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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
state_n	body_n	soul_n	union_n	1,547	5	9.5555	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17389	An exposition vpon the Epistle to the Colossians Wherein, not onely the text is methodically analysed, and the sence of the words, by the help of vvriters, both ancient and moderne is explayned: but also, by doctrine and vse, the intent of the holy Ghost is in euery place more fully vnfolded and vrged. ... Being, the substance of neare seauen yeeres vveeke-dayes sermons, of N. Byfield, late one of the preachers for the citie of Chester.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.	1615 (1615)	STC 4216; ESTC S120678	703,664	509

Adam and not by Adam for he was not begotten but made and so originall sinne was auoided and some thinke his very body had all the parts at the first conception formed 2. His body was not corruptible it saw no corruption In soule he differed two waies 1. In that it was without sinne 2. In that it was indued with gifts aboue men and Angels In both there was difference For 1. They subsisted from the beginning in the diuine nature and did not make a person of themselues 2. They are admitted vnto the grace of adoration so as now Christ-man is worshipped though not properlie as he is man Thus of the natures of Christ the vnion of them followes in a double consideration 1. Of the manner in the word dwell 2. Of the measure in all fulnesse Dwell There are two kindes of vnions in Christ. 1. Of the soule and body 2. Of both those with the person of the word the later is heere meant There are 2. questions about vnion in Theologie that are wonderfull full of difficultie 1. The vnion of three persons in one nature 2. The vnion of two natures in one person This latter is in Christ hee is begotten as God created in respect of his soule and borne in respect of his body There are diuers vnions 1. Substantiall in the Trinitie 2. Naturall in soule and body 3. Carnall in man and wife 4. Misticall in Christ and the Church 5. Personall in Christ for in him as soule and body are one man so God and man are one Christ. It is much easier to tell how this vnion in Christ is not then to tell how it is Negatiuely thus Things are vnited three waies Some things are compounded and made one yet the things vnited are not changed mingled or confounded but remaine perfect as many stones vnited in one building 2. Some things vnited are perfect but yet changed and not what they were as the body of a man made of the vnion of the foure elements 3. Some thinges remaine whole and not changed but vnperfect of themselues as the soule and body of themselues apart Now this vnion of Christ is not after any of these waies Againe this vnion in Christ is 1. Not by bare assistance or presence 2. Not by habituall vnion either by affection as friends are one or by grace as the Saints are one with God 3. Not by worthinesse or authoritie 4. Not by harmonie or consent of will or opinion as the Angels are one with God and as the Saints shall 5. Not by ioint authoritie as two Consuls are one 6. Not by homonumie or giuing of the same name to each nature 7. Not of pleasure only as if it were so only because God would haue it so Lastly Not by bare inhabitation for the word is made flesh And therefore though the holy Ghost vse the similitude of dwelling heere to note the continuall residence of the diuine nature in the humane yet that similitude doth not expresse this vnion cleerely For the housholder and the house cannot be fitly called one The effects of this vnion may be considered either as they are in Christ or to vs ward In Christ from this vnion flowes 1. The predication of the things of each nature to the person and that truly and really as when his bloud is said to be the bloud of the Sonne of God c. 2. The inriching of the humane nature with admirable gifts as great as could possiblie be in a created nature In respect of which he came the neerest vnto God of any that euer was or could be Nay if all the goodnesse of man and Angels were conferred on one creature yet it were not comparable to that that is in one Christ. These gifts in Christ they were either naturall or supernaturall by naturall gifts I meane such as these in the minde the best wit or memorie and such like faculties better then euer were in any man I except not Adam himselfe in the body most faire forme and a diuine face his very countenance did expresse a diuinitie in him The verie temperament also of his body was such as nothing could be better tempered or more exce●lent as being formed by the holy Ghost His supernaturall gifts were either in body or minde in body as that hee could with his eye pierce the heauens and see there what he would for Stephen could see into heauen as is recorded Act. 7. much more must we belieue of our Sauiour for in Stephen there was but a small parcell of diuine light Now I say those gifts were aboue nature in Christ but yet not against nature In minde there was in him exceeding holines goodnesse wisedome and all the gifts of the spirit But all these supernaturall gifts both in soule and body must be considered in Christ two waies 1. In the state of humiliation 2. In the state of exaltation Such gifts as he receiued in the state of humiliation were properly the effects of this vnion the other were giuen in respect of his obedience vnto death Of the first sort I propound these 1. In the whole soule so great holinesse as can be imagined to be fall a creature 2. In the minde most exquisite wisedome 3. In the heart such bowels of charitie loue and compassion as was neuer in any man or Angell in the whole man wonderfull power Now amongst all these I only consider of his wisedome and power There was a twofold wisedome in Christ. Increate and that was only in his diuine nature and create and that was in his humane This created wisedome in Christ was threefold 1. Knowledge by immediate vision 2. Knowledge by heauenly habites infused 3. Knowledge gotten by experience By the first knowledge he knoweth immediately the word or God to which his humane nature is vnited and in God as in a glasse hee sees all other things Thus he sees God face to face and this is a certaine created light in the soule by participation of diuine light Concerning this first sort of knowledge in Christ strange things are said by Diuines but the summe of all is this 1. That the soule of Christ by this ●reated light and vision sees God and that first Whole secondly Perfectly 2. That in this vision he sees all things Obiect Then might some one say the knowledge of Christ in his humane nature is made equall to his diuine Solut. Not so For first though he see God whole yet he seeth him not wholy that is not so much a● can be seene by God himselfe though more then any Creature can attaine vnto 2. Though he know the thinges that are and shall be yet he knowes not such things as shall not be and yet God can do them 3. What he doth know by this finite light he knowes not so plainely as the word doth 4. It seeth not things at one view or altogether but one thing after another Thus

therefore be sure thou be a Saint be sure thou be more then flesh and bloud be sure thou lye in none of the sinnes God hath threatned with the losse of this inheritance be sure of the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ be sure thou haue in thee the spirit of the Sonne be sure to commit thy selfe to the word of grace In light The Christians inheritance is said to be held in light in sixe respects First because hee now obtaynes it in the times of the Gospell which times in comparison with the times of the old Testament are called times of light the light of the Iewes being spread abroad among the Gentiles and exceedingly enlarged by the rising of the Sunne of righteousnesse Secondly because this inheritance can neuer be assured without the light of knowledge In the vnderstanding of man there is a three-fold light of knowledge Naturall Euangelicall and Celestiall the Naturall light is the light of Reason the Euangelicall light is the light of Faith and the Celestiall light is the light of Heauen Before wee can see our inheritance in the light of Heauen wee must first see it in the light of Faith and as for the light of Reason it will doe no good for any euidence in this tenure Thirdly because this inheritance is held with true ioy on earth and perfect ioy in heauen and Ioy is expressed by the word light in many places in Scripture Fourthly in respect of the admirable communion that a Christian hath with God and Christ who is light of light that true light Iohn 8.12 Fiftly because of the certainetie of this inheritance it is said to be held in light It is worthy the noting that Catharinus a Papist writing vpon this place thus vnderstands the meaning of Light and is much offended vvith those that pleade for vncertayntie of assurance Sixtly in light that is in Heauen and the light of Heauen is an excellent light both for the perfection of it and the continuance of it It is a perfect light for there shall be on Gods part a cleare reuelation and on mans part a cleare vision and for continuance that light shall neuer be ouercome of darkenesse nay it shall neuer admit any mixture of obscuritie in as much as Heauen is a Citie that needes not the Sunne nor Moone to shine in it for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof Reuel 21.23 In the meane while till God translate vs to this light of heauen let vs labour to settle our hearts in the light of Faith and certainetie and glad our hearts with the light of the Spirit and ioy choosing rather to dye then to forsake the face and presence of God the fountaine of all true light both in earth and heauen Verse 13. Who hath deliuered vs from the power of Darkenesse and translated vs into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne IN this Verse our redemption is considered more particularly for as it is by inchoation in this life it stands of two parts the first is our deliuerance from the power of Darkenesse and the second is our translating into the Kingdome of Christ. Darkenesse This Darkenesse imports the miserie of vnregenerate men from which the Children of God in the dayes of Redemption are deliuered and it notes not onely the darkenesse of Gentilisme proper to the Pagans of that time but also the darkenesse of Sinne of Ignorance of Infidelitie of Aduersitie of Death and of Hell for euery vnregenerate man is couered with a sixe-fold darkenesse First the darkenesse of Sinne Secondly the darkenesse of ignorance which as a vayle couers all flesh Thirdly the darkenesse of Infidelitie for as there is the light of Faith in the regenerate so there is a darkenesse of vnbeliefe that possesseth euery vnregenerate man All men haue not Faith it is the gift of God both the Prophets and Apostles haue complayned Who hath beleeued our report Fourthly the darkenesse of Aduersitie miseries of all sorts breaking in vpon the soule body state and names of men Fiftly the darkenesse of Death for Death is the house of darkenesse and this is the wages of Sinne Lastly the wicked man is in danger of vtter darkenesse euen of the darkenesse of hell out of all this wee may see the extreame misery of all carnall persons vpon whom the Kingdome of darkenesse breakes in and preuayles so many wayes and therefore accursed is their misery that can liue in this estate without sense or remorse or feare If Securitie as a wretched Lethargy had not ouergrowne mens hearts how could they eate drinke sleepe marry giue in marriage c. when they finde themselues in the power of such fearefull and horrible darkenesse Power This darkenesse gets power and preuayles ouer the world by the vnwearied labour of the Prince of darkenesse who as hee seduced our first Parents to extinguish the fayre light in which they were created whence flowed an vniuersall darkenesse vpon all mankinde so doth hee still as God of the vnregenerate world worke effectually in binding mens mindes more and more that the light of the Gospell might not shine in their hearts both by hindering by all the wayes hee can the meanes of light and by leading man on from sinne to sinne till custome haue worne out sense and bred a very liking of darkenesse more then the light And thus poore man runnes from darkenesse to darkenesse and from dungeon to dungeon till hee fall vnto the euerlasting dungeon of vtter darkenesse and this would be the end of all flesh were it not that God of his infinite mercy hath prouided a meanes in Iesus Christ to deliuer the Elect from the power of this Darkenesse Deliuered Euery man hath great reason to thinke of this deliuerance out of the Kingdome of darkenesse wherein naturally hee is for while he so continueth he knoweth not whither he goeth he hath no fellowship with God his deedes are all euill his ignorance will not excuse him yea it will be his condemnation his feete treade not in the way of peace Who hath deliuered vs. Here are foure things 1. What deliuered 2. Whom vs 3. When hath 4. Who viz. God the Father Deliuered The originall word doth not signifie onely to let out or lead out or buy out but it noteth forcibly to snatch out Man is not gotten so easily out of Sathans hands nor will the World and Flesh let them goe without force or without blowes Quest. What must wee doe that wee may be deliuered from this power of darkenesse Ans. Beleeue in Iesus Christ who is the true light Know that all true light is begunne in the assurance of Gods loue to thee in Iesus Christ seeke this knowledge To this end attend vpon the preaching of the Gospell by which life and immortalitie are brought to light And because this Sonne doth not alwayes shine Walke in the light

Kings that eyther pride themselues in their owne ciuill righteousnesse or can fall away wholy and for euer The second Vse is for Instruction and first as Christ is considered to be our Head we should 1 Pray that God would open the eyes of our vnderstanding that wee might with sence and affection see what the hope of our calling is to become members of such a Body vnder such a Head 2 Take heed of all pollutions that might any way tend to the dishonour of our Head whether it be of Flesh or Spirit 3 Consider our place in this Body and vnder this Head and not presume to know aboue what is meet 4 Vse all meanes to grow in this Body and not pull it backe or shame our Head by spirituall securitie or vnprofitablenesse and to this end wee should sticke fast to the words of the Prophets and not suffer ourselues to be carried about by euery winde of doctrine and follow the truth in Loue without pride or discord 5 Obey as the Members doe in Vnion with the Head by faith in Communion with the fellow-Members by Loue and with a naturall voluntarie and not extorted obedience Secondly if the CHVRCH be the Body of CHRIST and wee Members of this Body wee should learne to carry our selues one towards another in all humblenesse of minde and long-suffering supporting one another and keepe the bond of peace in the vnitie of the spirit And wee should labour to profit one another with the gifts God hath bestowed vpon vs that our graces as holy oyntment may runne downe from member to member and all our Loue should be without dissimalation in giuing honour going one before another in as much as what honour one member receiueth is done in some respect to all And wee should willingly distribute to the necessities of the Saints and reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe out of the Simpathy of Members by all meanes shunning to giue offence in the least thing especially not censorious or contentious in matters of indifferencie Lastly all discontentments with our place or calling or estimation in the body and all contempt or enuy at the gifts or place of other Christians should be banished out of our hearts Thus of the excellency of Christ in relation to the Church as it is briefly propounded the explication followes The head hath three Priuiledges or excels all the Members in Order Perfection or Vertue and Efficacie The preheminence of Christ is three wayes considered First in respect of the dignitie of Order verse 18. of order I say toward the Members Secondly in respect of perfection in himselfe in the fulnesse of grace verse 15. Thirdly in respect of Vertue Efficacie and influence toward the whole body verse 20. The primacie of CHRIST in order or relation to the Members is twofold First in the estate of Grace He is the beginning Secondly in the respect of the state of Glory Hee is the first begotten of the dead Hee is the beginning Christ may be sayd to be the beginning in three respects First as he is the first fruits for whose sake the rest are accepted and blessed Secondly as hee is the repayrer of the world decayed by mans sinne Thirdly as hee is the beginning of the good things that are in the Church hee is both the obiect and efficient cause of faith Mortification flowes from his death and new Obedience from his Resurrection Iustification is wrought from his obedience And this shewes the miserie of all carnall men that are not members of Christ in respect of the life of Grace they are dead in respect of Faith they are Infidels in respect of Iustification they are without GOD in respect of Repentance they walke in trespasses and sinnes in respect of Communion of Saints they are strangers from the Common-wealth of Israell There can be a beginning of no true felicitie without CHRIST Christ is said to be the beginning of the creation of God and from thence is inferred a most seuere reproofe of mans lukewarmenesse in matters of Pietie Repentance and Grace vers 15.16.17 And if Christ be the Authour and beginning of Faith and Grace it should teach vs to perseuere in the Faith and contend for the truth and keepe that is committed to vs with all Patience Wisedome and Constancy And in as much as hee is Alpha hee will be Omega as he is the beginning so he will be the end and therefore blessed are they that doe his Commandements And let him that is righteous be righteous still and let prophane men that will not by Faith and Repentance seeke vnto Christ be filthy still Th● first begotten of the dead Christ as head of the Church holds his relation both to the liuing as their beginning and to the dead as their first begotten There is a threefold primogeniture of Christ Hee is the first begotten First in respect of eternall generation as he is the Sonne of God Of this before Secondly as hee is borne of the Virgin Mary for shee is said to bring forth her first begotten Sonne Thirdly when God raised Christ out of the Graue hee is said to beget his Sonne for so the words of the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee are applied to the Resurrection of CHRIST In that Christ is said to be the first begotten of the dead three things may be noted as implied heere concerning the members of Christ and three things concerning Christ himselfe as Head First concerning the Members these things may be gathered 1. That not onely wicked men but the true members of Christ dye Heb. 9. Psal. 89. 2 Sam. 14. The consideration of this that the godly must dye may serue for many Vses first Why doth vaine man dye then without wisedome secondly how shall wicked men escape their Couenant with Death must needes be disanulled thirdly it should cause vs deepely to digest the vanities of this life fourthly it should cause vs to take heede of Eues Least yee dye for it is out of all question dye wee must and therefore meete it were wee should prouide for it without mincing or procrastinating lastly we should incourage our selues and dye like the members of Christ with all willingnesse Faith and Patience 2 The gouernance of Christ reacheth as well to the dead as to the liuing Members This the faithfull were wont of old to note when they would say a man were dead they would say hee was ioyn'd to his people This should be a great encouragement vnto godly men to dye 3 From Coherence that if wee would haue Christ to be the first begotten to vs when wee are dead wee must subiect our selues to his Ordinances that hee may be the beginning of true Grace to vs while we liue Secondly concerning the Head these three things may be noted 1 That hee was among the dead

the tares of strange errors and prodigious superstitions and heresies till all grew together in one body in Antichrist Vnder Antichrist all sinceritie was againe almost vniuersally put out the face of religion corrupted and idolatry brought into the Churches 1260. yeares Lastly in our owne daies when the prophecies were accomplished and the euerlasting Gospell published againe alas yet consider the state of the world one part of the world lieth in Paganisme another in Turcisme an other in Iudaisme an other in Papisme and in all these foure these wicked spirits raigne and hold the world captiue at their pleasure Come we to the visible assemblies of the true Churches of Iesus Christ consider there their power how mightily it extends for there they haue secret Atheists Church-papists persons excommunicate witches and such like diabolicall practisers Hipocrites Apostataes the vnmercifull troupes of the ignorant besides the swarmes of vitious liuers and prophane persons such as are swearers drunkards filthy persons of all kinds liers vsurers railers and such like workers of iniquitie It is true worlds of men feele not this power of theirs but alas this warre is spirituall these enemies are inuisible their sleights are of infinite depth their soules are alreadie in their possession and all is couered with grosse darknesse and done in a spirituall night and wicked men are like dead men in their sinfull courses senselesse and secure The vse is to shew the miserie of all impenitent sinners though they go in braue clothes dwell in faire houses possessed of large reuenues abound in all pleasures of life c. yet alas alas for their wofull estate with all this Oh the diuells the diuells are their masters and rule ouer them as effectuallie as euer did tyrant ouer his slaue Oh if men haue eares let them heare and awake and stand vp from the dead and not da●e to continue in so wofull a condition and let the righteous leape and sing for true ioy of heart whatsoeuer their outward estate be in the world Oh let them praise the rich grace of God that hath translated them out of this kingdome of darknesse and giuen them a lot among the Saints The third thing is the victorie expressed in three degrees He spoiled them This is to be vnderstood in the behalfe of the faithfull for whose sake he hath and doth daily smite them with his great sword Hee reproueth them and rebuketh them he casteth them downe like lightning He breakes their head yea and sometimes treades them downe vnder the feete of his saints making them in many tentations and tribulations more then conquerors pulling downe their strong holds which they had within when they compasse the righteous with their tentations he euer openeth a doore for issue and deliuereth the righteous sending succours and making his seruants often to lead Sathan captiue He spoiled them by taking from them the soules of the righteous which they possessed as their bootie he spoiled them by loosing the workes of Satan he spoiled them by taking from them altogether the power they had ouer death so farre as concernes the righteous He hath so farre spoiled them that they are not only iudged by the word of the saints in this life but the saints shall also sit vpon them to iudge them at the last day And all this may serue for constant comfort vnto all the godly each word being a well of consolation if we wisely applie it And withall it may incourage them against the remainder of the power of euill spirits it is true they accuse still they hinder the word what they can still they will steale the seede still they will raise trouble and oppositions still they sow tares still they will be casting their snares still they buffet them by tentations still but yet the same God and our Lord Iesus Christ that hath thus farre subdued them will prosper his owne worke and make vs stand in all the euill daies so as wee will put on the whole armour of God Now whereas he saith he hath spoiled him it is true of the time past 1. In the person of Christ himselfe 2. In the merit of our victorie 3. In our iustification hee is perfectly foiled 4. In our sanctification hee is spoiled by inchoation And made a shew of them openly These words containe the second degree of victorie and are true in a double sense For first he hath made a shew of them in that he hath discouered them and made them known to the Church This is a dragging of them out of their cells of darknesse in the light of obseruation by shewing their natures and practises by vnmasking them to the view of the soule thus are they displaied in the doctrine of the gospell and the soules of the righteous behold this detection of Sathan from day to day by the word with as much admiration as euer the Romanes did behold any great rebell or barbarous rebell or monster subdued and in triumph brought into Rome Neither may this detection of Sathan seeme to be the least part of Christs victorie for it is certaine it is a worke that euill men or euill angels neuer beare but vanquished There is a hot opposition in all places before Sathan will abide this Secondly he made a shew of them that is as some thinke hee made them to be for examples and that three waies 1. In shame making detestation to be their portion 2. In confusion and an inexplicable kinde of astonishment and benummednes and blindnes 3. In torments and punishments 2. Pet. 4.5 Iud. 9. The vse may be for increase of consolation we see Christ will neuer cease till he hath finished this victorie Why should we then faile through vnbeleife or faint in the resisting of the diuell the Lord will more and more make a shew of them and giue vs increase of experience of the power of his word and presence herein Here also mens waiwardnesse may be reproued that cannot abide it to heare talke of the diuell or his courses this is but a worke of Sathan in them to hinder their saluation for to make an open shew of them is one part of Christs victory The word rendred openly signifieth sometimes eminently sometimes without authoritie sometimes with confidence and vndaunted resolution with assurance or plerophorie sometimes with plainesse and euidence sometimes with libertie But I rest in the word openly here vsed And triumphed ouer them Here is the third part of the victory This triumph was first begunne in the resurection and ascension of Christ 2. It was continued in the publication of the gospell which is newes of victory and in the life of Christians for what is the life of euery Christian but the shew of a brand taken out of the fire or of a soule preserued out of darknesse The soule is mounted in the chariot of the