Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	conscience_n	good_a	sin_n	3,825	5	5.2827	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14927	The cure of a hard-heart First preached in diuers sermons, by Master Welsthed, resident at Bloxford in Dorcetshire. Since digested into questions and answers for the hungrie. Shewing hardnes of hart what it is, with the causes, effect, and remedies.	Welstead, Robert, 1571 or 2-1651.; Hart, John, D.D.	1630 (1630)	STC 25236; ESTC S103299	22,921	94

because it moues not or els when from the afflictions of the godly men are readie to call Gods prouidence in question or lastly vpon obseruing of eminent gifts of learning or ciuilitie in Heritikes and profane persons to sooth vp themselues in superstition and profanenesse as Pharaoh seeing his Sorcerers doe the same miracles that Moses did hartned himselfe in his impious contempt of God 5. Committing of some grosse sinnne is like a blow in the brainepan or fall from a Tower which stuns a man and leaues him as dead for the time stupifying his conscience and making a man suffer shipwracke of his faith as wee may see in Dauids adultery and murther 6. Hypocriticall hiding of sinne helpes to draw a skin ouer the conscience and to set a barre against the greace of God as wee may see in the same example of Dauid according to his owne confession Psal 32.3.4 7. Custome in any sinne by little and little insensibly takes away the sense and feeling of sinne 8. Pride of heart worldlinesse and voluptuousnesse cause the heart to swell or so lull it asleepe that it becomes insensible of any thing 9. We are led into all these euils for the most part by neglecting our watch ouer our owne hearts for the preuenting of sinnes deceitfulnes which steales vpon vs and beguile vs 1. In the doing of good by 1. Delaying and putting off good purposes to another time 2. Contenting our selues with the good we haue and standing at a stay a dangerous forerunner of a downefall 3. Suffering good motions to coole after some extraordinary fit of zeale or forwardnes through pride and neglect of former iealousie as in Dauid and Hezekias Hereby we grow 1. to vse religious exercises perfunctorily 2. now and then without necessitie to omit them 3 at last quite and cleane to forsake them and all desire vnto them in which case if God should leaue vs wee should bee like that emptie house which was not long without a tenant 2. In the auoyding of euill by 1. Omitting preseruatiues against it as watching prayer Christian admonition c. 2. Giuing way to the first motions of it as Dauid when he gaue himselfe leaue to bee idle and to looke wantonly abroad or dallying with it as Eue did with the deuill 3. Remitting by little and little our former hatred against it Hence it comes to passe that sinne which at first seemed an insupportable burden in time proues first lesse heauie we are sorry for it but not so cast downe with it as in former times secondly light and easie it troubles vs litle or not at all thirdly altogether insensible we perceiue it not fourthly pleasant and deligtfull it giues vs good contentment Hence men fall easily first to customary committing of it secondly to excusing of it thirdly to defending it fourthly to glory in it which is the height of impious profanenesse and hardnesse of heart Euery one of these declining steps is dangerous and therefore happie is he that can keepe his heart in that perfect hatred of sin hee that descends to the first step is in some danger yet not excluded from the gracious incitation Mat. 11.28 if he stay himselfe in time he that goes on to the next is in greater danger yet in possibilitie to bee reclaimed if Christ looke backe vpon him as hee did vpon Peter But if one come to the third his estate is already deadly almost desperate the forth and last step helpes onely to make vp the measure of sinne and to lead a man the more quietly and securely to hell S. Why but must a man needs come to this height that giues but a little way to sinfull delights me thinks a man may doe this and yet detest sins extreame impietie M. Iust this was Hazaels conceit of himselfe hee thought it strange that euer he should doe such horrible things as the Prophet foretold of him and reiected it with a kind of abhomination yet after came not one iot short of fulfilling it Alas we are not able to conceiue whereunto the wickednesse of our hearts may bring vs if wee giue way to it and therein bee lest vnto our selues S. But how may a man know whether he be ouertaken herewith or no M. Some light hereunto a man may haue from that former descrption of hardnesse of heart and the seuerall degrees thereof But it may bee discerned specially by these signes or makes 1. A mans senssesnesse of his owne estate For where there is no sense their commonly is no life If you haue a stone in your bladder or reines you presently complaine and are exceedingly troubled And is it possible thinke you that a man should haue a stone in his heart and bee aliue and not perceiue it You haue heard that wee haue all by nature hard and stony hearts and this hardnesse in part still remaines in the best So that they whosoeuer they are that neuer complaine hereof nay that hauing neuer beene humbled hereby can rest secure of their present and future well-doing shew euidently that they are dead and senslesse still and consequently ouer-whelmed still with hardnesse of heart 2. The readâ—nesse of the conscience to doe its office in checking for sinne If a man can swallow omissions of good duties carelesse performances of them ordinary slips and sometimes grosser sinnes and his heart neuer smite him or suffer it selfe to be controll'd for stirring hee is in a very dangerous if not desperate degree of hardnesse of heart 3. The effect that those meanes take which God vseth to worke vpon the heart a signe a man is in an ill case when they preuaile not but God as it were looseth his labour in them as 1. The Word Gods powerfull arme his hammer his two-edged sword then preuailes not when it is heard vnprofitably beeing either not attended to or conceiued by the vnderstanding not retained by the memory not entertained by the affections but resisted choaked deteined in vnrighteousnesse or not seconded with reformation 2. The workes of Gods ordinary Prouidence which should bee as a glasse for vs to behold the Maiestie of God himselfe and his will derecting vs to diuers duties then faile of their due effect when we in stead of growing more familiar with God by occasion of them grow rather daily more and more estranged from him 3. Ciuill Lawes by which God keepes men within their compasse then come short of their end when they must be faine to stoope and yeeld to our humors as Mat. 19.8 and among vs in the case of biting Vsury c. 4. Extraordinary fauours or iudgements which should stirre vs vp and make vs looke about vs then want their successe when we are not affected by them as wee should but instead of thankefulnesse for the one as Gen. 39.9 1. Sam. 1.28 Psal 18.1 and 116.12 applaud our selues in our secure and sinful courses as Deut. 32.15 and in

THE CVRE OF A Hard-heart First Preached in diuers Sermons by Master WELSTHED Resident at Bloxford in Dorcetshire Since digested into Questions and Answers for the Hungrie Shewing Hardnes of Hart what it is with the Causes Effects and Remedies Vprightnesse hath boldnesse IEREM 8.22 Je there no Balme at Gilead is there no Phisitian there Why then is not the health of the Daughter of my people recouered LONDON Printed by Will. Stansby for Samuel Man dwelling at the Signe of the Swan in Paules Church-yard 1630. Collegium Emmanuelis Cantabrigiae TO ALL THOSE Who for the present are hard-hearted or heareafter may bee all softnes comfort and speedy deliuerance WHen I considered the multitude of Enemies which enuiron fight against our soules in this our Pilgrimage marching out of the Wildernesse of this world to our heauenly home me thinkes then that all aydes furtherances and armours which may helpe to conduct and guard vs this way in safetie couering our heads in the day of our spirituall Battell are too few bee they neuer so many in regard as the Apostle speakes we fight but not against flesh and bloud only against Principalities and Powers c. the Flesh the World and the Deuill who goes about continually like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may deuoure By reason of whose surpassing subtiltie varietie of shapes tentations inticements and the like sometimes transforming himselfe into an Angel of light doe what wee can it comes to passe whilest wee watch not gaze too much on outward things delight therein mistake abuse mis-apply some things delaye some either slacking omitting or slubbering ouer holy duties grow negligent dull weary of goodnesse venter on euill company and on small sins as being little ones that we are ouertaken with this most dangerous disease of Hardnesse of heart which if it continue vncured proues to be the forerunner of Everlasting Destruction Wherefore this being a disease whereof in one kind the whole Church hath formerly complained Isa 63.17 and yet may That I might both helpe my selfe who haue most need of all and others thus ouer-taken I haue for this cause sent forth this small Treatise vnto the light The Notes whereof by Gods Prouidence comming to my hands were digested thus into Questions and Answers for the more Perspicuitie and Distinctions sake and satisfaction of the meanest Capacitie Wherein if any of you shall find a word in due time to comfort and refresh your weary soules Giue God all the Glory and pray for those who had a hand herein that they may yet bee a further meanes of helpe to the distressed Thine in the Lord Iesus I. HART The Cure of a Hard-Heart S. GOod Sir you are well met if you are at leasure I should bee glad to haue little Conference with you M. With all my heart I can afford to bee at leisure at any time when my conference may doe any good But what is the matter that you look so heauily this euening is there any thing troubles you S. Yes truely I haue beene disquieted in my minde a long time but especially since this morning when I was at your Sermon wherein by occasion of Gods hardning of Pharoahs heart you discoursed of the nature kinds and consequents of hardnesse of heart Which I must confesse I vnderstood but confusedly yet that which I did vnderstand hath much troubled mee and therefore now I should thinke my selfe much beholden to you if you would informe my iudgement therein a little more distinctly M. Your desire is good and God forbid that I should bee wanting to you therein I could wish that all that vnderstand mee not at any time would take the same course in enquiring farther of me after this manner S. I pray God wee may bee thankfull for so great a benefit as wee enioy in your publike Ministery and as I perceiue by this your readinesse we might make better vse of it then we do in priuate Conference M. Well sir I pray what is the thing that you most sticke at in my mornings Sermon S. It is not one but many things and therefore if I shall not bee ouer-troublesome I would gladly be more distinctly informed by you touching the whole point that you then handled M. I am very well content it should be so neither shall I account it any trouble at all if thereby you may receiue any farther satisfaction Wherefore propose your doubts in order and I shall endeuour as God shall enable mee to resolue them S. First then I would intreat you to shew mee what is that same hardnes of heart that you spake of M. For you better vnderstanding hereof you must in the first place know that this phrase of speech is not proper and naturall but borrowed neither of the termes beeing taken in their originall and natiue signification but by a figuratiue translation pointing out other things then at first sight they seeme to offer to our view As first by the heart you may not vnderstand that fleshly substance in mans body which Philosophers obserue to be PrimuÌ„ viuens vltimum moriens although in that sense the word bee sometimes vsed in Scripture as 2. King 9.24 but that more spirituall part of man which is as it were the heart of that heart that is the soule with all the powers and faculties thereof the minde will and affections and that which is in a sort compounded of them all the Conscience which because it keeps its chiefest residence and exercises its most principall operations in and by the heart is vsually in Scirpture knowne by that name as Pro. 23.26 Ier. 17.9.1 Ioh. 3.20 S. But how can the Soule whch is a spirituall substance be hard or hardned M. That is it that I was about to shew you in the second place Whereas hardnesse and softnesse are qualities properly belonging to compounded bodies resulting from the different mixture of those first qualities drought and moysture they are likewise figuratiuely applied to the heart or soule of man which beeing a spirit is not capably of bodily qualities Now what is meant by this hardnes wee now speake of you shall the better conceiue if you consider first the comparison whence this appellation is originally deduced secondly the contrary by which it is yet farther illustrated S. Shew me then I pray you what the comparison is from which this appellation is drawne M. The soule of man confirmed in sinfull courses is compared in Scripture to a stone as in expresse termes to an Adamant Zach. 7.12 Which as it is the hardest of other bodies so it hath sundry properties arising from or ioyned with this hardnes which doe notably set forth the disposition of the soule in such a state wherein it is vsually said to bee hardned S. What are those properties wherein the heart of man is so fitly resembled to a stone M. A stone you know is a dead and senslesse bodie cold dry vncapable of moisture vnpliable vnyeelding nay resisting and beating

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