Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	ghost_n	holy_a	trinity_n	3,214	5	9.7060	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08201	Abrahams faith: that is, The olde religion VVherein is taught, that the religion now publikely taught and defended by order in the Church of England, is the onely true Catholicke, auncient, and vnchangeable faith of Gods elect. And the pretensed religion of the Sea of Rome is a false, bastard, new, vpstart, hereticall and variable superstitious deuise of man. Published by Iosias Nicholls, an humble seruant and minister of the gospell in the Church.	Nichols, Josias, 1555?-1639.	1602 (1602)	STC 18538; ESTC S113254	207,023	348

God more then God for greater is he that maketh the creator then he that maketh the creature If any man mislike this collectiō let him in his conscience only waie this whither that by this transubstantiation they do not make a bable or a toy in steed of God when they can make him at their pleasure with the intēt of the church which will be as much against this article as can be for verely if they beleeued there were a God and considered what belongeth to his glorious maiestie they would not thus presume exalt them selues and thinke him or his manhood at their commandement As touching the trinitie in words they say b Greg. decretal tit 1. cap. 1. firmiter credimus Firmiter credimus simpliciter confitemur c. we firmely beleeue and confesse that there is one onelie true God euerlasting infinit vnchangeable incomprehensible omnipotent ineffable the father son and holy ghost three in person but one in essence c. this holy trinitie according to the comune nature is vndeuided according to the personal properties distinct All this soundeth wel but alas it is but as saint Paul saith c Tit. 1.16 They professe they know God but by their works they deny him For in setting vp the rood and crosse in the churches and in glasse windowes to be crowched vnto where they make God the father like an old man and God the son like a yong mā the holy ghost like a doue by their deeds they ouerthrow that which they say they firmly beleeue For if they beleeued that God were exceeding all measure in comprehensible and vnspeakable then would they not dare to draw him out and set him forth by an engrauen image which can in no part represent his deuine infinite Rom. 1.23 glory Againe how can the common people or almost any the staydest man in the world especially if he come with deuotion to worship that image but that in beholding the same he shal haue in his mind an inpression of an earthly and visible shape and likenes to be in God and when he seuerally seeth these three pictures images how can he auoid the imagination that these three persons in the godhead are as three seperate persons of men among vs as of Peter Iames and Iohn which is contrary to their sayings that this trinity in regard of the comon nature vndeuided as we may say in nūber to be one the same And this is vtterly cōtrary to the catholike religiō to haue such a vile imaginatiō of god of his inuisible vnspeakable power as you may read in the olde testament in these words a Deut. 4.15.16 take good heed to your selues for ye saw no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire that yee corrupt not your selues make you a grauen image or representation of any figure whether it be the likenes of male or female c. in the new testamēt b Act. 27.29 For as much as we are the generation of God we ought not to thinke that the godhead is like vnto gold or siluer or stone grauen by art inuention of man In the second article the disagreement is that they of the sea of Rome make not God the cause of causes but tyeth him to second causes and that his c Test Rhem. a note Rom. 9. ver 11. eternal coūsel respected mens works determined according to works forseene and d Nic. Dorbet distinct 41. Artic. 2. would haue al men to be saued quantum in se est as much as lyeth in him and they say Sicut presciuit predestinauit quae ipse fecit c. e Gratian pars 2 caus 23. Q. 4 ca. Nabucho As he foreknew and predestinated the things he did and gaue vs to doo so hee foreknew onely and did not predestinate the things which neither himselfe did neither required that we should doo c. without doubt all thinges which God forknoweth shall be shal be done in deed but some certaine of them proceed from free will In which you may see all these points contrarie to the true faith First free will is made authour of some things and God onely forknoweth it 2. Gods wil is debarred to haue to do in those things he commandeth not 3. That hee decreeth onely the elect and onely forseeth touching the reprobate Lastly that his wil was to saue all men as much as in him was as if they should say if he had been able All these do limit the hie and vnsearchable counsell of him which is the cause of all causes and setteh the wil of man in the foresight of God to be his instructor most contrariant to the holie religion of Gods elect which humbly confesse vnto God in the olde Testament thus f Hier. 10.23 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in him selfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steps and in the new thus g Reuel 4.11 Thou art woorthie O Lord to receaue glory and honor and power for thou hast created all things and for thy will sake they are and haue been created Touching the third article the conspiracie of Rome do accurse the true religion namely a Concil trident sess 6. canon 4. If any man say that mans free will being mooued and stirred by God doth nothing at all worke together by ascenting to God as he stirreth and calleth whereby he doth frame prepare himselfe to obtaine the grace of iustification and againe b Canon 7. If any man say all woorkes which are done before iustification whowsoeuer they be done to be truly sin and deserue the hatred of God and therefore they say that c Test Rhem. in Math. 12. It is in mans owne free wil election to be a good tree or an ill tree and againe ver 33. in marg in Act. 10. ver 2. Such works as are done before iustification though they suffice to saluation yet bee acceptable preparatiues to the grace of iustification and such as mooue God to mercie and againe d Nich. Deorhel distinct 41. sent 1. Artic. 1. Cum peccator facit quod in se est meretur de congruo iustificari c. When a sinner doth that which in him is he deserueth of congruitie to be iustified or after a sort by the e Condosentia diuinae liberalitatis beseeming or becoming of the diuine liberalitie Heere thou seest three thinges of Poperie contrarie to the christian veritie First that mans hart is not altogether vniuersally corrupted by Adams fal Secondly that Gods grace doth but stir vp and mooue mans free will and thridlie by congruitie the workes before faith diserue and prepare vnto grace and please God And they haue yet a fourth namely that f Concil trident sess 5. Apendix The virgin Marie was not conceiued in sinne

but by the holy ghost as Christ plainly a Ioh. 3.5 expoundeth saying No man can enter into the kingdome of God except he be borne againe by the holie ghost Abraham doubtles being taught the true meaning of these words who spake and of whom and what maner of promise this was and how it shoulde be performed could not but behold therin learne the most excellent misterie and doctrine of the trinitie And in this sence and meaning doth the church of England hold this article of religion with Abraham as may appeare not onely by the vniuersall and notorious knowledge of our profession but also by fower Creedes set downe in the booke of Common praier to be heard learned and confessed of all men The Apostles creed Te Deum Athanasius creed and the Nicen creed and in the first article of religion agreed vpon by our church and established by lawe Ann̄ 1562. Moses consent in this article is to bee seene in these words b Deut. 6.4 Here O Israel the Lord our God is Lord only Where this word Lord being in Hebrew Iehouah noteth out the true God being all sufficient of him selfe and therfore Moses was c Exod. 3.14 taught to call him Eheie that is I am or shal be meaning a continuance without beginning or ending Secondly this clause our God in hebrew is * Elohenu a word of the plurall number noteth out the pluralitie of persons then adding in the singuler number that he is Lord or Iehouah onely signifieth that although there is pluralitie that is three persons yet there is but one God And therefore that which is spoken Psal 95. of the tempting of God out of Deut. 9. ver 8. where is said by Moses they prouoked Iehouah to anger the prophet d Esai 36.10 Esay the epistle e Heb. 3.7 to the Hebrewes expound it to be the tempting of the holy ghost f 1. Cor. 10.5 and S. Paul to bee tempting of Christ so that Moses by these places is to bee vnderstood to haue taught the same doctrin of the Trinitie namely one all sufficient Iehouah the same three persōs God the father God the son God the holy ghost The prophets who are the true and perfect interpreters of Moses doe vtter this doctrin yet more plainly speaking in the person of God g Esai 44.6 I am the first and I am the last and beside me there is no God h Cap. 4.3.13 Before the day was I am there is none that can deliuer out of mine hand i 45.21 a iust God and a Sauiour and there is none beside me k Malach. 3.6 I the Lord change not l Nahum 1.5 The mountains tremble for him and the hils melt c. And as touching the Trinitie in plaine termes thus m Hag. 2.5.6 I am with you saith the Lord of hostes with the word wherewith I couenanted with you when you came out of Egypt and with my spirit remaining among you where you see the father by excellencie called the Lord of hosts the son being the mediator of the couenant is called the word by whom and for whom God couenanteth and the holy ghost his spirit placed in his church by his manifold gifts and mightie works Heb. 2.4 the like place is in a Esai 63.7.8.9.10 Esay where in the person of the father is shewed Gods mercie loue and kinde prouidence ouer his people and he pointeth out the second person by the name of the angel of his presence who saued them and the holy ghost he calleth his holy spirit whom they vexed But the new Testament is plainest of al. First Math. 3. where the father witnesseth of the son and the holy ghost in the shape of a doue commeth vpon him and Christ commandeth to b Math 28.19 Baptise in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost And c 1. Ioh. 5.7.9 S. Iohn calleth this the witnes of God that there are three which beare record in heauen the father the word and the holie ghost and these three are one In which article wee must vnderstād the three persons not as we do three persons of men who though they be but of one nature which is the nature of man yet are they in such sort 3. persons in one nature as they are also 3. diuers men But in God is a more neere vnion namely that they being 3. persōs distinguished in property the father begetting the son begotten the holy ghost proceeding yet these three so distinct in person are not onely of one kind of nature which is to be God for so they might be vnderstood to be three gods as Peter Iames and Iohn though of one nature are yet three men but also of one and the same essence in vnitie of number namely that the father son and holie ghost are all in one God and do make and be all but one and the same God of the same inseperable power eternitie wil wisdom and goodnes as is very excellently expounded in the creed of Athanasius The second article is of the Cause of Causes 2 By the decree of God all thinges were fore ordained how they should be and concerning man who should be saued by faith in Christ and who should be damned for their sinnes THis doctrine GOD teacheth Abraham two waies first in the promise d Gen. 12.3 how al the families of the earth should be blessed in which there is the reuelation of Gods decree what should become of all nations in the world namely that they of al nations which attaine blessednes shoulde haue it by Christ and all other should be damned then e Cap. 17. when he seperateth the Iewes by circumcision kept out the gentils till the fulnes of times it argueth that according to his decree he dispenseth the times and seperateth the nations and that in the matter of the saluation and damnation of men euen as saint Paul expoundeth it saying f Eph. 1.9.10 And hath opened to vs the mistery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in him selfe that in the dispensation of the fulnes of times he might gather together in one all things both which are in heauen which are in earth euen in Christ The other way is in trying of Abraham whē he was so olde before he had his son Isaac for hauing made the promise to Abraham generally First a Gen. 12.3 cap. 15.5 In thy seed and secondly So shall thy seed be Sarah finding her selfe barren b Gen. 16. gaue her maide to Abraham thinking to haue the seed that way and he went into her and she brought him foorth a sonne when he was fower score and six yere olde and he called his name Ismaell But after this God c Cap. 17.15 commanded Abraham to change his wiue Sarahs name from Sarai to Sarah because he would giue her a son and blesse and

you also find that he had an a Gen. 15.9 cap. 17.9 expresse commandement So Moses in all the foure bookes of Exodus Leuiticus Numbers and Deuteronomie sheweth plainely that he ordained neither passouer nor any sacrifice or other ordināce but by expresse commandement of god So the prophets when they shewed any signe of Gods good pleasure they gaue it by his authoritie and assignement as b Cap. 7.18 37.22.30 and 38.7 Esaiah vnto Ahaz and vnto Ezekiah c 1. King 18. Eliah before Ahab c. And this is Iohns Baptisme d Math. 3.3 Ioh. 1.33 by the commandement of God And for the same Baptisme to be perpetuall in the church and also the Lords supper e Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.23 Matth. 28.19 euerie one that readeth the new Testament must needs be verie negligent if he do not perceiue when and where they were commanded of God Nowe the second thing in the nature of a Sacrament is whereof they consist and this all men know to be of an outward thing which may be seene and discerned by the senses and of an heauenly and spirituall thing which cannot be seene but commended to the vnderstanding The first is called a signe because it is not there to serue according to his owne proper nature but to an other special vse appointed of God that is to represent an other thing which it selfe is not and not onely to be a bare signe but also such a signe as is a seale which being set to a writing doth make it authenticall so this is appointed to assure vs of the partaking or hauing of the verie thing it selfe which this outwarde signe doth signifie The thing signified or sealed is the couenant of mercie which is in Christ which couenant is that God promiseth forgiuenesse of sinnes righteousnes and saluation to all that beleeue in Iesus Christ as is taught out of the prophet Hieremie in the a Heb. 10.12.16 Epistle to the Hebrewes and I say In Iesus Christ not onely because that as is taught to the Galathians The b Gal. 3.17 couenant was confirmed of God in respect of Christ but also because that as is taught in the Epistle to the Hebrewes c Heb. 9.15 by the death of Iesus Christ wee receiue the promise of eternall inheritance and so the Testament our couenant is confirmed by the death of him that made the Testament And therefore the sacraments doo so represent and assure vnto our soules this couenant as they doo applie vnto vs his verie death his bodie broken and his bloud shed as the perfect ratifying and establishing of the couenant so that in receiuing the Sacraments wee must by faith as it were wash our selues with his bloud and feede vpon his bodie and bloud to the sealing vp of our euerlasting saluation in the assurance of the couenant And here is to be obserued that these thinges are to bee vnderstood distinctlie the signe the thing signified and wherein the power and operation of the Sacrament consisteth The signe is not changed into the thing signified neither hath it the nature power or operation of the thing signified but onely representeth as a seal applieth the thing signified Secondly the thing signified is the verie matter of our happines which is to be in couenant with God engrafted cleansed nourished and strengthened in Christ vnto eternall life but the power commeth of the institution that as God hath ordained them to be signes and seales so they are in deed and the working is of the holy ghost for he by his spirit doth make thē effectuall in all beleeuers for the strengthning of their faith in the holy couenant and for the liuely applying and fruitfull feeling of the death bloudshedding of Iesus Christ the mediator thereof And this is to be all and the onely nature of Sacraments may appeare in all times And first in Abrahams time there is a Gen. 17. circumcision which is of the fathers the signe whereof is the cutting of the foreskin of the flesh and the signification is the couenant of God with Abraham to bee his God and the God of his seede It is not onely called a b Vers 11. signe of the couenant but also c Vers 10.13 the couenant thereby to shew that it is not only a bare signe or token but also an assurance as a firme seale And so Saint Paule interpreteth it saying d Rom. 4.11 After he receiued the signe of circumcision as a seale c. Againe here are three distinct things the signe is not turned into the couenant neither hath it the nature and power nor the operation thereof For the couenant is in the promise and the signe doth represent that promise and that promise respecting Christ is the matter of Abrahams happinesse by which hee was made and a Esai 41.8 called the friend of God Who before this couenant in his fathers house could not but worship other Gods and so was an enemie to God and therefore miserable And this appeareth as the Apostle teacheth because he b Rom. 4.9.10.11 was iustified by faith in Christ before he was circumcised and after receiued the signe of circumcisiō as a seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised Now the power it had thus to worke as a signe and a seale was of Gods institution who ordained it to be such a signe and a seale yet the operation and effect was onely by the holy Ghost for els all men circumcised should haue beene happie and saued and therefore the Apostle teacheth vs that he is not a c Cap. 2.28.29 Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outwarde in the flesh but he is one within and the circumcision is of the hart in the spirit not in the letter teaching thereby that the outward worke of cutting the fore skin hath no effectuall working but when God by his spirit doeth circumcise the heart according to that comfortable speech of Moses d Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God wil circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed that thou mayest loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou maiest liue Now concerning the time of the law the most memorable sacrament is the Passeouer whereof we e Exod. 12.11.13 find the like description For the lambe is somtime called a signe of the passeouer sometime the passeouer it selfe to teach that it was both a signe and a seale And this hauing his chiefe fulfilling in Christ the Apostle calleth f 〈…〉 Christ our passeouer to shew that the sacrament of the passeouer did concerne the couenant of mercie in Christ Now the institution being set forth and in all sorts explaned by God as the other sacrament of circumcision doth shew the distinction of the thing signified in regarde of the nature power operatiō euē as is before said of the other