Selected quad for the lemma: reason_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	body_n	soul_n	unite_v	2,430	5	9.9794	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75459	Gods presence mans comfort: or, Gods invisibilitie manifested unto mans capacitie. The heads of which tractate were delivered in a sermon at the Abbey of Westminster, and since enlarged for the benefit of the Church of God. / By the Lords unprofitable servant, Ch. Anthony. Imprimatur: Ja. Cranford.	Anthony, Charles, 1600-1685.	1646 (1646)	Wing A3477; Thomason E328_1; ESTC R8561	58,663	111

of members and lineaments of body though that also be exceeding glorious above the shape of all visible creatures whatsoever Os homini sublime dedit c. for the outward shape of man is accidentall not substantiall but I mean the substantiall part of man which makes him to be the glory of all creatures consisting in reason understanding and will in which hee neerest doth resemble his Creatour Imago Dei homo est non ratione corporis sed spiritûs Deus enim Spiritus est non corpus And as a man is thus the image of God hee hath dominion over all other creatures For it is worth observation that man hath his preheminence over other creatures not in regard of such things as are common to him with them as swiftnesse strength bulk of body or the like for wee see that creatures are far swifter much stronger more corpulent then man but in regard of reason will knowledge c. His glory consisteth not in things common to him with brute beasts but in those things of which they are not capable To conclude therefore this third Observation As the beauty of the body consisteth in the members well proportions and in comelinesse of complexion so doth the beauty of the soule consist in the light of understanding reason and will For when the soule of man shineth with wisdome and his will with uprightnesse then is God said to delight Psal 49. 20. in man but when man whom God hath thus created to honour hath no understanding hee is compared to the beasts that perish Fourthly Consider wee the end why man was created and that is twofold First intrinsecall or inward and so a thing is then said to be made when the end for which it was made is fully finished and compleatly perfected thus a Palace is then said to be finished when all things requisite to the full adorning thereof are so compleat that nothing more is wanting Thus also a tree is then said to be a good and perfect tree when it spreads forth its branches shoots forth its leaves and brings forth good fruit And in this sense is man said to be created when hee attaineth unto that end for which hee was created namely when hee hath attained to eternall happinesse which shall be when hee shall enjoy the fulnesse of Gods presence and be transformed into his image The 1 John 3. 2. second end why man was created is extrinsecall or outward namely to manifest unto the world the glory of that God who created him and this by offering to God e Psal 50. 23. Josh 7. 19 20. prayer and praises by f Rev. 7. 15. serving him day and night by confessing his mercies and g Num. 20. 12. sanctifying him in the eyes of the people which is done by beleeving on him and if God shall see good to suffer the losse of all even life it selfe for Christs cause and the Gospels O happy hee who 1 Pet. 4. 16. is not ashamed to glorifie God on this behalfe As then the outward end why a Palace was built was for the honour of him that builded it as Nebuchadnezzar could vaunt Is not this great Babel that I have Dan. 4. 30. built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majestie Or as the cause why trees are planted is for the pleasure and benefit of him that planted them even so the end why man was created was to set forth the glory of the Creatour for God created him for himself All other things are made for man and man alone is made for God and this gives mee two other Observations worthy your heedfullest attention 1. That all things created by God either in the heavens earth or seas are not ordained for themselves but for the use and service of man Thus the heavens emptie themselves upon the earth to make it fruitfull and the earth again returneth her fertilitie and all is for the behoof and benefit of man man onely is reserved for the glory of God 2. That all other things spend themselves to maintain and enrich man yet cannot man enrich God God stands not in need of mans performances Nullâ re indiget Deus sith * Psal 50. 10 11 12. all things are at his command The totall reward gain and profit of mans service to God redoundeth unto man So wonderfully excellent is God in all his works so superabundantly gracious is hee to his chiefest work man and yet in a more peculiar manner is hee like a tender Father to them that fear him in that hee hath laid up for them a crown of life and himselfe will be unto Rev. 2. 10. them a diademe of beauty And what is this Isa 28. 5. Matth 25. 21. Crown but an entring into the joy of our Lord a fruition of eternall rest with glory which is a good beyond all apprehension so saith S. Paul repeating Isa 64. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 9. it out of the Prophet Isaiah Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Sith then God hath thus provided for man man is obliged to glorifie God This may suffice to have been spoken concerning God manifested in man or how the image of God is seen in man Our next discourse shall be the Heavens in which God hath placed those glorious lights of the world the Sun the Moon and the Starres so extolled by that Kingly Prophet When I consider Psal 8. 3. the heavens c. In which let us see how God is pleased to manifest himself unto us The heavens declare the glory of God and the Psal 19. 1. firmament sheweth his handy-work being all gloriously adorned and curiously bespangled with starres Nor doth the prophet onely mean the heavens but by a Synecdoche the whole fabrick of the world for there is not the least angle of the world but even in it after some certain manner the eternall power and God-head is manifested but because the glory of God is more exactly and apparently engraven in the heavens then in any other irrationall creature therefore hee the rather names them whose glorious splendour is seen unto all throughout the world yea he layeth down the manner how the wisdome and power of God is discerned in them in the ensuing verse One day Psal 19. 2. telleth another and one night certifieth another that is they evidently declare that they were not made by chance or fortune but by that most wise and omnipotent Architector even by that most excellent Creator whose glory they doe manifest So that if man had no other book to read God in but onely the book of the Creatures the Heavens themselves would sufficiently declare the Majestie the Power and the Goodnesse of Almighty God For consider how God hath placed in the firmament of the heavens those glorious

they shall enter into the joy of their Master Lastly by enjoying Gods presence they shall with the holy Angels whom Augustine calls Hymnidici chori Aug. in Johan praise God without ceasing with a perfect heart freely so the Psalmist Blessed are they that dwell Psal 84. 4. in thy house they will be still praising thee To summe up all together In this beholding of Gods face the saints shall know the power of God the Father the wisdome of God the Son and the goodnesse of God the holy Ghost which is the joy of Angels which is the reward of eternall life which is the glory of the blessed spirits the new Jerusalem the perfection of blisse and that peace which passeth all understanding by vertue whereof they shall praise God and praising him love him and loving him possesse him who is the inheritance of his people witnesse his promise to Abraham I will Gen. 15. 1. be thine exceeding great reward O! say we all then O Lord thou art in thy selfe exceeding great and therefore thou must needs be an exceeding great reward It is life everlasting to see thee it is life Joh. 17. 3. everlasting to know thee and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ If then the wise men rejoyced to see Christ in the manger what joy will it be to see him in his glory If old Abraham rejoyced to see Joh. 8. 56. Aug. Tract 43. in Johan the day of Christ yet afarre off for hee rejoyced through hope that he should see it by understanding it and hee saw it then which what greater joy could be expressed for if they rejoyce who have their bodily eyes opened what joy doth the unutterable light of the soule bring If a bride rejoiceth not onely when she hears the voice of her bridegroom but more affectionately when shee enjoyeth his presence because they twaine shall be one flesh Or if a loving wife rejoiceth when her husband returneth safe after a long and tedious journey So and much more doth the soule of a Christian rejoice when shee is united to Christ her head Thus you see what inexpressible consolation this union of Christ yeeldeth to all the children of the first resurrection First in that they shall be so changed as that they shall be made capable of eternall glory Secondly in that death shall no more be terrible because their bodies shall be no more sinfull And herein the godly differ from the wicked in three respects 1. In the Causes for the wicked shall indeed rise but it is by reason of Gods summons when the trumpet shall blow and all must of necessity appeare whereas the godly rise to be united to their head Christ Jesus 2. In the Manner for the wicked rise with horrour and griefe whereas the godly rise with joy and comfort 3. In the End for the wicked rise to eternall confusion whereas the godly rise to everlasting glorification They that live in Christ shall sleep in Christ and such as sleep in Christ God will bring 1 Thes 4. 14 17. with him and they shall be ever with him Lastly This union of the godly with Christ shall be glorious in regard of their cohabitation for the wicked after sentence pronounced by Christ who then shall sit as Judge shall be hurled into hell a place loathsome and grievous because of that stinke which never shall be abated and because of that pain that never shall be ended whereas the godly shall be enthronized in a kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the world which is a kingdome of blisse in which they shall live eternally So then as the pains of the one place are universall so are the pleasures of the other universall also Pain and pleasure in this life are temporall in the other they are eternall and as the torture of the one in regard of the losse of Christs presence is inexpressible so the comfort of the other in the fruition of his presence is unconceivable With old Simeon then who rejoiced to embrace Christ in his arms at the time of his presentation let all true-hearted professors rejoice in that Christ will present them to his Father when the time shall come for their glorification In the mean time while we see him standing behinde our wall let us sing with that old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen the Prince of peace thy salvation FINIS ERRATA Pag. 7. lin 22. for most reade more p. 10. l. 27. for as r. us p. 26. l. 2. for unto r. to p. 34. l. 21. for for r. forth