Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	soul_n	whole_a	13,673	5	5.8632	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09364	The first part of The cases of conscience Wherein specially, three maine questions concerning man, simply considered in himselfe, are propounded and resolued, according to the word of God. Taught and deliuered, by M. William Perkins in his Holy-day lectures, by himselfe revised before his death, and now published for the benefit of the Church.; Cases of conscience. Part 1	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Pickering, Thomas, d. 1625.	1604 (1604)	STC 19668; ESTC S114413	95,900	200

saue himselfe from drowning puts to all his streÌ„gth to swimme to the shore and being come almost vnto it there meetes him a waue or billow which driues him cleane backe againe it may be a mile or further and then the former hope and ioy conceiued of escape is sore abated yet he returnes againe and still labours to come to the land and neuer rests till he attaine vnto it III. Ground He that is indeede regenerate hath this priuiledge that the corruption of nature is no part of him neither doth it belong to his person in respect of diuine imputation Paul saith of himselfe Rom. 7. 17. It is no more I but sin that dwelleth in me In which words he distinguisheth betweene his owne person and sinne that is in him For in man regenerate there be three things the bodie the soule the gift of Gods image restored againe Now touching the corruption of nature that is in his person and so may be said to be his but it belongs not to the man regenerate it is not his because it is not imputed to him and so indeede is as though it were not in him The Apostle 1. Thes. 5. 23. praies for the Thessalonians that God would sanctifie them throughout and preserue their whole spirit soule and bodie Of which place amongst many this exposition may be giuen The Apostle speaking of men regenerate and sanctified makes three parts in them bodie soule and spirit and by spirit we are to vnderstand not the conscience but the gift of regeneration and sanctification which is in the whole man bodie soule opposed to the flesh which in a naturall man is that which is called the old man Rom. 7. And the praier which Paul makes in the behalfe of the Thessalonians teacheth vs in effect thus much that though corruption remaine in the regenerate after regeneration yet in respect of diuine acceptation he is accouÌ„ted as righteous and so continueth his sinne by the mercie of God in Christ not beeing imputed to him to condemnation And so much for that point Now these Grounds of comfort and others of the like nature may serue to sustaine and vphold the hearts of the children of God when they shall be pressed and troubled in consideration of their estate in this life which cannot till death be fully freed from much weaknes and manifold imperfections The Fifth and last kinde of Temptation or Trouble of mind ariseth from a mans ovvne bodie Before I enter to speake thereof one Question in the meane time must be answered namely How the bodie should or how it can trouble the minde considering that the soule or mind is not bodily but spirituall and it is against reason that that which is bodily should either alter or trouble a spirit For an answer hereunto these things must be considered First of all the actions of man doe proceede from one onely fountaine and common cause the soule and are done by the power thereof The bodie of it self is not an agent in any work but as it were a dead instrument in by which the soule produceth all actions and workes Secondly the most of the workes of the soule and minde of man are such as are performed by the bodie and the parts thereof and by the spirits that are seated in the bodie as by instruments Indeede some actions of the soule mind are done without the helpe of the bodie but I say that the most actions thereof are performed by the bodie and spirits therein contained Yet these spirits in theÌ„selues are no agents at all but the onely agent in any worke is the soule it selfe For example the vsing of the outward senses as of sight hearing tasting touching smelling as also of the inward as imagination memorie c. all this is done by the braine and the parts of the braine as proper instruments All affections both good and bad are acted by the soule but yet they come from the heart as the seat thereof So also the power of nourishment comes from the liuer as the instrument whereby the soule nourisheth the bodie Now then the bodie affecteth the soule and minde thus The bodie and the soule are so ioyned together that they make one person and thus the bodie beeing troubled the soule is also troubled yet is not this done by any diuiding of the soule For it cannot be diuided Neither by diminishing the parts of the soule but onely by corrupting the action of the minde or more properly by corrupting the next instrument of the minde This may be conceiued by a comparison A skilful artificer in any scieÌ„ce hath an vnfit toole and a naughtie instrument to worke withall his skill is good and his abilitie is sufficient but his instrument whereby he worketh is vnperfect and therefore he brings forth an imperfect worke Now his toole takes not away the skill of his workmanship nor his power of working but keepes him froÌ„ doing that well which otherwise he should and could doe well In like manner the body beeing corrupted hinders the worke of the soule It doth not take away the worke of the soule nor the abilitie of working but because it is a corrupt instrument it makes the soule to bring forth a corrupt worke The Temptation followeth The bodie causeth the trouble of the mind two waies either by Melancholie or by other strange alterations in the parts of the bodie which oftentimes befall men in what sort we shall see afterwards For it is a very common thing yea more common then the former Touching Melancholy sundrie things are to be considered for our instruction and for the Remedie of that euill And first of all if it be asked what Melancholie is I answer it is a kind of earthie black blood that is specially in the splene beeing stopt which conuaieth it selfe to the heart and the braine and there partly by his corrupt subsiaÌ„ce and specially by his contagious qualitie annoyeth both heart and braine beeing the seat instrument of reason The second is what are the effects and operations of Melancholie Ans. They are strange and often fearefull There is no humour yea nothing in mans bodie that hath so strange effects as this humour hath beeing once distempered An auncient Diuine calls it the Deuills bait because the Deuill by Gods iust permissioÌ„ conueies himselfe into this humour and worketh strange conceits When the euill Spirit came vpon Saul it so tempted him that he would haue slaine him that was next vnto him how so surely because God in iustice withdrew his spirit of gouernment from him and suffered Satan to enter into the humour of choler or melancholie or both and by this meanes caused him to offer violence to Dauid Now the effects thereof in particular are of two sorts The first effect is in the braine and head For this humour being corrupted it sends vp noysome spirits and filleth the instrument of reason as it were with a myst and makes it vnfit to vse

discouraged though after long labour and paines taking there follow small comfort and ease to the partie distressed For vsually it is long before comfort can be receiued and why surely because God hath the greatest stroke in these distresses of minde and brings men thorough all the temptations that he hath appointed before he opens the heart to receiue comfort The Church in the Canticles seekes for her beleeued but before shee can finde him shee goes about in the citie through the streets and by open places passing by the Watchmen theÌ„selues and after shee hath vsed all meanes without helpe or hope at length shee finds her beloued him in whome her soule delighteth Thus much for the generall remedie of all distresses nowe I come to the particular distresses themselues The first distresse ariseth of a diuine Temptation which is a combate with God himselfe immediately And this distresse is when the conscience speaks some fearefull things of God and withall the partie distressed feeles some euident tokens of Gods wrath Examples hereof we shall finde many in the word of God One is the example of righteous Iob who hauing beene long in outward afflictions was withall exercised with the apprehension of the anger of God and in that state he saith that the arrows of the Almightie were in him that the venime thereof did drinke vp his spirit that the terrors of God did fight against him Yea further he addeth that God was his enemie and writ bitter things against him and made him to possesse the sinnes of his youth And at another time he complaineth that Gods wrath had torne him that he hated him gâ—ashed vpon him with his teeth and had sharpened his eies against him In all which and diuers other places it appeares that his conscience was exercised with the sense of the wrath of God which had nowe euen seazed vpon his soule Another example we haue in Dauid who also was exercised with this temptation and trouble of minde as the first wordes of the 6 Psalme and the whole tenour thereof doe euidently shewe For first he desires the Lord not to rebuke him in his wrath and afterward complaineth that his griefe was so great that his very flesh consumed his bones were vexed and his bodie brought to such a state as no sicknesse could haue brought him vnto And it is not vnlike that the same Prophet did often fall into the like kind of distresse of minde as may be gathered out of Psalme 77 and sundrie other places Now as it fared with these and diuers other seruants of God in ancient times so are we not without some instances thereof in our daies Amongest many that worthy man Master Luther writes of himselfe that he was in this particular temptation and that he learned in it the doctrine of the Iustification of a sinner by the meere mercie of God without any merit of workes and vpon the sense and experience of the nature and properties of this distresse he wâ—oteâ— notable exposition of the 6. Psalme of Dauid â—â—e scope and intent whereof he writeth to be nothing else but a soueraigne remedie of this and the like distresses of the minde and conscience If it be demanded what is the occasion of this kinde of temptation I answer that it ariseth some times vpon the commission of some notorious sinne which doth wound the conscience as in Cain Iudas and Saul who for their great and capit all sinnes that stinged and wounded their consciences grew to a fearefull state and consequently perished in this temptation Sometimes againe it comes when there is no sinne committed but obedience to God performed and then there cannot be rendred any reason of it either in man or out of man saue this that God will haue it so to be And the trueth hereof is plaine by the examples of Iob and Dauid before remembred The Effects of this Temptation are many and very strange For outwardly it works vpon the bodie as it were a burning ague it causeth the entralls to rise the liuer to rowle in the bodie it sets a great heat in the bones consumes the flesh more then any sicknes can doe And that it is so as I say beside experience it is cleare in the word of God Dauid in this distresse affirmeth that his eyes were eaten as it were with wormes and sunke into his head Psal. 6. 7. that his moisture became as the drought in sommer Psal. 32. 4. and Iob saies that his skinne was blacke vpon him his bones were burnt with heat yea that by meanes of this distresse he was now full of wrinkles and his leanenes did rise vpon him It is a principle which Physitians doe hold that The minde follows the temperature of the bodie and is affected according to the good or euill constitution thereof which though it be true yet withall it is as manifest on the other side that the bodie doth often follow the state and condition of the minde For a distressed heart must of necessitie make a fainting and a languishing bodie But the principall thing to be sought for in this temptation is the Remedie thereof whereunto there be fiue things required which are to be practised as occasion shall be offered First choise must be made of the most fit and present remedie and that must be vsed in the first place Now the most fit and present remedie is to bring the partie troubled to the personall exercises of faith and repentance by and in him selfe For this ende he must examine his conscience most straigthly and narrowly of all the sinnes of his heart and life Secondly he must humbly confesse against himselfe all his knowne sinnes and withall acknowledge the due condemnation that he thereby hath deserued Thirdly he must crie to heauen for mercie intreating the Lord most instantly for pardon and for the restraint of his wrath due vnto him for his sinne Dauid beeing in this distresse performed all these duties as we may read in the 6. Psalme and he saith further of himselfe that whilst he concealed his sinnes the hand of God was heauie vpon him but vpon his earnest confession and deprecation he receiued mercie And if we read the booke of Iob we shall finde that the principall scope thereof is this namely to shew vnto vs that Iob was throughly exercised with this temptation and that in the ende hauing beene rebuked both by his friends and by God himselfe his recouerie was made by humbling himselfe when he saith Behold I am vile againe now I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Some may here demand If it fall out that the person himselfe cannot performe any good dutie of himselfe by reason of his distraction in soule and bodie what must then be done Ans. If the partie can but sigh and sobbe vnto God for mercie and comfort it is no doubt a worke of Gods spirit and a practise both of faith and repentance We

The other when he hath rule of the said bodie either in whole or in part so as the party himselfe hath not that vse of his body which he would As for example when the deuil possesseth the instruments of the voice as the tongue makes a maÌ„ to speake Latine Greeke Italian or other tongues which he vnderstandeth not Both these things were found in them that were possessed in the time of our Sauiour Christ. Secondly we must consider it falleth out oftentimes that strange diseases doe seaze vpon men hauing straÌ„ge effects in theÌ„ which the arte of Physicke neither can search out nor cure yet they are neither acts of witchcraft nor reall possessioÌ„s As when God laid extraordinarie diseases on the Corinthians for the contempt of his Word and Sacraments 1. Cor. 11.30 Like vnto which he vvorthily inflicts vpon men in these daies for the same and other sinnes Now to stay the minde in this case these Rules are carefully to be thought vpon First of all it is to be remembred that though Satans malice and power be very great and large yet he caÌ„not practise the same against the children of God when where and howe he listeth The malice which Satan beares to mankind and principally to the members of Christ appeares in this because he is said to accuse them before God day and night Reu. 20 2. And as a roaring lyon to walke about the world seeking whome he may deuoure 1. Pet. 5. 8. Againe the Scripture noteth him to be a powerfull spirit whose strength farre exceedeth and surpasseth the might of any man or creature that is not of an Angelical nature as himselfe is For he is tearmed a Prince of the aire and the god of this world his power reacheth euen to the spirits soules of men whereby he worketh in the children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. his principallitie is so great that no strength no defence of man is able to withstand it vnlesse man take vnto himselfe the whole armour of God Eph. 6. 10. Now although the Deuill be so malitious an enemie of mankind that he ceaseth not to deuise whatsoeuer may be hurtfull vnto them and withall so powerfull in his attempts that no man by his owne proper strength is able to resist him yet he cannot put the least part of his power in execution in what time place or manner he desireth The reason is because God hath determined his power by certaine bounds and limits which he cannot passe and they are especially two The one is his owne nature whereby he is a creature and therefore finite Hence it is that he can neither knowe nor doe any thing that is beyond the reach or capacitie of his nature or aboue the power and skill of a creature For example he cannot directly and immediately knowe the deepe things of God vnlesse they be reuealed vnto him nor yet the secrets of mans heart None knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of man which is in him euen so the things of God knoweth none but the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 11. Again he cannot doe that which is truely and properly a miracle the cause wherof is hidden and vtterly vnknowne and which comes not within the power and order of nature For this is proper vnto God who onely doth things simply wonderfull Psal. 77. 14. The second thing whereby Satans power is restrained is the will of God For looke as the sea beeing by nature apt to ouerflowe the whole earth is kept in and shut vp within the shore as it were with dores or gates that it cannot break forth and that by the Lord himselfe who hath established his decree vpon it Iob. 38. So though Satan be by nature strong and his malice great yet can he doe nothing at all no nor execute his naturall power to the hurt and preiudice of any man without the will and permission of God Thus the euill spirit could not goe forth to deceiue Ahab vntill the Lord had said vnto him Goe and thou shalt preâ—aile 1. King 22. 22. Thus the Deuill could not touch the bodie children goods or friendes of righteous Iob whilest he was fenced and fortified by the power and prouidence of God But when the Lord in regard of Iobs outward estate had giuen him leaue said Loe all that he hath is in thine hand then did he exercise his power to the vtmost yet so farre onely as he was permitted and no further Iob. 1. 12. The consideration of this first point that Satans power is determined by God will serue to stay the minds of those whose persons houses or friends are molested by him For hereupon it followeth that God who hath the Deuill bound vp as it were in chaines will not suffer his power to be inlarged against his owne children to their destruction and confusion but so far forth alone as shall be expedient for their good and saluation Againe that God beeing their father in Christ Iesus they may in the case of such affliction haue accesse vnto him call vpon him for the restraint of Satans power and malice and consequently for the deliuerance of them and theirs A second Rule is this Such persons must haue recourse to God in his word in which he promiseth his presence and protection to his children in their greatest dangers And namely that there shall no euill come vnto them neither any plague shall come neere their dwelling because he will giue his Angels charge ouer them to keepe them in all their waies Againe that he wil be a wall of fire round about his people Zach. 2. 5. that he will extend peace ouer his Church like a stood Isa. 66. 12. And that there shall be no sorcerie in Iacob nor south saying in Israel Numb 23. 22. And by this meanes possessions and witchcraft though they befall Gods children yet they shall turne to their good rather then their hurt Thirdly it must be considered that the best seruants of God haue beene in their times molested by the Deuill Christ in his second temptation was carried by the Deuill from the wildernes to a wing of the Temple of Ierusalem The children of Iob were destroied by the Deuill and he himselfe was filled with botches and sores A certaine woman euen a daughter of Abraham that is one following the faith of Abraham was troubled with a spirit of infirmitie eighteene yeares together Matth. 15. 21 22. And the daughter of the woman of Canaan was grieuously vexed with a Deuill Fourthly men in this case ought to lay fast hold vpon the promise of life euerlasting and must wait the Lords leisure not limiting him in respect of time or meanes of deliuerance This was the practise of Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him And of holy Abraham who did not limit God but was content to doe with Isaac what the Lord would and though it was in likelyhood a meane to bereaue him of all posteritie yet

THE FIRST PART OF THE CASES OF CONSCIENCE Wherein specially three maine Questions concerning Man simply considered in himselfe are propounded and resolued according to the word of God Taught and deliuered by M. William Perkins in his Holy-day Lectures by himselfe revised before his death and now published for the benefit of the Church PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1604 And are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Crowne by Simon Waterson TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull Sir Edward Denny Knight THere is no one doctrine reuealed in the word of God or dispensed by the Prophets and Apostles of greater vse and consequence in the life of man then is that which prescribeth a forme of releeuing and rectifying the conscience The benefit which from hence issueth vnto the Church of God is vnspeakable For first it serueth to discouer the cure of the dangerousest sore that can be the wound of the Spirit Which how great a crosse it is the wise man reporteth out of true experience when he saith that the Spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded Spirit who can beare it And his meaning is that no outward griefe can fall into the nature of man which will not be with patience indured to the vtmost so long as the minde is not troubled or dismayed But when once the Spirit is touched and the heart which beeing well apaâ—ed is the very fouÌ„taine of peace to the whole man smitten with feare of the wrath of God for sinne the griefe is so great the burden intolerable that it will not by any outward meanes be eased or asswaged Secondly it giueth for all particular Cases special and sound direction whether man be to walke with God in the immediate performance of the duties of his seruice or to conuerse with man according to the state and condition of his life in the familie in the Church or in the Common-wealth The want of which direction of what force it is to turne the actions of men which are good in themselues to sinnes in regard of the agents S. Paul affirmeth in that generall conclusion Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Wherein he would teach vs that whatsoeuer is done or vndertaken by men in this life whether it concerne the knowledge and worship of God or any particular dutie to be performed by vertue of their callings for the common good whereof they haue not sufficient warrant and assurance in conscience grounded vpon the word that it is to be don or not to be done to them it is a sinne Thirdly it is of all other doctrines if it be rightly vsed the most comfortable For it is not founded in the opinions variable conceits of men neither doth it consist of conclusions and positions that are onely probable and coniecturall for the conscience of the doubting or distressed partie cannot be established and rectified by them but it resteth vpon most sufficient and certaine grounds collected drawne out of the very word of god which as it is mightie in operation â—earcing the heart and discerning the thoughts and intents thereof so is it alone auaileable and effectuall to pacific the minde and to giue full satisfaction to the conscience And as the benefit is great so the want of this doctrine together with the true manner of applying the same is and hath beene the cause of many and great inconueniences For euen of those that feare God and haue receiued to beleeue there be many who in the time of their distresses when they haue considered the waight and desert of their sinnes and withall apprehended the wrath of God due vnto them haue beene brought vnto hard exigents mourning and wayling and crying out as if God had forsaken them vntill they haue beene releeued by the Spirit of Christ in the meditation of the word and promise of God But those especially who haue not beene instructed in the knowledge of the truth nor beene acquainted with the course of Gods dealing with his distressed children by reason of ignorance and blindnes in matters of religion and pietie when the Lord hath let loose the cord of their consciences and set before their eyes both the number of their sinnes committed and the iust anger of God purchased thereby what haue they done surely despairing of their owne estates and of the mercie of God they haue either growne to phrensie and madnes or els sorted vnto themselues fearefull ends some by hanging some by drowning others by murthering their owne selues And if not in regard of griefe and trouble of minde yet for want of better resolution in particular cases within the compasse of their generall or personall callings though otherwise men indued with some measure of knowledge and obedience herein they haue failed that they haue either abused or els quite relinquished forsaken their callings and thereby haue become scandalous offeÌ„siue vnto others Now as this is a matter of great waight importance so is it most meete that the best and fittest course should be taken in the teaching and inforcing of the same In which regard we haue iust cause to challenge the Popish Church who in their Case-writings haue erred both in the substance and circumstances of this doctrine as shall appeare in the sequele First because the dutie of releeuing the Conscience is by them commended to the sacrificing Priest which though according to their owne Canons he should be a man of knowledge and free from imputation of wickednes yet oft times it falls out that he is either vnlearned or els wicked and leud of conuersation and consequently vnfit for such a purpose Secondly they teach that their Priests appointed to be comforters releeuers of the distressed are made by Christ himselfe iudges of the cases of conscience hauing in their owne hands a iudiciarie power and authoritie truly and properly to binde or to loose to remit or to retaine sinnes to open or to shut the kingdome of heauen A blasphemous doctrine Considering that Christ onely hath the keyes of Dauid which properly and truly openeth and no man shutteth and properly and truly shutteth no man openeth And the Ministers of God are not called to be absolute Iudges of the CoÌ„science but only MesseÌ„gers Embassadors of recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ wherupon it followeth that they caÌ„not be the authors and giuers of remission of sinnes but onely the Ministers and Dispensers of iâ—â—e same Thirdly the Papists in their writings haue scattered here and there sundrie false and erronious grounds of doctrine much preiudiciall to the direction or resolution of the Conscience in time of neede as namely I. That a man in the course of his life may build himselfe vpon the faith of his teachers and for his saluation rest contented with an implicite vn-expressed faith Which doctrine as it is an onely meane to keepe men in perpetuall blindnes and ignorance so it

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