Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	faith_n	justify_v	merit_n	9,496	5	9.0306	5	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19777	Doubtings dovvnfall first, prouing the communitie of the Saints assurance. Secondly, disprouing Bellarmines and his fellowes false allegations and friuolous exceptions against that truth. By Edvvard Dalton, preacher of the Word, &c.	Dalton, Edward.	1624 (1624)	STC 6204; ESTC S115432	25,476	66

hopes seeing they ioyn with Christs al-sufficient their own al-deficient merits and will be iustified by their works which God wil not But to leaue them to their strong delusions To hold doubting necessary is dangerous how dangerous are they to the soules of men while they presse vpon the people this continuing in doubt of future ioyes of present good estate as necessary Do they not paue before them the path which will without any hinderance leade them so Such a doubting as admits no assurance makes praier fruitlesse as they shall vndoubtedly misse of what God hath promised for hath God in his reuealed will made knowne his good and vnalterable purpose for conferring vpon his chosen the glory of the life to come and must his children expect and in expectation pray for the accomplishing of their hope and his promise must prayer be powred out with feruency and can there be feruency where there is an vncertaine faith or if their faith be doubting can their prayer preuaile Surely Saint Iames thought verily whatsoeuer these Romish Sophisters imagine that asking and beleeuing nay such a belieuing as ought to be seuered from euery doubting are to be inseparably ioyned together Iames 1.6 when he bids euery Saint Aske in faith nothing doubting and taketh it for vndenyable howsoeuer they conceit it that the more doubting there is in asking the lesse hope there is of speeding nay if there be nothing but doubting there cannot be any expectation of enioying when he positiuely affirmeth that vers 7. That man must not so much as thinkee that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. To haue then a memer of Christ be the assault what it will be to continue necessarily in onely a coniecturall and vncertaine guesse that He shall be well is it not to draw on the soule from vncertain doubting to certain despairing and to moue the Lord not only to a denying of his prayer but euen a distaste of both prayer and person for is it not a calling of Gods promises into question as if they were either only pretended or impertinent as if man by no meanes could be capable of them Is not the truth of God hereby impeached peace of conscience vnsetled hope disheartened patience deceiued our loue to God diminished the best man discouraged in the course of grace what difference betwixt him that liueth by Pro. 26.13 15.19 and him that hath no hope in the time of tryall Shall not both pretend a Lyon in the way which to both is an hedge of thornes and either shun the combate or be discomfited in the conflict Ps 14.5 Pro. 28.1 Shall they not feare where no feare is and fly when none pursueth and beholding the fury of an angry Iudge Reu. 6.16 wish in despaire the Mountains might fall vpon them But blessed be God euery one of the righteous is so far from hauing cause to be discouraged in his trials that he hath through an holy confidenc Pro. 14.32 hope euen in his death for it is the nature of true faith to be confident Gen. 32.26 and to wrestle as Iacob euen with God himselfe and not to cease till it be partaker of the blessing It brings the promises of God and presents them to the eye of the minde not suffering them to depart till it from them hath sucked some comfortable solace No presumption to labor for assurance Let not vs then contemne that as presumptuous which the Lord hath commended yea commanded as precious for that which he hath appointed to be found is ingratitude in vs not to seeke that which he hath aduised vs to haue is negligence in vs to want that which he hath enioyned vs to haue in high regard is disobedieÌ„ce to neglect seeing we may safely saile between the gulfe of presumptioÌ„ coÌ„teÌ„pt without dammage flye between the scorching Sunne of security the cooling sea of despaire so as neither the wings of our souls in our passage to heauen shall melt by the one not becom stiffe by the other for keeping within the compasse of our holy confidence we shall continue safely in a Christian motion till we rest vpon the battlements of our Celestiall mansion How is it then that we seeke such certainety in earthly things In them we wil do nothing without mature aduise great consideratioÌ„ for to inuest vs furely in our temporall inheritance the Euidence must be carefully drawne what is superfluous razed out what is wanting supplyed if any thing may only be suspected to ouer throw our tenure the couenant is renued other coÌ„ditions are concluded if about these any doubt arise a new course is deuised Thus we make that sure we are sure to loose carefull to haue things temporal clods of clay for our bodies which are houses of earth And shall we not aspire vnto certainty in our spirituall and eternall endowments without which we faint in miseries faile of Gods mercies haue no interest in Christs merits Shall we not endeuour resolution in and against our doubtings concerning our heauenly inheritance through which the soule in sufferings is comforted the conscience in tentations is quieted and the whole man in all oppositions is secured Assurance is a gift of the Spirit Meanes to obraine assurance now the Spirit it selfe is giuen to those that in faith feruency aske it the word is the Lords mouth which promiseth it and the Sacraments are his hands which seale it to vs Motions to assurace are raised in the heart by the Spirit and these must not be quenched Nourish the hatred extinguish the delight of euery sin and daily encrease continue our desires and endeuours for the reforming of euery euill if the flax of affiance onely smoake we must blow it with serious meditating vpon Gods Couenant and an-humble applying of his promises inflame it with obseruing the truth of theÌ„ towards others but especially by finding experience of the spirits power in our selues and cause it to burne with the true acquaintnance of that blessed holy and euer happy vnion which is betwixt God and vs and by being abundant in good workes for that hath a secret blessing Now this fire will be known if we find in other Signes of ssurance perceiue in our selues the fruits of the Spirit if we be continually armed in euery part if we be confident in all proiects that are good rest contented in occurrences that are crosse depend vpon the Lord for things euen of this life a duty which Christ insinuated when he taught vs to pray for our daily bread Math. 6.11 12. before our sins forgiuenesse if we can scorne hold all things in this life nay life it self contemptible in comparison of Christ his crosse beare the brunt of the greatest oppositioÌ„s patiently couragiously for his truth that to the end stand vpon God only his power prouidence in all our tryals if it suppresse all naturall feares subdue all Diabolicall assaults proceed from an apprehension of Gods promises after repentance if that apprehension be seconded with the secret testimony of Gods spirit rhere is no doubt of this sound assurance which is common to all the Saints CoÌ„mon to all the Saints Outward conditions should not exalt a Sr. too much aboue his inferiour brother why should then any outward condition cause any to exalt himselfe aboue his bretheren or to swell against those that are endued with the same at least some if not greater measure of spirituall graces should not euen this moue them to make themselues equall with those of the lower sort and may not euen the meanest among Christs members solace themselues in this that they are not excluded from assurance of their interest in life eternall The meanest Saint to be solaced hereby but may in some measure many times in a greater measure theÌ„ other of eueÌ„ the children of God that in the eies of the world are more esteemed be confident of their state should not the meditation of this moderate all their mourning become a medicine for al their maladies which arise froÌ„ worldly wants or wrongs Be they neuer so much distressed or despised they may securely repose theÌ„selues in their holy confidence How to be comforted by assuraÌ„ce in sint and sufferings for being renued in their minds bodies the deadly arrowes of sin and sufferings are dipt in the blood of Christ who like a good Phisitian will take care to heale their wounds with his own hands either take away from theÌ„ maladies as from Hezekiah Esay 37. 38. or free them from the mischiefe of them by ministring an Antidote to their poyson 2 Cor. 1 4 5 12.9 Luke 16. as in Paul or in his appointed time by remouing them as he did Lazarus to glory To which the Lord in his mercy bring vs for his Christs merits To whom with the blessed spirit One God in Essence three in Persons be ascribed all honour praise and power now and euer Amen FINIS

euen the dwelling and abiding place of the euer to be admired Trinity enlighten euery crany and corner of it and so lay vnto open view the sinnes and sanctities of the same as they are indeed How else could a Saint sorrow for the one or reioyce in the testimony of a good conscience be solaced giue praise vnto God for the other And was not so they doe obiect Peter after he was called to his Apostleship and indued with sauing grace much deceiued when he boasted Though all men should be offended because of Christ Mat. 25.33 35. yet would he neuer be offended and though he should dye with him yet he would not deny him That Peter said so may not be gainesaid and that he was deceiued must needs be granted but that they inferre hence more then wee affirme may thus bee plainly manifested for that wherein Peter failed was as they surmise his constant confessing of Christ but it is only their surmise for in euery grace in euery dutie there are two things to be considered the grace or duty it selfe and the circumstances of it now these circumstances are either simply and absolutely necessary or only respectiuely and conditionally requisite to saluation Be it now granted that the grace or duty wherof Peter made so faire a show was a resolute purpose not to be offended with but to be a confessour of Christ his Master they cannot deny but must confesse that those circumstances of it which were primary were that he would not do the one and that he would doe the other with all willingnesse constantly truly and sincerely without all by-respect those which were secondary were the continuing in either of theÌ„ at this or that moment of time at this or that time of Christs prosperity or aduersity happy or miserable estate as it is from his owne mouth at Christs death in this or that maner or gesture suppose praying with Steuen not simply praying Act. 7.59 61. or praying feruently but praying for himself standing for his persecutours kneeling and will not they now confesse that these latter are things which God who hath put the times seasons in his own power 1.7 Rom. 14.17 whose kingdome consists not in outward but inward things hath neuer promised and therefore no meruaile if he failed seeing preuailing and presuming are seldome or neuer met walking in the same path or possessed by the same person at the same time But now his willingnesse truth sinceritie the like conditions without which a grace is no grace a duty no duty promised to and through the presence of Gods gracious Spirit alwaies in some measure resident in the Saints in that his resolute promise Psal 1.3 were as the fruits of a good tree though not at altimes without intermission and so not at that time to be seen hanging on the boughs yet alwaies in the root in that season which God had determined as most due and conuenient ready to be made apparent As therefore we will not affirm that Peter was neuer offended because of Christ Wherein Peter in that ProtestatioÌ„ was not deceiued so they in their consciences must needes grant that as Dauid hath taught vs to distinguish he was not offended with him for euer Psal 55.25 and though he died not with him as he pretended yet he died seazed of the grace of confessing him as his heart then persuaded nay he died for him as he then purposed and as the euent it selfe after declared that I may turne the point of Bellarmines owne weapon against himselfe who had receiued sure by the haÌ„d of God seeing him argue against the light of his owne conscience some great stroake on his head which did much confound his memory and besot his iudgement when he thought vpon the deceitfuleesse of Pauls rather Sauls heart raging against the Church seeing he was then an vnbelieuer Absurd to alledge Pauls rage against the Church to proue a St. may be deceiued and could not possibly then be acquainted with that certainty of faith which is the elects peculiar and howsoeuer as he inferreth truly hauing a little as it seemeth recouered his senses so far as ignorance and inclination or affection to sinne preuaileth so farre is doubting powerfull yet he proclaimeth his either ignorance blindnesse or wilfull delight in error in in that he laboureth wholly to depriue the sonnes of God of that measure of assurance concerning their eternal priuiledges which is answerable to that degree of sauing faith According to the measure of faith is the measure of the Saints assurance 1 Cor. 13.3 wherewith be it lesse or more they are vndenyably enriched and though some may giue almes out of vain-glory to be seene of men and other suffer their bodies to bee burned for heresie wanting in doing both and either true Charity thinking notwithstanding they doe men and God good seruice yet this doing is so farre from any measure of that it hath no affinitie with true conuersion which causeth a man if he fayleth in the one not to let God rest till it be pardoned in feare of the other to pierce the cloudes with feruent cryes that it may be preuented whose humble breathings issuing from such a breast draw in the comforts of Gods Spirit are refreshed with a perusasion grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ Gods promises that in Christ his suit shal either be graÌ„ted or his desire for the deed freely accepted What shall we say then to those who would haue all the S t s to remain in a wauering doubt that of duty concerning their eternall safety Deale they not like watermen in their opinioÌ„s are they not enemies dangerous enemies to mens souls in the maintaining of theÌ„ Of all Papists haue least reason to doubt of saluation Watermen they are for while they labour for Guesse coniecture taking in their hands the two oares of the Law the Gospel do they not look another euen the quite contrary way for how caÌ„ they want the help of the Law for their certaine assurance of life eternall seeing they teach would haue no man to doubt that they may yeeld to it full obedience yea and performe more then it lyeth vpon them towards the supplying of the wants of other and how is it possible that they should be destitute of the Gospels furtherance for the setling of their confidence when as they of all the men in the world none but they if we shall belieue theÌ„selues are the true belieuers Me thinks they being persuaded resolutely of either of these seuerally should not be in suspition to be damned but being assured of both these ioyntly together how is it possible that they shold only be in a coiecture to be saued vnles it be iust with God to mingle their meanes of assurance with doubting to attaine the aime and end of their obedience pluck downe the plumes of their faith with a feare of failing in their

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