Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	child_n	father_n	owe_v	1,517	5	9.5531	5	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09364	The first part of The cases of conscience Wherein specially, three maine questions concerning man, simply considered in himselfe, are propounded and resolued, according to the word of God. Taught and deliuered, by M. William Perkins in his Holy-day lectures, by himselfe revised before his death, and now published for the benefit of the Church.; Cases of conscience. Part 1	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Pickering, Thomas, d. 1625.	1604 (1604)	STC 19668; ESTC S114413	95,900	200

Lawe which commandes perfect obedience no man can possibly doe a good worke Furthermore the Ends of a good worke are manifold first the honour and glory of God Whether ye eate or drinke or what soeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God Secondly the testification of our thankefulnes vnto God that hath redeemed vs by Christ. The third is to edifie our neighbour and to further him in the way to life euerlasting The fourth is to exercise confirme our faith and repentance both which be much strengthned by the practise of good workes Fiftly that we may escape the punnishment of sinne the destruction of the wicked and obtaine the reward of the righteous life euerlasting Sixtly that we may be answerable to our calling in dooing the duties thereof and in walking as children of light redeemed by Christ Iesus Seuenthly that we may pay the debt which we owe vnto God For we are debters to him in sundry regardes as we are his creatures as we are his seruants as we are his children In a word as we are redeemed by Christ and our whole debt is our duty of praise and thanksgeuing After the worke is done then comes the acception of it God acceptes of our workes diuers waies First in that he pardoneth the fault which comes from vs and secondly in that he approoues his owne good worke in vs. We then after we haue done the worke must humble our selues and intreat the Lord to pardon the wantes of our workes say with Dauid Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant and with Daniel Lord vnto vs belongeth open shame coÌ„fusion but to thee righteousnes compassion and forgiuenes And the reason is plaine because in vs there is no goodnesse no holines no righteousnes nor any thing that may present vs acceptable in his sight and for this cause Paul saith I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified Great reason then that we should humble our selues before God for our wants and pray vnto him that he will in mercie accept our indeauour and confirme the good worke begunne in vs by his holy spirit II. Question THe next generall Question touching man as he is a Christian is How a man may be in conscience assured of his owne saluation For answer to this Question diuers places of scripture are to be skanned wherein this case of conscience is fully answered and resolued The first place is Rom. 8. 16. And the spirit of God testifieth together with our spirits that we are the sonnes of God In these words are two testimonies of our adoption set downe the Spirit of God dwelling in vs testifying vnto vs that we are Gods children and our Spirit that is our conscience sanctified and renewed by the holy Ghost Here put the case that the testimonie of the spirit be wanting then I answer that the other testimonie the sanctification of the heart will suffice to assure vs. VVe know it sufficieÌ„tly to be true and not painted fire if there be heare though there be no flame Put the case againe that the testimonie of the spirit be wanting and our sanctification be vncertaine vnto vs how then may we be assured The answer is that we must then haue recourse to the first beginnings and motions of sanctification which are these First to feele our inward corruptions Secondly to be displeased with our selues for them Thirdly to begin to hate sinne Fourthly to grieue so oft as we fall and offend God Fiftly to auoid the occasions of sinne Sixtly to endeauour to doe our dutie and to vse good meanes Seuenthly to desire to sinne no more And lastly to pray to God for his grace Where these and the like motions are there is the spirit of God whence they proceede and sanctification is begunne One apple is sufficient to manifest the life of the tree and one good and constant motion of grace is sufficient to manifest sanctification Againe it may be demaunded what must be done if both be wanting Answ. Men must not dispaire but vse good meanes and in time they shall be assured The Second place is the 15. Psalme In the first verse whereof this question is propounded namely VVho of all the meÌ„bers of the Church shall haue his habitation in heauen The answer is made in the verses following and in the second verse he sets downe three generall notes of the said person One is to walke vprightly in sinceritie approouing his heart and life to God the secoÌ„d is to deale iustly in all his doings the third is for speech to speake the truth from the heart without guile or flatterie And because we are easily deceiued in generall signes in the 3 4 and 5. verses there are set downe seauen more euident and sensible notes of sinceritie iustice and trueth One is in speech not to take vp or carrie abroad false reports and slanders The second is in our dealings not to doe wrong to our neighbour more then to our selues The third is in our companie to contemne wicked persons worthy to be contemned The fourth is in our estimation we haue of others that is to honour theÌ„ that feare God The fift is in our wordes to sweare and not to change that is to make conscience of our word and promise especially if it be confirmed by oath The sixt is in taking of gaine not to giue money to vsurie that is not to take increase for bare lending and to lend freely to the poore The last is to giue testimonie without briberie or partialitie In the fift verse is added a reason of the answer he that in his indeauour doeth all these things shall neuer be mooued that is cut off froÌ„ the Church as an hypocrite The Third place of scripture is the first Epistle of Iohn the principall scope whereof is to giue a full resolution to the conscience of man touching the certainty of his saluation And the principall grounds of assurance which are there laid down may be reduced to three heads The first is this He that hath communion or fellowship with God in Christ may be vndoubtedly assured of his saluation This conclusion is propounded Chap. 1. v. 3. 4. Where the Apostle tels the Church that the end of the preaching of the Gospel vnto them was that they might haue fellowship not onely mutually among themselues but also with God the father and with his Son Iesus Christ. And further that hauing both knowledge and assurance of this heauenly communion to be begun in this life and perfected in the life to come their ioy might be full that is they might thence reape matter of true ioy and sound comfort vnto their soules and consciences Now whereas it might be haply demaunded by some beleeuers how they should come to this assurance S. Iohn answers in this Epistle that the certainty thereof may be gathered by foure infallible notes The first is RemissioÌ„ of sins For though God be in himselfe most holy

the matter with God why his owne people should be so lamentably afflicted by a terrible and a furious nation and why they should be led away captiues by the Chaldeans the enemies of God To this the Lord makes answer that as he had certenly determined that iudgement to come vpon them so certenly had he appointed a set time wherein they should be deliuered In the meane while he biddes them to comfort themselues in this that though the affliction should rest vpon them for a season yet vndoubtedly they should be cased at the length and therefore that they should in patience waite for the vision that is the accomplishment of the vision touching their deliuerance Secondly hence we learne that we must not onely beleeue the promises of God in generall that God is true and faithfull in them and that he is able and willing to fulfill them euen as he made them but we must beleeue them in particular that is with application to their proper and seuerall circumstances which are the particular meanes places and times whereby and wherein he hath giuen his word as touching our freedome and exemption from the crosse Take an instance hereof in the Prophet Daniel who knewe well by the spirit of Prophecie that the Lord had determined to bring vpon the Iewes 70. yeares captiuitie in Babylon He knewe also that God had promised to put an ende to that captiuitie at the end and tearme of those yeares Nowe what did Daniel in this case Vpon knowledge of the will of God in that point during the said time he praied not vnto the Lord for deliuerance of his people But when he vnderstood that the time drew neere wherein it was the will of God that the Iewes should returne out of captiuitie then by faith applying the promise of God to that particular time he besought the Lord in praier and supplications with fasting in sackcloath and ashes and the Lord gaue eare vnto his praiers yeelded him a gratious answer II. The second point is that God when he deferres deliuerance he doeth it vpon great and waightie causes and considerations best known to himselfe The first whereof is that thereby he might humble men throughly and bring them to an vtter deniall of themselues and consequently cause them to learne patience in afflictioÌ„ which they would not learne if they might be their owne caruers and haue speedie deliuerance from the crosse at their owne wils pleasures Secondly that beeing afflicted they may acknowledge whence their deliuerance comes yea whence they doe receiue not onely that but euery other good benefit which they inioy namely not from themselues or any creature but onely from the Lord and accordingly may learne to value and prize his gifts at their deserued excellencie For it is a true saying and often verified in affliction and want that benefits easily obtained are lightly regarded and sooner forgotten Thirdly that by the continuance of the crosse without intermission he may make theÌ„ to distaste the world and consequently drawe them to the meditation of the life to come wherein all matter of mourning shall cease and all teares shall be wiped from their eies Fourthly the Lord deferreth deliueraÌ„ce from affliction that he might preuent greater euils and dangers whereinto those that are afflicted might runne if they had their hearts desire and were eased not at his will but at their owne wishes When the children of Israel came into Canaan they were informed that they should dwell together with the Canaanites and Moses reÌ„dreth a reason therof Least saith he the wild beasts of the field multiply against thee And for the preuenting of this euill the Israelites must indure some annoyance by the Canaanites Euen so the Lord keepeth his seruants vnder the crosse for the preuenting of greater sinnes and offences This should stay the mindes of men make them content to waite vpon God for deliuerance when they are afflicted The third and last point is that God alwaies hath and doeth exercise his best seruants with long and continued crosses Abraham was childlesse till he was 70. yeares of age and at those yeares the Lord promised him issue But this promise was not accomplished till a long time after when he was an hundred yeares old Dauid had a promise to be king of Ierusalem and Iuda but the Lord exercised him by many and grieuous afflictions before he came to the crowne in so much that he saies of himselfe that his eies failed with waiting vpon his God Zacharie and Elizabeth praied to God both of them in their youth and many yeares after for issue but the Lord graunted not their request till they were olde To adde no more examples by these we see the Lords dealing euen with holy men women his owne deare seruants that he doth not alwaies grant their requests nor condescend to their desires at the first but as it were holds theÌ„ off suspends his grace and fauour for a time And therefore if it shall please him thus to deale with any of vs we must froÌ„ these examples be taught to possesse our soules with patience resting contented in his will and waiting on his good pleasure to the end To conclude this point Suppose that the condition of Gods seruants be such as that they find no end of their afflictions but that they do continue euen vnto death what shall they doe in this case Ans. Besides that which hath beene said before for the resolution of this Question I answer further that first they must still euen vnto death liue by faith and say with holy Iob Lord though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee Secondly they must stay and releiue their soules in the meane time with these and such like meditations I. That it is the will and pleasure of God that we should through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Act. 14. 22. Nowe it is the propertie of a true child of God to rest content in his fathers good will and pleasure euen when he is afflicted Prou. 3. 11. My sonne be not grieued at my correction that is let it not be tedious vnto thee be content to beare it Our dutie therefore is meekely to subiect our selues vnto the hand of God as the child doeth vnto the correction of his father II. That though afflictions be long and tedious yet God will at length giue a ioyful comfortable issue For so himselfe hath promised Math. 5. 4. Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Psal. 34. 19. Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord will deliuer him out of theÌ„ all Marke the vpright man behold the iust for the end of that maÌ„ is peace III. Afflictions be they neuer so heauy in regard of continuance yet they are in no sort coÌ„parable to those eternal ioies that god hath prepared for theÌ„ that loue him This was Pauls meditatioÌ„ who indured the crosse eueÌ„

vpon an erronious perswasion of Gods mercie and of his owne future repentance this is the sinne of most men The second is when a man sinneth wilfully in contempt of the law of God this is called by Moses a sinne with a high hand the punishment thereof was by present death to be cut off from among the people The third when a man sinneth not onely wilfully and contemptuously but of set malice spight against God himselfe and Christ Iesus And by this we may conceiue what is the sinne against the holy Ghost which is not euery sinne of presumption or against knowledge and conscience but such a kind of presumptuous offence in which true religion is renounced and that of set purpose and resolued malice against the very Maiestie of God himselfe and Christ. Heb. 10. 29. Now follow other differences of sinne in regard of the obiect thereof which is the Law In respect of the Law sinne is twofold either of commission or of omission I say in respect of the Law because God hath reuealed in his Law two sorts of precepts the one wherein some good thing is commanded to be done as to loue God with all our hearts and our neighbour as our selues the other wherein some euill is forbidden to be done as the making of a grauen Image the taking of the name of God in vaine c. Now a sinne of commission is when a man doth any thing that is flatly forbidden in the Law and word of God as when one man kills another contrarie to the Law which saith Thou shalt not kill A sinne of Omission is when a man leaueth vnperformed some dutie which the Law requireth as for example the preseruing of his neighbours life or good estate when it lieth in his power so to doe These also are truly sinnes and by them as well as by the other men shall be tried in the last iudgement Sinnes of Omission haue three degrees First when a man doth nothing at all but omits the dutie commanded both in whole and in part as when hauing opportunitie and abilitie he doth not mooue so much as one finger for the sauing of his neighbours life Secondly when a man performes the dutie inioyned but failes both in the manner and measure thereof Thus the heathen men failed in doing good workes in that the things which they did for substance and matter were good and commendable beeing done vpon ciuill and honest respects and referred to common good yet in truth their actions were no better then sinnes of omission in as much as they issued from corrupted fountaines hearts void of faith and aimed not at the maine end and scope of all humane actions the honour and glorie of God Thirdly when a man doth things in a right manner but faileth in the measure thereof And thus the children of God doe sinne in all the duties of the law For they doe the good things the law commandeth as loue God and their neighbour but they cannot attaine to that measure of loue which the law requireth And thus the best men liuing doe sinne in euery good worke they doe so as if God should enter into iudgement deale with them in the rigour of his iustice and examine them by the strict rule of the Law he might iustly condemne them euen for their best actions And in this regard when we pray daily for the pardon of our sinnes the best workes we doe must come in the number of them because we faile if not in substance and manner yet at the least in the measure of goodnes that ought to be in the doing of them We must also haue care to repent vs euen of these our sinnes of Omission as well as of the other of Commission because by leauing vndone our dutie we doe ofter offend then by sinnes committed and the least omission is enough to condemne vs iâ— it should be exacted at our hands The next differeÌ„ce of Sinnes may be this Some are Crying sinnes some are sinnes of Toleration Crying sinnes I call those which are so hainous and in their kind so grieuous that they hasten Gods iudgements and call downe for speedie veÌ„geance vpon the sinner Of this kind there are sundrie exaÌ„ples in the Scriptures principally foure First Cains sinne in murthering his innocent brother Abel whereof it was saide The voice of thy brothers blood crieth vnto me from the earth The next is the sinne of Sodome and Gomorrha which was pride fulnes of bread abundance of idlenesse vnmercifull dealing with the poore and all manner of vncleannesse Ezech 16. and of this the Lord said that the crie of Sodome and Gomorrha was great and their sinnes exceeding grieuous The third is the sinne of OppressioÌ„ indured by the Israelites in Egypt at the hand of Pharao and his task-masters The fourth is mercilesse Iniustice in wrongful withholding and detaining the labourers hire Now they are called Crying sinnes for these causes First because they are now come to their full measure height beyond which God will not suffer them to passe without due punishment Againe the Lord takes more notice and inquires further into them theÌ„ into others by reason that they exceede and are most eminent where they be committed Thirdly they call for present helpe to the afflicted and wronged and consequently for speedie exequution of vengeance vpon the authors and committers of them And lastly because God is wont to giue eare vn to the cries of those that endure so heauie measure at the hands of others and accordingly to helpe them and reward the other with deserued punishment Next vnto these are sinnes of Toleration lesser then the former which though in themselues they deserue death yet God in his mercie shewes his patience and long sufferance vpon the committers thereof either deferring the temporall punishment or pardoning both temporall and eternall to his Elect. Such a sinne was the ignorance of the Gentiles before Christs comming which God deferred to punnish and as we may say winked at it More especially there be three sorts of sinnes of Toleration the first is Originall sinne or concupiscence in the regenerate after regeneration for it is not in our conuersion quite abolished but remaines more or lesse molesting and tempting vs till death And yet if we carrie a constant purpose not to sinne and indeauour our selues to resist all tentations this concupiscence of ours shall not be imputed vnto vs nor we condemned for it And to this purpose the holy Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Yet saith he not There is nothing worthie condemnation in them for Originall sinne remaines till death truly deseruing damnation though it be not imputed The second kind of sinnes of Toleration are vnknowne and hidden sinnes in the regenerate For who can tell how of the offendeth saith Dauid When a man that is the child of God shall examine his heart and humble himselfe euen for

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