Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	humane_a	person_n	union_n	11,677	5	9.6253	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B20831	A vvilderness of trouble leading to a Canaan of comfort, or, The method and manner of God's dealing with the heirs of heaven in the ministry of the Word wherein is shewed how the Lord brings them into this trouble, supporteth them under it, and delivereth them out of it, so that none finally miscarry / by W. Crompton ...	Crompton, William, 1599?-1642.	1679 (1679)	Wing C7034; ESTC R228944	108,751	231

A VVILDERNES OF TROUBLE Leading to a Canaan of Comfort OR The Method and Manner of God's dealing with the Heirs of Heaven in the Ministry of the Word Wherein is shewed How the Lord brings them into this Trouble supporteth them under it and delivereth them out of it So that none finally miscarry By W. CROMPTON Minister of the Gospel Hos 6.1 He hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up LONDON Printed by J. D. for J. Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard to be sold by Mich. Hide Bookseller in Exon. 1679. To his Honoured Friend Mr. JOHN MAYN Of the City of EXON MERCHANT THat there is a Summum Bonum or chief Good to be enjoyed by Man all sorts acknowledg Philosophers and Divines Ancient and Modern Desired by all as naturally as the greatest flames and the little sparks of Fire ascend to their Sphere either confusedly or distinctly attained only by some and in the fruition whereof true Happiness consisteth But what that is all agree not Varro out of Philosophers and St. Augustin out of Varro maketh mention of two hundred eighty and eight Opinions about it Some placing it here others there and have accordingly pursued their own conceits Error in this Point is not more common than dangerous being attended with variety of Vncertainties every one striving to maintain what he doth most affect whether an independing real-Good apprehended and presented by an Vnderstanding rightly informed or an apparent Good only offered by an Erring faculty Sense and understanding in Act is by union between the Faculty and the Object the Soul is said to be what it understandeth if the Object be a real Good the Soul by virtue of that union hath an answerable denomination In this Philosophy is an insufficient Guide looking only on this Life and the felicity of the more ignoble part of Man du●ing his abode here in the Visible World A supernatural Revelation is needful Reason cannot fathom nor the light of Nature reach unto the end for which Man was made Divinity discovers this and Faith comprehends it That Man was created for God to be like and enjoy him Christ is the Means to bring this to pass Man is made perfect but mutable He falleth Christ steppeth in to raise him again A new Covenant is established whereof Christ as Head undertakes to perform Conditions The Humane Nature must be united to the Divine in his Person that Christ might suffer what Man had deserved and Man might receive what Christ merited The Hypostatical Vnion is the ground or medium of another Mystical Vnion whereby every Penitent Believer is made a partaker of the Divine Nature and of all the priviledges of Christ's Obedience as if they had done it in their own Persons as of Adoption Justification Sanctification Glory The End was first the Reasonable Creature thought on next and the Means last All which were foreseen and ordered by an eternal Act of the first Cause not that for this or this after that not the Means first for the End nor the End so first as a motive to the Means but the End Object and Means together according to the freedom and counsel of his Will foreseeing still to preserve an order in the means both of Precedency and instrumental Efficiency He willed the Law and Gospel should be Preached that Knowledg and Faith might be wrought in his he willed Faith that they might be justified he willed Justification that they might be sanctified and glorified He willed all these joyntly that the End might be attained after all viz. The Communication of his own Excellency for the compleating of Man's Felicity It is not these Titles therefore can make Man happy The line of his Life being drawn forth with so many uncertainties and the height of his Power laid on so weak a foundation At one time or other of the best it may be said and the greatest on Earth may say of himself I was all things and yet nothing part of the Emperor Severus his Speech to his Council and Captains at York where shortly after he died leaving behind him this Testimony as many others have have done That Man's chiefest Good is not here below The Earth in her most glittering furniture is but Earth Fabulous and Enthusiastick and can afford but brittle Happiness Honour Riches Pleasure are but deceitful Toys So far from being Man's happiness that they often prove greater letts than helps towards Happiness Our chiefest good is Bonum immobile immutabile but Riches make themselves Wings and are uncertain like the Swallow in Winter season suddenly bidding farewel never perhaps returning again as a word once spoken nescit vox missa reverti Our chief Good is Bonum aeternum perfectum while Carnal Pleasures even the deepest here are most empty frothy and momentany like Comets made fat with smoaks and vapours of the Earth and in stead of giving Light and Brightness they bring forth Murders and Contagions Our chief Good is Bonum Immortale firm and ever flourishing always the same but Honour is fading and often buried in the Dust or quickly swallowed up in Oblivion Man was happy by Creation while the prime faculties of the Soul had that blissful Object to reflect upon the true God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom only is found a satisfying sufficiency to fill unto contentment the infinite appetite of the Soul When man turned from the Creator to the Creature he lost a real for a seeming Happiness onl● in this happy that the footsteps to true Happ●●●s● are left imprinted in the Fall Let him but once think whence he is fallen and return and he cannot miss of Happiness No regaining it without returning Return return O Shulamite return How often and earnest doth the Lord call for it as that one Thing necessary which should be most intended by us How vain and empty is the Creature How full and solid the Creator Deformity in the one Beauty in the other Bitterness in this Sweetness in that To fear God and keep his Commandments is the whole of Man The Duty and Dignity Honour and Felicity of Man to know Thee and whom thou hast sent is Eternal Life In his Presence is fulness of Joy and at his Right Hand are Pleasures for evermore In him are all the Perfections of all Creatures by way of Eminency Quicquid convenit enti quatenus ens illud maximè competere in primum ens quod est Deus Who may be enjoyed either by Faith properly termed Felicity here in the Way or by Sense in our Country more fitly called Beatitude Here is a short and sure Way return to God by Christ and be happy for ever Eph. 1.10 Col. 2.10 How this is brought about and how it may be discerned is the subject of the following Discourses unto which I have taken leave to prefix your Name and by this poor way endeavoured to serve you since more ample Demonstrations are wanting to