Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	godhead_n	person_n	union_n	3,927	5	9.3251	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17244	The vvhole summe of Christian religion, giuen forth by two seuerall methodes or formes the one higher, for the better learned, the other applyed to the capacitie of the common multitude, and meete for all: yet both of them such, as in some respect do knit them selues together in one. By Edmund Bunny Bacheler of Diuinitie.	Bunny, Edmund, 1540-1619.	1576 (1576)	STC 4096; ESTC S118853	72,840	176

that our selues walke not so inordinately in that kinde of vice that it be eyther the ouerthrowing or els the daungering of others the seconde likewise so vnfeyned a care of our neighbour that we seeke not wrongfully to get frō him any thing that is his the thirde in like maner so good aduicement on his behalfe that we euer seeke to vpholde our neighbours good name and estimation The third and last is that we be euer fully content with our estate that so our common Societie may be lesse violated by any inordinate dealing to better our selues vnto which the last Cōmaundement doth apperteine and therewithal maketh the way more easie to the obseruing of all the rest The particular discourse of euery one The first Commaundement THe first Commaundement as before is declared doth geue forth the whole dutie of mā or the whole summe of Christian Religion Generally bringing the whole within the compasse of these fewe words To haue no other Gods in the sight of the onely true liuing lord But for the further opening of it we haue to consider these two things first what it forbiddeth then what it requireth It forbiddeth first the vice it selfe that here is named then also the Roote therof and whatsoeuer increase commeth out of the same first that so this vice may out of it afterwarde more naturally spring and last of all the soyle wherein it groweth The vice that here is named is to haue mo Gods then him that is in dede the only God whether they be creatures in dede or but fictions of their owne deuise The Roote is and needes must be the Ignoraunce of God the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost Which what it is as touching the particulars therof may be more conueniently gathered out of the knowlege anone to be set downe Out of this ignoraunce doth spring that which is cōmonly called vnbeleefe or hardnes of hart or impenitencie when we take those wordes more largely which in effect is first a cōfused a wrong iudgement in all thinges that apperteine to sound Religion secondarily little or nothing to esteme of God thirdly neuer soundly to rest in him but stil to presse on further we wote not whither last of al so stubberne so frowarde an hart that refusing to submit our selues wholy to God we huddle him and others together as we thinke good and so geue forth nothing but that which is either plainly wicked or els vnder the shew of holynes as bad The soyle or groūd wherin it groweth is the corruptiō of our nature which corruptiō reigneth in al Infidels not only with the worst but also with those that are the very best among them It requireth first the vertue it selfe that heere is named then also bothe the Roote oute of whiche it commeth and whatsoeuer other increase groweth out of the same before that this vertue can naturally spring and last of al the ground wherin it groweth The vertue is to put by all others to haue the true God only to be our god Those that we haue to put by are first all maner of creatures Whether Celestiall as Angels or Saintes or of this world as our selues or others our own or other folks excellēcies the sunne the moone beastes birdes fishes plants ymages suche like or Infernall as the deuils or ill spirits dāned soules Then also all chimers or fictions or imaginations or conceiptes of our owne brayne as when the Heathenishe people of olde imagined gods of the woods of the hils of dales and suche like innumerable and we of late not farre behinde imagined eyther Angels or Saintes beyonde the warrant of Gods worde to flee vnto in time of neede or when yet we imagine some things to be in our selues or others to doo vs good whiche in deede are not to be founde all which things we haue to put by and to presse on to geue our selues wholly vnto the Lorde The Roote is the knowledge of God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost as namely vnder the person of the Father to knowe what the Godhead is in his owne nature not yet come foorth or vttered vnto vs and therein more specially to inquire first of such things as most properly concerne his Person then of certayne other Excellencies that are somewhat farther of from the consideration of his Person or substaunce and yet can neuer be separated from the Godhead last of all of his will and pleasure Vnder the person of the Sonne to knowe howe the selfe same Godhead hath declared or vttered him selfe to be knowne of others and therein firste in what sorte he beganne this manifestation of him selfe secondarily in what sorte he dyd from time to time proceede with the same thirdly in what sorte it must be accomplished or finished Vnder the Person of the holy Ghoste to finde out in what maner the selfe same Godhead worketh in others that he may be knowne in his demonstration and therein firste howe he worketh generally with all and how more specially he worketh with diuers kindes first with the Chosen then with Reprobates last of all with all other inferior Creatures Out of which knowledge doth spring that which sometimes is called Fayth sometimes Repentaūce when we take those words generally and by diuers names besides which is in effect first a sounde a setled iudgement in suche thinges as concerne true Religion then a feruent and a singular loue of God for that we finde him to be suche as he is thirdly to settle our selues wholy in him neuer to seeke to any other last of al so obedient so humble and so pliable a mind in all things to be at the becke of God that putting by Mankinde on the one side and al other Creatures on the other wee geue ouer our selues wholy to God by a kinde of spirituall Homage or soueraigne honour the particulars wherof doo more properly apperteyne to the other Commaundementes The grounde or moulde where this knowledge will growe is neuer any other but eyther the former integritie of our nature whiche nowe is paste our reache for euer or els Iesus Christ by mysticall vnion to bee incarnate with him which way only is left vnto vs wherby wee may be able to doo any good should giue this honour to any it must nedes be our selues or others If it be our selues then is there at al no place of worship which by nature doth neuer passe but frō the lesser vnto the greater Which inequalitie is neuer found betwixt our selues on the one side and no moe but our selues on the other If it be others then must it be such as haue already finished their race in this present world or els those that yet remayne here on the earth If they be of the former sorte or haue alreadie ended their presente lyfe fyrste they are not perfect men for that their bodies and soules are sundred eche from other secondarily their bodies a very fewe

dayes to measure his eternitie or in the narrownes of our vnderstanding to comprehende him tha● is Infinite The mediocritie of this knowledge tha● I speake of or such as may come vnde● our capacitie may for a further playnenes sake be distributed into these three parts the first of such thinges as most properly concerne the person of the Godhead th● seconde of certayne other excellencies which are somewhat further of from the substaunce of his person the thirde o● suche thinges as concerne his will and pleasure Of the first sort are these First that there is a god Secondarily that there is no other but He alone Thirdly that he is not of any set compasse bodely shape o● earthly nature but Infinite Spirituall and Inuisible Fourthly that in the Godhead there bee three distincte Persons wherof the first is of the Father vnder which we consider the Godhead as he is in his owne nature not yet beeing made manifest or declaring him selfe The seconde of the Sonne vnder whiche Person we consider the selfe same Godhead made manifest or opening him selfe to be knowen of others who therfore is called the Speache the Image and the Sonne of the Father The thirde of the holy Ghost vnder whiche we consider the selfe same God but working in others that the Father may be knowen in hys Sonne or whiche is the same that the Godheade may be seene in his Image Fiftely that these three Persons are but one and the selfe same God for that there is none that can expresse the Godhead or bring to passe that he be knowē in others which are the properties of the Sonne and the holy Ghost but onely God and the selfesame which in other respect is the Father Sixthly or last of all that the Godhead is Eternal or Euerlasting that is hath euer bene without beginning can neuer haue any ending neither yet any chaunge or alteration Of the seconde sorte that is of those other excellencies that are euer somewhat farther of from the substaunce of his person and yet can neuer be seperated from the Godhead are very many but yet are suche as may very well come vnder one cheefe and generall title which is of his most excellent maiestie or incomparable glorie and this inestimable glorie of his appeareth two maner of wayes Firste because him selfe is incomprehensible then because he is of vnspeakable goodnes Incomprehensible he is found to be for that he is not of bodily shape earthly nature or set compasse but inuisible spirituall and infinite Good also he is two maner of wayes firste in him selfe then towardes others In the former respecte he is sounde to be good for that he is full of all perfection most holy moste mightie most riche and euer-lasting His holinesse is suche as that neither is therein him selfe any steyne or possibilitie to fall thereinto neither can he lyke of any sinne in others neither in the worse not in the better As touching his power there be two thinges to be considered howe greate or large it is and what are the braunches thereof The largenesse of his power appeareth in these foure poyntes that he made mayneteyneth and guydeth what so euer creatures there are in heauen on earth or in hell hath all thinges euer before hys eyes whether paste present or yet to come whether open or hidde hath all powers subiecte vnto him in heauen earth and hell and him selfe is almightie or so fully able to doe what soeuer standeth with his good pleasure that worthely he may be termed as in deede he is and none but he the onely Lorde or Master of all The braunches of his power are these two his vnsearcheable wisedome in diuising and ordering of all thinges and his inuincible strength in bringing to passe that euery thinge falleth out as his wysedome before ordeyned His Riches or treasures are most inestimable for that him selfe alone hath all good thinges in his owne handes whether Bodily or Ghostly momentaine or eternall Eternall or euer-lastinge needes muste hee be for that hee neuer hadde anye Beginning neuer can haue any ending neither yet is subiect to any chaunge or alteration As touching his goodnes in the other respect that is as it issueth foorth towards others there be two principall braunches thereof his iustice and mercy Vnto his iustice it doth apperteyne that he is Ielous on his owne behalfe Righteous towards others that is true in his sayings vpright in his iudgemēts in his vengeaunce seuere with cōuenient moderation Vnto his mercy doo apperteyne these three his patience or suffering when the offence is eyther great or els deserueth speedy vengeaunce his free pardoning and all other his fauourable dealing His fauourable dealing stretcheth to all but by diuers degrees very much to all inferior creatures much more to all mankinde but most of al to his chosen people Of the thirde and laste sorte are suche thinges as apperteine to his will or pleasure which will of his hath a double consideration First what it is in it selfe which is for the most part vnknowen vnto vs but yet is the rule of absolute equitie Then what it is towards others that he woulde ordeyne to guide according therevnto whiche also is declared to vs two maner of wayes First Summarily or briefly then more at large or more particularly Summarily his will is set foorth vnto vs in the Ten-Commaundementes and in other abridgementes or short summes Whiche kinde of teaching he sometimes vseth both that it may the better appeare what is the effect of particulars and better remayne in freshe remembraunce More at large he instructeth vs in the same throughout all the Scripture besides and that to this ende that we may the better vnderstande those short summes and knowe howe muche matter there is in them if they be rightly vnderstoode As touching the second that is in whō he would be knowne we haue to consider that this glorious knowledge of him can neuer go out of him selfe vntill he haue made wherein it shall shine and him selfe cast thither or therevpon or thereinto rather the beames of his glory And we finde that his purpose was to haue two sortes of creatures in whom this knowlege of him should be Some there should be that should haue it but printed on thē and so should be in steede of bookes vnto others as all other creatures are besides man whether they be Celestial Terrestrial or Infernall Others there should be that should not only haue this knowledge imprinted on them but also should haue the same in suche sorte inuested or grounded within them that they should haue power both in them selues and in others to beholde the Godhead Of this sort keping within the bounds of the workmanship of this world we find none but mankinde alone But as he would haue this knowlege in man so it is therwithal to be knowne that in some to whome it should be to lesse vse whō we terme Reprobates he would haue it but in very

together as behoueth As we are his choyce-flocke he bestoweth on vs an excellent worke For seeing that we are ordeyned or chosen to be an holy people a peculiar inheritaunce a kingdome of priestes and citizens of the kingdome of God therfore doth he frame vs to be suche as may become so holy a calling And yet in such sorte that first as touching naturall corruption he leaueth the same wholly vnto vs wherein notwithstanding is to be considered that as by the force of it we both euer are geuen vnto sinne and also muche and often offend so on the other side doth he so mightely bridle the same that it doth not reigne in vs or is not so strong against vs that it preuaileth to our destruction Then as touching the spirituall working of his grace that we may be decked with conuenient beauty and such excellencies as our selues haue not he doth both lay as it were the foundation thereof and also rayseth vp a goodly building vppon the same The foundation that hee layeth is that he doth effectually call vs or begette vs againe or renue our mindes which cōsisteth in two principall pointes firste that he doth notably translate vs from the barreine and corrupte moulde where before we griewe the original corruption of our nature and that not againste or without our willes but with hartie misliking of our former reprobate wayes Then that he planteth vs in Iesus Christ or graffeth vs into him or into his fleshe or manhood by mistical vnion The building that is layd vpō this foundation cōsisteth of many notable vertues wherof some are Capitall or more generall others more speciall or suche as arise out of those others The general vertues are these first a good a soūd knowledge of the Sonne the holy ghost then a setled a cōfirmed iudgemēt in such things as concerne our saluation forth-with arising out of this knowledge thirdly a feruent a singular loue of God for that we fynd him to be such as he is fourthly to settle our selues wholly in him both for the whole worke of our redemption and for whatsoeuer els we nede last of all such obedience humilitie or pliablenes of mind as that puting by both man one the one side and all other creatures in heauē or earth on the other side we doe a kinde of spirituall Homage or soueraigne seruice to God geuing ouer our selues wholly to him to do whatsoeuer we shall finde that he requireth Those other vertues that are more speciall or goe more directly to some point of our dutie are of two sortes or companies suche as doe concerne that parte of our dutie that the spirite of God in vs worketh forth to Gods owne person and such as it worketh forth towards the common societie wherein we lyue Of the firste sorte there are three Fyrste that we worshippe him not as our selues or others thinke good but onely as him selfe hath appoynted The seconde that the same manner of our worshipping be not counterfet or dissembled but syncere or inwardely suche as outwardely we doo pretende The thirde that to the ende we may attaine therevnto we be not eyther altogether carelesse of the same or but after a common maner bent vnto it but that we be so earnestly set therevppon as that we do very diligētly vse such things as lead therevnto Of the other sort there are lykewise other three whiche are inwardly to beare suche a loue or affection to all and to euery one as that firste we vnite or knitte our selues together to all and to euery one in suche sorte as God shall appoint whether they be Strangers vnworthy or our enemies Secondarily that we studie the preseruation of all and of euery one and that not onely Generally that in all thinges it be well with them but also more specially in these three pointes his wedlocke Substaunce and good Name last of al that we so content oure selues with oure owne estate whatsoeuer it be that we neuer couet to steppe into any others As touching the second poynt that is how farre he worketh in them these most excellent graces we haue to cōsider these two thinges First that in the person of Christ all these thinges be moste absolutely wrought not one iote of them all wanting so that as we are in him we haue moste perfect righteousnes wrought yf not in vs yet for vs and on our behalfe Then that as we consider our selues aparte and yet as we are in Christ it pleaseth God to worke in vs not all those thinges aboue rehearsed nor any greate perfection that commeth neere therevnto but only a certaine mediocritie that is very farre distant in euery poynt euen in those wherevnto we come nerest of all from the perfectiō that here is described and this in some more in some lesse and for the moste part maruelous litle when he worketh these things more abundantly it is to shew forth how litle the corruptiō of our nature is able to preuaile against the power of his grace whēsoeuer he is disposed effectually to worke therby whē he worketh these things so sparingly it is that the glory of his free gift be lesse darkned by the goodnes that he should worke in vs. Concerning the third poynt that is by what degrees he worketh these things in the chosen or faithfull so far as it pleaseth him to work them we haue to vnderstād First of all that he geueth the motion or bringeth to minde that which he is disposed to worke in them Secondarily that he kindleth in them a liking of the same Thirdly that he trameth in their willes a consent and readines to do it Lastly that he worketh in them or bringeth foorth that motion liking and readines to doo it to the deede it selfe As touching the fourth poynt that is by what power he worketh the same we haue to consider that there are a couple of kindes thereof the one inwarde the other outwarde That which is inwarde is the principall and is that mercifull power of God which also is called the grace of Iesus Christ which hauing in vs mystically the like function office or nature as the blood hath with the body or the sappe with the tree doth so make vs fruitfull in such things as are acceptable and welcome to god That whiche is outwarde is the same that he putteth foorth in those Meanes and Helpes whereby he worketh Concerning the meanes that I speake of wee haue to consider these two thinges firste what the meanes are then howe it pleaseth the holy Ghost to worke by them The meanes are foure the worde the Sacramentes the Churche and Gouernement Vnder the worde is to be vnderstoode principally the holy Scriptures that is the Olde and the Newe Testamentes then also whatsoeuer other instruction agreeth therwithall whether it bee Publique or Priuate Publique instruction is that which is geuen in open audience or by publique authoritie as ordinarie Seruice Homilies Sermons Priuate is that whiche passeth in mutuall