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	parent_n	9,669	5	9.1242	5	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15575	Abels offering. Or The earely, and most accepted sacrifice of a Christian Shewing how soone every soule is bounde to begin, & betake himself, not only to the true, but also to the timely service of God. A sermon preached at Hamburg in November 1617. and now published at the instant entreaty of a godly Christian. By Iohn Wing (then) pastor to the English church, there.	Wing, John, of Flushing, Zealand.	1621 (1621)	STC 25842; ESTC S120118	48,552	80

and infaillible truth And soe having now by the way cleared this scruple we should proceede vnto our discovery of Abels sacrifice as we have it here layd downe in the words of the text which make report vnto vs what kinde of sacrifice it was and wherof it consisted But we must first take away another doubt which may be made by some how Abell could know the minde of God for these matters and soe readily offer a sacrifice of this kinde and doe it soe suitably to Gods prescription considering that as yet the law of the offering of first fruits nor any other part of the morall or ceremoniall was not given We answer it was giuen but not written as we have it now it was given in those dayes by divine tradition originaly from God to man and successively from man to man Then did the father informe the childe acquaint him with the dutyes that pertayned to piety and the children they received it from their parents obeyed it as from God And this course and manner of revealing the will of God by this kinde of traditioÌ„ endured all the dayes of the holy Patriarches and such as lived after them till Moses and also during all the dayes of Moses till that part of his life wherin the Lord employd him about the penning of this booke and that is diversly conjectured of some suppose it to be written before he went into Egypt within the compasse of these fourty yeares wherin he kept sheepe in Madian others imagine he did it immediately after his departing out of Egypt even in the first yeare therof Howbeit this as the former is no point of such importance as that we must of necessity have an exact knowledge of the same But that Gods law was delivered by this kinde of tradition till the time we speake off we nothing doubt and therefore the more foule is that slander layd vpoÌ„ vs by the papist that we acknowledg not nor endure any traditions judeede those that are popish and vnwritten we cannot abide but doe abhorre them all because none of them can be defended but by blasphemy and some of them in particular are apparantly blasphemous But that there were traditions â—â—ce to wit such as the Lord by himself or by his Angells made knowne to man man beleeved related to his posterity we doe no more deny then we doe that Moses penned this part of holy scripture which till his time was a tradition and vnwritten but can be none from that time forward And if the Lord have ceased his owne hath any man power to erect more that are none of his especially now that his holy will is sufficiently revealed in the writings of the Law and Prophets the Gospell That there were some traditions we freely confesse that any are of God now we dirictly deny those that are being not of God we detest because they are the fruit of the Popes braine who hath a very crazy head in heavenly things though he be applauded to be the head of the church and able to distill spirituall influence into it But to returne to Abel it is probable that he received the light and knowledge he had to offer sacrifice from his father who from God did instruct him how and what to doe in such duties as were to be required of him And vpon this did he embrace and obey the Lord in his ordinances which course of his and his forwardnes thus to doe in those times wherin no scripture was penned nor every man that spake of the things of God traditionally so infalliblely inspired as were all they by whome the Lord hath left his truth written to vs shall rise vp against vs to condemne our vntowardnes who refuse to be taught of God and to be obedient to him though he hath left vs a more happy way to learne then they had who had but a part of his good pleasure manifested and that not written wheras we have the whole and written vpon such records as can never be razed The saints of those times were most willing to take knowledge of the wayes of God and yeeld their obedience to them by that meanes which in comparison of ours are but meane and were but weake yet enough to bring them to God who lived by faith in the truth thus revealed The sinners of our dayes to whome the Lord hath dispenced a more absolute and most sufficient course of comming neere to him are farre from the Lord and will not give him neither such nor soe much duty as these did whose knowledg and practise is not soe much magnifyed as ours shal be manifested plagued of the Lord who looke's they should be the best schollers who have the best teaching Note Miserable will it be with those men to whome the Lord shall say these knew litle of my minde in respect of you yet have done much I made it all knowne to you yet have you done litle or nothing Let not this consideration be in vaine but thinke we how cheerefully Abel learned how conscionably he performed the worship of his God having but litle helpe to further him that we by due ponderation herof may be both ashamed for our faylings past and enforce our selves as it were by a holy violence for time to come to be more faithfull and industrious both to know and to doe what on our part we owe vnto the Lord what vnsepakeable shame is it that we should lye behinde them that have gone before vs in those dutyes wherin many of them had but few to follow nor any scripture to learne them but we have both Gods whole booke to giude vs and all his blessed saints are gone before vs yet are we exceeding short of those holy ones who lived graciously in that age which may truly be called the infancy both of the world and of the church But I will not dwell here we see the holy Ghoste beare's record of Abels offering let vs now come to the words of the text which tell vs what manner of sacrifice it was And Abel he also brought of the firstlings or first borne of his flock Exod. 22.29.30 cap. 34.19 26. Levit. 23.10.12 Num. 15.20.21 Deut. 12.17 cap. 18.4 cap. 26.1.2.11 and of the fate of them Of the first-lings or first borne that is the first encrease of cattell that the Lord gave him The Lord made a most exact law for the offeriÌ„g of the first borne both of man and beast and of all fruits vnto him and this law of his we finde to be very frequently repeated in divers places of the foure bookes of Moses Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomie And as it was often itterated by God to Jsraell soe was it faithfully obeyed by Israell before the Lord both before the captivity in Hezekiah dayes 2. Chron. 31.1.51 Neh. 10.3.32.35 and after in the dayes of Nehemiah as appeareth in the storie of their lives nay from the begining before this law

which is soe commended in him both here in other places of scripture Doctri âˆ£ ne And that is that morall of this practise ceremoniall which concerneth vs christians to wit That it is the vndeniable duty of every one to giue vnto God the glory of his first abilityes both of soule body to bestow their first powers in the seruice of his maiesty This lesson Abell needed not to have learned of the first borne of his beasts had not his father Adam fallen and deprived him and vs all of those first best fruits of created grace which the Lord gave him when he filled him the first day of his life with the perfection of all knowledge holynes and righteousnes and made him as holy and as happy as a creature might be on this earth Had not these first fruits of this grace perished in the first Adam soe as that never man but he might taste them they would have taught vs what to doe assoone as we could have done any thing that grace c would quickly have carried vs to the fountaine of grace from whence as it came but lately it would have returned naturally as the rivers into the sea For Adams graces were as naturall as his breath it was all one to him to doe any duty to God and to himself both were alike easy vnto him But now the case is altred it is nothing soe but cleane contrary altogether his first best lesson must be taught Abel yea and Adam too by his first best beast which he must now give to that God to whome he should have given himself from his first being this beast must be sacrifised to shame him who being once wholy Gods hath now made himself worse then the beast that perisheth now must man have dumbe schoolemasters that cannot speake and vnreasonable yea sencelesse also which cannot vnderstand or heare his speech and somewhat must be done to them assoone as they are in the world to shew man what we once when time was could have done and what for ever he ought to doe from the time of his owne first being The first of our flock the first of our fruit must teach vs to whome the first of our selves doth of right appertaine even to the Lord to whome a beast must be giveÌ„ ceremonially in stead of a man morally And this being one morall and meaning of this ceremonie it most needes be our duty thus to doe Even this shaddow shewe's vs that as a substance and a shaddow doe from the first instant goe together inseparably and for ever soe should we ha ve beene to our God ever from our beginning to have followed him wheresoever he had gone before vs and to have cleaved continually to him in the obedience we owe him all the dayes of our life both first and last And this truth of God of the early offering of our selves vnto the Lord is not only typed out and signified here by these first beastes and fruits that must be sacrificed but it is substantially confirmed in other scriptures wherein the Lord doth more expresly manifest his minde in this matter I will not for I neede not heape vp many evidences let vs consider only to what end it may be if this be not Gods truth that the Lord doth soe often call vpon parents touching their duty to their children on this behalfe to nurture to tutor instruct them in all holy informations even in their childe-hood nonage and minerity so soone as they can be discerned to be capable and vnderstanding in any thing Teach a childe saith Salom on Fathers bring vp your children in the feare and information of the Lord saith Paul with moe that might be added In any of which dare any man jmagine that the Lord calls for any thing more then his due and if he doe not then doth the duty of our first dayes belong to the Lord our first powers abilities are his in all right and he must have our service soe soone as we can doe any Againe why are many commended in scripture for being carefull herin and their examples recorded for our jmitation is it not because we should trace them in this truth which some of them have learned more then we with much lesse teaching then we have For instance Josh 24.2.13 Gen. 18. Abraham who in his owne first times was trayned vp in jdolatry with Terah his father and soe he gave not the first fruits of his owne life yet for his posterity God prefumeth on his fidelity this way and saith he knew his minde soe well for this matter that he was fure he would teach his children and command them in the things of God and therevpon acquaints him with his secret purpose concerning Sodome We see Abraham did know this our doctrine to be his duty yet he had neither his fathers example nor his owne practise in his first yeares nor Salomon nor Paul to call vpon him but the Lord himself taught him this truth him a hart to doe it And have you not also read what is recorded of Hannah â— Sam. 1. the happy mother of Samuell and what her resolution was when she went to pray for a childe before she had ever a one namely this to give him to God and that soe as the Lord might have the first fruits of him even from the day of his birth to the day of his death and when the Lord saw her soe well resolved he quickly graunted what she desired It were as easy to instance many moe as these two who have hearkened to God herin honoured him with the first of these fruits of their body which he had given them as of olde these did with the fruits of their beasts But we will cease examples and vrge the reasons of the point which are these that follow Reason 1 First God is the best master we can serve and therefore we have reason to goe about his service the first thing we doe when once we can doe any thing at all That he is our best master appeareth not only in his nature he being every way infinitely good but also in his infinite favour which sheweth it self both in that he gives vs the best worke and the best wages in the world Our worke is to worship and obey him and to doe only those things which are best for our selves whereby we may be most happy in our soules and bodyes both being at peace with him and enjoying all things in a sanctified and sweete estate Our wages besides his manifolde mercyes here is all inconceivable blessednes that heaven can afford vs the glory of that kingdome wherein we shal be glorious kings with himself for ever and ever Now what would any man doe first that were guided but by naturall reason even that which he might benefit most by Beholde then here is the best master that can be desired the best service that can be performed the best wages that can be

the children of God for consolation the vngodly for reprehension all men for instruction Vse 1 And first for the saints the sons and daughters of God it cannot be but exceeding happy comfortable to them who have harts convinced of this truth and lives that have expressed it since the first day it was revealed to them from the Lord before whome they have sincerely endeavoured to give him the first fruits of their knowledge of this lesson though either through their owne personall ignorance therof or through the error of parents in their education they have not given him the first fruits of their practise while they were in their non-age It is a most happy thing to be rightly convicted of a divine truth because many are superficially perswaded an will give a slight consent lesse the Divell if he be put to it wil not doe to many holy truthes of God but they whome the Lord convinceth a right as he doth all his owne he coÌ„forteth in giving them a harts resolution setled in their very soules to say within themselves this is the vndoubted truth of the euerliving God thus we must doe endeavour to stire vp others to doe the same and if it be a truth which we should haue practised before we must repent for neglect past be vpright with God for the time remayning and goe the faster because we began soe late and doe our best to draw others after vs to that way which both they and we should have gone long before He that is thus convicted shall not goe long vncomforted It is a simple impossibility that men called at their ripe yeares or in their age should give their first fruits to the Lord those dayes are gone and past but to give the Lord at what time it pleaseth him to call vs the glory of this truth in our sounde perswasion that it is thus and singleharted humiliation because it had not place in our practise before now most carefull provocation to our vtmost possibility that it may be thus in ours and all others with whome by any good meanes we can prevayle this is to be truly happy and in a most comfortable condition we are accepted of God thus doing as if we had done it our selves from the first day of our life How famous is Abraham few men soe much renowned in religion as he none more yet from his childe hood he had not done service but to Satan in jdolatry and such other jmpiety as vsually accompanieth that jniquity But at the first call he came and assoone as he heard he did obey and perceiving that the Lord had lost such duty by him as in his former dayes he should have received from him he is coÌ„vinced hereof and resolved that his children shall give it though his owne childe-hood was given to sin And the discerning of this in him was that that gave the Lord content and Abraham comfort Is not Moses a man abundantly magnified and that of God himself as if he had beene as indeede he was some extraordinary servant of his yet for forty yeares of his life what was he so farre as we finde but such as others were that lived in the court of that Pagan Prince who was the oppressor and adversary of Gods people it may be he might be lesse grosse then some of his fellow courtiers who were inclined to egregious jmpiety but that he was good or savoured of any saving grace is more then appeareth to me Howbeit inasmuch as he freely and resolutely cast off all the creddit and profsit of his high dignity preheminence in court when the Lord would summon him to serve him it was well taken that from that age and time he wayted on the worke of God though neither his childe-hood nor youth were the Lords in time past What should I multiply more as I might of many other most worthy saints who in the same case have had the same comfort what is over-past and cannot be actually recovered and performed if it be rightly repented of in our selues and reformed in others to our best power it is all one as if we had done it in our owne person Let vs bewayle our owne want of duty and Gods want of glory by vs and doe as Hannah did for such as may come within our possibility to dispose off or perswade namely give them to the Lord from the first instant that we have any interest in them and it shal be well with vs. And this I doe of purpose insert here because Satan is malicious and hungry to gnaw vpon the very harts of Gods saints when once he gett's a truth by the end wherin their time for performance is past then doth he come with his pearceing temptations to wounde and rende the soules of such as are single harted and to lay it in their dish that this and that they should have done long since God should have had their whole lives for his service now many yeares be gone and there can be noe recalling of them and can they thinke which way to make all well when it is an vtter jmpossibility to recover one moment much lesse many yeares with these and the like spight full and greivous suggestions he doth teaze and torture their gracious mindes to breede despayre in them But now we are armed I hope to answer him and that we may doe and pay him double both for himself to whome we may say with joy and scorne better once then never for thy part thy first dayes were as due to God as mine but he will never call but ever accurse thee Note and for our selves but for my part though I have lost my first dayes my God will not lose me ever seing he call's once and be that come's then comes time enough for mercy though he should have came sooner in duty and moreover know the Lord hath made many a happy man for his best service among those who in their first dayes have beene fouly misled I greive that I gave him not my childe-hood or youth but if he please to accept of my age I joy and will joy and doe my best to offer all that I can prevaile withall assoone as I should haue offered my self These and the like answers will confound his cavills and make him weary of vs and he being thus resisted our God and we may be the more intimate and familiar in the sweetest passages of his singuler favour And see we see there is sounde comfort for such as are perswaded herof and would have done it and are humbled because God hath beene robbed of his right in their minority Againe for such as have offered their first fruits to the Lord there comfort cannot be behinde if it exceede not theirs that went before Our A bell here who was soe carefull to give the Lord the first of his flocke and I cannot easily doubt but that he gave the first of himself also how doth the Lord magnify

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