"The Heart must be Tabula Rasa, white Paper to his Pen, soft Wax to his Seal: Let him write upon me what he pleaseth, and make what Impressions he pleaseth upon me."

— Henry, Matthew (1662-1714)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Lawrence; R. Robinson; N. Cliff and D. Jackson
Date
Jan 7 1712/13
Metaphor
"The Heart must be Tabula Rasa, white Paper to his Pen, soft Wax to his Seal: Let him write upon me what he pleaseth, and make what Impressions he pleaseth upon me."
Metaphor in Context
Thus we should address our selves to the Work of Lord, with an intire Resignation of our selves to his Wisdom and Soveraignty. The Heart must be Tabula Rasa, white Paper to his Pen, soft Wax to his Seal: Let him write upon me what he pleaseth, and make what Impressions he pleaseth upon me. We must enter upon the Service fo God, with Joshua's Question, What saith my Lord unto his Servant? And with St. Paul's, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And with the implicite Faith and Obedience of the Child Samuel, Speak Lord, for thy Servant hears. I desire nothing more, but the Honour of receiving they Commands, and a Heart to comply with them.
(p. 20)
Provenance
Searching "tabula rasa" in ECCO
Citation
Matthew Henry, A Sermon Preach'd at the Ordination of Mr. Atkinson, in London, Jan 7, 1712/13. By Matthew Henry, Minister of the Gospel. Together with Mr. Atkinson’s Confession of His Faith on That Occasion. And an Exhortation to Him in the Close, by Jeremiah Smith, Minister of the Gospel. (London: Printed for J. Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultry; R. Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul’s Church-Yard; N. Cliff and D. Jackson at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside, 1713). <Link to ESTC>
Theme
Blank Slate
Date of Entry
10/09/2006
Date of Review
01/20/2012

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.