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
A92857	The riches of grace displayed in the offer and tender of salvation to poor sinners. Wherein is set out, the gracious behaviour of Christ, standing at the door and knocking for entrance. The dutiful behaviour of sinners in hearing Christs voice and opening to him. And the comfortable event upon them both. / By Obadiah Sedgwick. B.D. and late minister of the Gospel in Covent-Garden.	Sedgwick, Obadiah, 1600?-1658.	1657 (1657)	Wing S2379; Thomason E1683_2; ESTC R209163	87,999	316

right side of the bowle and the other upon the left side thereof The golden Candlestick is the Church the seven Lamps are the several graces of it the Olive trees are the abundant supplies of his grace and the seven Pipes the manifold wayes by which Christ deriveth good Now the good which Christ communicates to beleevers is twofold 1. Congru●us which respects the militant condition Bonum Honestum 2. Glorious which respects the triumphant condition Bonum Jucundum 1. The congru●us good which respects this life is first fundamental in 1. Justification wherein he bestows his blood upon beleevers for the remission of all their sinnes and so to exempt them from condemnation Rev. 1. 5. That loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his own blood And his righteousnesse upon them we are made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. and so to present them capable and fit for salvation 2. Adoption when he makes them the Sonnes of God Gal. 4. 4. God sent forth his Sonne verse 5. To redeeme us that we might r●receive the Adoption of Sonnes so that Beleevers by Jesus Christ attaine to the dignity of being the Sonnes of God John 11. 12. And thereupon heirs of God and coheirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. Their Saviour becomes their brother Heb. 2. 10 to 13. And their God becomes their Father 3. Sanctification wherein he gives fellowship to them in the graces of his Spirit renuing and changing them by the infusion of divine qualities 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 2 Pet. 1. 4. He makes us partakers of the divine nature As God took of the Spirit in Moses and imparted some of it on the Elders of Israel or as Jonathan who loved David as his own soul 1 Sam. 18. 3. stript himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David and his garments even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle verse 4. So doth Jesus Christ he doth power out of his Spirit upon beleevers imparts not only the garment of righteousnesse to justifie them but also his very Spirit of grace to be a sword and a girdle unto them a sword to slay their sins and a girdle to bind and strengthen them for his service Therefore are beleevers said to have communion in his death Phil. 3. 10. and to be planted in the likenesse of his death and resurrection Rom. 6. 5. 4. Preservation These things will I do unto them and not forsake them As the Sunne gives light and keeps it one hand to give another to hold as Christ himself went on with his own work of redemption never ceasing till he had finished it and ascended to glory so doth he in his work of Beleevers He is the Authour and finisher of faith a spring of eternal life The Authour of it to them that obey him 2. Accidental he kisseth them with a lip of peace salutes them with joy unspeakable seals them with the signet of his own Spirit puts sugar into their wine 2. The glorious good which respects another life is beyond all expression and conception It is called a Kingdom a crown of life a crown of righteousnesse that shall be given 2 Tim. 4. 8. Paradise an exceedingly exceeding weight of glory This also will Christ impart to beleevers He will give them besides all they meet with here of grace of peace of joy of help c. hereafter eternal life and they shall be where he is not only to behold his glory but to be glorified with him they shall enter into their Masters joy Quest 2. What the extent of this communion is 'twixt Christ and beleevers Sol. The question may be understood either of the extent 1. Of number Or 2. of quantity Or 3. of duration and accordingly I shall unfold the question in three particulars 1. The extent of Christs communion with beleevers is for number universal Beleevers are some of them strong Abraham was strong in faith he was the Father of the faithful and some of them are weak I beleeve Lord help my unbelief said the father of the childe some are ripe and well grown others are new born babes and very tender all are included union is as large as opening and communion is as large as union Christ hath communion with them all ye are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. 28. and all of them have communion with Christ The Head hath a conjunction with an influence into the little Toe as well as into the strong Arme and the root in the vertue of it extends to the weakest branch as well as to the strongest Limb of the tree 2. The extent of Christs communion with beleevers is radically and substantially equal for quantity I confesse in respect of degrees for some part of this communion and in respect of some acts and in respect of some feeling or sense the communion is unequal and different for some have a greater measure of holinesse of strength of joy of evidence then others have but yet the radical and substantial part of this communion is equal and alike A full Reconciliation Redemption Sanctification Remission Christ is alike Redeemer to all beleevers and their Justification and Adoption are alike and the seed of Sanctification is alike and the fr●ition of God in glory essentially considered is alike Though one star exceeds another in magnitude yet both are alike seated in the heavenly Orb and though one member be larger in the body then another yet every one hath an equal conjunction with the head Christ doth not clasp beleevers with a different spirit nor do they clasp Christ with a different faith his relation to them is one for the nature of it and their love to him is all one for the truth of it 3. The extent of Christs communion with beleevers in respect of duration is eternal or is continued to eternity It admits of no intercision in this life nor of any cessation in that other life for Christ hath an infinite goodnesse to communicate to them which they cannot take in but by an infinitenesse of time His treasures can never be spent upon them He hath glory for them to an eternity and they have a love to bestow upon him which will spend it self and yet last for ever and ever Quest 3. Why hath Christ such a communion with Beleevers Sol. The Reasons may be these 1. Communication is the principal end of all about Christ it is the end of his union the end of his offices and the end of his works 1. It is the end of all his unions There is a twofold union One is personal the union of natures in his person and that was for this end viz. to make him a ●it and able Mediator and Redeemer for us Vnto us a childe is born unto us a Son is given Isaiah 9. Another is mystical the union of himself with beleevers as an head with his members and this is for

are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11. 28. Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Rev. 22. 17. 4. His expostulations why will you not come to me why wil you die yea and his forcings of sinners compel them to come to the wedding 5. His acceptations never did any sinner open to him but he entred into him Never did any sinner come to him but he accepted of him John 6. 37. Him that comes unto me I will in no wise reject There is a rejection 1. Negative in passing by 2. Positive in hating neither of these for them that come to Christ There are two Negatives in the Greek I will not not reject him to take off all feares and disputes 6. His compassions towards sinners and that both to those 1. That have still shut the door He wept over Jerusalem because she would not know the day of her visitation 2. And to those that have opened the door unto him How he ran to meet the lost child and fell on his neck and kissed him gives him Luke 15. not one harsh word He will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking f●ax 7. His frequent knocking 's at the door and all of them to get us to open the doore unto him He knocks at every doore of man 1. At the eare of man that first wicket by the preaching of the Word 2. At the fore-door the minde of man by enlightning it to see its vile and lost condition without him 3. At the Chamber-door the conscience of man by strong troubles and despair of self-deliverance 4. At the closet-door the will Open to me 1. Per legem 2. Per crucem 3. Per lucem 4. Per concilium 5. Per afflatum auxilium in l●● and affections of man by notable excitations to stand out no longer but to yeild and to receive him Hearken unto me and your soules shall live Or as Viega or Pareus c. on this place He knocks at the door by the Law by the Crosse by light shining in the Gospel by Councels by the breathing and aid of the Spirit 8. His patient expectation if answer be not presently given yet he doth repeat his stroaks nay though denial be many times given yet he assayes sinners again and again waites after three yeers one yeer more on the fig-tree stretches out his hand to a gainsaying people that is to them that have said him nay and that all the day long Rom. 10. 21. and of Jerusalem he saith How often would I have gathered thee Mat. 23. 37. How many Sermons by one Minister to wooe us to open our hearts to Christ and when he is dead or gone how many more by another He hath stood at our doores more then one day or night more then one week or two more then one yeare or two more then one twenty years or two Would he do thus if he were not willing to come in and save us 9. His retorical and soul-drawing Arguments Partly 1. Privative ye shall not perish if ye will open to him 2. Positive ye shall have ever lasting life if you will open to him John 3. 15 16. the words are doubled whosoever beleeveth in him he shall not perish he shall not perish but he shall have everlasting life Your sinnes you feare will damn you but open to me and I will be your surety I will undertake to satisfie God for them and will assuredly deliver you from his wrath and from damnation Your sinnes you feare will shut heaven against you O fear it not open the heart to receive me and my blood shall open heaven to receive you 10. His gracious Articles he requires no more but open the door unto me 1. He doth not say If I find Not on merit desert in you then I will enter O no he hath entred into the most undeserving hearts That woman in John 4. 7 c. was a very undeserving creature In respect of worship she was an ignorant and superstitious person ver 22. In respect of morals she was a common where verse 18. In respect of present disposition she was an hard hearted wretch she would not give Christ so much as a cup of cold water verse 9. nay a mocking sinner almost at every word that Christ spake and yet Christ stood not upon any of these And so for Paul he was a blasphemour he was injurious he was a persecutor c. 2. Nor doth he say if I finde Not on holinesse any holinesse or comelinesse in you then I will enter Ezek 6. 8. When I passed by thee and looked upon thee Behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse yea I sware unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Verse 6. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live O note Live live live and this was when thou wast in thy blood in thy blood in thy blood All the condition that Christ stands on is this do but come do but open to me do but receive me And he is willing to work in you this condition too for he hath appointed the Ministery of the Gospel upon hearing to be a word of faith Rom. 10. 17. yea he did open the door in Lydia upon the hearing of Paul Acts 16. 14. 11. The opening of the doore unto him makes Christ 1. Exceeding joyful when the lost child came back what rejoycing was there It was meet said his father Luke 15. 32. that we should make merry and be glad For this thy brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found 2. Exceeding thankful See Mat. 11. 25. I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast revealed these things unto babes as if he had said O my Father this is such a mercy as my heart cannot conteine it self I must needs acknowledge this c. Quest But why should Christ be thus willing to enter into the hearts of sinners and to save them Sol. The Reasons briefly are these Because 1. Not only that Philanthropy in him above all other creatures His bowels of mercy and compassion 2. Not only his perfection of obedience to his Fathers Will whose Will he came down from heaven to do John 6 38. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one who hath the sonne and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life ver 40 3. But also it is the very end of his Mediatorship The conjunction of the divine and humane nature in his person was to conjoyne us and God to declare the name of his Father and his love Joh. 17. 25 The qualifications of him with the grace of union and with the grace of unction was to perfect our Redemption and

hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse or what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Belial and what agreement hath the Temple of God with idols 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. Some would reconcile our Religion and Popery and you would reconcile heaven and hell 2. Of communicativenesse all the good which Christ imparts to us is for to make us good and for to enable us to do good If you kindle a fire it is to give warmth If you give your steward money it is to lay it out All the starres they say have light from the Sunne but then their light imparts it self againe by influence to bodies sub-celestial you must do more then others Thou hast received knowledge from Christ this candle should give light to others as well as to thy selfe Thou hast received grace from Christ this oyntment should heat the souls of others as well as his own soul thou hast received mercy and comfort from Christ this cordial should be let out to binde up and susteine the drooping hearts of others as well as thine own Christ hath shewed pity to thee surely it is that thou shouldest shew pity to others He forgives thee shouldest not thou forgive thy brother when you were wandering he sought after you when you were ignorant he instructed you when you were untoward he yet bare with you when you humbled your soules he cheered you when you yeilded to him he presently embraced you O how often hath he bound up your wounded soules How often hath he raised up your fallen feet you have lived upon his blood upon his Spirit upon his love upon his bounty all your dayes Let the same minde be in you which is in your Christ O when shall the soule of a childe of a wife of a servant of a friend of a neighbour cry out and say I blesse God for such a Father for such a Husband c. 3. Improve your communion with Christ Heb. 4. 14. seeing that we have a great High Priest verse 16. Let us come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Sirs there is a double condition of the soul one is of distance I never found a Christ O then be wise to strive to get him The other is of presence I enjoy a Christ O then be wise to make use of him When I want bread then I must look out for it when I possesse bread then I must feed on it Consider three things to set on this 1. Though your relation be excellent yet your condition is indigent No Christian hath so little of Christ but he hath matter for praise And no Christian hath so much from Christ but he hath matter still left for prayer Every day we finde it a great work to do a little work much patience to beare a little crosse much strength to conquer a little temptation much faith to answer one doubt much love to eat out one lust much zeal to act one piece of service As our receits are more then our desarts so our wants are much larger then our receits 2. There is a fulnesse in Christ and that with respect to your wants compare any part of good in him with any part of want in your selves it hath in it three qualities 1. Sutableness Mercy to answer misery Holinesse to answer sinne Peace to answer trouble strength to answer weaknesse c. 2. Fulnesse remission of sinnes lies in his blood as in a perfect merit and discharge Holiness lies in his natures as an original and infinite spring 3. Willingnesse to impart this to you I know the great scruple still lies about this but in truth the imparting will of Christ is unutterable can love invitation union donations assure you of this he bids us come and eat abundantly I will not expatiate in this onely if you consider 1. That gracious designe in God to draw up some to a glorious and eternal communion with himselfe 2. The voluntary contract 'twixt him and Christ to effect this 3. All that for which Christ engageth himself to beleevers as well as unto God his and their Father 4. All his cost already upon them which would be lost without further communicating you must confesse his wonderful willingnesse unlesse you would imagine that either God should misse of his designe or Christ is willing to lose all his pains 3. You your selves have all the kindes of improving of Christ attending you For you have 1. Improving interests 〈◊〉 and communion he is yours and therefore will do you good He hath done you good and therefore will do you more good 2. Improving principles Faith and love He is the fountaine and faith is the vessel given purposely unto you still to draw out of his fulnesse 3. Improving Ordinances the word and Sacrament They are bread set out on purpose to feed you They are the armes of Christ spread on purpose to strengthen you they are the pipes of Christ laid out on purpose to convey more of Christ unto you Therefore O thou feeble and complaining soul who hast communion with Christ consider thy selfe and thy condition often and say what need I yet from Christ wherein do I fall short what is it that I want what may Christ yet do for me And then stirre up faith to act in Christ to go to Christ to beg of Christ to draw from Christ more faith more love more humility more patience more fruitfulnesse more faithfulnesse more strength more assurance more joy c. Say thus a friend will do for a friend an husband will do for his wife an head will do for a member A Christ surely a Christ will do for a beleever If he gives himself he will give all other things if he hath given his blood for me already if he will give me glory hereafter surely he will give me a dramme of grace more and a drop of comfort more Vse 3. Is there such an excellent and sweet communion between Christ and the soul possessed by Christ O then sadly and seriously search whether you have a share in this communion yea ●●ne There are three sorts of people in the world Some of them have no communion at all with Christ they are strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel Some of them have a communion of prosession a moral a visible communion Have we not heard thee preaching in our Synag●gue have we not eat and drank in thy presence but this is not sufficient Some of them have a communion of possession and profession both Have any of you this communion with Christ Quest How may that be discerned Sol. I conjecture it may be evidenced three ways 1. By preparations 2. By formal concomitants 3. By resulting effects 1. By preparations Are you fitted for such a communion as this the person who wanted a wedding garment was pulled out as unmeet for a wedding feast Christ will not have communion with every person Sirs whatso●ver