and young and so respecting this difference he applieth fit remedies which therefore necessarily must be diuerse and not the same CHAP. X. Of the person and office of Christ I. APHORISME THe knowledge of Christ consisteth principally in two things first to know what his person is secondly what his offices are II. Christ as touching his person in one the selfe same he is both a Rom. 9.5 1. Iohn 5.20 God man For he is the b Iohn 1.14 only begotten son of God which hath created of the seede c Heb. 2.16 Kuke 1.35 42 of the d Luk. 1.31.34.35 virgin Mary e Heb. 10.5 Ioh. 1.3.1.10.4.2 Luk. 1.35 for him selfe and so f Heb. 2.16 assumed or taken and personally and vnchangeably knit vnto himselfe the very body of man g Heb. 10.5 chap. 2.14 endued with a reasonable h Mat. 26 38 c. 27 50. soule and so without any change in his diuine nature he was made very man in i Heb. 2. ●7 al things like vnto vs sinne onely k Heb. 4.15 excepted III. This personall vnion of two natures in Christ is well demōstrated by that phrase or manner of speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which old writers haue called a communitie of proprieties And this communitie is nothing else but a Synecdoche whereby we attribute that which is proper to one nature of Christ to the very person hauing his denomination of the other nature As where Paule saith a 1. Cor. 2.8 They crucified the Lord of glory b Act. 20.28 and again God hath purchased a Church with his own bloud so when Christ speaketh c Iohn 3.13 no man hath ascēded vp to heauen but he which came downe from heauen the sonne of man which is in heauen IIII. And somtimes we haue an expresse distinction of both natures as where Christ is sayd a Rom. 1.3 and 4. to be made of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh and declared mightely to be the sonne of God touching the spirite of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead and where he is sayd to b Rom. 9.5 come of the fathers as concerning the flesh So also whē he is said to be c 1. Pet. 3.18 put to death concerning the flesh but to be quickned in the spirite And sometimes this distinction is left to be vnderstood by conference of such places V. Againe Christ must be such a person as is fit to take vpon him the office of a a 1. Tim. 2.5 Heb. 8.6 mediator And such was none but the sonne of God incarnate for that he is allied to both the parts which were to be reconciled and therefore louing both and beloued of both Againe he must so performe the office of a mediator betweene God vs that by his b Heb. 9.15 death he reconcile vs vnto God and this death being God only he could not haue suffred and being man only he could not haue ouercome Againe he must be very God that the propitiatorie sacrifice which was his bloud shed for the elect might be a ransome c Act. 20.28 1. Iohn 1.7 sufficient price for our sinnes againe he must be very man to d Rom. 5.12 c. satisfie the iustice of God againe a person sanctified of God that he might be a holy e Heb. 7.26 Priest and a holy f 1. Pet. 1.19 sacrificer Againe he must be very God that after he had by the merite of his Priesthood reconciled them vnto God and obtained the holy Ghost for them he might also him selfe giue them the same holy spirite to worke faith
life and glory euerlasting but the vngodly to shame and b Iohn 5.29 death euerlasting IIII. This glorious and blessed resurrection of the godly dependeth vpon the resurrection of a 1. Cor. 15.12 c. 1. Thess 4.14 Christ as of their head to whom they as members must be conformed V. Christ then the head of the godly shal in the resurrection make our bodies a Phil. 5.21 1. Cor. 15.35 c. like to his glorious body VI. Againe Christ shall raise the dead at his glorious a 1. Thes 4.16 comming to iudgemēt with the shout of an Archangell and sound of a trumpet VII The dead being raised then in a moment as in the twinckling of an eye the liuing shal be a 1. Thess 4.16 and. 17. 1. Cor. 15.52 and 53. chaunged so that their bodies shal be made incorruptible VIII Then streight wayes all the godly shal be a 1. Thess 4.17 caught vp into the ayre to meete the Lord and so shall b Ibid. Math. 25.34 and 46. euer be with the Lord and with him enioy euerlasting happines IX On the contrary the vngodly shall together with the deuils be thrust down into a Math. 25.41 and 46. hell into the b Reue. 20.15 chap. 21. 8 lake that euer burneth with fire and brimstone and there shal be tormented X. Againe eternall life consisteth chiefly in the full feeling of Gods loue in the communion of his nature according to these sayings a Psal 17.15 I shal be saith Dauid satisfied with thine Image againe b Psal 16.18 in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and pleasures at thy right hand for euermore And Peter affirmeth c 2. Pet. 1.4 that the faithfull are to this end called that they may be partakers of the diuine nature that is of the graces of God his wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and glory XI And albeit the blessed there shall want nothing pertinent to perfect felicitie because God shal be a 1. Cor. 15.28 all in all yet of that heauenly glory wherewith they shal be beautified there shal be certaine b 1. Cor. 15.41 and 42. degrees as there were also c 1. Cor. 12.4 degrees of their giftes in this life and as there shal be d Mat. 10.15 and chap. 11 20. c. degrees of torments amongst the dāned And aboue others excelling most shining shal be the glory of the teachers of the word that haue faithfully instructed the Church and so brought many to righteousnesse as e Dan. 12.3 Daniell speaketh XII This doctrine as it may iustly terrifie the vngodly so to the godly in al miseries and euen in death it is a 1. Thess 4. vers last most comfortable as they that know and by the grace of God stedfastly trust that their soule by death b Iohn 11.25 passeth into life and by the Angels is c Luk. 16.22 caried into Abrahams bosome that is into heauē so to d Phil. 1.23 Christ their bodies although they rot and be eaten of wormes yet shall in due time rise again and be clothed with euerlasting glory CHAP. XIX Of the Church I. APHORISME THe Church is a a Mat 26.28 Iohn 17.20 multitude of men b Ephe. 1.13 Ro. 10.14.15 effectually c Rom. 8.30 called by the preaching of the d Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1.2 Gospell and therefore they be such as beleeue in Christ and e Ro. 10.9.10 professe his faith and f Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1.2 1. Cor. 2.2 Ephe. 1.1 serue God in the faith accounting in this number with the elect their g Act. 2.39 Gene. 17.7 1. Cor. 7.14 children and the children of hypocrites which as yet by their age are not capable of this calling II. The Church is either vniuersall which commonly the Greekes call Catholicke or particular III. The vniuersall or Catholicke Church is the whole multitude of them who from the beginning of the world haue beleeued in Christ that now do beleeue and shall beleeue to the worldes end Whereof one part now triumpheth a Ephe. 1. ● Co● ● in heauen to wi●● the faithfull that are departed another part is militant on the earth that is the faithfull that yet liue And this again is diuided into particular Churches IIII. A Particular Church is a particular Congregation of the faithfull dwelling a 1. Cor. 12. 2. Cor. 1.1 Gal. 1.2 1. Thess 1.1 2. Thess 1.1 together in one place exercising them selues in Gods worship according to the direction of his word V. A Particular Church may be distinguished in the old and the new VI. By the old I meane that which was before Christes incarnation as the Church of the Iewes which then did excel as touching the forme of outward gouernmēt VII I call that the new Church which began after Christs comming especially after his ascension in heauen being gathered out of a Ephe. 2.13 diuerse nations and this is called b Act. 11.26 the Christian Church VIII Where the Church is a Rom. 2.28.29 c. 11.7 distinguished in the inuisible and visible it may not be thought that there be two Churches of diuerse kinds but one the same Church in diuerse respectes may be said to be visible and inuisible IX And it is called inuisible for that it can not be seene with mens eies for that faith by which the Church hath her being in Christ is placed in the a Rom. 2.29 hart which none but b Act. 1.24 God can see X. But it is said to be visible for that it hath certain markes which may be seene and whereby we may conclude assuredly that there is a Church people of God albeit a 1. Ioh. 2.19 Math. 13.3 d. Item 43. c. hypocrites be mingled with them who professe the same faith yet beleeue not in Iesus Christ XI These markes are the a Ephe. 2.20 Act. 2.24 pure preaching of the word and lawfull administration of the b 1. Cor. 1.13 1. Cor. 12.20 and 23. Mat. last v. 19 and 20. Mat. last v. 15. and 16. Sacraments XII For albeit in the Church of God holy a Mat. 18.15.16.17 1. Cor. 5.5 discipline be also required yet if here the gouernours of the Churches be slacke in their duties ☜ the Church is not presently to be thought no Church as long as the two former markes remaine XIII And yet further I ad there may creep in some corruption both in a Cor. 3.12 doctrine and in the administratiō of the b 1. Cor. 11.12 Sacraments yet it shall not cease to be a Church as long as the c 1. Cor. 3.11 foundation is retained which is Christ or saluation by Christ alone XIIII It is the dutie of euery godly man to a Heb. 10.25 1. Cor. 11.20 ioyne himself to such a congregation or societie as he seeth to haue those markes and as