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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

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87554	An exposition of the Epistle of Jude, together with many large and useful deductions. Lately delivered in XL lectures in Christ-Church London, by William Jenkyn, Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The first part.	Jenkyn, William, 1613-1685.	1652 (1652)	Wing J639; Thomason E695_1; ESTC R37933	518,527	654

Christ deserves rather to be esteemed holy than any dayes of mans ordaining It should be accounted both a good day and an high day having such an Instituter The Ordinances of Christ should be preferr'd before humane traditions No Institutions but his shall stand nor should religiously be esteemed I fear Luk. 19.27 that the great and bloody Controversies which so long Christ hath had with England are about some Ordinances of his which yet we will not take up and some Traditions of our own which in stead thereof we will keep up What is become of those men and of their wisdom Sapientes sapienter in infernum descendunt whose wise work it was heretofore to invent and impose their own Innovations for Christs Institutions The Servants and Messengers of Christ should be more loved and honoured than the servants of any earthly Potentate They are the servants of God We should love as he loves It 's more honourable to be a servant of God than a King over men Our delight should be in those excellent ones who bear the image Psal 16.2 and wear the badg of Christ The feet of his Ambassadors should be beautifull whether we regard their Master Rom. 10.15 or their Message Lastly his Word should be preferred before any other writings Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in us plentifully Let it be taken in not stand at the doors or lodg only in our books or on our shelves let it dwell there not be turn'd out again Let it dwell plentifully in all that is within us Understanding Will Affections Memorie and plentifully in all that is of it in its Threatnings Commands Promises It is the word of God who hath strength to back it In a word Take heed of opposing this great God in any kinde If God the Father be offended Christ is our Advocate but if Christ be provoked who shall mediate Thus far of the description of the dignity of him whom they opposed Next we must shew How they opposed him or Wherein that Opposition did consist They Denyed him EXPLICATION Two things are here to be explained 1. How Christ may be said to be Denyed and particularly What Denyall of him is here to be understood 2. Wherein the sinfulnesse thereof shews it self 1. How Christ may be said to be denyed Denying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Denyall properly is verball respecteth our words and signifieth the contrary to affirmation Thus those envious Rulers spake concerning the notable miracle of healing the lame man Acts 4.16 that they cannot dis-affirm or deny it Mat. 26.70 Joh. 18.25 27. John 1.20 Thus Peter denyed openly before them all that he had been with Jesus Thus John denyed not who he was c. But improperly and figuratively denyall may be taken for such a renouncing or rejection of a thing as may likewise be express'd by the actions and in realitie And thus Moses is said to deny Heb. 11.24 or refuse to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter and so some are said to have a form of Godlinesse 2 Tim. 3.5 and to deny namely in their course and carriage the power thereof And Christ may be said to be denyed 1. Doctrinally and by our words 2. Really and by our works 1. Doctrinally and by our words And thus Christ hath been denyed 1. In his Person 2. In his Offices 1. In his Person and thus 1. the Jews deny his Person wholly or that he was the promised Messiah Act. 3.13 14. And the followers of Simon Magus taught as he himself had taught them that he was the Son of God Epiphan lib. 1. c. 21. Aug. de Hares cap. 1. Joseph l. 2. c. 12 Tertul. lib. de Haeres The like is reported of Menander Judas of Galilee and he who stiled himself Bencocab all which as credible Stories relate gave out that they were Christs and Messiahs the later whereof though he call'd himself Bencocab the son of a Star applying to himself that prophesie of the Star of Jacob was afterward by way of derision called Barcozba the son of a lie 2. Christ in respect of his person hath been denyed in either of his Natures In his Godhead by the Ebionites Cerinthians Arians Samosatenians and of late by Servetus and his followers In his Manhood by the Valentinians Marcionites Manichees Apollinarists and of late by some Anabaptists 3. The Person of Christ hath been denyed by those who opposed the hypostatical union of the two Natures and thus he was denyed by Nestorians Euticheans Sabellians the first dividing Christ into two persons The second confounding and mixing his two Natures The third mixing him with the person of the Father 2. In his Offices 1. Christ in his Prophetical Office is denyed by Papists who impose upon us a new Scripture 1. 1 Cor. 11.26 Hebr. 13.4 1 Tim. 4.3 By taking away from it in denying the Eucharistical Cup to the people meats also and marriage and which is worse in denying the food of life the reading of the holy Scriptures to the common people 2. Col. 3.16 By adding to it in bringing in a second place for punishment after this life the fained fire of purgatory by inventing five sacraments and introducing their own unwritten traditions which they equally esteem with and often prefer before the Scriptures and by making a Pope the infallible judge of the controversies of faith 2. In his Priestly office Christ is denyed 1. 1 Joh. 2.2 Mat. 20.18 Mar. 10.45 Heb. 10.12 14 2 Cor. 5.21 By Socinians who teach that he dyed not for us that is in our place and stead but only for our benefit and profit to shew us by his example the way which leads to salvation 2. By Papists who teaching that the Masse is a propitiatory sacrifice make the sacrifice of Christ imperfect and by joyning many other mediators and advocates with Christ deny him to be the One and Only Mediator They mingle the blood of Martyrs yea of traytors with the blood of Christ teach that images are to be worshipped Angels invoked relicks adored c. 3. In his Kingly office Christ is denyed by Papists who acknowledge the Pope the head of the Church and teach that all power is given to him in heaven and earth and that he can make lawes to bind the conscience and is universall Bishop c. In a word the eastern Turk denyes the person of Christ and the western his offices 2. Christ is denyed really and by our works And this denyall I conceive the Apostle here principally intends for had these seducers in word denyed Christ the Church would easily have espyed them In speech therefore they professed Christ but in their deeds they denyed him Tit. 1.16 Christ may be denyed by mens workes sundry ways 1. Heb. 10.29 By a malicious and dispitefull opposing Christ and his Gospel of the truth and benefit whereof the holy Ghost hath so evicted a person that he opposeth the

In Christo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the two Natures should be united 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as that there should be no confusion mutation commixtion of them but that both natures should remain distinct and entire in their properties wils and actions without any change of one into the other 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 individually and inseparably so as one nature should never be separated from the other no not by death there never being two Christs but one Son of God manifested in the flesh How great was that wisdome which found out a way for the Mediator between God and Man to partake of the natures of both those parties between whom he mediates and which contrived a Reconciliation between God and Man by the marriage of the natures of both 2. How eminent was that Justice of God that would be satisfied no way but by the Son of God his assuming the nature of man the vailing his Glory emptying himself of Majestie and a debasing to the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 So that God may seem more severe in sparing man this way then if he had punish'd him without sending his Son thus to redeem him 3. How transcendent was the Love of God to poor lost man to weave the garment of his spotted and defiled nature anew in the Virgins womb to become a new and living way over that gulf of separation which was between God and Man whereby God might be willing to come to man and man able to go to God! to disrobe himself of Majestie and to cloath himself with the rags of Mortalitie Did ever Love cause such a condescention as this The Thistle did not here send to the Cedar but the Cedar comes to the Thistle to wo for a marriage Let the deepest apprehensions despair to dive to the bottom of this humble undertaking Angels themselves may stoop to look into it 1 Pet. 1.12 and be Students in this piece of Divinitie but never can they be compleatly apprehensive what it is for the Maker of the World to be made of a woman for the everlasting Father to be an infant in the womb for Majestie to be buried among the chips for him who thundred in the clouds to lie in the cradle for him who measured the heavens with a span to be a child of a span long 3. Observ 3. Isai 43.11 Hos 13.4 Any other Saviours beside Christ are altogether needlesse and fictitious If Christ be God there is no other Saviour and he no more wants the help of men or Angels in the Redemption of the world then he did in the Creation To an infinite power nothing can be added and the strength of Christ to save is infinite What brings the creature to God but wants and weaknesses That which receives all its strength from God adds no strength to God There 's none but a God able to do the Work and fit to receive the Honour of a Saviour The highest of all Popishly voyced Saviours throw down their Crowns at the feet of Christ and with one voice acknowledg him their Saviour The Crown of purchasing our salvation is too heavie for any created head Did those glorified spirits in heaven know how much honour is taken from Christ by casting it upon them some think that heaven should be no heaven to them 4. Divine Justice is compleatly satisfied Observ 4. and the sins of beleevers are perfectly removed The Merits of Christ are of infinite value the least sin was a burden too heavie for all the created backs of Men and Angels to undergo None but he that was God Heb. 7.25 John 1.29 Mic. 7.19 Isa 44.22 Isa 38.17 Psal 32.1 Jer. 31.34 could perfectly satisfie a God Christ is able to save to the uttermost He taketh away the sin of the world Our iniquities are said to be subdued Thrown into the bottom of the sea Covered washed away Blotted out as a cloud Vtterly forgotten and Cast behind the back of God Beleevers have nothing to pay to Justice The payments of Popish Merits are not in currant but copper coin which will not goe in heaven but will certainly be turned back again The sins of one beleever are ten thousand times greater than Satan can represent but yet the merits of the blood of God infinitely exceed all the sins of all men put together The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin 1 John 1.7 Christians take heed of a sacrilegious ransacking of the grave of Christ wherein he hath buried your sins If Christ be God desperation is the greatest of sins Is there any spot so deep which the blood of God cannot wash out any disease so desperate which the blood of God cannot cure any heart so faint which the blood of God cannot revive any debt so great which the blood of God cannot satisfie any burden so heavie which the shoulders of God cannot bear away Oh beleever Luke 1.47 let thy spirit rejoyce in God thy Saviour 5. How high is the advancement of humane Nature Observ 5. Hee who hath taken it into the unity of his Person is true God Hebr. 2.16 Phil. 2.10 The seed of Abraham is now more highly dignified then the nature of Angels There 's not a knee either in heaven in earth or under the earth but shall bow at the name of Him who is God and man in one person Let us fear to debase that nature which Christ hath magnified Psal 15.4 There 's nothing but sin that makes a man a vile person How unworthy a condescension is it for that nature to stoop to Divels which is advanced above Angels 1 Sam. 5.5 The Philistims tread not on that threshold upon which their Idol Dagon fell and shall man suffer lust and Divels to trample upon and defile that nature which the Son of God assumed Oh man acknowledg thy dignitie and being made a companion of the divine Nature be not so degenerous as to become a slave to Sin 6. Observ 6. How peculiarly dignified and blessed are all Beleevers Their Head their Husband is very God They have not onely the common honour of all men in the union of humane nature with the Son of God but a speciall priviledg in being united to him by his Spirit through Faith Man is advanced above other creatures in respect of the first Beleevers are advanced above other men in respect of the second union And if thus we are united to him who is God what influences of holinesse wisdom power c. shall flow to us from such a Head A Prince who hath all the gold and ornaments of the world will not suffer his Wife to want necessaries and certainly the Spouse of Christ shall have what shee wants if not what she would 7. Observ 7. Whatever it is that Christ who is God ordains and owns deserves our highest estimation The Day instituted by

who saith That pride must needs go before envy and that envy was not the cause of pride but pride the cause of envy for none can by envy hate anothers excellency unlesse by pride he first inordinately love his own Superbi endo invidus non invidendo quisquam superbus est Aug. Invidus ex hoc de bono alterius dolet in quantum bonum alterius aestimat sui boni impedimentum Aquin. 1. p. q. 63. a. 2. Bern. in Cant. ser 22. Greg. l. 34. moral c. 14. Ambros in Psal 37. Hierom. in Es 14. August l 12. de Civ Dei c. 6. Ab illo qui summus est aversi ad se conversi sunt hoe vitium nihil aliud est quam superbia Proprium objectum superbiae est excellens mensuram à Deo praefixam Bona vero spiritualia cum secundum se excessiva esse non possunt consequens est ut ex hoc primum habeant rationem vitiosi appetibilis ex quo primum habent rationem excedentis in commensurati alicui hoc autem constat esse divinam dispensationem regulam Cajetan in 1. p. sum q. 63. a. 2. Quid est supcrbia nisi perversae celsitudinis appetitus Aug. de civit D. l. 14. cap. 13. which he apprehends to be impaired by anothers A fourth to adde no more and the most probable opinion is of those who hold that the first sin of these angels was pride And this is the opinion most received and commonly embraced by the Fathers and after them received generally by the Schoolmen and others Aquinas seems strongly to prove that it could be no other sin but pride A spirituall nature and such is the angelicall can only saith he affect some spiritual object as being that which is only agreeable to it now there can be no sin in affecting spirituall objects which in themselves are good unless it be because in affecting of them the rule of the superiour is therein not obeyed and this is the sin of pride For the proper object of pride saith Cajetan is something exceeding that measure prefixed and limited by God Now in regard spirituall things cannot be excessive nor can we have too much of them in respect of themselves because the more of them the better it followes that then they come to be sinfully desired when they begin to exceed and to become incommensurate to the divine rule and dispensation the affecting them in which inordinate measure namely beyond the limits prescribed by God was the sin of pride in the angels That this pride then or an affecting as Augustine calls it of some spirituall highness beyond the bounds of Gods will was the first sin seems very probable by reason but more then probable by that of Paul 1 Tim. 3.6 where the Apostle gives this reason why a Bishop must be no novice Ne ob superbi am incidat in eandem damnationis poenam cum diabolo Est in Loc. lest saith he heing lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the divell in which place I understand not why the Apostle expresseth the condemnation or punishment of the divel to deterre from pride unlesse the divel had faln into condemnation for that sin and unlesse the Apostle had intended to shew the danger of being proud by setting down the punishment of the divel for that sin But more particularly if it be enquired wherein this pride of the angels did consist and what that highnesse was which they did affect beyond their measure I think the answer hereunto can be but conjecturall and uncertain Some conceive that it was revealed to the Angels soon after their creation that the humane nature should in time be hypostatically united to the divine that the Son of God in humane nature should be the head of men yea of angels that hereby mans nature was to be exalted above the very angels Heb. 1.6 and that they were commanded to worship and submit to him Hereupon say some they desired that the dignity of this union with the divine might be afforded to their own angelical nature But say others they refused to consent and submit to Gods pleasure in the former discovery Vid Zanch. de op Dei in this say they stood the pride of angels And of this opinion is Zanchy whose chiefest argument is taken from that deadly hatred which Satan hath ever put forth against the doctrines of the Person and Offices of Christ and his incessant opposing of beleeving and affiance in him Others conjecture for indeed none in this point can do much more that the angels desired to be equal with God and that they aspired to the divinity it self And here they distinguish of a twofold will in the angels 1. A will of efficacy which others term a will of intention 2. A will of delight and complacency According to the former they say that the angels did not desire to be equall with God as if they had intended or used means to attain to divinity For this the angels knew was absolutely impossible but according to the later will of complacency they say the angels might desire to be equall to God namely wish it as a pleasing and delightfull thing to them as a sick a dying man who despaires of recovery desires health though not as using means to procure it because he judgeth it impossible to be obtained yet as a good and most pleasing benefit and thus they say these angels had this will of delight or a velle conditionatum such a will whereby if it had been possible to have attained to the divinity Scotus in l. 2. sent dist 6. Estius in dist 6. §. 6. they would have used means to have done it and this was the opinion of Scotus and after him of sundry others who consider the tentation that Satan laid before our first parents Ye shall be gods And afterward being blinded with pride his endeavouring to have Christ worship him and his propagating the adoration of himselfe among heathens under the names of sundry gods The most probable opinion is that of Augustine Suâ potestate delectati velut bonum suum sibi ipsi essent à superiore communi omnium beatifico bono ad propria defluxerunt Aug. de Civ Dei l. 12. c. 1. It seemeth that there was no other way for angels to sin but by reflex of their understanding upon themselves who being held with admiration of their own sublimity and honour their memory of their subordination to God and their dependency on him was drowned in this conceit whereupon their adoration love and imitation of God could not chuse but be also interrupted Hooker L. 1. §. 14. and after him Aquinas Cajetan and others who think that the pride of the angels was in desiring and resting in their own naturall perfection as their ultimate end That as God is blessed by his own nature having no superiour from whom to draw his blessednesse so did these angels