Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	divine_a	soul_n	7,075	5	5.2462	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36462	A briefe summe of divinitie shewing the plainest way, how a man ought to examine his waies in this life, to the attainment of eternitie : wherein the whole doctrine of Christian libertie is briefly handled, and may serve for instruction of all such as desire to exercise their guifts aright, which are in these our daies very much abused.	Downame, George, d. 1634.	1652 (1652)	Wing D2058; ESTC R17651	13,933	30

A Briefe Summe OF DIVINITIE Shewing The plainest way how a man ought to examine his waies in this life to the attainment of ETERNITIE Wherein The whole Doctrine of Christian Libertie is briefly handled and may serve for instruction of all such as desire to exercise their Guifts aright which are in these our daies very much abused Published by G. DOWNHAM B of D. Minister of the word of God PROV 8.32 Now therefore harken unto me O yee children for blessed are they that keep my waies Printed for W. WEBB Bookseller in Oxford and W. GRAVES of Cambridge 1652. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THE creation of our first Parents in the image of a GOD was blest with foure excellencies 1. Reasonable and immortall soules or spirits called b the life of men 2. Divine knowledge c true wisdome d and holinesse e adorning their soules wherein especially they resembled their Creator 3. Bodies endued with beauty strength and immortality f answerable to their soules 4. Dominion over the creatures g When created holinesse without teinture or sinfull blemish shined in them h they conversed familiarly with the God of glorious majestie their corporall nakednesse not having traÌ„sgressed caused not their confusion of face the perfection of all parts added thereunto a glorious seemlinesse and decencie God in them found absolute contentment i they in God enjoyed a full fruition and assurance of the favourable blisfull presence k Adams sanctity by creation his own innocency and integrity before his prevarication gave him to name l the sonne of God This son-ship was accompanied with power dispositive and ability preparative with skill and will and strength of grace to doe that which was pleasing to Almighty God The naturall sonnes of mortall men having by originall corruption traduced from the loynes of Adam lâ—st this liberty unto that which is good and contracted to themselves an aptnesse and proclivity unto all manner of evills they can be but as our Saviour saith m workers of iniquitie They cannot think a good thought for that is gratia infusa nor speak a good word for that is gratia effusa nor doe a good work for that is gratia diffusa We that are Saints by calling and the sonnes and daughters of a heavenly Father by spirituall regeneration are by our naturall birth abominably defiled with the bloud of originall corruption Our Fathers were Amorites our Mothers Hittites In this state there is none that doth good no not one In many things saith S. James wee offend all nay in all things we sinne all comming short of the glory of God that is of that righteousnesse and holinesse which leadeth unto glory And albeit no man can justifie his owne integrity saying Mine heart is cleane and my righteousnesse câ—mpleat and perfect yet a renued justified child of grace from whom the Lord hath taken away the a blinded minde misleading the understanding b that pravity of nature which benummed c or abused the conscience d enthralled e and hardened the will disturbed and disordered the affections f and having rectified and renued those corporall senses which were trecherous Porters g to let in sinne unto the soule or forward instruments to execute it h This New-borne Christian who hath not only the restraining but renuing spirit he may in a qualified sense be said not to commit sinne For 1 His sinnes committed are not imputed because in Christ he is justified 2 Comparatively he is no sinner but a Saint his errours and erregularities not resembling for nature and degree others foule enormities 3 The New borne Christian seldome sinneth purposely never plenary with full and pleasing consent neither totally and finally unto the end because his seed remaineth in him How farre Gods generall providence in the effectuall restraining power of the spirit i worketh in them to preserve them from sinne and of what force the grace of regeneration is unto them to keepe them unspotted of the world and prepare them for growth unto full holinesse thou hast courteous Reader herein described discovered unto thee Make use of this Modell of Divine instructions apply the meditations thereof to thine owne heart and conscience then Gods grace prevailing in thee shalt thou not be indulgent to thy sinfull corruptions as others unrenued but intercept the course and stop the sloudgates of sinfull concupiscence from making an inundation to overspread thy soule then shalt thou not favour sinne foster or harbour it within thine heart but detesting resist it couragiously being at any time through thine owne infirmities and Sathans temptations drawne to commit sin thou shalt doe it unwillingly grieve for it heartily weepe with Peter bitterly endevouring constantly for the time to come to hold fast thine innocencie to preserve thine integritie and in all things to approve thy selfe unto thy heavenly Father by a gracious antipathie and contrariety unto sin by holinesse of affection and pliablenesse of imitation so from thy religious conversation shalt thou reap the blessings of this life health wealth peace and prosperity grace joy godly contentment the assurance of thy sinnes remission and soules salvation howsoever in the life to come thou shalt be sure to receive thy reward having purged thy selfe as God is pure and beheld Gods face in righteousnesse in the resurrection when thou awakest thou shalt be satisfied with his image and by beholding of it shalt be changed into the same from glory to glory Farewell Thine in the Lord Jesus G. D. An Examitation of a mans estate before God COLOSS. 4.8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that he may knowe your estate and comfort your hearts THE estate of a man before God is the relation that he standeth in unto God as God is the free fountaine of all spirituall life and salvation and the determiner of mens everlasting conditions either in heaven or hell So that when we question about a mans estate we question Whether he be in Christ or not Whether he have true grace yea or no Whether he be one of Gods children or no or whether hee be yet no better then a reprobate There be three things to be considered in this definition of every mans estate First it is a relation unto God not as a man is in himselfe it may be rich it may be poore in the world but I speake here as he is in relation towards God Whether he be rich towards God yea or no I doe not speake as a man in regard of others it may be he is a father or a sonne a master or a servant a king or a subject but in relation to God Whether Gods servant or no Gods child or no Salute Apelles saith Paul and he telleth us in what estate Apelles was in before God namely in an estate of approbation approved in Christ And the same Apostle speaketh on the contrary of the unconverted Gentiles

that they were strangers from the life of God Ephes. 4 18. Secondly As it is a relation unto God so it is a standing relation That wherein he standeth towards God that is a mans estate before God There is a difference betweene one that doth sin and one that is in the state of sin A child of God may sinne but he is not in a state of sin you cannot call him a wicked man So also there is difference betweene one that doth some good actions and one that is in a good estate A carnall man may doe some good things but he is not in a good estate The estate of a man is a standing thing it is the relation that he standeth in towards God Thirdly It is the relation that a man standeth in towards God as hee is the free fountaine of spirituall life and salvation It is not every standing relation towards God For a man may be considered in relation to God as a Creatour and so the heavens and the earth and the very brute beasts stand in relation to God as they are his creatures but they have not this estate that we speake of which is a relation to God as the free giver of spirituall life and salvation He is free he may choose whether he will give it or no Now this is a mans estate the relation hee standeth in unto God Whether the Lord hath given him his saving grace yea or no spirituall life in Christ Jesus yea or no title to heaven and salvation yea or no This is the meaning when we speake of a mans estate It is said of Sodom They were sinners before God that is they were in a bad estate a state of sinne It is said of Zachary and Elizabeth They were both righteous before God that is they were both in a very good state All Christians believe that there is a God It behoveth every one now to consider in what estate he standeth to this God This is a great question that wee which are Ministers ought to demand of our people to know their estates First because we are sheepherds and are bound to look well how it standeth with our stock If we doe not labour to know your estates we can never look well to your soules Consider that place in the Proverbs Be diligent to know the state of thy flock and look well to thy herds Where the wise man first requireth that we should looke well to our flocks and then directeth us in the manner how viz. by being diligent to know their estate how it staÌ„deth with them Secondly we are Gods labourers and wee must know in what estate our work standeth else we may labour and labour and all in vain we may preach and exhort and call upon our people to heare and to believe and obey and all this may still be in vain if we doe not enquire in what estate they are This is the reason why Paul could not forbeare sending and enquiring how it stood with the Thessalonians in what estate they were in how it went with their faith whether they kept it or no lest the tempter had tempted them and his labour should have been in vain for so it had been for all his preaching and teaching them if they had not been in a good estate therefore he sent to know Thirdly we are to take the care and the charge of your soules Now then how can wee be quiet if we doe not know in what estate your soules be A good father cannot be at quiet if he doe not know how it is with his children How if they should be sick How if undone Oh it would comfort a good father to know his children to be in good case But if it were otherwise with them though it would grieve him much yet he had rather know it then not for if he know it he can better tell what to do So it was with the Apostle his very bowels yerned upon the Philippians Oh my poore people thought he I wonder what estate they be in How if they totter How if they miscarry How if the devill have tempted them to sinne and to apostatize How if they be troubled of conscience He could never be at quiet till he knew their estate I trust in the Lord Iesus saith he to send Timotheus shortly unto you that I also may be of good comfort when I know your estate He had a great care of their soules and therefore it would comfort his heart to know what estate they were in Fourthly we are teachers and therefore we must know the estate of our people otherwise we are ignorant what doctrine to provide for them what points to handle among them Paul in this Epistle to the Collossians knowing onely their estate in the generall delivereth abundance of generall precepts and exhortations unto them he describeth unto them the mystery of Christ admonisheth them to continue stedfast therein to embrace the preaching of the word to beware of Philosophy and the vain traditions and sophistry of men to take heed of doting upon ceremonies which are all ended in Christ to set their affections on heaven to mortifie the deeds of the flesh to put off the old man he warneth them to be loving and humble he biddeth wives doe their duties to their husbands and husbands to love their wives children to obey their parents and parents to encourage their children servants to obey their masters and masters to deal well with their servants all to continue in prayer watchfulnesse thanksgiving to walk wisely towards them that are without to be carefull of godly and holy communication Thus knowing their estate onely for the generall he teacheth them in generall and therefore now hee concludeth as if he should say I speak somewhat generally because I doe not know your estates in particular and therefore I send to you Tychicus a faithfull good minister that he may learn your estates in particular and deale with you answerably It may be some of you want corrosives it may be some of you want cordials it may be some have need to be searched and humbled some of you to be encouraged and comforted I have sent him to enquire into your estates in particular that he may doe accordingly Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose that he may know your estate and comfort your hearts The use of this is threefold First for instruction Hence we may see that a minister doeth but his duty when he enquireth into mens estates how they stand before God It is not prying into other mens matters it is not busie-bodinesse in other mens affaires it is not a spirit of medling No a minister doth but his duty when he doeth it How can a Physician apply true and proper physick unlesse he enquire into the state of mens bodies Now a minister is a physician to mens souls and therefore he is to enquire of the state

are in Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ First the Apostle sheweth their estate they were in a state of justification and from the knowledge thereof they had peace Wee are bound to get true peace to our consciences Oh what a lamentable maze are we in till our consciences have peace And this they cannot have until we are fully acquainted in what case we stand before God Acquaint thy selfe with God and be at peace 3. Thirdly we can neither be fit for any duty of Gods worship as long as we know not what estate we are in We can never bee fit for any holy duty to heare pray receive the sacrament Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat c. First he must examin in what estate he is before he can be fit for that high service So for repentance Let us search and try our waies and turne again to the Lord first find our selves in an ill estate and then return So for joy It is a duty to rejoyce in the Lord but we are never fit for rejoycing till we have proved what estate we are in Let every man prove his owne work so shall he have rejoycing We can never be fit for any duty untill we know in what estate we are in because every duty varieth according as the estate of every man is To instance in prayer He that is not in the state of grace must pray one way and he that is in the state of salvation must pray another way the one that he may be converted and brought home to God the other that hee may bee strengthned and encreased in grace And so for the duty of hearing c. The second use is for direction to let us understand by what means we may know what estate we are in there be 4 means to know this 1. By our outward and inward actions I do not say by our outward actions For a man may be in the estate of hypocrisie and yet his outward actions may be good Neither doe I say by our inward actions alone Fâ—r a man may be in the state of selfe-deceit and yet say his heart is good and his meaning and minde good But I say by them both put together Our Saviour setteth it out by a tree every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth corrupt fruit So if the heart bringeth forth the fruit of righteousnesse joy in good things patience meeknesse gentlenesse love obedience godly conversation c. These evidence a good estate but if the heart bringeth forth deadnesse earthlinesse impatience evill conversation c. these are corrupt fruits and signes of a very bad estate 2. Yee may know what estates yee are in by your inclinations and dispositions from whence these actions proceed Are your hearts inclined heaven-ward and God-ward as Davids Are yee bent to holinesse and selfe-deniall c. as a bow is bent to shoot the arrow This is a signe of a good estate as 1. Chron. 22.19 there is speech of setting the heart to seek God Yee know when a man will doe a thing indeed we say he is set on 't It may be yee doe some good duties make some faire offers of seeking God but are your hearts set on 't or are they set on the world and inclined earth-ward The inclinations of every creature in the world doe ever shew what the creature is How doe we know that a stone is heavy Because it inclineth downward How do wee know that a man is cholerick Because he is inclined unto wrath So a mans estate may bee known by his constant inclination either to good or evill 3. One may know what estate he is in by reflexive act which is proper onely to man There is an act in mans soul we call it a reflex act which no creature hath but onely man whereby he can perceive what himselfe is and doeth When a man thinketh or speaketh hee can reflect upon himself and perceive what he thinketh or speaketh when he prayeth he can reflect upon his own heart and perceive how it carrieth it self all along in his prayers I say no creature in the world hath in it this reflexive act but only man The fire burneth but it cannot reflect upon its own burning Oculus non videt se videre The eye seeth but it doth not see that it doth see that is That creature doth not perceive what it doeth when it seeth But every man hath this reflexive act in him whereby he is privy to what himself thinketh doeth is None knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him This is the reason why some know not what estate they are in because they choake their owne spirit and hoodwink their consciences Thine own heart knoweth how it is with thee and would faithfully tell thee if thou wouldst enquire of it and hearken unto it Search with Gods candle and thou maist easily find what is in thee The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly 4. Ye may know what estate ye are in by a certain kind of feeling As there is a kinde of bodily feeling whereby every man knoweth the estate of his body whether he be sick or in health so there is a spirituall feeling The two Disciples did feel their hearts burn Paul did feel a great combate in him between the flesh and the spirit So if men be covetous and worldly they may feel it Yet indeed some men be past feeling Their case is the worse because they cannot feel how bad it is But for the most they may easily feele what their estate is The third use is to shew you the impediments that hinder this knowledge If you would attain to know what estate you are in then remove the impediments which are 1. Vain thoughts Men who are in a state of sin and wrath yet have many vain thoughts lodging within them keeping them from knowing it God is mercifull and Christ died for sinners and There be worse sinners then they why should they think so ill of themselves and they may be better all in good time These vain thoughts hoodwink their eyes that they cannot see their estate nor resolve that it is so dangerous as indeed it is O Ierusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse how long shall these vain thoughts lodge within thee They were in a very bad estate yet they had such vain thoughts that they could not see it 2. Presumption is another impediment Men pray and heare and doe other good duties and so take all to be well without serious examining This was the case of the Laodicean people They thought they had that in them which they had not and that their estate was good when it was nothing so Another let is the Cares of this life Whereby

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