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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	hear_v	seed_n	word_n	3,547	5	5.5139	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62374	A brief and plain commentary with notes, not more useful than seasonable, upon the whole prophecie of Malachy delivered, sermon-wise, divers years since at Pitmister in Summerset / by William Sclater ... ; now published by his son William Sclater ...	Sclater, William, 1609-1661.	1650 (1650)	Wing S913; ESTC R17140	147,505	246

Let light shine by good works See 1 Cor. 9. ult and the mystery of Vrim and Thummim that is light and perfection that ought to be in the Priests Fourth That all this was done in sincerity and uprightness of heart this that Paul challengeth to himself 2 Cor. 1.12 and counts it his chief comfort walking with God that is when a man is not carried away with the streame of the times but keeps on a constant endeavour of approving himself and his heart to God Vse 1 Reproved here all such as in place of Teachers teach not at all and these of two sorts 1. Some for lack of ability as how many amongst our selves in this Church of England 2. All such as having ability yet use not their gifts to the good of Gods people See 1 Cor. 12.7 the gifts of the Spirit are given to profit withall called dispensers 1 Cor. 4.1 and 1 Pet. 4.10 As we have received so we must minister the same gift to edification Secondly Those that teach but teach unsoundly whether gross errours or quirks of their own wit The Apostle dealing against this kind of Teaching thus saith That their labour and reward is all lost 1 Cor. 3.15 They profane the Temple of God and the Lord shall destroy such Thirdly Those that teaching truths and nothing but truths yet walk inordinately to the disgrace of truth hinderance of the Gospell How many such are every where causing Christs ordinances as the Sons of Eli 1 Sam. 2.17 did the Lords sacrifices by their ungracious lives to be loathed Fourthly That are outwardly painfull and honest vet without uprightness of heart in the sight of God Phil 1.15 Some such spoken of that preached Christ indeed but it was out of envy or for filthy Lucre such an one was Judas And would God many such did not discover themselves dayly their sins cannot be hid 1 Tim. 5.24 Vse 2 Now this as it teacheth us in place of Ministry to labour to be such so you that are the people to pray God to give such Pastors unto his people Mat. 9. ult Pray God that he would thrust forth Labourers into his harvest Beloved How our Church groans under the burthen of such idle Idoll or profane shepherds we see and can talk of would God we could heartily bewaile and as becomes us pray heartily for redress no doubt we should see the work of the Lord goe faster forward And did turne many away from iniquity In this clause we have expressed the effect of these Levites thus demeaning themselves They turned many from iniquity Sense How is this said of the Ministry when conversion is made the peculiar work of God Answer As to Instruments because by them the Lord works conversion faith repentance c. Therefore we are said to save others 1 Tim. 4. ult to wit as Instruments because without us God ordinarily saves none and by us and the foolishness of Preaching saves them that believe therefore 1 Cor. 3.9 said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-workers with God and Instruments effectuall Ministers by whom ye have believed so to remit sins as Instruments and Ministers So then here observe That the Ministry of the Word Observ in the mouth of a faithfull Pastor is not ineffectuall but is Gods strong power to Salvation Rom 1.16 See Isa 8.18 Loe me and the children which thou hast given me 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God Heb. 4.12 mighty in operation 1 Cor. 14.25 Prophecy humbles and makes fall down The reason whereof is The promise of God and his good pleasure I will be with you that is not only to protect you and to assist and enable you but to bless your Ministry Object Sometimes ineffectuall Answer A double effect of the Minister 2 Cor. 2.15 16. Isa 55.10 As the show and the raine 2. Fruit may be that is not seen as in Elias his time seven thousand but invisible Rom. 11.4 Act. 18.10 much people in that City 3. Though blessing promised yet times and seasons kept in Gods power as Act. 18.10 The day of visitation is not come Vse 1 This should be our incouragement to whom the Ministry of the word of God is committed if we walk uprightly in the sight of God howsoever perhaps we see not at the first the fruits of our labours yet keeping our selves in the waies of God and waiting on him we expect a blessing It is truly a discomfortable thing to be a Minister to take paines where no fruit appears it made Jeremy resolve to speak no more in the name of the Lord Jer. 20.9 and secondly Paul shakes his raiment Acts 18.6 but is reproved of the Lord. Vse 2 This should teach us not to despise the Ministry of the word of God being ordeined to be so powerfull an Instrument to convert many such speeches there be of profane men they cannot remember that ever they were the better for any Sermon they heard It may well so be for this seed takes not root in all grounds But this I dare say He that with an honest heart hath heard Luk. 8.15 can say He seldome hath heard Sermon but he hath been bettered thereby how powerfull feele we it ripping up corruptions in humbling for sins in furthering with comfort c And let such as have not felt their power suspect their State VER 7. For the Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts GLoss of Papists Hence they deduce That Priests cannot erre how absurdly See ver 8. They had forsaken the way and caused many to fall Know we then That this no promise but a prescription of duty The Lord doth not promise that they shall be free from errour but prescribes what were their duties namely to labour to be even a treasure-house of knowledge for the people of God so also that place 1. Tim. 3. understood of Office not of Fact Hence then may we observe Observ What the Office of a Pastour is He must be such an one as is stored with knowledg of the will of God See Mat. 13.52 The good Scribe c. Those many offices required of us shew it as to be able to resolve all doubts to convince errours c. Tit. 1.9 This knowledg is of two sorts 1 Theoreticall 2 Experimentall both these necessary in a Minister And it should teach us Vse as Paul 1 Tim. 4.13 to give attendance unto reading c. Ignorance and Idleness fit not of all men else a Minister Secondly Pray God for such it is his great blessing when such are given Jer. 3.15 to feed us with knowledg and with understanding The next is the duty of the people in respect of such a Minister to seek the Law at his mouth Hence then we collect That it is Gods ordinance Observ the people shall depend on the Ministry of the Word See 1 Thes 5.28 Despise not Prophecying

Idolater Notes of it are these 1. Such are abominable in life Psal 14.1 2. Call not upon the name of the Lord ib. v. 4. 3. Light esteem of the pledges of Gods favour Heb. 12 15. as amongst us of the word of God whereas a childe of God buyes the truth and sells it not Prov. 23.23 Observ 2 Idolaters sometimes more conscionable to preserve the worship of Idols then some in the Church of maintaining the worship of God See Israelites Exod. 32.3 Nothing so dear but they part with their very Jewels and earings to make a Calfe yea children themselves made to pass through the fire and Act. 19. How many craftsmen maintained by that Idol Diana Baals Priests how cut they themselves with knives and lancers 1 King 18.28 Compare us with Papists see we it not verified how liberal are they in maintaining the Idolatry among them practised What pains take they in Pilgrimages And none appears empty-handed before the Idoll Well beloved Vse this shall be the just condemnation of many in our Church that people doting upon Idols should be thus zealous for Idolatry and we so regardless of the worship of God See but their Priests how in a blinde zeal they hazard their lives to make a Proselyte shall it not condemn us that may safely labour settling in truth and neglect it How careful they that no contempt shall be shewn to their Idols Yet we with patience can endure the horriblest disgraces offered to the majesty of God they will rise up in judgment and condemn us see Matth. 12.41 Now before I come to propound the doctrine it shall not be amiss a little to handle the question that here offers it seif to be discussed lest we think this sin concerns us not Question of Tythes handled The question then is whether tenths be by divine right belonging to the ministry of the Gospel for their maintenance Answ herein Answ let me propound the judgment of sundry sound Divines both wayes and leave it to Gods people to be judged of Divine right therefore is doubly understood 1. Either that it is directly so by express and precise commandment or else 2. By consequent as having ground in the word of God The distinction is 1 Cor. 7.6 I not the Lord the Lord not I I have no commandment but give advice Now this is the judgment of some ancient and modern Divines That by Divine law the tenths of all fruites both predial and personal are due unto ministers of the Gospel by those very lawes that were given concerning the Levites Origen in Num. Hom. 11. This law of Tythes he thinks should be observed according to the letter Hierome upon this place accords with him Austin makes Tythes to ministers and tribute to Caesar of equal right Divines of late years accord with them Junius Tythes by all lawes of God nature nations have been hallowed unto God Gaulter in Matth. 23. Zepper de leg lib. 4.10 are peremptory this way and demand with what reasons it may be proved that the law was merely ceremonial Hear their reasons because payd before the law when ceremonies were not in force as by Abraham to Melchizédech this argument concludes not for even some ceremonies were in force before the law of ceremonies given in writing as sacrifices c. Better reasons are these First that we are not able to shew what was in this law ceremonial therefore not so to be esteemed Secondly Origen thus As Gods blessings under the new Testament exceed those vouchsafed unto the Jews so should our maintenance This proves thus much only that as liberal if not more is due to the ministers of the Gospel Thirdly greatest reason that of Iunius that by all lawes due very light of nature taught Gentiles to hallow the tenth unto God whence may thus be concluded That what by instinct of nature is due that is perpetual for this is one rule to discern judicial lawes of common equity from those of equity particular namely if they be universally received by all nations and accord with the word of God but thus it 's apparent that in all ages of heathen they were due Fourthly Ab absurdo it seems not likely that the Lord providing so liberally for maintenance of Levites would leave all uncertain to the devotion of the people under the new Testament but other certainty is not determined Ergo. These reasons are something urgent And I must needs profess to see no certainty of answer to them A second opinion is of them that hold them to be due by consequent from the law of God though no direct law given concerning them As 1. From the command of the Magistrate to whom they imagine the Lord to have left determining of particulars only with this generall so it be competent 2. By vertue of confecration that way either by vow or other wholesome ordinance And thus they think them due unto us so that he shall be guilty of sacriledg that withholds or alienates them Gal. 3.15 A mans testament no man abrogates Prov. 20.25 It s a destruction to devoure Holy things and after the vow to enquire A third sort think them utterly unlawfull to be either paid or exacted in as much as it was a part of ceremoniall law and for this cause amongst others abandon society with our Church because as they say we judaize in maintaining our Ministers by tenths These need rather pity in respect of their zeal then confutation of their judgment It being a principle holden amongst all Divines that judiciall lawes especially when there appeares not some evident cause why they should concerne only the State of the Iowes may justily be revived in Christian Common-wealths nay that Common-wealths are best governed that come nearest that plat-forme What my judgment is I will forbear to propose professing only an inclination this way that they are due by divine right for some reasons before specified To leave these Uncertainties See what the Scripture certainly teacheth touching maintenance of the Ministery First of all Observ that there is maintenance due unto them for their work sake 1 Cor. 9. 1. From common equity vers 7. 2. From voice of the Law the oxe not muzled vers 9. 3. Spirituall things are ministred therefore temporall things may be reaped 4. A pari they that serve at the Altar live by the Altar 5. A sanctione Christi God hath ordained c. vers 14. 2. That this must be a liberall maintenance 1 Tim. 5.17 18. double honour Gal. 6.6 Made partaker of all his goods 1 Tim. 3.2 How else given to hospitality due from all that partake in benefit of instruction Again this the word teacheth morally that magistrates are to be obeyed in things lawfull for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 3. That things consecrated unto Gods service may not be alienated to other uses out of case of necessity Prov. 20.25 Gal. 3.15 Out of all which I think this conclusion ariseth that Tythes of England are due by Gods