Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	appear_v	love_v	world_n	2,596	5	5.0317	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90296	A vision of vnchangeable free mercy, in sending the means of grace to undeserved sinners: wherein Gods uncontrollable eternall purpose, in sending, and continuing the gospel unto this nation, in the middest of oppositions and contingencies, is discovered: his distinguishing mercy, in this great work, exalted, asserted, against opposers, repiners: in a sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, April. 29. being the day of publike humiliation. Whereunto is annexed, a short defensative about church-government, (with a countrey essay for the practice of church-government there) toleration and petitions about these things. / By Iohn Owen, minister of the gospel at Coggeshall in Essex.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1646 (1646)	Wing O825; Thomason E334_15; Thomason E334_16; ESTC R200768	49,154	60

to know these three things First That we have received such a blessing in setting at liberty the truths of the Gospel as is the crown of all others mercies yea without which they were not valuable yea were to be despised for successe without the Gospel is nothing but a prosperous conspiracy against Jesus Christ Secondly That this mercy is of mercy this love of free love and the grace that appeareth of the eternall hidden free grace of God He hath shewed his love unto us because he loved us and for no other reason in the world this people being guilty of bloud and murder of soul and body adultery and idolatry and oppression with a long catalogue of sins and iniquities Thirdly That the height of rebellion against God is the despifing of spirituall Gospel-mercies should Mordecai have troden the robes under his feet that were brought him from the King would it not have been severely revenged Doth the King of Heaven lay open the treasures of his wisedom knowledge and goodnesse for us and we despise them What shall I say I had almost said hell punishes no greater sin the Lord say it not our charge O that we might be solemnly humbled for it this day before it be too late To discover unto us the freedom of that effectuall grace which is dispensed towards the elect under the with the preaching of the word for if the sending of the outward means be of free underserved love surely the working of the spirit under that dispensatior for the saving of souls is no lesse free for who hath made us differ from others and what have we that we have not received O that God should say unto us in our bloud live that he should say unto us in our blood live that he should breath upon us when we were as dry bones dead in trespasses and sins let us remember I beseech you the frame of our hearts and the temper of our spirits in the daâ—es wherein we know not God and his goodnesse but went on in a swift course of rebellion Can none of you look back upon any particular daies or nights and say Ah Lord that thou shouldest be so patient and so full of forbearance as not to sent me to hell at such an instant but oh Lord that thou shouldest go further and blot out mine iniquities for thine own sake when I made thee serve with my sins Lord what shall I say it is It is the free grace of my God what expression transcendeth that I know not Of Caution England received the Gospel of meer mercy let it take heed lest it lose it by justice the placer of the candlestick can remove it the truth is it will not be removed unlesse it be abused and wo to them from whom mercies are taken for being abused from whom the Gospel is removed for being despised it had been better for the husbandman never to have had the vineyard then to be slain for their ill using of it there is nothing left to do them good who are forsaken for for saking the Gospel The glory of God was of late by many degrees departing from the Temple in our Land That was gon to the threshold yea to the mount if now at the returne thereof it finde again cause to depart it will not go by steps but all at once This Island or at least the greatest part thereof as I formerly intimated hath twice lost the Gospel Once when the Saxons wrested it from the Britains when if we may believe their own dolefull moaning Historian they were given over to all wickednes oppression and villany of life which doubtles was accompanied with contempt of the word though for faith and perswasion we do not finde that they were corrupted and do finde that they were tenacious enough of antique discipline as appeared in their following oppositions to the Roman Tyranny as in Beda Secondly It was lost in regard of the purity and power thereof by blinde superstition and Antichristian impiety accompanied also with abominable lewdnes oppression and all manner of sin in the face of the sun so that first prophanenes working a despising of the Gospel then superstion ushering in prophanenes have in this Land shewed their power for the extirpation of the Gospel Oh that we could remember the daies of old that we could consider the goodnes and severity of God on them which fell severity but towards us goodnes if we continue in that goodnes for otherwise even we also shall be cut off yet here we may observe that though both these times there was a forsaking in the midst of the Land yet there was in it a tenth for to returne as a Teyle-tree and as an Oak whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves so was the holy seed and the substance thereof Isa 6. 13. at in the dereliction of the Jews so of this Nation there was a remnant that quickly took root and brought forth fruit both in the one devastation and the other though the watcher and the holy one from heaven had called to cut down the tree of this Nation and to scatter its branches from flourishing before him yet the stump and root was to be left in the earth with a band of iron that it might spring again Thus twice did the Lord come seeking fruit of this vine doing little more then pruning and dressing it although it brought forth wilde grapes but if he come the third time and finde no fruit the sentence will be Cut it down why cumbreth it the gronnd Now to prevent this I shall not follow all those Gospel-supplanting sins we finde in holy writ onely I desire to cautionate you and us all in three things First Take heed of pretending or holding out the Gospel for a covert or shadow for other things God will not have this Gospel made a stalking horse for carnall designes put not in that glorious name where the thing it self is not clearly intended if in any thing it be let it have no compeer if not let it not be named if that you aim at be just it needs no varnish if it be not it is the worse for it Gilded pills lose not their bitternes and painted faces are thought to have no native beauty all things in the world should serve the Gospel and if that be made to serve other things God will quickly vindicate it into liberty From the beginning of these troubles right honourable you have held forth Religion and the Gospel as whose preservation and restauration was principally in the aims and I presume malice it self is not able to discover any insincerity in this the fruits we behold proclaim to all the conformity of your words and hearts Now the God of Heaven grant that the same minde be in you still in every particular member of this Honourable Assembly in the whole Nation especially in the Magistracy and Ministery of it that we be not like

conjectures of attempters God fore-saw that they would oppose the Gospel saies our Beda so say I might he of all nations in the world had not he determined to send his effectuall grace for the removall of that opposition besides he grants the means of grace to despisers Matth. 11. 21. They were not prepared for the Gospel says Oecumenius as well say I as the Corinthians whose preparations you may see 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. or any other nation as we shall afterwards declare yet to this foolish conjecture adhere the Papists and Arminians God would have those places left for to be converted by John saies Sedulius yet the Church at Ephesus the cheif City of those parts was planted by Paul says Ignatius and Irenaeus He foresaw a famine to come upon those places says Origen from which he would deliver his own and therefore it seems left them to the power of the Devil More such fancies might we recount of men unwilling to submit to the will of God but upon that as the sole discriminating cause of these things we rest and draw these three observations 1. The rule whereby all things are dispensed here below especially in the making out of the means of grace is the determinate will and counsell of God stay not in Asia go not into Bithynia but come to Macedonia even so O Father for so c. 2. The sending of the Gospel to any nation place or persons rather then others as the means of life and salvation is of the meer free grace and good pleasure of God Stay not in Asia c. 3. No men in the world want help like them that want the Gospel Come and help us Begin we with the first of these the rule whereby c. or all events and effects especially concerning the propagation of the Gospel and the Church of Christ are in their greatest variety regulated by the eternall purpose and counsell of God all things below in their events are but the wax whereon the eternall seal of his purpose hath left its own impression and they every way answer unto it It is not my minde to extend this to the generality of things in the world nor to shew how the creature can by no means deviate from that eternall rule of providence whereby it is guided no more then an arrow can avoid the mark after it hath received the impression of an unerring hand or well-ordered wheels not turne according to the motion given them by the master spring or the wheels in Ezekiels vision move irregularly to the spirit of life that was in them Nor yet secondly how that on the other side doth no way prejudice the liberty of second causes in their actions agreeable to the natures they are indued withall He who made and preserves the fire yet hinders not but that it should burne or act necessarily agreeable to its nature by his making preserving and guiding of men hindreth not yea effectually causeth that they work freely agreeable to their nature Nor yet thirdly to clear up what a straight line runs thorow all the darknes confusion and disorder in the world how absolutely in respect of the first fountain and last tendance of things there is neither deformity fault nor deviation every thing that is amisse consisting in the transgression of a morall rule which is the sin of the creature the first cause being free as he that causeth a lame man to goe is the cause of his going but not of his going lame or the sun exhaling a smell from the kennell is the cause of the smell but not of its noisomnesse for from a garden his beams raise a sweet savour nothing is amisse but what goeth off from its own rule which he cannot do who will do all his pleasure and knows no other rule But omitting these things I shall tie my discourse to that which I cheifly aimed at in my proposition viz. to discover how the great variety which we see in the dispensation of the means of grace proceedeth from and is regulated by some eternall purpose of God unfolded in his Word To make out this we must lay down three things 1. The wonderfull variety in dispensing of the outward means of salvation in respect of them unto whom they were granted used by the Lord since the fall I say since the fall for the grace of preserving from sin and contiâ—â—ing with God had been generall universally extended to every creature but for the grace of rising from sin and coming again unto God that is made exceeding various by some distinguishing purpose 2. That this outward dispensation being presupposed yet in effectuall working upon particular persons there is no lesse variety for he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy 3. Discover the rules of this whole administration 1. For the first The promise was at first made unto Adam and by him doubtlesse conveied to his issue and preached to the severall generations which his eyes beheld proceeding from his own loyns but yet by the wickednes of the old world all flesh corrupting their waies we may easily collect that the knowledge of it quickly departed from the most sin banishing the love of God from their hearts hindred the knowledge of God from continuing in their mindes 2. After many revivings by visions revelations and covenants it was at length called in from the wide world and wholly restrained to the house family and seed of Abraham with whom alone all the means of grace continued for thrice fourteen generations they alone were in Goshen and all the world besides in thick darknes the dew of Heaven was on them as the fleece when else all the earth was dry God shewed his word unto Jacob his statutes and judgements unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation Psal. 141. 19 20. The prerogative of the Jews was cheifly in this that to them were committed the oracles of God Rom. 3. to them pertained the adoption and the glory the Covenants and the giving of the Law the service of God and the promises Rom. 9. 4. 3. But when the fulnes of time came the Son of God being sent in the likenes of sinfull flesh he drew all men unto him and God who had before winked at the time of their ignorance then called them every where to repent commanding the Gospel to be preached to the universality of reasonable creatures and the way of salvation to be proclaimed unto all upon which in few years the sound of the Gospel went out into all Nations and the sun of Righteousnes displayed his beams upon the habitable parts of the earth 4. But yet once more this light by Satan and his agents persecutours and seducers is almost extinguished as was foretold 2 Thes. 2. remaining but in few places and burning dim where it was the Kingdom of the beast being full of darknes Revel. 16. 10.

naturals depending on supernaturals is wide from the word If there be any outward motive of granting the Gospel unto any it is some acceptable performances of theirs holding up to the rule and will of God now this will and rule having no saving revelation but by the Gospel which should thus be procured by acts agreeable unto it makes up a flat contradiction supposing the revelation of the Gospel before it be revealed doubtlesse according to all rules of justice to us made known it is an easier thing to dâ—serve Heaven by obedience now under the Covenant of works then being under that Covenant to do any thing that might cause a new way of salvation such as the Gospel is to be revealed With some observations I descend to application First there is the same reason of continuing the Gospel unto a people as of sending it especially if oppositions rise high apt and able in themâ—elves for its removall never Nation as yet enjoyed the word that deserved the continuance of the word God hath alwaies something agaist a people to make the continuing of his grace to be of grace the not removing of his love to be meerly of love and the preaching of the Gospel to be a mercy of the Gospel free and undeserved Though there be worke and labour and patience for Christs sake at Ephesus yet there is somewhat against Ephesus Rev. 2. 4 5. for which he might justly remove his candlestick and if he doth it not it is of the same mercy that first set it there As God layes out goodnesse and grace in the entrance so patience long-suffering and firebearance in the continuance He bears with our manners whilst we grieve his Spirit Look upon the face of this Kingdom and view the body of the people thinke of the profanenes villâ—ny trampleing upon the bloud of Jesus ignorance contempt of God and his waies despising his Ordinances reviling his servants branding and defaming the power of godlines persecuting and tearing one another and yet hear the joifull sound of the word in every corner and you will quickly conclude that you see a great fight of Gods love against our sins and not of our goodnes for his love Secondly There is the same reason of the Reformation and the doctrine of the Gospel corrupted with errour and of the worship of God collapsed with superstition as of the first implantation of the Gospel God in his just judgement of late ages had sent upon the western world the effiâ—acy of errour that they should beleeve lies because they received not the love of the truth as he fore-told 2 Thes. 2. now whence is it that we see some of the Nations thereof as yet suffered to walke in their own waies others called to repentance some wildernesses turned into green pastures for the flock of God and some places made barren wildernesses for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein how comes it that this Iland glories in a Reformation and Spain sits still in darknes is it because we were better then they or lesse engaged in Antichristian delusions doubtlesse no no Nation in the world drank deeper of that cup of abomination it was a proverbiall speech amongst all England was our good Asse a beast of burthen for Antichrist whom they called the Pope Nothing but the good pleasure of God and Christ freely comming to refine us Mal. 3. 1 2 3 4. caused this distinction Though men can do nothing towards the procuring of the Gospel yet men may do much for the expulsion of the Gospel if the husbandmen prove idle or self-seekers the vineyard will be let to others and if the people love darknesse more then light the candlestick will be removed let England beware Now this men may do either upon the first entrance of the Gospel or after some continuance of it the Gospel spreading it self over the earth findes entertainment like that of mens seeking plantations amongst barbarous Nations sometimes kept out with hideous outcries at the shore sometimes suffered to enter with admiration and a little after violently assaulted In the first way how do we finde the Jews putting far from them the word of life and rejecting the counsel of God at its first entrance calling for night at the rising of the Sun hence Acts 13. 41. Paul concludes his Sermon to them with Hear ye despisers wonder and perish and ver. 46. it was necessary the word should be preached to them but seeing they judged themselves unworthy they were forsaken and ver. 51. they shake off the dust of their feet against them a common symbol in those daies of the highest indignation and deepest curse The like stubbornes we finde in them Acts 28. whereupon the Apostle wholly turned himself to the Gentiles ver. 28. How many Nations of Europe at the beginning of the reformation rejected the Gospel of God and procured Christ with the Gadarens to depart as soon as he was extred will be found at the last day written with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus that suffered amongst them Secondly After some continuance so the Church of Laodicea having for a while enjoyed the word fell into such a tepid condition so little moved with that fire that Christ came to send upon the earth Rev. 3. 15 16. that the Lord was even sick and weary with bearing them The Church of Rome famous at the first yet quickly by the advantage of outward supportments and glorious phansies became head of that fatall rebellion against Jesus Christ which spread it self over most of the Churches in the world God hereupon sending upon them the efficacy of errour to beleeve a lie that they all might be damned that beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes. 2. suffering them to detâ—in the empty names of Church and Gospel which because they usurpe only for their advantâ—ge here to appear glorious the Lord will use for the advancing of his justice hereafter to shew them inexcusable O Lord how was England of late by thy mercy delivered from this snare a Captain being chosen for the return of this people into Egypt on how hath thy grace fought against our backsliding And let none seek to extenuate this mercy by Catalogues of errours still amongst us there is more danger of an apostasy against Christ and rebellion against the truth in one Babylonish Errour owned by men pretending to power and jurisdiction over others then in five hundred scattered amongst inconsiderable disunited Individuals I would to God we could all speake and think the sâ—me things that we were all of one minde even in the most minutulous differences that are now amongst us But yet the truth is the Kingdom of Jesus Christ never shakes amongst a people untill men pretending to act with a combined mixed power of Heaven and Earth unto which all sheaves must bow or be threshed doe by vertue of this trust set up and impose things or opinions deviating

the boatmen look one way and rowe another cry Gospel and mean the other thing Lord Lord and advance our own ends that the Lord may not stir up the staffe of his anger and the rod of his indignation against us as an hypocriticall people Secondly Take heed of resting upon and trusting to the priviledge how ever excellent and glorious of the outward enjoyment of the Gospel When the Jews cryed The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the time was at hand that they should be destroyed Look onely upon the grace that did bestow and the mercy that doth continue it God will have none of his blessings rob him of his glory and if we will rest at the Cisterne he will stop at the fountain Thirdly Let us all take heed of Barrennes under it for the earth that drinks in the rain that cometh upon it and beareth Thornes and Briers is rejected and nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Heb. 6. 7 8. Now what fruits doth it require even those reckoned Gal. 5. 22 23. the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknes temperance Oh that we had not cause to grieve for a scarcity of these fruits and the abundant plenty of these works of the flesh recounted ver. 19 20 21. Oh that that wisedom which is an eminent fruit of the Gospel might flourish amongst us Jam. 3. 17. it is first pure then peaceable geÌ„tle easy to be entreated that we might have lesse writing and more praying lesse envy and more charity that all evil surmisings which are works of the flesh might have no toleration in our hearts but be banished for nonconformity to the golden rule of love and peace but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Come we now to the last proposition No men in the world want help like them that want the Gospel Or Of all distresses want of the Gospel cries loudest for relief Rachel wanted children and she cries Give me children or I die But that was but her impatience she might have lived and have had no children yea see the justice of God she dies so soon as ever she hath children Hagar wants water for Ishmael and she will go farre from him that she may not see him die an heavy distresse and yet if he had died it had been but an early paying of that debt which in a few years was to be satisfied But they that want the Gospel may truly cry Give us the Gospel or we die and that not temporally with Ishmael for want of water but eternally in flames of fire A man may want liberty and yet be happy as Joseph was a man may want peace and yet be happy as David was a man may want children and yet be blessed as Job was a man may want plenty and yet be full of comfort as Micaiah was but he that wants the Gospel wants every thing that should do him good A Throne without the Gospel is but the Devils dungeon Wealth without the Gospel is fuell for hell Advancement without the Gospel is but a going high to have the greater fall Abraham wanting a childe complains What will the Lord do for me seeing I go childelesse and this Eliezer of Damascus must be my heire much more may a man without the means of grace complain What shall be done unto me seeing I go Gospellesse and all that I have is but a short inheritance for this lump of clay my body When Elisha was minded to do something for the Shunammite who had so kindely entertained him he asks her whether he should speak for her to the King or the Captain of the host she replies she dwelt in the middest of her own people she needeth not those things but when he findes her to want a childe and tells her of that she is almost transported Ah how many poor souls are there who need not our word to the King or the Captain of the host but yet being Gospellesse if you could tell them of that would be even ravished with joy Think of Adam after his fall before the promise hiding himself from God and you have a perfect pourtraicture of a poor creature without the Gospel now this appeareth 1. From the description we have of the people that are in this state and condition without the Gospel they are a people that sit in darknes yea in the region and shaddow of death Matth. 4 16 17. they are even darknes it self Joh. 1. 7. within the dominion and dreadfull darknes of death darknes was one of Egypts plagues but yet that was a darknes of the body a darknes wherein men lived but this is a darknes of the soul a darknes of death for these men though they live yet are they dead they are fully described Ephes. 2. 12. without Christ aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world Christles men and godles men and hopeles men and what greater distresse in the world yea they are called doggs and unclean beasts the wrath of God is upon them they are the people of his curse and indignation In the extream North one day and one night divide the year but with a people without the Gospel it is all night the sun of righteousnes shines not upon them it is night whilest they are here and they go to eternall night hereafter What the men of China concerning themselves and others that they have two eies the men of Europe one and all the world besides is blinde may be inverted too the Jews had one eye sufficient to guide them they who enjoy the Gospel have two eies but the men of China with the rest of the Nations that want it are stark blinde and reserved for the chains of everlasting darknes 2. By laying forth what the men that want the Gospel do want with it 1. They want Jesus Christ for he is revealed onely by the Gospel Austine refused to delight in Cicero's Hortensius because there was not in it the Name of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is all and in all and where he is wanting there can be no good Hunger cannot truly be satisfied without manna the bread of life which is Jesus Christ and what shall a hungry man do that hath no bread Thirst cannot be quenched without that water or living spring which is Jesus Christ and what shall a thirsty soul do without water A captive as we are all cannot be delivered without redemption which is Jesus Christ and what shall the prisoner do without his ransom Fools as we are all cannot be instructed without wisdom which is Jesus Christ without him we perish in our folly All building without him is on the sand which will surely fall All working without him is in the fire where it will be consumed All riches without him have wings and will away mallem ruere

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