Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	christian_n	evident_a	great_a	136	3	2.0711	3	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07828	Two treatises concerning regeneration, 1. Of repentance, 2. Of the diet of the soule shewing the one, how it ought to be sought after and may be attained vnto, the other, how it being gotten, is to be preserued and continued.	Morton, Thomas, of Berwick.	1597 (1597)	STC 18200.5; ESTC S4792	100,213	251

is not so grâ—euous and dangerous as is the former to wit impenitency wherein the practise and exercises of godlines are neglected for this worldly christian serueth God and performeth all good duties although seldome coldly and negligently yet in truth and sincerity of heart Yet it is more seldâ—me cured then the other for that it is not so euident and sensible and therfore not much considered regarded Yea it hath a great shew and appearance of perfect health and strength in that there is no christian dutie wholly wanting no grosse sin committed but onely such as haue a shew of Christian liberty which maketh it lawful for the faith full to seeke and enioy riches and all other worldly pleasures Whereof it coÌ„meth that men flatter themselues in this state and rest contented with it whereas no mans conscience can be so continually dead and blind but that it will sometimes checke him in regard of the other and euen driue him perforce to seeke some remedy for it The cure of it consisteth in this that we doe daily and diligently consider the vanity and basenes of all worldly pleasures that in comparison of spirituall things they are as dung in respect of the most pure and fine gold that nothing is more vnseemely then that thâ— soule of man which GOD by his spirite hath sanctified and lift vp to Heauen there to enioy his presence which is perfect happinesse should so much debase it selfe as to lie wallowing in the puddle of earthly pleasures or haue any sound ioy in the vse of them which ought rather to be loathsome and irkesome vnto him By these and such other meditations the grace of Gods spirit which now is clogd pressed downe with worldly cares is to be stirred vp the minde and affections to bee lift vp from earth to heauen and we inured to a contempt of the world a chearfull and liberall practise of all christian duties especially in giuing to our bretheren or rather in lending to the Lord for so it is indeed part of those temporall blessings which we haue receiued leauing all sensual Epicurisme wretched niggardnes to the children of this world whose God are their bellies who haue their portion in this life and eternall perdition in the life to come Sect. 6. THe third and last generall disease of the soule is distrust which is a doubting of the truth of Gods word promises made as touching the saluation and happinesse of the faithfull This although in truth it bee a particular disease of the minde yet in that force and effect it stretcheth it selfe ouer the whole soule of man working a decrease of holinesse in all the faculties of it it is to be accounted and may fitly be called a generall disease it ariseth of a supposed impossibility oâ— Gods word being fouÌ„d coÌ„trary to our own experience to mans reason Thus the propet Dauid coÌ„sidering the miseâ—able estate of the godly togither with the prosperitie of the wicked was teÌ„pted to thinke and say that it was in vaine to serue god And thus many other godly men feeling and seeing in the beginning of their conuersion that God worketh strange wonderfull things in them and for them promise to themselues the like strange experiments of Gods power and loue towards them the which when as they do no not come to passe according to their expectatioÌ„ al going on in an ordinary course happening to one as to another they fall into this doubting and distrust of Gods presence prouidence power and loue towards them and so wax dayly more and more slacke and backewarde in all the wayes of godlinesse and in seruing God But this temptation is to be resisted by considering that God for the triall of the faithfull and the hardning of the wicked worketh not openly and sensibly but secretly till the time come wherein al things shall be reuealed especially this euill sheweth it selfe in the time of aduersitie when as the loue of God is ouershadowed with crosses in the which wee see not the loue but rather the anger of God afflicting vs for our sinnes and tryall But as touching them we are to knowe that God dooth in theâ— shewe his loue more then in prosperitie and therefore wee ought by them to bee the more perswaded of his loue and the truth of his worde Yea sometymes this distrust becommeth despayre wherein the faythfull man is driuen beside his faith and hope yea beside himselfe and in a maner out of his witte supposing his sinne to exceede the mercie of God and â—o bee altogither vnpardonable He cannot be comforted by remembring his former state of faith and grace wherein sometime he stoode but is by that meanes confirmed in despaire as thinking his sinne to bee in that respect the more grieuous and vnpardonable it beeing committed agaynst so great a measure of grace And so he applying to himselfe that which is written Heb. 6.6 It is impossible that they who were once enlightned and tasted of the heauenly gift if they fall away should be renued againe by repentance seeing they crucifie to themselues the sonne of God and make a mocke of him languisheth in horrour of conscience and a fearefull sense and expectation of the wrath of God This is the most fearefull sicknesse which can happen to a faythfull man yea it is the state of the wicked spiritâ— in hell who continually liue or rather die in a desperate sense of the endlesse wrath of God The remedie is to be looked for at the hands of God who onely is able to appease these stormes and in stead thereof to giue a quiet calme yet the meanes must be vsed by our selues to wit the consideration of the examples of manie godly men to whom God hath remitted as many and as great sinnes as ours are yea hauing beeâ— committed after a greater measure of grace receaued For the which purpose we must also remember that there is no proportion betwixt then mercie of God which is infinite and our sinnes which are as nothing in respect of the sinnes of the whole world al which the mercie of God in Iesus Christ is able to do away that the place of Scripture before mentioned such other are to be vnderstood of the malicious despitefull oppugning of the Gospel once embraced And lastly that where sinne there the mercie of God aboundeth and his glorie is set forth Sect. 7. BEside these generall diseaseâ— which make a man decrease in all the partes of godlinesse there happen to the soule many particular diseases which contain themsemselues within one part or facultie of it the rest remaining whole and sound These are as many as are the parts of râ—nued holinesse or the graces of Gods sanctifying spirit the want of any one whereof maketh a spirituall disease for where any grace is wanting there the contrarie corruption of sin doth preuaile and raigne If it be asked whether that one truly regenerate can be wholy destitute of any

TWO TREATISES CONCERNING REGENERATION 1. Of Repentance 2. Of the Diet of the Soule Shewing The one how it ought to be sought after and may be attained vnto The other how it being gotten iâ— to be preserued and continued Math. 7.7 Knocke and it shall be opened LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede for Robert Dexter and Raph Iackson 1597. The occasion and argument of of the Treatise following IT is a certaine truth coÌ„firmed by experieÌ„ce and also by the word of God tâ—e which are two being both one in effect so sure witnesses that no exception can be taken against either of theÌ„ that the number of true beleeuers is very small especially in this last most corrupt age of the world wherein as we haue it foretold in Scripture faith is not to be found but iniquity doth abound and that most of those who professe themselues to be Christians deceiue both themselues with a false conceite and also others with an hypocriticall shew of religion when as in truth they know not what it meaneth For many are so far from hauing religion in their hearts that they are altogether ignoraÌ„t of the doctrine of regeneratioÌ„ wherin the substaunce of religion doth consist and without the which it is as impossible to attaine to eternall saluation as it is for the cleare sunne-shine and palpable darkenesse to be together in the same place For although according to the rule of Christian loue â—ee iudge the best of the least appearance of grace taking for pure gold whatsoeuer doth glister yet most men are so estranged from God hauing no sense of religion in tâ—eir mindes nor any sauour of it in their wordes and deedes being in their whole behauiour so farre from the practise of godlinesse making no conscience of any duety belonging either to God or man that we may bee bold hauing sufficient warrant from the word of God to thinke and say of them that they are carnall and vnregenerate men not as yet called to the knowledge and obedience of the truth howsoeuer they may bee according to Gods secret counsell in the number of his elect Thus men liue and thus they die in the most fearefull state of eternall death the which thing being duely weighed would worke griefe euen in the hardest heart and stirre it vp to a pittifull desire of amending it For if we be iustly moued to pitty by beholding the moment any miseries of men and the distressed state of tâ—eir bodies being consumed with sores and sickenesse and euen at deaths dore how much more ought we to be grieued for the eternall misery of their soules not dying but being already cleane dead in sinne and yet liuing in that state which leadeth to vnspeakable torment and the hot-burning furnace of the wrath of God But helplesse pitty encreasâ—th the euill communicating it to those who before were free from it and therefore wee are not here to rest but rather to put to our helping handes and so both with hand and heart to endeuour the releeuing of this woefull and wretched estate But it there any help for this spirituall misery in the hands of any maÌ„ can men worke this regeneration in themselues or in others and so chaunge a carnall and sinfull man into a holy and new creature No surely regeneration is the proper work of the omnipoâ—ent God impossible to bee brought to passe by man angell or any creature for althogh many creatures haue life in them selues yet none can giue naturall much lesse spirituall life to another So then belike there is not any duty looked for at mans handes in this behalfe but onely that he pitty and bewaile his oâ—ne and other mens desperate estate and the blame of mens sinfulnesse and damnation is not to be laid on men â—ho cannot helpe though they would but on God who keeping this faculty of regenerating men in his oâ—ne handes neither him selfe helpeth man neither yet maketh it possible for man to helpe him selfe This may seeme to follow of the aforesayd ground but it is not in any case to bee admitted for God doth both himselfe reneâ— men by his spirite to eternall life and also hath appointed the meaanes by the which man is to worke his owne saluation The which if he will not try and vse who can eyther deny or doubt but that the blame is in him selfe and not in God the which if he vsing cannot preuaile yet the fault is in his owne corrupt nature the which is so dead in sinne that it cannot bee recouered no not by good and sufficient means For as touching the corruption of nature the which wee confesse maketh it impossible for a man to renew himfelf God is not in any wise to be thought the author of it for he created man in perfect holines but man did carelesly wilfully loose that holines which God gaue vnto him But as for the neglect and contempt of the means which God hath appointed for the recouering of holines man can not but take that wholly to himself who although he cannot renew himself thogh he wold yet if he will hee may vse the meanes appointed for that purpose as will more plainly appeare in the particulars But maÌ„ who for the most part is carelesse of eternall saluation yea altogether vnwilling to take that paines in seeking it which is required of all those who desire to finde it will alledge in defence of this his wilfull contempt of Gods word that it were folly for him to seeke regeneration the which it is not in his power to effect VVhereunto we answer that no man ought to despaire of the truth goodnesse mercie or power of God and make his sinfulnesse the greater and his damnation the more iust and grieuous but rather doe his endeuour in the carefull and continuall vse of the means as God hath commanded and so leaue both the successe of his labour and â—is owne saluation to the wil and good pleasure of God The which that we may doe it is needefull that we knoâ— and consider the meanes whereby regeneration may be attained vnto or at the least ought to be sought after It is not gold or siluer although Simon Magus supposed that spirituall graces might be bought with money as worldly commodities are that can purchase regeneration not fauour friendship or any desert of holinesse but onely the vsing of the meanes which God hath appointed The meanes of Regeneration is the way leading vnto it called in Scripture Repentance in the Greek tong Metanoia that is an after minde or a right mind after a wrong minde for as in other matters it commeth daily to passe that men being in processe of time brought by experience to see their owne errours wherein they haue done amisse are displeased with themselues for so doing with that they had done otherwise and so are said to repent of this or that action so a carnall man â—auing all â—is life time liued in vaine and sinfull pleasures altogether carelesse of

grace if hee may what difference there is betwixt him and a carnall man we answere that regeneration is the roote and the possibilitie but not the act of all graces as a liuing bodie although naturally it bee thee subiect of sense yet some one part of it may be benummed and senslesse so the soule of one regenerate hath in it at least the beginnings and seedes of all graces howsoeuer some of them at some tymes doo not woorke or appeare whereas a carnall man is altogither destitute yea vncapable of them Among these particular diseases the first place is giuen to the diseases of the mind the which are three in number conceate errour and ignorancâ— of Gods particular prouidence Conceate is a fonde opinion which a man hath of his own excellency in respect of others esteeming himselfe more iust wise and holy then any other and therefore more highly in Gods fauour and more worthie to bee honoured among men This proceedeth from that selfe loue which is naturally in euery man yea in euery liuing thing by the which he is mooued to desire and to endeuour the aduancing of himselfe and the bettering of his owne estate for the which purpose hee hath his minde continually set and fixed on those thinges wherein his excellencie doth consist and so fitting his opinion to his desire and affection thinketh them to bee mo and greater and himselfe more excellent in respect of them then he is in deed Thus are not onely carnall men in regarde of outward blessings and naturall gifts but euen the godly often puffed vp in pride in regard of spirituall graces seeing themselues to be aduanced to so high a dignitie as far passing the common condition of men as the heauen is higher then the earth as wisdom is better then folly light then darkenesse holinesse then sinfulnesse and happinesse then eternall miserie Yea as they haue a more certaine knowledge of their owne gifts and graces which they feele wrought and working in their heartes and liues then of other men which they but coniecture and of other mens wants infirmities sinnes and faults then of their owne wherof they cannot abide to thinke or heare so they thinke farre better of themselues then of others This corruption dooth manie wayes shewe forth it selfe as namely in insolent talke and behauior in obstinate maintaining of erroneous opinions and vnlawfull or vnmeete practises and especially in contempt of our brethren their companie giftes opinions in tâ—o sparing acknowledging of their vertues and graces But it is carefully to bee resisted and auoyded as beeing displeasing yea odious to GOD who resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble and in whose eyes nothing is more acceptable then a meeke and lowlie spirite as also hurtfull to our selues in that it maketh vs obstinate and incorrigible in errors and sinnes and depriueth vs of that good and comfort which might bee reaped by the giftes and companie of our brethren whereof wee may reape great profite and comfort The remedie of this disease is the consideration not of our gifts and graces but of our wayes sinnes the which no doubt will pull downe these peacockes feathers and make vs base yea vile in our owne eies By this reason the Apostle exhorteth the Romans Rom. 12.3 not to be drunke and besotted with any great conceate of themselues but rather to thinke soberly and modestly of themselues for that God hath giuen his graces not all to any one least hee should haue matter of pride but some to euerie one that none should bee subiect to the contempt of others Wherein the great wisedome and godnesse of God is to be considered praised and admired who doth so temper his graces bestowed on the faithfull with their owne wants and sinnes that neither the one is able to lift vppe the minde too high in vaine conceates nor the other to presse it downe too lowe with disgrace but supplyeth the greatest wantes with other most excellent and rare giftes and qualifyeth the abundance of grace with some great want or grieuous sinne as wee are taught by the examples of Lot Noah Dauid and Salomon that the most haynous and horrible sinnes haue beene found in the holiest men and extreeme folly in the mirror of wisdome Sect. 8. THe second disease of the minde is errour the which vsually commeth of conceate and dooth accompanie it Where we do not meane any light errours in matters of small importance for no man either is or can bee free from these as long as he is in this world but such as are neare about the foundation and substance of Christian Religion which may seeme to endaunger a mans saluation as about Christ his incarnation passioÌ„ natures about the manner or matter of our iustification the Church or Sacraments or any other waightie poynt Yet not any such errour maketh a spirituall disease but onely when as it hapneth in a time of light and knowledge wherein the contrarie truth is both plainly reuealed by God and also generally or at least commonly acknowledged by the Church Otherwise if it be a time of ignorance and darknesse wherein that truth is reuealed the most grieuous errour that is doth not argue the distemperature of the soule or make a spirituall disease as we know no man accounteth him either blind or ill sighted who cannot see and discerne things in the night or in the darke dungeon or him to bee of an euill constitution of body who is infected with a common sicknesse or plague But it commeth often to passe that the faithfull are ignoraunt when they might see the truth it being by others seene and acknowledged In this case great errors argue an euill constitution of the mind an vnsound iudgement yea they make our regeneration to be doubted of and cald into question For this is a property of a mind sanctified and enlightned by Gods spirit if not to search and find out the truth when it is vnknowen yet to acknowledge and receiue it when it is offered But notwithstanding all this it cannot be denied for the experience of all ages doth witnesse it that men truely regenerat may both liue and die in great and most dangerous errours yea when as the truth is both expounded to them by others and also sought for by their owne labour and continuall study The remedie of this disease consisteth in these things First that wee suspect our selues in those opinions wherein wee disagree from those who are godly and learned knowing that they haue the spirite of God to leade and guide them into all truth as well as wee Secondly in knowing that God doth often suffer them to fall into greâ—uâ—us errours to whom he doth shew great fauour not onely in their regeneration but also in immediate and extraordinary reuelations So wee read Deut. 13. If there arise among you a Prophet a dreamer of dreames and giue thee a signe or wonder and it come to passe saying let vs serue strange

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