Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	mystical_a	person_n	union_n	3,769	5	10.8414	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29709	A word in season to this present generation, or, A sober and serious discourse about the favorable, signal and eminent presence of the Lord with his people in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers : with the resolution of several questions, concerning the divine presence, as also the reasons and improvements of this great and glorious truth ... / by Thomas Brooks ...	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1675 (1675)	Wing B4970; ESTC R11759	200,185	248

out of the hand of the terrible God engages himself to protect him against all the might malice of his most terrible enemies and though he should fall into their hands yet he would deliver him out of their hands Psalm 33. 3. They have consulted against thy hidden ones The Saints are 1. Hid in Gods decree 2. Hid in Christs wounds 3. Hid in the chambers of Divine providence 4. Hid in common dangers as Noah was hid in his Ark and as Lot was hid in Zoar Isa 26. 20. and as Daniel was hid in the Lyons den and as the three Children were hid in the fiery Furnace and as Jonah was hid in the Whales belly 5. Hid with Christ in God in Colos 3. 3. times of greatest trouble the Saints are hid under the hollow of Gods hand under the shadow of Gods wing Psalm 27. 5. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in Psal 91. 1 4. his Pavilion The Hebrew Succoh is written with a little Samech to shew say some that a little pavilion or cottage where God is shall be sufficient to save-guard the Saints in the day of adversity He shall hide me in his hut as a Shepherd doth his sheep in a stormy day In the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me I shall be as safe as if I were shut up in his holy Ark Tabernacle or Temple whither they use to flee for shelter to the horns of the Altar yea as if a man were hid in the most holy Place where none might enter but only the High-Priest once a year which is therefore called Gods secret place A Ezeck 7. 22. Shepherd should not be more careful to shelter his sheep in a Tent or Tabernacle from the heat of the Sun nor a King should not be more ready to protect a Favorite in his pavilion whence none durst venture to take him than God would be careful and ready to shroud and shelter his People from the rage madness and malice of their enemies How did God hide his Church in Aegypt Exod. 3. 2 3. the Bush was still burning and yet was not consumed and how did he hide seven thousand in Eliah's 1 Kings 19. 18. time that had not bowed their knees to Baal Though the Woman the Church be driven to flee into the wilderness Rev. 12. 6. yet there she is hid and there she had a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three-score dayes Let our Enemies do their worst they shall not hinder us of Divine protection no power nor policy can hinder our being preserved and secured by God in the greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers that can attend us But Fourteenthly If God be with us who can be against us I answer None so as to deprive us of our union with Christ as to dissolve that blessed union that is between Joh. 15. 1 2 3 4 5. Christ and our souls When Men and Divels have done their worst our Mariage union with Christ holds good this union is indissoluble this union between Christ Believers is not capable of any separation they are so one that all the violence of the world nor all the power of darkness can never be able to make them two again Hence the Apostle's triumphant challenge Who shall separate us from the love of Christ If the question Rom. 8. 35. did not imply a strong Negation the Apostle himself doth give us a negation in words at length Neither death Verse 38 39. nor life nor Angels nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us c. Here you have a long Catalogue consisting of a large induction of various particulars But none of all these can dissolve the union between Christ and Believers None can untie that knot that is tied by the Spirit on Christs part and by Faith on ours Christ and Believers are so firmly joyned together that all the powers on earth and all the united strength of Hell shall never be able to put them asunder or to separate them one from another look as no distance of place can hinder this union so no force or violence from Devils or Men shall ever be able to dissolve this union and herein lies the peculiar transcendent blessedness of this union above all other unions they all may cease be broken and come to nothing every one of them is soluble The head may be separated from the members and the members from the head the Husband must be separated from the Wife and the Wife from the Husband the Parents must be separated from the Children and the Children from the Parents and bosom friends must be separated one from another The foundation and the house may be separated and the branches may be cut off from the vine yea the soul and body may be disunited by death but the mystical union stands fast for ever Christ and a gracious soul can Matth. 19. 6. never be separated God hath joyned them together and no mortal shall ever be able to put them asunder there is not only a continuation of it all our life but also in death it self Our very bodies sleeping in the dust are even then in union with Christ There are two abiding things in the Saints their unction and their union their unction abides But the anointing 1 John 2. 27. which ye have received of him abideth in you and their union abides for it follows and ye shall abide in him Christ earnestly prayes that we might be one as he John 17. 20 21 22 23. and his Father are one not essentially nor personally but spiritually so as no other Creature is united to Christ There can be no Divorce between Christ and Malach. 2. 19. the believing Soul Christ hates putting away Sin may for a time seemingly separate between Christ and the Believer but it can never finally separate between Christ and the Believer Look as it is impossible for the leaven that is in the dough to be separated from the dough after it is once mixed for it turneth the nature of the dough into it self so it is impossible for the Saints ever to be separated from Christ for Christ is in the Saints as Rom. 8. 10. Coloss 1. 27. 1 John 3. 21. John 17. 23. nearly and as really as the leaven is in the dough Christ and Believers are so incorporated as if Christ and they were one lump Our nature is now joyned to God by the indissolvible tye of the Hypostatical union in the second Person and we in our persons are joyned to God by the mystical indissolvible bond of the Spirit the third Person Our union with the Lord Jesus is so near so close and so glorious that it makes us one spirit with him In this blessed union the Saints are not only joyned to the graces and

benefits which flow 1 Cor. 6. 17. from Christ but to the Person of Christ to Christ himself all the powers on Earth and all the powers in John 1. 16. Rom. 8. 32. 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. Hell can never separate Christ from the Believer nor the Believer from Christ when all other unions are dissolved this union holds good I readily grant that the sense and apprehension of this union may in this life be much interrupted and many times greatly darkned but the substance of the union still remains And I readily grant that a Believer may be much assaulted and tempted to doubt of his union with Christ and to question his union with Christ and yet nevertheless a Believers union with Christ continues and abides for ever And I readily grant that the influences of it for some time may be suspended but yet the union it self is not nay cannot be dissolved As it was in the Hypostatical union for a time there was a suspending of the comforting influences of the Divine nature in the humane in so much that our Saviour cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet for all this the union between the two natures was not Matth. 27. 46. in the least abolished so here in the Mystical union the sensible effects comforts and benefits of our union with Christ may sometimes be kept in and not appear but yet the union it self abides and shall abide firm and inviolable for ever 't is an inseparable and insuperable union Look as no power on earth is sufficient to over-power the Spirit of Christ which on Christs part makes John 10. 27. 31. 1 John 4. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Luke 22. 31 32. the union so no power on earth shall be able to conquer Faith which on our part also makes the union Satan and the world may make attempts upon this union but they will never be able to break this union to dissolve this union yea though death be the bane of all natural unions yet death can never be the bane of this Mystical union though death puts a period to all other unions yet death can never put a period to this union when the Believer is in his grave his union with Christ holds good But Fifteenthly If God be with us who can be against us I answer None so as to deprive us of our crowns there is no power nor policy on Earth or in hell that can deprive a Christian First Of his crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing 'T is a Metaphor say several from the Estius Scultetus c. custom in war who used to crown the Conquerors with honour c. It is a similitude taken from fighters or Combatants who for a prize received a Crown when they had contended lawfully The reward of Eternal life here is called a Crown of righteousness 1. Because 't is purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ by his perfect and compleat righteousness obedience dear Jesus hath merited this for us and so in Christ it is due to us by way of merit though in respect of us 't is of meer grace of rich grace of soveraign grace of infinite grace of glorious grace 2. Because he is righteous that hath promised Rev. 2. 10. Rev. 3. 21. 1 John 2. 25. 2 Thess 1. 5 6 7 10. this Crown Though every promise that God makes is of free and rich grace yet when once they are made the truth and justice of God obligeth him to keep touch with his People for as he cannot deny himself so he cannot do any thing unworthy of himself Men say and unsay they promise one thing and mean another men many times eat their words as soon as they have spoke them but thus God can never thus God will never do God can never ●epent of his promises he can never waver he can never go back from his word God is not a man that he should lie neither the Son of man that he should repent Hath he said Num. 23. 19. and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good All the promises that refer to this life and a better are sure firm Faithful unchangeable immutable All the promises are the word of a God and given upon the honour of a God that they shall be made good O my Friends the all-sufficiency of God the Promissa haec tua sunt Demi●e saith Austin quis falli timet cum promittit ips● veri●as omniscience of God the omnipotency of God the loving kindness and faithfulness of God yea and the Oath of God may fully yea abundantly satisfie us and socure us that God will certainly make good all his precious promises to us We commonly say when an honest man passeth his word for a little money O it is as sure as if it were in our purse but Gods word of promise is abundantly more sure for as his Nature is Eternal so his word of promise is unchangeable the promises are a firm foundation Hab. 2. 3. Je● 32. 41. Psalm 89. 3● to build our hopes and happiness upon they are an Anchor both sure and st●dfast Memorable is that saying of David Psalm 138. 2. For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy Name Which words are to be understood as David Ki●hi saith Hysteron proteron that thou hast by thy word that is by performing thy word and promises magnified thy Name above all things 3. Because it is a just and righteous thing with God to crown them with glory at last who have been crowned with shame reproach and dishonour for his Name and interest in this world so that Eternal life is a Crown of righteousness ex parte Dei God hath promised it to such as overcome and ex parte rei 't is just with God to give unto his suffering Servants rest and peace 4. Because it is given only to righteous men all that wear this crown come to it in a way of righteousness a righteous Crown cannot be had but in the use of righteous means The Chaldean the Persian the Grecian and the Roman Princes commonly gained their Crowns by fraud flattery policy blood c. so that their Crowns were bloody Crowns and not righteous Crowns 5. and lastly The Apostle calls it a Crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge shall give him the more fitly to follow the Metaphor taken from Runners and Wrestlers for prizes at their solemn e●●ercises or games in Greece in which there were certain Judges appointed to observe those that proved masters and give just Sentence on the Conquerors side if he strove lawfully and fairly won the prize Now this Crown is laid up the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importes

mighty man of valour Ver. 13. And Gideon said unto him Oh my Lord if the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us and where be all his miracles which our Fathers told us of saying Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt but now the Lord bath forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites God may be really present with his People they may have his favourable presence with their inward man when it goes very ill with their outward Man Certainly we must frame a new Bible ere we can find any colour out of Gods afflicting us to prove that he doth not love us or that he hath withdrawn his presence from us Christ had never more of the real presence of his Father than when he had least of his sensible presence of his comfortable presence My God my God why hast thou forsaken Matth. 27. 46. me Here is first a compellation or invocaton of God twice repeated My God my God Secondly the complaint it self or matter complained of touching Gods forsaking of him Christ was forsaken of God in some sort and he was very sensible of his Fathers withdrawing though it was but in part and for a time Why hast thou forsaken me This forsaking is not to be understood of his whole person but of his humane nature only according to which and in the which he now suffered on the Cross Though the person of Christ suffered and was forsaken yet he was not forsaken in or according to his whole Person but in respect of his humane nature only The Godhead of Christ could not be forsaken for then God should have forsaken himself which is impossible The personal union of the God head with the Man-hood of Christ continued all the time of his passion and death it was never dissolved nor ever shall be yea the Godhead did uphold the manhood all the time of Christs sufferings so that he was not forsaken when he was forsaken he was not forsaken wholly when he was forsaken in part The love and favour of God the Father towards Jesus Christ did not ebb and flow rise and fall for God never loved Jesus Christ more or better than at the time of his passion when he was most obedient to his Fathers will Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life John 10. 17. for my Sheep Christ had never more of the supporting presence of his Father than when he had least of his comfortable presence when Christ was in his grievous agony and distress of body and mind the Godhead did withdraw the comfortable presence from the manhood and so far and so far only was Christ forsaken Though the union was not dissolved yet there was a suspension of vision for the time so as the humane nature did neither see or feel any present comfort from God Now so far as the Godhead did withdraw its comfortable presence so far our Saviour was forsaken and no further that was but in part and therefore he was but in part forsaken God was really present with Christ when in respect of his comfortable presence he was withdrawn from him So here The Husband may be in the house and the Wife not know it the Sun may shine and I not see it there may be fire in the Room and I not feel it so God may be really present with his People when he is not sensibly present with his People But The second Proposition is this That the favourable 2. Proposition signal and eminent presence of God with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers is only to be extended to his Covenant people to those that are his People by special grace Jer. 32. 38. And they shall be my People and I will be their God Verse 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Verse 41. Yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good There are many precious promisses of the Divine presence as I have already shewed but they are all entailed upon Gods Covenant-people We are all the People of God by Creation both good and bad sinners and saints bond and free rich and poor high and low and we are all the People of God by outward profession All that do make an outward profession of God and perform external worship to God they are all the People of God in this sence all the Carnal Israelites are frequently called the People of God as well as the spiritual Seed thus Cain was one of Gods People as well as Abel and Esau as well as Jacob. Now such as are only the People of God by creation or by profession these are strangers to God these are enemies Ephe. 2. 12. to God and will he be favourably present with these Such as are only the People of God by creation Eph. 2. 1. Col. 2. 13 and outward profession they are dead in trespasses and sins and can the living God take pleasure in being among Gal. 3. 10. the dead such are under all the threatnings of the Law and under all the curses of the Law even to the uttermost extent of them such are not one moment secure the threatnings of God and the curses of the Law Lev. 26. Deut. 28. may light upon them when in the house when in the field when waking when sleeping when alone when in company when rejoycing when lamenting when sick when well when boasting when despairing when upon the Throne when upon a sick-bed and will God grace these with his presence surely no. Such say to Job 21 1● 15. God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him Such queryings as this carry greatest contempt in them and would lay the Almighty quite below the required duty as if Almighty were but an empty Title and will God ever honour such with his favourable presence who bid him be packing who reject his acquaintance and are willing to be rid of his company surely no. Such as are only his People by creation and an outward profession such are under the wrath Psalm 7● 11. and displeasure of God God is angry with the wicked every day not with a paternal but with a Prov. 3. 32. cap 1● 9. judicial anger even to hatred and abhorment The wicked is an abomination to him and he hates all workers of iniquity And therefore to these he will never vouchsafe his signal presence such may well expect that God will pour on them the fiercen●ss of that wrath and indignation that they can neither decline nor withstand such wrath is like the tempest and whirlewinds that breakes down all before it It is like burning fire and devouring flames