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
A63825	Forty sermons upon several occasions by the late reverend and learned Anthony Tuckney ... sometimes master of Emmanuel and St. John's Colledge (successively) and Regius professor of divinity in the University of Cambridge, published according to his own copies his son Jonathan Tuckney ...; Sermons. Selections	Tuckney, Anthony, 1599-1670.	1676 (1676)	Wing T3215; ESTC R20149	571,133	598

Ranting Enthusiast-Gnosticks of this and former ages who of all men by reason of their abominable filthiness partake least of God and most of the beast and the Devil make yet greatest pretensions to whilest they give out that they are Godded with God and Christed with Christ such is their blasphemous gibberish Whatever either Fantastical or Diabolical trances such may have and divine illapses unions and communications they may vainly boast of yet I am sure that no evil dwells with an holy God Psal 5. 4. and that Christ is separate from such sinners Heb. 7. 26. What diviner raptures and heavenly ravishments I do not say a Platonick Philosopher in his speculations but an holy humble believing Soul may sometimes have in its holy meditations and devotions I neither envy nor now dispute only say with the Psalmist that it is good for me to draw near to God and that they are happiest who in a spiritual union and communion can get and keep nearest but to pretend to get so near as properly to participate of the essence of God flieth higher than Lucifer's pride Isa 14. 14. and is Antichristian Blasphemy 2 Thes 2. 4. I acknowledge some of the Fathers especially the Greek in their Rhetorical Hyperboles and desiring to express that lively image of God which his children have instamped upon them do indulge themselves a sufficient liberty as * Orat. 4. in Arrium Athanasius in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and † Orat. 42. p. 680. Basil orat 3. de sp Sanct. Nazianzen in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not as though they ever meant any such abolition of our nature and transformation of it into God's or participation of his essence which being in it self infinite is therefore to the finite creature incommunicable if Christs hypostatical union did not confound the natures and their properties much less will this mystical union of God and the soul work any commixtion or tranfusion of it into the Godhead 1. The three consubstantial persons of the Sacred Trinity only in common partaking if I may so call it of the Divine nature essentially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Christs humane nature not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nestorius blasphemed for so we partake of it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and personally which is his alone prerogative 3. It 's our highest honour and happiness that we may be made partakers of it by a participation of Divine Grace and image which is wrought in us by him and by which we are made conformable to him so far as the image of his infinite holiness is expressible in a limited and restrained being as the wax receives the impression of the Seal not the essence and that in a picture is called a face or hand which hath the likeness of it as he well expresseth it and as truly addeth that he who raiseth it Dr. Spurstow upon the Text. any higher must have swelling and lofty thoughts of the creature and low and most unworthy and dishonourable thoughts of God Thus Divines say we partake of the Divine nature accidentaliter per donum gratiae sanctificantis as we have Divine Grace wrought in us by the spirit of God which makes us like God But as for Cornel à Lapide's substantialiter which he adds as we are partakers of In Textum the spirit of God himself we shall speak of that by and by we are now dealing with Enthusiasts who as the Manichees of old held that by nature we are ex traduce Dei orti drops and And so as Caelestius said without Sin as God is Augustin de gestis Pelagii cap. ult beams and particles of the Deity so they conceit that in the way of their high attainments they are partakers of the very Godhead Godded with God and Christed with Christ as their blasphemous gibberish blunders it But how much more soberly and piously doth Cyprian express it Nostra ipsius conjunctio nec miscet personas nec unit substantias sed affectus consociat confoederat voluntates This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Divine nature is not the Divine Essence as they conceit it I acknowledge that * Tractat. de foedere in Gangraenâ doctrinae Anabaptisticae Clopenburgh and de † In Textum Dieu after him conceive otherwise and that as Jam. 3. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nature of beasts signifieth Beasts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nature of man a man so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine nature or nature of God may O●thodoxally enough be taken to signify God as considered in his own nature and being but then that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or partakers is not here meant a transfusion or communication of They understand Communion rather than Communication the Divine Essence that in that sense we should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the Deity but only as Heathen Idolaters 1 Cor. 10. 20. are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have fellowship with Devils so true believers have not only a real communication of Divine Grace infused into them but also a true and blessed Communion with God himself and truly our fellowship is with the Father and the Son as the Apostle asserts it John 1. 3. Nor hath this exposition any thing in it which is contrary to piety or sound doctrine but yet this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sound a more inward and inherent communication of something and not only a bare communion and fellowship as one friend hath with another though that be included and of it some good Interpreters expound it 2. Others therefore interpret these words in reference to Christ as Ambrose and Oecumenius of his incarnation in which his humane Epist 38. nature was made partaker of the Divine because hypostatically united to it But 1. Therein the Son of God did more properly take part of our humane nature as is expresly said he did Heb. 2. 14. than we of the Divine 2. Besides that partaking was already in act ever since our Saviour's Cyprian saith divinae naturae communicamus per spiritum humanae per corpus de Nativitate Christi sect 7. birth and conception whereas this which the Apostle here speaks of was in part yet to be accomplished to believers in their several successions and further participation 3. And withall Thus all that have an humane nature might be said to be partakers of the divine which the Apostle here restrains to believers only 4. And therefore Cyril although he interpret it also with reference Catechis to Christ yet of our Symbolical partaking of him and so of God in the Eucharist This the Papists greedily swallow down as making they think for their Transubstantiation by which as they say they come to eat the very

them blasted the Creature to them As soon as they began to live to God the Flesh was mortified and the World crucified But further In their after frequent Experience they have been herein more confirmed that when their Souls have gone out to any Creature to support them they find the best so weak that they cannot or nothing in comparison of God not at all without God Father and Mother cast off when God alone takes up Psal 27. 10. and therefore Cease from Man whose Breath is in his Nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Isa 2. 22. And for others so bad that if they could they would not so that oft-times they are the worse the nearer they come to them The Reed breaks and pierceth the Hand when leaned upon for support Ezek. 29. 6 7. the Briar scratcheth and pricks when gone to for shelter They get as much good by applying themselves to them as Joseph did by going to his Brethren or the Levite by turning in to Gibeah Of all others Gen. 37. the Godly are deserted by Friends and pursued by Enemies and they themselves a poor shiftless helpless People and therefore it 's good for the Conies that feeble folk and so much hunted to make their Houses in the Rock Prov. 30. 26. It 's good for the Vine so unable to subsist of it self and so much pluckt by others to clasp fast to the Elm For me that am plagued all the day long and chastned every morning as the Psalmist said of himself v. 14. for me at least it 's good to draw near to God This by experience they find and therefore as Joshua said to Israel If it seem evil to you to serve the Lord chuse you whom you will serve but I and my House will serve the Lord Josh 24. 15. So will every right-born Heir of Heaven however others take offence and go away Joh. 6. 66. yet when asked Whether they also would go away v. 67. with Peter be ready resolvedly to answer Lord to whom should we go Thou hast the words of Eternal Life and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ c. ver 68. We know and have found and felt what thou art in thy self and what thou hast been to us in our keeping close to thee and therefore there 's no talking or thinking of leaving thee The faithful Soul from the very Heart saith what the Psalmist v. 25. expresseth Lord whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides thee And therefore when others v. 27. by their dear-bought experience find at last nothing but destruction is gained by being afar off and going a whoring from thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod ad me spectat I that know this and have had experience both of the mischief of my being estranged from thee and of the blessing of keeping close to thee I must hold to it and shall ever by the Grace of God bide by it that it 's good for me to draw near to thee Which teacheth us with all humble thankfulness to think Vse 1 and acknowledg how good God hath been to us in giving us Jesus Christ by whose Mediation alone we may have this access and without which as we now are it would be as good for us to draw near to God as for a guilty Malefactor to the Bar of an angry Judge or for Briars and Thorns to a consuming fire Isa 27. 4. for so God is to Sinners out of Christ Heb. 12. 29. And then Who among us is able to dwell with devouring fire Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings Isa 33. 14. His Majesty is so infinitely glorious that as the Apostle speaks he dwells in Light unapproachable 1 Tim. 6. 16. His Holiness so impatient of sinful defilement that he cannot endure to behold it Hab. 1. 13. so that even the impudent sinner gets as far as he can out of his fight that he may more freely commit it Isa 29. 15. and the humbled blushing sinner cannot stand before him by reason of it Ezra 9. 6 15. His Justice is so strict and his Wrath so dreadful as makes Adam when now under guilt hide himself Cain run out of his Gen. 3. Gen. 4. Luke 18. 13. Rev. 6. 15 16. presence the poor humbled Publican stand afar off and the forlorn damned Souls at the last day desire Mountains and Rocks to fall upon them rather than he should see them and as Basil thinks wish rather to lie still in the Prison of Hell than to be brought out before him to his Judgment-Seat How awful is that sad word of God's being sanctified in them that draw nigh to him Levit. 20. 3 And how dreadful is that Threat of God's drawing near to Judgment Mal. 3. 5 And can it then be so good to draw near to such a God so glorious and terrible I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord said the Rom. 7. 25. Apostle in alike case and so doth the faithful Soul in this I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Through him my Propitiatory I find my Judg on a Mercy-Seat and so it 's good to draw near happy that we may and more happy if we will It was he that engaged his heart to approach to God Jer. 30. 21. That Son of Man that drew near to the ancient of days Dan. 7. 13. and so brings us with him as Joseph did his Brethren into the Gen. 47. 2. King's presence As our near Kinsman taking our Nature into the nearest Vnion of his Person so as in this Glass we see the Glory John 1. 14. Heb. 2. 14. of God so refracted and attempered to our weakness that instead of being oppressed with it we are changed into it 2. Cor. 3. 18. By our blessed Emanuel God is so with us as that we may have free and near access to him Whilst his Holiness and Obedience become a Vail to cover our Defilement And his Blood hath so fully quenched the fiery Indignation of his Father's Wrath that we who by the Law are kept at a distance afar off Exod. 20. 18. 24. 2. have by the Gospel of Christ brought to us a better hope by which we draw nigh to God Heb. 7. 19. And what now remaineth but that seeing it is so good to draw Vse 2 near to God we be all exhorted in his fear to be so good to our selves as to keep no longer at a distance Let Strangers yea Enemies draw near and let Friends draw yet nearer Let not our sins any longer separate us and then let not unbelief dishearten us Remember that as on the one side the Spirit and the Bride say came and he that beareth saith come viz. in the desires and out-goings of their Soul to Christ so he on the other side in his desire of their union with him ecchoeth back again And he that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the