Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	divine_a	union_n	unite_v	3,428	5	9.3828	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75308	The triumph of a good conscience. Or a sermon preached upon the 2. of the Revel. the latter part of the 10 verse. VVherein the nature of faithfulnesse is in part opened, and the doctrine of perseverance confirmed, and some cases of conscience cleared. / By Paul Amiraut, minister of the Gospel at East Dearham, in the county of Norfolk.	Amyraut, Paul, b. 1600 or 1601.	1648 (1648)	Wing A3038; Thomason E426_10; ESTC R204574	20,497	32

compare their condition to Christs condition when he was dead they will runne parallell in these particulars Though Christ was dead yet that Hypostatical union betwixt his God-head and Manhood were not dissolved but his divine nature was as really united to his man hood at his death as it was when he was alive now for asmuch as the God-head is a quickning spirit nay life it self and the author and giver of life it must needs follow that there was stil a root of life left in him therefore he could not be radically dead So by those sinnes which the Saints committed the mysticall union which was betwixt Christ and their soules was not dissolved whereby he as their head and they as his members Impossible it is that a man thus united unto Christ should be quite cast of from Christ For then Christ himselfe must be maimed by the losse of a member See what full description Christ himselfe gives of that union Iohn 17. ver 23. I in them and thou in me where we see that this mysticall union is compared to that essentiall union which is betwixt him and his father and therefore as that cannot be dissolved no more can this I am perswaded that if the Patrons of the Apostacy of the Saints had felt the vertue efficacy of this union they would never have broached such an errour Now forasmuch as this Christ which is in them and so neerely joyned to them is a quickning spirit it is impossible that they should so fall but that still there is a Root of life left in them 2. Though Christ dyed yet he saw no corruption that is he did not rot in his grave So the Saints though they sin ungrievously yet they never go so far as to rot in thir sin they are never brought so low as that their root should becom rottenesse as the Scripture phrase is Rottennesse ariseth from hence when the outward adventicious heat drawes out the inward and radicall moysture and makes it runne into the outward parts So then a man rots away in sinnne when the moisture of his inward mind and affection is so drawn away from God as that it is wholly set upon outward things Now a Child of God can never fall thus low For to be carnally minded is death Rom. 8. ver 6. whereas a belever as I proved before cannot sinne unto death I thinke no child of God drunk so deep of the puddle of Epicurisme and sensuallity as Salomon did yet looke into Ecclesiastes 2. ver 3. which is his recantation Sermon and there you shall finde him professe that though he gave himselfe to wine yet he acquainted his heart with wisdom as if he should say although I gave my selfe to pleasure yet I resolved to keepe wisedome and the feare of God in my heart and to governe my affaires by the same and to use it as a bridle to check me in those abominations As the Aethiopian Judges leave the upper seate of judgement empty for God So Salomon when he was at the lowest ebb reserved the highest seate of his heart and affections for God Indeed that Seate was empty it was not adorned with his presence as before it was the more was the pitty but yet it was reserved for God free from the incroachments of earthly vanityes 3. The death that Christ died was the death of the Crosse and one reason why Christ chose this death as Divines affirme was because this death did wound his body but did not mangle it So Christians when they fall into sinnes their graces are wounded but not mangled that is they are weakned but not-made uselesse A man would have thought that the grace of self-denyal had been wholly destroyed in the sons of Zebedee by that fit of ambition mentioned Mat. 20. vers 23. but yet we finde it retained its full proportion though it was wounded by that sting of that contrary distemper which they fel into but notwithstanding when Christ cal'd for this grace It immediatly came forth ready to act her part they expected to sit at his right hand Christ asked them whether they were able to drink of that Cup that he drunk of and to be baptized with the baptisme that he was baptized with And it appeares by their answer how ready they were to stoop to that hot peece of service They were not so ambitious to weare a Crown but they were as wiling to kisse the stake not not so desirous to raign as they were wiling to burn which shews that though their grace was wounded yet not mangled by their sinne 4. As Christ did raise himselfe by his own power So they were active in their recovery not meerely passive as they were at their conversion when there was nothing in them to close with grace but in this recovery there was somthing left in them whereby they were not meere patients bue agents in their recovery As Peter wept himselfe alive againe and David repented himself alive againe and Solomon preached himself alive againe Thus we see what to judg of those grosse sinnes of the Saints But some men will object and say that this doctrine of perseverance should be rather extermined then determined in the Pulpit because it may nourish spirituall Idlenesse and presumption For if men be taught that having grace they cannot loose it why should they feare to commit any sinne And why may they not grow carelesse and throw the plough into the hedge to make holy day I answer If true grace will give way to such wantonnesse at her perill considering that it is the keeper of every faithful soule and not the soule the keeper of it and therefore Christians are said to be under the dominon of grace Rom. 6. so that no such thing can happen except grace it self should prove ungratious Simele If there were such a fire as could not be quenched would it therefore never resist his contrary So because grace is of that strength as it can never perish nor be wholly extinguished shall it therefore cease to resist sinne yeas sure it will resist it not only by counterfightings but by counterlustings Gal 5.24 The flesh cannot so much as put forth a desire to sinne but the spirit will put forth a counter desire to suppresse that It is true sometime corruption seems to get the advantage in the run but grace will have the advantage againe in the turne And though a Christian may fall very low yet we may say of that grace in whose custodie he is as David saith of God himself Ps 139.7 8. Whether shall I flie from thy presence c. So may wee say whether shall a Christian flie from such a keeper If to heaven I am sure we cannot then flie from it for thither is grace bound and it hath a Commission to bring us thither If to hell grace will find us out there too and be sure to bring us back If we should straggle and stray and have our heart too far carried away from God this grace shall lead us to God againe and her right hand shall hold us up If darkenesse of desertion cover us grace will help us at a dead lift and turn our darknesse into light And by this it appeares that the doctrine of perseverances gives no way to licentiousnes and carnall libertie And whereas the patrons of the Apostacie of the Saints charge this doctrin with this inconvenience that it opens a door to spirituall idlenesse and security this imputation may iustly be retorted upon them For you know a Christian hath much adoe to get grace it will cost him hot water many heart breaking and bitter pangs before Iesus Christ be framed and fashioned in him Now if people be taught that men have no sooner gotten grace but they are in danger to loose it again will not this enervate and emasculate end overthrow all godly endeavours What heart can a man have to take any great pains for that and to be at a great charge to purchase that which he is not sure to hold In all conveyances there is a tenendum as well as an habendum it is conveyed to us not only to have but to hold else we would hardly lay out any money about such purchase So take away perpetuity and perseverance from grace and what heart can we have to take any paines about it This is one inconvenience that will follow from this error Besides this opinion is most uncomfortable for it keeps the people in perpetuall suspence It makes the graces of Christians to be like Marchants goods that hang upon rops even upon the sandic ropes of our weak and frail endeavours And whereas Christ hath made an exceeding rich will yet it seems by this opinion that he hath made it so loose that no man can certainly prove the will nor be assured whether the will belong to him or no. Again how can grace that may be mortall soundly comfort an immortall soule At least by this doctrine we cannot be soundly comforted till we have persevered which cannot be till after death at which time men shall be either above or beneath comfort Thus much for this use Other uses were omitted for want of time but shall be added if this finde acceptance wherein I shall endeavour to discover the nature of Apostacy which sinne seemes now to be calculated for the Meridian of England Imprimatur Edmond Calamy FINIS