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
A20762	A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.	Downame, John, d. 1652.; Payne, John, d. 1647?, engraver.	1622 (1622)	STC 7143; ESTC S121690	1,341,545	1,134

i Exod. 15. 11. Leuit. 19. 2. Psal 145. holinesse of God is his essentiall attribute whereby is signified that his nature is wholy and most perfectly iust infinite in all vertue iustice truth mercy and purity free from all vice iniquity and spot of any corruption and therefore a louer of all purity and sanctity in the creatures and a hater of all vice and impurity as being contrary to his most holy nature k Mat. 5. 45. Psal 145. 8 9. The beneficence of God is his essentiall attribute whereby he is knowne to be in himselfe the fountaine of all bounty and infinitely and absolutely good to the creatures towards whom he exerciseth freely his beneficence and goodnesse l 1. Iohn 4. 8 16. Iohn 3. 35 16. Rom. 5. 8 10. The loue of God is his essentiall attribute whereby is signified that he loueth himselfe chiefely as being the chiefe goodnesse and the creatures as they are good freely approuing rewarding and delighting in them and willing and performing all good vnto them The m Exod. 34. 6. Psal 86. 15. Rom. 11. 6. grace of God is his essentiall property whereby he is known to be in himselfe infinite in grace and extendeth his fauour and benignity freely vnto his creatures The n Exod. 34. 6. Iud. 10. 16. Micah 7. 18. mercy of God is his essentiall property whereby hee is knowne to be most pitifull in himselfe and in his owne nature delighteth to helpe them that are in misery The o Exod. 34. 7. Ezrah 18. 23. 33. 11. clemency of God is his essentiall attribute whereby is signified that he is in his nature most gentle and benigne towards his creatures in anger remembring mercy and graciously pardoning vs when we deserue punishment willing rather the conuersion then the death of sinners The p Esa 30. 18. Rom. 2. 4. long-suffering and patience of God is his essentiall property whereby is noted that he is patient in bearing with sinners expecting their repentance that he may haue mercy vpon them The q Psal 48. 11. 145. 17. Rom. 1. 17. Iustice of God is his essentiall attribute whereby hee is knowne to be infinitely iust in himselfe and exerciseth Iustice towards the creatures being also the Authour of all righteousnesse which is in them The r Iohn 3. 36. Rom. 1. 18. anger of God signifieth his iust and free will in punishing sinne and all iniury offered against himselfe or his Church and people The ſ Psal 5. 4. 44. 8. hatred of God signifieth his iust will whereby he disalloweth detesteth and decreeth to punish euill and sinne in his creatures §. Sect. 7 Of the persons in Trinity And so much concerning Gods attributes whereby his nature is made knowne vnto vs that wee may accordingly serue him and so carry our selues as that we may bee acceptable in his sight Now further we must know him in his persons namely that howsoeuer he is but one in nature and essence yet he is distinguished into three persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost For the better vnderstanding whereof we are to know that a person in the deity is a subsistance in the diuine essence comprehending the whole diuine nature and essence in it but distinguished by an incommunicable property from other persons vnto which it hath relation Matth. 3. 16 17. 28. 19. Ioh 14. 16. 1. Ioh. 5. 7. Or it is the Godhead restrained or distinguished by his personall propertie And therefore euery person containing in it the whole diuine essence it followeth that whatsoeuer agreeth absolutely to or is spoken of the whole diuine nature in respect of its outward actions and workes towards the creatures doth alike agree to euery distinct person and whatsoeuer agreeth to or is spoken of euery of the persons that likewise agreeth to the whole diuine nature And from hence also it followeth that these three diuine persons are in glory and all other attributes coequall and in respect of time coeternal but yet euery one is distinct frō other by their personall propertie So that the diuine nature being considered with the personall property of begetting is the Father and not the Sonne nor holy Spirit being considered with the personall property of being begotten is the Sonne and not the holy Ghost nor Father and with the personall property of proceeding is the holy Spirit and neither the Father nor the Sonne The Father then is the first person in Trinity who hauing his being of himselfe hath communicated his whole essence vnto the Sonne and so hath begotten him by eternall generation The Sonne is the second person in Trinity who is begotten of the Father The holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Sonne who is therefore called the Spirit because he proceedeth and as it were is breathed from them both and the holy Spirit because he doth immediately sanctifie the elect and make them holy and the Father and Sonne doe it mediately by him §. Sect. 8 Of the knowledge of Gods works and first of his decree And thus haue we briefly spoken of the knowledge of God in respect of his nature and persons now with like or more breuity we are to intreate of the knowledge of God in and by his workes and actions The which are either internall as the actions of the diuine persons one towards another or externall which are his operations and workes towards the creatures And these are principally two First the decree of God And secondly the execution of his decree The decree of God is an act of the diuine will whereby he hath from all eternity purposed that all should be done which is hath beene or shall bee done ordaining all things to a good end and the meanes also with all circumstances whereby they attaine vnto it And this is either common to all or speciall to the reasonable creatures as Angels and men Gods decree which respecteth men and Angels is called predestination which is Gods eternall purpose whereby hee hath ordained the reasonable creatures to certaine ends and to the meanes which conduce vnto them Of which there are two parts election and reprobation Election is Gods eternall decree whereby of his free grace he hath purposed in Christ to bring some to euerlasting life and to the vse of the meanes whereby they may attaine vnto it to the praise of the glory of his grace Reprobation is Gods eternall decree whereby he hath purposed in his election to passe by some men and to leaue them in their sinnes that they may iustly be condemned to the praise of the glory of his iustice §. Sect. 9 Of the execution of Gods decree in mans creation fall and misery The execution of Gods decree is an action or worke of God whereby in time he bringeth to passe all that he hath eternally decreed according to the counsell of his will The which is either temporary or eternall Gods temporary decree is generall

the fall as the participation of Adams sinne guilt and punishment The propagation of their sinne and misery to all their posterity Their originall sinne and corruption of nature both in respect of their soules and bodies The ignorance and vanity of our mindes the errour of our iudgements the wickednesse and worldlinesse of all our imaginations the impurity stupidity and horrour of our consciences the losse of our freedome of will in chusing that which is good their auersenesse and rebellion against the will of God and pronenesse to all euill the blockishnesse of our memories to receiue into their keeping any good motions and their slippery feeblenesse to retaine them the infidelity security and hardnesse of our hearts the corruption and disorder of our affections and passions the pollution of our bodies their feeblenesse and lumpish heauinesse vnto any good action From which root of originall corruption haue sprung all kinds of actuall transgressions we being made thereby vtterly vnable so much as to thinke a good thought or to will that which is good Whereof it commeth to passe that our best actions in this state of corruption and vnbeliefe are no better then sinne how glorious soeuer they seeme to the world And heere wee may meditate of the seuerall kinds of actuall sinnes those that are internall as wicked thoughts errours in iudgement forgetfulnesse in our memories vncleane and carnall lusts and those which are externall secret or manifest raigning or not raigning of omission or commission in our words or deeds which we haue committed as principals or accessaries Sinnes of ignorance or of knowledge of infirmity and frailty or of contumacy and rebellion which wee haue wilfully and presumptuously committed against God The like matter of meditation the punishment of our sinnes doth minister vnto vs As namely that by our sinnes wee haue made our selues subiect to the fearfull wrath of God the curse of the Law all the plagues and punishments of this life As all external miseries which are innumerable respecting our estate as pouerty penury losses and crosses or our bodies as heat cold hunger thirst sicknesses and diseases shortnesse and vncertainty of life and death it selfe So also the internall miseries of the soule as terrours of conscience and griefes of minde or contrariwise to be giuen vp of God to our security and hardnesse of hart infidelity finall impenitency and to a reprobate mind And finally the eternall and euerlasting punishments of body and soule in their separation from God and the vnspeakable torments of hell fire And finally we may meditate of the remedilesnesse of this our miserable condition in respect of any created helpe of men Angels or any creature as the top and consummation of all our misery seeing the infinite Iustice of God being offended by our sinnes would not admit of any finite satisfaction The which kind of meditations vpon sinne and punishment serue not only to humble vs before God by bringing vs vnto a true sense of our sinne and misery to make vs to deny our selues in the worke of our Redemption and to fly vnto Christ but also cause vs to admire and praise Gods mercy and goodnesse patience and long-suffering who hath so long borne with vs in the state of infidelity and hath not inflicted vpon vs all these fearfull punishments which our sinnes haue deserued yea to inflame our hearts with most feruent loue towards God and his Christ and holy Spirit who seeing vs in this wretched plight loaded and defiled with the filth of sinne and guilty and liable to all punishments and miseries did pitty vs in this miserable estate and when there was no other meanes of saluation and deliuerance from all these euils wrought our freedome and redemption by the death and obedience of the Lord of life §. Sect. 6 Of the great worke of Redemption by our Sauiour Christ The which great worke of our Redemption by Christ doth aboue all other parts of Diuinity minister vnto vs most plentifull and fit matter for our meditations as seruing notably to worke in our hearts a true hatred of sinne to inflame them with Gods loue to worke them to his feare to kindle in them the zeale of his glory to confirme our faith strengthen our affiance and hope renew our repentance and to stirre vs vp to performe with all cheerfulnesse the duties of a godly life that by walking before him in holinesse and righteousnesse we may glorifie him who hath redeemed and made vs his owne at so high a price Now the poynts which heere affoord vnto vs matter of meditation are manifold As first that it was necessary wee should haue a Sauiour and Mediatour betweene God and vs seeing in his Decree of Election he hath ordained the meanes as well as the end and that none but Christ could saue vs who is the foundation of our Election In Christ wee may meditate both vpon his person and offices And in his person consider both his natures and states both of humiliation and exaltation Heere wee haue plentifull and profitable matter of meditation concerning the Incarnation of Christ his Conception by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the blessed Virgin the framing and sanctifying of his humane nature the assuming and vniting of it to the Diuine nature by a substantiall vnion without confusion separation or alteration of either nature in their properties His Birth and Circumcision and that this Christ borne of the Virgin Mary is the true Messias So likewise we may meditate on his Office of Mediatorship as that he is the alone Mediator betweene God and man How he was called to his office and the testimonies of it of his Baptisme fasting in the Wildernesse and Diuine vnction with the Spirit aboue measure Of the eternity of his Office and parts of it being anoynted of God to bee our Prophet Priest and King Of his Propheticall Office whereby hee hath both outwardly reuealed vnto vs the knowledge of God and his will and inwardly inlighteneth our minds to conceiue it by his grace and holy Spirit and of the confirmation of this doctrine by miracles Of his Priestly Office and of his All-sufficient satisfaction for our sinnes Of his perfect obedience both actiue whereby he hath fulfilled the Law for vs and passiue whereby he hath suffered all those punishments which were due vnto vs for our sinnes And this yeeldeth vnto vs most excellent and profitable matter of meditation in all the parts thereof as his tentations in the Wildernesse by the diuell the manifold miseries which hee indured as pouerty hunger wearinesse contempt disgraces scoffes and bitter taunts reproches slanders reuilings and such like which he suffered in the whole course of his life and those his passions and sufferings a little before his death as his internall and bitter agony in the Garden where his wrastling with Gods wrath and the burthen of his Fathers heauie displeasure for our sinnes which he had taken vpon him forced out of his most blessed

who were worthily reiected in Adam both for the guilt of his sinne and the corruption of our nature which we haue deriued from him Now this benefit of Christ giuen vs of God to bee the foundation of our election and saluation may be vnto vs a most forcible argument to make vs loue God aboue all things who hath so loued vs that hee hath not spared to giue his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne vnto vs and for vs euen vnto the death that wee by him might attaine vnto eternall life and happinesse and also to expresse this loue by labouring and indeuouring to serue and please him in all the duties of a godly life For what should withdraw our hearts from God which he hath tyed vnto him by such a bond of loue that was much stronger then death it selfe why should any hire intice vs to neglect his seruice and to serue Satan the world and our owne lusts by committing any knowne sinne vnlesse it be of equall value to that gift that God hath giuen to vs and for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquity and appropriate vs vnto himselfe for his own seruice But ten thousand worlds cannot match this gift and why then should we lose the benefit of it by neglecting the seruice of God and hiring our selues to worke wickednesse for the base hire of worldly vanities §. Sect. 2 That the work of redemption should mooue vs to serue our Redeemer in all duties of a godly life Againe as Christ our Sauiour giuen vnto vs by God his Father so also the great worke of Redemption wrought by him may serue as a most powerfull argument to mooue vs vnto the diligent performance of all the duties which belong to a godly life For though the worke of our Creation and preseruation are inestimable benefits yet this much exceedeth them being farre aboue all humane conceit and so vnspeakeable that it can neuer be sufficiently expressed and magnified by the tongue of men and Angels Yet let vs take as we are able some slender view of it and with rauishing wonder admire and adore the rest which we are not able to comprehend And consider first what wee were who were thus redeemed Rom. 5. 8 10. to wit mortall men dust and ashes weake and of no strength strangers sinners yea enemies vnto God and our owne saluation Secondly from what we were redeemed namely out of the greatest and most desperate misery which could possibly bee incident vnto any creature For Christ hath deliuered vs from the wrath of God the curse of the Law and all the fearefull plagues therein threatned temporall and eternall from the miserable bondage and captiuity of sinne and Satan from death hell and euerlasting condemnation both of body and soule and that when we were so desperately and vnrecouerably plunged into these fearefull miseries that wee were vtterly vnable to helpe our selues yea when all the power of men and Angels was altogether vnsufficient to doe vs any good Thirdly consider who redeemed such poore sinfull wretches out of this wofull plight euen the glorious Sonne of God equall to his Father in power and Maiesty hee vouchsafed to pitty vs in our misery and to take vpon him our deliuerance Fourthly consider the meanes which he vsed to effect this great worke of our Redemption namely by humbling himselfe in taking vpon him our nature and vniting it in a substantiall and inseparable vnion vnto his Diuine nature that so he might in our stead doe and suffer whatsoeuer was necessary for our saluation Fifthly consider the manner of effecting this great worke or the meanes which hee vsed that he might redeeme vs namely by offering himselfe vnto God his Father as a sacrifice for our sinnes and an all-sufficient price for our Redemption and to suffer in his body and soule all those punishments which were due vnto vs for our sinnes As all the miseries of his life pouerty and meane birth flight from his enemies the tentations of the deuill hunger wearinesse the persecutions scornes reproches and slanders of the world and wicked men And those especially which he indured a little before his death for he was betrayed by his owne Apostle and forsaken by the rest apprehended by his enemies and by them most iniuriously and barbarously abused and haled from one Iudgement seat to another falsly accused wrongfully condemned blindfolded buffeted rayled at spit vpon scorned and mocked whipped crowned with thornes and crucified and so suffered for vs that cruell ignominious and accursed death of the Crosse and his Fathers wrath due to our sinnes which made him to sweate drops of Blood and vnder the waight of this intolerable burthen to complaine as a man forlorne and forsaken of God All which he willingly meekely and patiently suffered for vs that he might redeeme vs out of the hands of all our enemies and purchase vs vnto himselfe Psal 100. 2. as his owne peculiar people So that wee are now his by a treble right for he hath made vs and therefore we are his euen his home-borne seruants who owe vnto him our birth and being hee preserueth vs and giueth vnto vs all the good things which we inioy and so we are his hired seruants who owe vnto him all loue and duty for the rich wages of his bounteous benefits and finally he hath redeemed vs out of the hands of our mortall enemies by giuing for vs not siluer or gold or any corruptible 1. Pet. 1. 17 18. thing but himselfe and his owne precious Blood as a price to satisfie his Fathers iustice for our sinnes and therefore we are no more our owne but 1. Cor. 6. 20. his by the Law of Redemption What then remaineth but that we yeeld vnto our Sauiour his owne right which hee hath so dearely bought and seeing he hath giuen a price for vs which is of ten thousand yea infinite times more value then his purchase O let vs not defraud him of his bargaine but deuote our bodies and soules wholly to him that we may glorifie him by our seruice and be sorry that we haue no more to giue vnto him Wee owed our selues vnto him before by right of creation but by our sinnes robbed him of his due by selling our selues ouer to Satan as his slaues for the base hire of worldly vanities and now hee hath againe made vs his owne by giuing himselfe as the price of our Redemption and therefore let vs not againe depriue him of his right and defraud him of his seruice which if we vngratefully doe there remaineth no further sacrifice Heb. 10. 26. for sinne He hath giuen himselfe for vs and shall we thinke it too much to giue our selues to him He came not to be serued but to serue and to giue Mat. 20. 28. his life a ransome for many and shall the seruant detract his seruice when his Lord and Master his King and Soueraigne hath abased himselfe to doe seruice for him Hee hath