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
A12703	The high vvay to Heaven by the cleare light of the Gospell cleansed of a number of most dangerous stumbling stones thereinto throwen by Bellarmine and others In a treatise made vpon the 37. 38. and 39. verses of the 7. of Iohn: wherein is so handled the most sweete and comfortable doctrine of the true vnion and communication of Christ and his Church, and the contrarie is so confuted, as that not onely thereby also summarilie and briefly, and yet plainly all men may learne rightly to receiue the sacrament of Christs blessed bodie and blood, but also how to beleeue and to liue to saluation. And therefore entitled The highway to Heauen. By Thomas Sparke Doctor of Diuinitie.	Sparke, Thomas, 1548-1616.	1597 (1597)	STC 23021; ESTC S102434	161,682	384

are 3. distinct persons the father the son and the holy ghost coequal coeternall the light of the gospell makes it most cleare euident that the 2. persons in this trinitie hauing been frō euerlasting then also being true very God when the fulnes of time was come he tooke vnto him selfe the full and whole nature of man in the wombe of the blessed virgine Marie that by the power of the holy ghost shadowing her she both conceiued and bare a son remaining stil a virgine that was is very God and man also yet not two persons bur one The historie of this his incarnation conception and birth most agreeably to all ancient prophesies giuen before of the comming of the Messiah in respect of all the circumstances thereof of whom he should descend according to the flesh at what time he should come wher he should be borne and in what manner is set forth most plainly by Mat. 10. and by Luke 1. 2. In which also so much as I hauesaid touching his person is taught for therin we finde him termed the son of the almighty Emanuel that is God with vs to proue that he was conceiued born of the virgin his mother a very man there his petegree is deriued euen down from Adam to Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid the rest wherby also it appeare th that he is indeed that seed of the woman and of those descended that should tread down the serpents head in whom al the natiōs of the world should be blessed And yet in this history he is stil spokē of neither as of one by the cōmixtion or coniunctiō of two natures made a third nor yet by the consociation or associatiō of two natures remaining stil two persōs but as he became so stil remaineth one onely person consisting of these two natures so therin is he set before vs. This mystery also is most notably in my opiniō opened vnto vs by saint Paule Phillip 2. vers 5.6.7 and 8. in these words let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robery to be equal with god but he made himself of no reputatiō took on him the form of a seruāt was made like vnto men was found in shap as a man For her in if the wordes be wel markt he hath most profoūdly set down what he was before his incarnation and what he became then what he was before he sheeweth in these being in the forme of God he thought it no roberie to be equall with God and what he became after in the rest and euen these fewe wordes shew first thabefore his incarnation he was one that had a true being and existence to confute Ebion and Ceri●●●● and all their folowers who hold that he tooke all his being existence of the virgin and that therefore he was onely man and Seruetus also hereby is confuted who fant astically blasphemously taught that the word was nothing before that had a being and existence but that it was but the decree in Gods minde of the making and creating of this man and of replenishing him with his godhead For he is said to haue beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one existing and being in the forme of God and after it is added that euen this same tooke vnto himself the forme of a seruant To this same purpose saith Iohn in the beginning was the word Io 1.1 and Christ him selfe said before Abraham was I am Io. 8.58 and Paule he himselfe tooke the seed of Abraham Heb 2.16 Secondly by forme of God vnderstanding here the nature of God as after the forme of a seruant we must vnderstand the very nature of man as al sound interpreters both olde newe euer haue done in that it is said that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is being in the the forme of God further that being in the forme he thought it no robery to be equal with god al these things be further taught that this being of his which he had before was the being of a very true God that yet he was a distinct person in the Godhead from the father though equal to with the father For as his being in the forme of man proued that he was a verie man yet a distinct person in that nature from other men equal with them in the common nature so his being in the forme of God and his iust and lawfull thinking which doubtles it was or else it coulde not haue been incident to such an one that it was no wrong or robery to be equal with God proues most substantially that he was before his incarnation by nature very God equal to his father as touching his Godhead though a distinct person from his father For who can be in the forme of God but verie God who can think it no robery that rightly to be equall to God but he that indeed is coequal to with God yet how can these things be said and said truely as certainly they be here of the son of God but they must needs proue that though father son holy ghost be all but one God and haue but one essence that most perfectly one that yet the same is a distinct person from the person of the father For one self same person cannot be said to be equal to it self he therfore that thinketh it no robery to be equal must needs be one person he to whom he accounts himselfe equal an other So that with this one short sentence with these verie fewe wordes as it were with one blow all these heretiques Arrius Photinus Carpocrates Seruetus Sabellius Praxeas the Tritheits and Gentilis their scholers are laid for dead and therefore are meet for euer to be buried in the graues of infamous and blasphemous heretiques For Arrius though he granted that Christ had a being before his incarnation yet he could neuer be brought to confesse that in that being he was God from euerlasting coeternal and coessentiall with the father Photinus and Seruetus with their crue held he was God and the sonne of God and so might be called but not by nature but by grace and office Carpocrates likewise acknowledged in Christ besides his manhoode a celestiall and diuine nature but yet he would not yeelde that it was of the same essence that his fathers was Sabellius Praxeas would haue there to bee but one person named with three names the Tritheits gentilis contēded for the destinctiō of the 3. persons that they would haue thē to haue 3 distinct essences so consequētly to be 3 Gods These here sies of Arrius Photinus Sernetus Carpocrates haue all their deathswound in that expresly he is said to haue bin in the form of God it being most certain that ther by God the father is ment by his form no

accidentall form for that God the father hath none such but his very essence substance And this his being in the same forme with his father likewise cuts the throte of Gentilis of al Tritheites for it most strōgly sheweth one form or essence to be one self same most perfectly to distinct persons therin lastly the cōparisō equality betwixt him his father set down in the other words for asmuch as such comparisō could not be if he his father were but one persō named onely by diuers names is as pregnant for euer to confounde Sabellius and Praxeas But the lordes name be blessed praised for it if these words wernot plain inough to proue this doctrine of the son of God to be most cleare against these heretiques we haue else where in the scriptures the same most plentifully and plainelie taught For what can be plainer to this purpose then these words of Iohn Cap. 1.1 and 2. In the beginning was the worde and the word was with God and the word was God For the first clause shewes his existence and being from euerlasting the second his distinct existence and being in person from his fathers and that last his vnitie in essence with him Plaine also to this ende is that which we read Heb. 1.2.3 For there the Apostle cals him the sonne of God whom his heauenlie father hath made heire of all things and by whome he made the world and he termeth him the brightnes of his glorie and the ingraued forme of his person bearing vp all thinges by his mighty worde For herein his being before the world was the distinctiō his of person from his fathers and yet the vnitie of effence betwixt them in most forceable words is aduouched let these therefore be sufficiente for this pointe Now if we would know what he became and is by his incarnation in person further as I said before the rest of the wordes of faint Paule before alleadged out of his 2. Chapter to the Philliplans most notablie lay that also down before vs. For the Apostles purpose being to shew the Phillippians how Christ humbled and abased himselfe for the good of his Church that he doth in shewing them how first he did it by taking vpon him the forme of a seruant and by beeing made like vnto men and by beeing found in shape of a man so setting down the misterie of his incarnation and after by telling them howe beeing so become man he humbled himselfe to be obedient euen vnto the death for them to purchase their redemption Note therefore diligentlie welbeloued and marke religiouslie the wordes of the Apostle before alleadged to expresse the mysterie of his incarnation First he faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we english but he abased himselfe and made himselfe of no reputation which wordes teach vs that though it be moste true that we haue heard of him before that voluntarily yet to shewe his obedience to the will of his father and his loue towards his Church when the time appointed of his father was come he was content though not to cease to be that which he had alwaies beene before which was impossible yet so to haue the glorie and shining brightnesse wherein alwaies thither vnto he had beene in with his father for a time darkned obscured and hid as that in comparison thereof he might be said and thought euen much to haue abased himselfe yea to haue made himselfe of no reputation Nowe to shewe vs more particularly and speciallie wherein this abasing of himselfe laie and how he did it the Apostle sayeth he did thus euen himselfe abase himselfe by taking the forme of a seruant c. thereby vnderstanding the verie nature of man withall the properties and naturall infirmities thereof sinne onely excepted as we are taught to vnderstand it Heb. 2.17 7.26 where the Apostle most plainelie teacheth that in all things he in his manhood was made like vnto his brethren but that he was without sinne And these three wordes forme shape and similitude vsed by the Apostle heere himselfe make it euident that he had a purpose as substantially as might bee to expresse as much Yea the word seruant shews further that voluntarily also he became amongst men to deliuer men from seruitude euen the cōmon seruant of men to serue vnder the burthen of their sins as one in whom there was neither forme nor beauty who was reiected and despised of men as in that respect the prophet Isayah discribs him 53.2.3.54 The Apostles meaning is therefore heereby to teach that Christ being frō euerlasting very God with his father though a distinct person from his father that at he was not thus abased against his wil for that beeing so he thoght it no robery to be equal to his father but that he himself most freely willingly was cōtent thus to strip himself or to empty himself of that glory equality which he had naturally with his father in taking vnto himselfe as he was is in the second person in the trinity the whole nature of man with all the sinles harmles and naturall properties therof both in body soule and in vniting the same immediately in the creation thereof yea in the very same instant and moment with himselfe as he was the sonne of God personally that so as he was before in that he was the sonne of God almighty infinite incomprehensible and eternall so he might bee as he was the soune of man weake finite comprehended and mortall The better yet once againe to make you see that the Apostles meaning in these his wordes stretch thus farre besides that which I haue noted already therin obserue and marke further that he saith not the forme of God eyther abased it selfe tooke the forme of a seruant or was made in the likelihoode or similitude of men but he the which was in the forme he made himself of no reputatiō was made so and found also in the shape of a man to teach vs if we will speake like the Apostle and so accordingly beleeue we must not say nor beleeue that nature tooke nature but the person of the sonne tooke vnto himselfe the nature of man and so that as he was created so it was immediately vnited vnto that person to haue togither with that person a personall vnion and neuer to haue first any existence or beeing a part by or in it selfe For then the Apostle would haue said aswell that the thing assumed was he that was in the forme of a seruant as he had said that the assumer was he that was and had a beeing in the forme of God which he doth not The assumer thefore was the second person in the trinity the sonne of God and neyther father nor holie Ghost nor yet the bare essence of God but as in it this second person had his existence and being and the assumed was not a person of a man first beeing and existing a part but the nature with

all the assentiall and inseparable harmelesse properties thereof of a true and verie man both in respect of his body and soule That by this forme of a seruant he ment not any other created nature but the nature of man he sufficiently she weth by adding that he was made in the similitude of man and in shape found as a man For Marcion and other heretiques heere upon gathering that he assumed not the verie nature of man but the showe and phantasme of a man they doe most wilfullie but cauill and foolishlie seek to darken a most manifest truth For besides that all the story of his conception birth life and death and most plaine speeches and phrases continually vsed of him in the scriptures prooue that he was a verie true and perfect man both in bodie and soule these wordes giue them no ground to build any such conclusion vpon For Adam is said to haue begot Seth according to his owne image or likenesse Gen. 5.3 and yet we might iustly counte them verie fond that therefore woulde inferre that Seth had not the verie nature of a man that Adam had but a bare shadow or similitude thereof The woordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly englished taking and made well vnderstood made it most cleare that the second person tooke vnto it selfe personally the nature of man so that he vnited so verilie and personally with him selfe as he was the sonne of God and the second person in the trinitie that nature of man that he assumed that Iohn might iustlie say the word was made flesh Cap. 1.14 and that we may most safely beleeue that he that before subsisted onely in the forme of God now also subsistes in the forme of a seruant and that as in respect of the one nature he is the verie sonne of God equall to his father so also in respect of the other he is the verie sonne of his mother and verie man and so lesser and inferiour to his father In the olde testament we reade he appeared in diuerse formes vnto men but yet we neuer can say that then he made him selfe of no reputation by taking such forms vpon him neyther therefore was he made the thinges he appeared to bee because he neuer assumed thē so to himself that he personally vnited himselfe vnto them And heereby also we may further learne in that the assumer and thing assumed are thus both described heere the one to be that that had his beeing in the forme of God before and in this worke remained still himselfe and the other to be the forme of a seruant accompanied or inuested with the likenesse shape of a seruant that both these notwithstanding this personall vnion are entire and perfect in their owne nature without any abolishing of eyther nature or confounding of other in themselues or in the properties with the other in Christ Lastly these wordes are plaine and forcible to make vs see that notwithstanding the assumer of the forme of a seruant vnto himselfe thereby is made in the likenesse of a man and found in shape as a man that yet he is but one person nowe subsisting both in the true forme of God and in the verie nature or forme of man For as of one person after the finishing of this his incarnation both heere and else where alwaies the gospel speaketh of him Dreame therefore we may not that this vnion of the nature of man personally with the son of God is either in the commixtion of the two natures or by the inhabitation of the one in the other or by the adioining of the one vnto the other or by the assisting of one the other neither yet by the real cōmunication of the properties of the one with the other so as that the one nature may simply properly be said to be of the same properties that the other is For though water wine be mixed in one cup the spirit of God dwel in the seruants of God God adioyn him self vnto thē assist thē most aparātly euery where yet cānot wine the spirit or God be said to haue so taken vnto thēselues water the harts of men or the seruāts of God that therefore wine is made water the spirit of God or God the heartes of men or the seruants of God themselues as we heere see him that hath beene alwaies in the forme of God said to haue beene made in the forme of man by his taking vnto himselfe the forme of a seruant And though most certaine it be and therefore most vsuall in the scriptures also the better to note the true reall essentiall and personall vnion betwixt the sonne of God and the nature of man to heare those things that properly appertaine to the manhood to be affirmed of our blessed God and Sauiour and also those things that properlie belong vnto him onely as he is God spoken of the man Christ yet to make it euident that as it is heretical to confound the one nature with the other that so it is also and hath beene euer so accounted of all those who by the motion of Gods spirit and not of their owne haue written the scriptures to cōmunicate properly the special properties of the one vnto the other they haue neuer so spoken or writ but speaking of these two natures in the concrete that is as the wordes vsed to signifie the same not the person subsisting in the essence and neuer speaking thereof in the abstract as the schoolemen speake that is as the words vsed note the naked and simple essence in it selfe And therefore for this true essentiall and personall vnion of the sonne of God with the forme of a seruant we say according to the trueth and to the scriptures that Christ is God and man but we vse not to say he is Godhead and manheade and we say they crucified the Lorde of glorie so noting that person that was and is the Lord of glorie and vnderstanding this of his person not in respect of that nature whereby he was so the Lord of glory but in respect of the other nature personally vnited thereunto wherein he was passible and might be crucified And so likewise speaking of his person in respect of the other nature we may say and say truely the man Christ is almightie euerie where and infinite because he is so in that respect that he is the sonne of God but we may not say that his manhoode is so For we must vnderstand and alwaies remember that whensoeuer any thing is affirmed of Christ in respect of the one nature that properly belonges vnto a●●ther that the meaning thereof neuer is to inuest the one nature with the properties that are peculiar to the other but that so we speake to shewe the personall vnion of both in one person Wee may see a prettie good image heereof in a man as he consistes of bodie and soule for because of the concurring but of those two