Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	able_a	body_n	destroy_v	4,435	5	7.8202	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36019	Prove all things, hold fast that which is good, I Thess. 5.21 handled in two sermons at S. Maries in Cambridge, the first on the Commencement-Sabbath, July 1, 1655, the other since / by William Dillingham.	Dillingham, William, 1617?-1689.	1656 (1656)	Wing D1486; ESTC R19188	41,854	64

apprehensions of other men But besides this knowledge there is another kind of assent found in all believers quÃ tales given to a truth onely in respect to the divine testimony this is faith which though it be much helped by that other assent when in conjunction with it yet it is often found without it and this is that assent upon which God will have our salvation to depend and this must we therefore yield unto truth 1. Because this is God's way wherein he will save souls by Faith not by Philosophy although it may be man would have liked that way best but it pleased God through the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that believe that the glory of the power might be of God S. Paul tells us 2 Thess. 2.13 that God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth and on the other side our Saviour tells us plainly and without a parable he that believes not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. 2. Because this way of faith makes most for a christian's security against falling away Faith takes the surest and fastest hold of truth By faith ye stand 2 Cor. 1. 24. but if ye will not believe surely ye shall not be established Isai. 7.9 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Faith and firmnesse are very neare of kind in the originall the word for faith grows upon a root that signifies to nourish no danger then of withering or fading away the just by faith shall live shall indure shall persevere Heb. 10. 38. And it signifies to be firm also Hence {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Being grounded and settled and unmoved through faith as it may be well translated Col. 1. 23. But wherein may some say doth this great strength of faith lie or how comes it to be so sure an hold-fast I answer briefly 1. It is in its own nature a depending grace and doth chain the soul to God who is Adon an immoveable basis even truth it self Its root is fastened in God and from him it draws and sucks continuall supply of strength and nourishment yea further it doth link the soul to God's truth by a mutual clasping of hands as it were The soul layes hold on God by faith and God holds our faith in his own almighty hand and none can take it thence If faith do shrink and faint at any time yet God almighty will not let go his hold and so long no danger of Apostasie This mutuall complication we may see variously exprest in Scripture Sometimes the doctrine of faith is said to be delivered unto the Saints Jude 3. Sometimes they are said to be delivered into that Rom. 6. 17. Sometimes we are said to be in the truth and on the other side that to be in us we to abide in that and that to dwell in us we to keep that and that again to keep us Our faith and God's truth are as it were mutuall hostages and pawns between God and the believing soul God he engages his truth to the soul and the soul trusts God with its faith God deposites his truth in the soul and that again places its faith in God and commits it self also into his hand by believing 1 Pet. 4. 19. God trusts Paul with his Gospel counting him faithfull 1 Tim. 1. 5. as an Ambassadour 2 Cor. 5. 19. as a steward 1 Cor. 4. 1. and Paul again trusts God with his soul for he knew whom he had trusted 2 Tim. 1. 12. In which verse also we reade of Paul's {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which was in God's keeping and in the next verse but one we heare of another {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} committed to Timothies trust and keeping If we keep God's truth he will keep our souls Christ hath praied and God hath promised that our faith should not fail but he never did so much for our rational knowledge There is faith's first advantage 2. The second advantage which faith hath above other knowledge in holding fast the truth against temptation and persecution is this That in believing the soul rests it self upon the veracity and infallibility of God whereas in other knowledge it relies upon the goodnes of its own eye-sight in observing the principles consequents the pedigree and off-spring of truth wherein it is very subject to be mistaken and is oftimes imposed upon The Devil will sooner perswade a man's reason that the world was not created by raising difficulties and puzzling his arguments than he can perswade a believers faith that God is fallible who sayes it was created The Devil wants no sophistry the more we have to do with syllogisme and deduction the more room will he find to get in his nails Again faith overcomes the flatteries and frowns of the world by seeing through them it believes God and dare not offend him knows what heaven is and will not be cheated of it as a child for a butterflie it knows what hell is and fears God rather than men who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell Thus doth faith overcome the world by believing the promises and threatnings of God and thus hath faith a preeminence over all our natural knowledge as to closing with and keeping possession of the truth Knowledge that holds it may be till a better Oratour or a more subtile disputant come but when we shall be beaten from these out-works faith will be acitadel that will hold out against all opposition for by it the heart is fixed trusting in God and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it Thus have you the first way of holding fast that which is good viz. by believing it stedfasly I shall be briefer in those that follow Secondly We must hold fast that which is good by loving it unfeignedly We have truth here presented to us under the notion of good and surely then we cannot but love it goodnesse being love's load-stone and the proper object about which it is conversant When once the soul having entertained truth doth tast and relish it delight and take pleasure in it then doth it cleave unto it as David's soul did to Jonathan's Love is an uniting affection twining it self about the thing beloved and if it be in an intense degree the thing may possibly by violence be torn from its embraces but it will first raise all its posse to prevent it And therefore the Apostle Paul bids Timothy to hold fast the form of sound words as in faith so in love 2 Tim. 1. 13. and by this we are said to cleave unto that which is good Rom. 12. 9. Let love be without dissimulation abhorre that which is evil and cleave to that which is good {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} being glewed to it as it were which is by love as the opposition there shews That we be not as children tossed to and fro and carried about with every

will do tnem any good that there is no prius and posterius in the belief of the infallibilities of the Scriptures and of the Church because there is no posterius that of the Church being none at all Fifthly nor are the words and doctrine of our teachers and ministers to be looked upon as an infallible rule of divine faith A private Christian ought to be very observant of his Pastour the Scripture every-where calls for it he is to reverence him as his spirituall Father to obey him as his governour to follow him as his guide yet no farther then he ha's the Scripture for his warrant Be ye followers of me saith the Apostle as I am of Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 The words of a godly and able pastour are of great authority as of one that for his fidelity would not willingly for a world lead souls into errour and for his ability hath a greater measure of the spirit of discerning joyned with the advantages of acutenesse of parts much study and reading and long experience therefore must he be heard with reverence not rashly dÃsbelieved nor his doctrine rejected unlesse upon examination we find it to be condemned by the Scriptures Among humane authorities such an ones testimony is of very great weight but a divine faith will digge till it come to the rock of infallibility before it build which is not to be found save in that holy breath of the unchangeable Spirit which is the Scriptures Sixthly therefore the onely true adequate and infallible rule of divine faith is the holy Scripture this is that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} this is that balance of the sanctuary wherein faith weighs and tries all mens doctrines before it entertain them That this was infallibly inspired by the Holy Ghost is granted on all sides and that it may be known to be such may sufficiently appeare by what hath been already said That it is and ought to be the rule of faith might be fully and at large demonstrated but since it hath already devoured all the other pretended rules as Aaron's rod did those of the Egyptian Sorcerers and because I would not be prevented in that which lies before me I shall content my self briefly to have pointed at an argument or two and so passe on to what remains But first give me leave to premise onely thus much that whereas some of our Divines make Scripture the judge others the rule of controversies I conceive by a little distinguishing both may be admitted and that the Scripture is both Judge and Sentence the Law Rule and Principle of faith The holy Ghost in Scripture is the Judge Every truth exprest in Scripture is a definitive Sentence when ever it se lf is called in question and in respect of truths deducible from it it is a Law and Principle in respect both of truths formally contained in it and rightly deducible from it it is and may be truly called a Rule or canon of faith and life a rule to try and examine doctrines by and this I shall prove briefly in three words thus 1. The Bereans are commended by the holy Ghost for making the Scripture the rule and trying doctrines by it and that such doctrines as were delivered by the immediate assistence of the holy Spirit as was said before 2. The Scripture is the rule according to which men ought to preach and therefore also ought their doctrine to be examined by it To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no morning-light in them Isaiah 8. 20. and 1 Tim. 6. 3. These things teach and exhort and if any man teach otherwise or any other thing {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is proud knowing nothing c. See also Deut. 13. v. 1 2 3. and in the 12. Rom. 6. Let us prophesie according to the analogy or proportion of faith by which is usually understood the doctrine contained in the Scriptures But that is a remarkable place Gal. 1.8 9. if we or an angel from heaven if any man preach any other Gospel than what ye have received let him be accursed 3. The Scripture is the rule by which we must be judged at the last day therefore ought it to be the rule of our faith and life here Rom. 2. 16. God shall judge the secrets of men according to my gospel and this we may be sure of that that must needs be suitable to God's will accepting and approving which is agreable and according to the same will commanding and prescribing faith and duty to us which is revealed in his word But this truth having been so much insisted upon by our writers and being so well known as it is I forbear further inlargement on it at the present The Scripture then is the onely rule of faith And though some would admit of something else for a secondary rule for my part I see not how that can be admitted for if that same supposed secondary rule do exactly accord with the Scripture then is it not another and so not a secondary rule but if it swerve never so little from it then is it false and erroneous and not fit to be a rule at all but take it at the best it is but regula regulanda a rule that must be tried it self and who will choose to measure with a Carpenters rule when he hath the standard by him The Scripture is the rule and the standard by which all doctrines may and must be tried by arraigning them before the tribunall of the Spirit in the Scriptures but it will not be amisse to draw forth of Scripture a character or two to judge of doctrines by 1. The first shall be that of Paul but lately mentioned good doctrine must be according to the analogy and proportion of faith There is a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} spoken of in Scripture a body of divine truth as I may call it between the parts and members whereof there is an exact harmony symmetry and proportion as therefore in the natural body a member would become monstrous should it exceed its due proportion to the other its fellow-members so is it here We must therefore carefully compare a doctrine concerning one article with the truth concerning others and for instance so speak of the unity of God's essence as not to impair the Trinity of persons so treat of the justice of God as not to let it devoure his mercy and so to advance his mercy as not to violate his justice since he is so said to be love 1 John 4. 8. as that he is also called a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. Let a man study a single point

alone with greatest accuratenesse it will scarce have its just proportion till he doth compare it with the body notwithstanding the best diligence of the artist the wheels of a watch will need some filing when they come to be put together 2. A second character is that of S. John 1.4.3 Every spirit that consesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God of old whatsoever Prophet inticed the people unto idolatry was a false Prophet for all his signes and wonders and prediction of events Deut. 13. 1 2 3. So whatsoever doctrine tends to draw us off from Christ is nought and to be rejected and thus do not onely the Jews who deny that Christ is yet come but the Socinian also who denies him to be God and so by consequence to have come in the flesh in the Apostle's sense and to have made any satisfaction for sinne which was the end of his coming and the Papists also while they undermine him in all his offices and what do the Quakers but in effect deny Christ when they make him to be nothing else but a Metaphor and the Gospel a meer Allegory 3. The third mark is our Saviours own Matth. 7.16 By their fruits ye shall know them observe what the aims and designes are of those that promote them judge not rash judgement but observe the end A meteor may sometimes seem to be in heaven under the immediate tuition of some reall starre but let us watch the parallax and we shall find it many thousand miles below Some fowls there are that will hang hovering in the aire as if it were indifferent to them whether ever they came to earth again or no and yet if you observe them it is ten to one but you shall see them alighting in some puddle or other The Eagle soares high very high when her designe is nothing but carton It will therefore be our wisdome to observe carefully the tendencies of doctrines and their fruits if these be profanenesse or confusion the doctrines themselves cannot be from God for he is an holy God and not the authour of confusion And thus much be spoken concerning the second requisite to the proving of doctrines to wit the Rule and so I have done with the duty it self But here the Romanist pulls me by the sleeve with an objection or two which must be satisfied obj. 1. And first he objects that this would be pride and arrogance to examine the doctrines of our superiours as if private men knew more than they Answ. 1. It is no pride nor arrogance for us to endeavour to see that with our own eyes which our betters tell us they see with theirs especially sith God himself requires it of us 2. It is no whit unbecoming humility and Christian modesty to examine any mens doctrine while we acknowledge their superiority in gifts and reverence them accordingly They discern an hundred truths to my ten yet some of ten may possibly be none of their hundred I must not reject their doctrine without examen out of reverence unto them I may not trust to it as infallible out of reverence unto God I must therefore examine it by that golden rule the Scriptures which is no disparagement to them or to their doctrine for so ought they to preach and so ought we to believe If any man preach let him preach as the oracles of God and we must so heare and entertain the Gospel not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God able to save our souls see 1 Thess. 2. 13. obj. 2. O! but people are so ignorant they are not fit to judge Answ. Whose faults that you keep them from the Scriptures and the Scriptures from them and then say with the Pharisees This people who knowrth not the law are accursed John 7. 49. Well but if they must not judge of the doctrine what must they do to be resolved whether the Protestants or the Papists doctrine be to be followed de Valentia tells them they must adhere to that doctrine whose teachers have the most authority but how shall they know that why forsooth by their multitude sanctity antiquity and miracles Which is all one as if he had said Because thou art not book-learned thou art not fit to examine doctrines by Scripture therefore take onely this course travell over all the world and count how many Papists there be and then how many Protestants and by the way enquire into their lives then reade but over the histories of all ages and see which were the most ancient and lastly take notice of the number of miracles that have been done but let him believe none but those who saw them done and then thou shalt know which doctrine is the truest at least if these marks fail him not Now I think I should set the poore man an easier task if I should bid him reade or get some other to reade the Scriptures to him and there he should see what he might trust unto The necessary points of faith are cleare enough laid down there for any ordinary apprehension and such an one is as capable of the donum intellectÃ»s without which none can savingly understand as a more learned man and I am sure the Scripture is the best collyrium which doth not onely cleare the sight but also enlighten the eyes and that of babes and simple ones obj. 3. But thirdly they object When you have done all every private Christian will be fallible in his judgement why then do ye refuse the Fathers Councels and the Church upon that account Answ. 1. I am speaking of an infallible Rule not an infallible Judge if the Faculty be fallible the Rule at least had need be infallible It is true an house that is built on a rock may fall if it be weakly built but that which is built upon the sand cannot possibly stand he that walks upon firm ground may stumble and fall and rise again but he that walks upon a quake mire must needs sink and that irrecoverably when the ground it self sinks under him 2. But thus much I say for the believer's infallibility 1. That while he keeps to the infallible rule he cannot erre 2. The spirit of God will infallibly guide every believer so as that he shall not swerve from the rule in any thing necessary to salvation 3. Nor in any point whereof it works in him a divine faith which is as good security as is needfull and a thousand times better than the Papists can give to any by believing in the Church So that these few rubs being removed out of the way we may safely proceed to the practise of what the Apostle here exhorts us to to prove all things Age verÃ² nÃ¨ semper forum But we must not be alwayes trying triall is in order to holding fast and that not of all things but of that which upon triall we find to be good So

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