Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	word_n	write_v	writing_n	104	4	8.7377	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64998	The wells of salvation opened, or, Words whereby we may be saved by Thomas Vincent.	Vincent, Thomas, 1634-1678.	1668 (1668)	Wing V451; ESTC R27043	98,079	175

and may plead as good authority as also the encouraging erroneous persons privily to broach false Doctrines unto the corrupting of the mindes of the hearers and by consequence the introduction of confusion and tearing the Church of Christ which in the issue may prove its de●●ruction I know that Lay-preachers will plead the practice of the Apostle Paul who wrought in his Trade of Tent-making whilest he was a Preacher of the Gospel I grant that Paul was a Tent-maker but he was called and ordained to be a Minister and though he did practise his trade after this yet I do not remember that he did it more than once which was amongst the Corinthians and that upon a special occasion that he might preach the Gospel freely and be like some false Teachers who boasted herein but when did he do it again Did he not receive maintenance from other Churches without working for his living besides he had extraordinary gifts by immediate inspiration which none now may hope to obtain without the use of ordinary means But whatever Pauls practice was he doth never make mention of it for an example which other Ministers should imitate him in for when he writeth to Timothy a Minister he enjoyneth him from the Lord to spend his whole time about his Ministry and not in any other calling he exhorteth him to give himself to reading and meditation and doctrine to be in these things wholly as the original word doth signifie Moreover the other Apostles however they were at first Fisher-men by trade yet when they were called to be Fishers of men they leave their Nets and after Christs ascension they would not so much as take upon them the work of Deacons to minister unto Widdows why read the reason Act. 6.4 that they might give themselves continually to Prayer and Ministry of the Word Surely then it is the will of God that such as take upon them to preach should give themselves to the Ministry of the Word and not follow other callings They have work enough to do in the Ministry if they employ themselves therein conscienciously for their whole time had they more time than they have they had not need to be diverted by worldly businesses they finde it hard enough to attend upon the Lord without much distraction that have none of these secular employments what an unsutable frame must they be under that follow another calling all the week and come reeking from the world and engage to speak to people in an extemporaneous discourse Is the Lord pleased with such Ministrations If the Lord doth not strike such persons dead who do thus presume to entrench upon the Levites Office as he did Vzzah who might have pleaded a greater seeming need of his help when the Ark did shake and was ready to fall than they can do 2 Sam. 6.6 7. Yet they are in danger of a greater spiritual Judgement than natural death namely of being smitten with spiritual deadness some wither strangely within when they make a glorious outward flourish Yet God forbid that the door of employment in the Ministry should be shut against all those that at first have been bred up in other callings for if any L●y-men that be holy and knowing and have gifts and hearts for this employment do leave their other calling and dedicate themselves wholly to the work of the Ministry and be tryed and set apart according to the Rule I should not be against their preaching but I am verily perswaded that such transgress the rule that take upon them to preach whilest they follow other callings Let such examine themselves wherefore it is that they continue in their other callings is it not from a carnal and worldly motive is it not because worldly emolument cometh in this way But would it not be more for their advantage if by breaking off their trade they gained less Estate for themselves and more souls for Jesus Christ Let them either leave their other calling or leave their preaching if they have not a livelihood but by their trade why may they not trust God for provisions as others have done Hath not the Lord appointed that people should maintain their Ministers and communicate unto them in carnal things who receive spiritual things things of more worth from Ministers But some will pretend an extraordinary commission and call from God to preach and this they think will bear them out in their preaching though they be no Ministers b●t let such take heed they be not under a delusion of Sathan herein To caution such therefore against such delusions I shall give you a Relation which Mr. Vavasir Powel did s●nd in a Letter to a friend of his in the City when himself was in Prison the words which I transcribed my self out of the Letter written with his own hand are these Concerning that Delusion in Kent a Relation of which I had and still should have in the Countrey in writing under the godly mans own hand and some other brethren though I do not remember all the circumstances yet the substance of it was this There was one Iohn Moody a godly man under Bapt. I suppose first joyned to Mr. Kyff in London being in bed one night there appeared a great light in his Chamber and a Voice spake to him thus Iohn Moody arise and go preach my Gospel in the West for my people perish for want of knowledge there To which Iohn Moody answered I am not fit to preach I want gifts The Voice answered again I will give thee gifts and fit thee Moody replyed I am a poor man and have no means to maintain me therein The Voice said Meet me at such a place and so nam'd both time and place and I will supply thee with silver and gold and so departed The next day Iohn Moody acquainted one or more of his Christian acquaintance and they fearing it was a delusion advised him to be very carefull what he did and disswaded him from going counselling him if it came again he should ask who he was and particularly whether he was Iesus of Nazareth for it was he that had power to send out Ministers The Devil came again either the next night or within few nights after in the same manner asking him Why he did not go upon his message Iohn Moody asked him who it was that sent him the Voice answered I am God But saith he Art thou Iesus of Nazareth The Voice said again I am God Then Iohn Moody resolutely answered If thou be not that Iesus that suffered at Ierusalem and that sits at the right hand of God in Heaven I will not go Thereupon the Devil departed making a great noise and taking part of the top of the house away with him This was the substance and the thing undoubtedly true Thus far are the very words of Mr. Powels Letter Now if this Man had not questioned this thing but gone into the West to preach he and others who heard the relation might

these words may have the Holy Ghost fall upon you and feel such a wonderfull power going along with them as shall draw you unto Christ and bring you out of the estate of spiritual death and damnation in which you are by nature into a state of life and salvation whilest I am speaking to your ears God may speak to your hearts whilest I am presenting these words before you and holding forth the light unto you God may open your eyes and give you by his Spirit such a spiritual discerning of these things as you never had before and so affect your hearts as no word of man is able to do hear then a Sermon of God out of the mouth of the Apostle Peter which hath been effectual for conversion and who knoweth but it may produce the same effect in some of you in the repetition and explication of it as it did in the Gentiles in the first preaching of it It is said the Holy Ghost fell upon all them which heard these words when Peter preached them O that the Holy Ghost might fall upon some of you whilest I am preaching them The Gentiles had extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost given unto them in their hearing Peter O that you might have a true work of conversion by the Holy Ghost given in the hearing of me They are the Words of God receive them as his words which may effectually work to your salvation if the Lord give faith in the hearing Look up then to the Lord for his blessing on which the efficacy of the Word doth depend The words are in Act. 10. from the 34th to the 44th Vers. I shall first read them and then open these words of salvation to you After that Cornelius had sent for Peter to Ioppa he sent for many of his friends to his house and when they were come together and Peter was come and had a relation from Cornelius of his ●ision and they had told him that they were all there present before God to hear the things which were commanded him of God Vers. 34. he begins his Sermon Then Peter opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him The Word which God sent unto the Children of Israel preaching peace by Iesus Christ he is Lord of all That Word I say ye know which was published throughout all Judea and began from Galilee after the Baptisme which John preached How God anoynted Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil for God was with him And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of Judea and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hanged on a tree him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly not to all the people but to witnesses chosen before of God even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testifie that it was he which was ordained of God to be the Iudge of quick and dead To him gave all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins This Sermon of Peter's which is the first Sermon which was preached unto the Gentiles after the partition-wall was broken down is but brief but it hath much sweet and soul-saving doctrine in it and it is likely that the Scripture doth b●t briefly rehearse the heads of that which the Apostle discoursed of more largely unto them and therefore I shall endeavour to open this Sermon unto you which is like a rich Cabinet of most precious treasure wherein is to be found the Pearle of the greatest price which the wise Merchant-man will sell all that he hath to obtain because it is not only desireable to enrich him but also necessary to save him I mean the Lord Jesus Christ whom the Apostle doth describe and hold forth unto the Gentiles We read Luk. 24.31 that the Disciples hearts burned within them whilest our Saviour spake to them by the way and opened to them the Scriptures and O that you might feel your hearts burn within you whilest I am opening unto you this Scripture which doth relate Peters Sermon The Sermon of Peter may be reduced to Four general heads 1. Concerning God 2. Concerning the Word 3. Concerning Iesus Christ. 4. Concerning the way of salvation by Christ. SECT VI. 1. THE Apostle speaks unto the Gentiles concerning God v. 34. and 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Two things he gives them to understand concerning God 1. His gracious disposition to accept of Men. 2. His good will towards the Gentiles 1. He lets them know how gracious God was in being willing to accept of men of any men without respect of persons whatever their sins had been so that they did turn from them in his fear and wrought righteousness for the future This is needfull for sinners to know that they might be encouraged to seek after salvation For if they apprehend God only as he is holy and just and jealous if they are told only that he is powerful and furious and a sin-revenging God when they reflect upon their guilt they will be ready to fly away from him under a slavish fear of punishment and in discouragement and despair go on in the practice of sin as long as they can Therefore Ministers must represent God unto sinners as gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness pardoning iniquity transgression and sin as he sets forth himself to Moses Exod. 34.6 7. they must tell sinners that God is gracious and ready to accept of all those that fear him and turn from their evil waies and resolve to work righteousness for the time to come and that he will be found of and give a reward unto all such as diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him O that you who are going on in sin were perswaded of this how gracious and merciful the Lord is whom you do so highly offend by sin and how ready he is to accept of you if you would but turn from sin He hath given us Ministers commission to tell you that there is an accepted time and a day of salvation for your souls which he yet lengthens out unto you Yea we are sent as his Embassadours to entreat and beseech you that you would be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 And when God declares by us that he is so willing to accept of you that he desires you to accept of his salvation and beseecheth a reconciliation when he can so easily avenge