Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A41542
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A sermon on occasion of the death of the reverend and learned Mr. Stephen Lobb, who dyed June 3, 1699 by Thomas Goodwin.
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Goodwin, Thomas, 1650?-1716?
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1700
(1700)
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Wing G1270A; ESTC R32448
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23,607
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49
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of the Law and to save from the power of Sin and Death and cruel Dominion of the Devil Forasmuch as these Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood c. If any ask what is meant by Flesh and Blood his own experience may sufficiently resolve him We all feel the Miseries Sorrows and Pains of our corrupt and frail Constitution and after having been weakened by various Diseases which incessantly batter our decaying Frame we must lie down and die By Flesh and Blood in Scripture not mere Humane Nature is always signify'd but 't is often meant as it is deprav'd by Sin corrupted and polluted Rom. 8. 4 5. Gal. 5. 19 24. 1 Cor. 15 50. But in other places of Scripture Flesh and Blood import the Natural Constitution of Man's being without the inherent Malignity of Sin Matth. 26. 41. but yet infirm and frail and subject to Pains and Sorrows Now the Children of Men are partakers of Flesh and Blood not only weak and frail but sinful and defil'd They all communicate of it for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and this corrupted Mass of Humane Nature tainted first in Adam is diffus'd through all his Posterity and is the common portion in which they participate and Miseries and Sorrows are their wretched Inheritance Now our Lord Jesus assum'd Humane Nature into Union with himself not with those Corruptions and Lusts which Infect it in us No! He was Holy in the first Constitution of his Being Luc. 1. 35. in his Conception and Birth And all the time of his abode here below he was Holy Harmless and separate from Sinners Heb. 7. 26. And the manner of the Expression in the Text implyeth as much For when the Apostle speaks of Christ's assuming this our Nature he alters the Phrase he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he communicated it with us or possessed it in common as we have it in our Persons with all the Contagion of Sin adhering to it But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he took part of the same the sound part in all the Essentials of Humane Being without the other that was tainted and polluted Now that the Eternal Son should be as truly Man as he was God was necessary that he might be a fit and proper Mediator that the Threatning of the Law might be made good for as it was denounc'd that Man sinning should die this Punishment was inflicted on a Person who was really Man bearing our Sins as imputed to him It was necessary also that our Redeemer should assume Humane Nature that there might be a Change or Commutation of Persons between him and us not Natural as if we were transform'd into his Being or he into ours but Legal so that he truly appear'd in our stead to answer what the violated Law charg'd upon us and to satisfie offended Justice He really represented us in what he suffer'd and acted for our Redemption insomuch as the Sufferings which he endur'd and the Righteousness which he perform'd are plac'd to our Account by God his Father who admitted that he should put his own Person in the room of our Guilty ones taking our Sins upon him and suffering the Punishments due to them and accepted for us what Christ did and suffered in our stead to all the real Intents and Purposes of our Justification as if we had suffer'd and done it our selves And since the manner of making satisfaction for Sin was to be by undergoing the Penalty which it deserv'd and God had threaten'd and this was Death Gen. 2. 17. not only Separation of Soul and Body but the Wrath of God which gives deep and piercing Wounds to a Spirit it was therefore needful that the Person who offer'd up himself as an Expiatory Sacrifice for us should be Man that he might be capable of Dying For God cannot dye nor be susceptive of the Inflictions of his own Wrath and Justice Nor could an Angel dye as Death imports separation of Soul and Body which those Spirits have not and therefore this among others may be given as a reason why the Apostle says Heb. 2. 16. That he took not on him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham For by Death which cannot make any impression on an Angelick Nature but may on the Humane Christ intended to destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil These Words which are the latter part of my Text express the means by which our Triumphant Lord Jesus gain'd the Victory over Satan He might have employ'd his Invincible Power as God to conquer this Enemy of Mankind who had usurp'd a Dominion in the World The same Jesus who made Legions of Devils tremble at his Voice when he forc'd them by a powerful Command to go out of the Man possess'd could by the Power and Glory of his Divinity have entirely not only vanquish'd but destroy'd him without Dying himself But since God was angry with Man and provok'd by his Sin had justly permitted Satan to have Dominion over him and since it was by Man's Sin that the Devil had obtain'd the power of Death therefore his Empire could not be subverted but by taking away Sin the strength of it And Sin could not be remov'd but by an Expiation of its Guilt and abolishing the Curse of the Law and appeasing God's Wrath and satisfying his Justice And all this could not be effected without a Sacrifice sufficient to make an Atonement And no other Sacrifice was there or indeed could be but our Dying Redeemer So necessary was it for him to die That by Death he might destroy him who had the Power of Death that is the Devil This latter part of the Verse which I fix on as the Subject of my Discourse affords a Doctrine suitable to the occasion of it OBSERVATION That tho' a Believer is not excus'd from Dying yet Satan being conquer'd by Christ hath not the power of Death over him He cannot make it a Curse to him for Christ hath taken away Sin which rendred it such He cannot distract him with amazing Fears nor throw his Conscience into the Convulsions of Despair from Apprehensions of Guilt for Christ by his Blood hath purg'd his Conscience from Dead Works that he may draw near unto God in full dssurance of Faith Heb. 10. 22. He cannot affect his Soul with the malignant Influences of a Spiritual Death for tho' indeed it was once dead in Trespasses and Sins yet it is now quickned by Christ Jesus Eph. 2. 1. He cannot bring the believing Soul within the Confines of Eternal Death for there is no Condemnation to him being in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. And he having overcome shall not be hurt of the second Death Rev. 2. 11. Not the least part of it can ever be his Portion none of its Anguish and Woe ever fall upon him nor shall any of the Flames of Divine Anger which burn to the lowest Hell ever pierce his Soul for his Blessed Jesus hath delivered him