Selected quad for the lemma: head_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
head_n body_n member_n mystical_a 10,421 5 11.0632 5 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A29130 An husbandmans harrow to pull down the ridges of the presbyteriall government and to smooth, a little, the independent ... containing divers new and unanswerable arguments ... / written by Ellis Bradshavv ... Bradshaw, Ellis. 1649 (1649) Wing B4144; ESTC R1233 82,907 112

There are 2 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

Is it not speaking unto men to Edification and Exhortation and comfort 1 Cor. 14. 1 3. Is is not preferred before the gift of tongues How much more then is it to be prefer'd before Learnedness in the tongues which is onely taught by humane Document and is not given as a manifestation of the Spirit but is that which a carnal man that knoweth nothing neither can know any thing concerning spiritual things may attain unto 1 Cor. 2. 14. Therefore learnedness in the tongues being no manifestation of the Spirit at all is therefore no signe that men are called of God and sent to preach But he that hath prophesie let him prophesie according to the proportion of faith But who is this He that hath prophesie in the Apostles sence in this place But he that speaketh unto men to Edification and Exhortation and Comfort And yet further by way of Directory he giveth forth a most exact Rule to wit Quest But how and what order must be used Answ Let the Prophets speak two or three and let the rest judge And if any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace Quest But why so Answ For ye may all speake one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted vers 29 30 31. Quest But where and when and in what company must this be that the Prophets may all speak one by one Answ When the whole Church of the Corinthians was come together as vers 23 24 25 26 27. And therefore also when any whole Church rightly constituted as the Corinthians was are come together they may do the like Quest But were not this immodesty in these dayes when the whole Church is come together in some place and every one hath a Psalme hath Doctrine hath a Tongue hath Revelation hath an Interpretation That all these one by one should be communicated for the good of the whole as vers 26 27 31 32. all that are Prophets I meane for so is the Directory vers 29. 24. Answ Was this the practise of the Churches in the Primitive times by the Apostles direction Might all that were zealous of spiritual gifts seek that they might excell to the Edifying of the Church as vers 12. And must it therefore now be accounted immodesty because it is not the custome in our Churches before these times Yea must it be accounted immodesty to use the same liberty in those Churches which are of purpose so constituted that the gifts of al that are so qualified may be most useful and profitable unto all that all might learne and all might be comforted and all might be edified as vers 30. 31. And might grow in grace from faith to faith and from strength to strength till they come to be tall men and women in Jesus Christ as Psal 84. 7. Yea that holding the Head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together might the more increase with the increase of God as Coloss 2. 19. and Chap. 3. 12 13. to 18. And why should any member of the mystical body of Jesus Christ be therefore despised as uselesse and unprofitable because unlearned in the tongues Hath not God himself on purpose so provided and tempered the body together and given more honour to that part which lacked that there might be no Schisme in the body but that the members might learn to have the same care one of another Seeing the heat cannot say to the feet I have no need of you as Chap. 12. 13. c. to the end Proposing the usefulnesse and propriety and necessity of every member of our natural bodies to be as patterns unto bodies spiritual that all the members in their several places might be accounted of incouraged honoured comforted edified and esteemed of as they ought to be necessary and useful for the good of the whole shewing that the most feeble members ought not to be despised but as much as in us lieth honored and clothed with more abundant comeliness And every one called forth employed desired and deputed by such who can discern their proper gifts or fitness and abilities for the necessary use and good of the whole or of any other parts or members of the body to such employments as they are fittest for And this calling and deputation would take away all appearance or suspition of immodesty in any such members to what ever employment they are called unto But while it is otherwise and that the very constitution of our Presbyterian Churches require that none be admitted but that is so and so learned and that enters in by the learned's door It were immodesty to observe the Apostles rules in such Presbyterian Churches And it is no marvel if such who do it yea though in other Churches be accounted silly fellows and tubpreachers by the rude people who it may be account them as they did paul and others no better then mad as Vers 23. For they are so accounted and spoken of too and that by our grave Divines so reverendly they esteem of the gifts of God and of the graces of his Spirit which are the more perspicuous by how much more they are unlearned in the Tongues And therefore it is no marvel if it be so unto them all as is spoken in these Scriptures Isa 29. from the 9 to the end Micab 3. 5 6 7 8. Hosea 8. 12. Let them look to it that despise prophecying that resist and Spirit yea that like Jannes and Jambres resist the Truth and that despise but the least of those little ones that beleeve in Christ for they do despise and resist him and his sacred Truth And it is to be feared that many are guilty even of speaking words against the holy Ghost A dangerous sin as it needs must be that shall never be forgiven either in this life or in the life to come as Mat. 12 30 31 32. It is no marvel if such Ministers yea though the chiefest of all on the face of the earth have no manifest Vision as once it was in the days of Eli when they caused the people to despise the offering of the Lord even so I mean they cause the people to despise such service and offerings and sacrifice as God now requires as Rom 12. 1● Rev. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 7 8 9 10. For they that despise these things despise not men but God It is no marvel if they must be content either to learn it at babes or to be without and dye without knowledg as 1 Sam. 3. 1 17 18. Hos 4 5 6. Object But it will be objected That the like ways for edifying of the Church in these days that were practised in the Apostles times are not suitable now because that those extraordinary gifts are ceased Ans 1. I answer That the chief and most profitable of all those gifts for edifying of the Church is still on foot to wit Prophecying speaking unto men to edification and
exhortation and comfort as hath been said 1 Cor. 14 1 2 3. Secondly I answer That the same Spirit worketh also now in them that beleeve and is as full of power and as willing also to edifie the Church for it is not changeable And what know we but some now adays are full of matter the spirit within them constraining them to speak Job 32 18 to 22. So it was with Elihu who had not another but even the self-same spirit who divideth to every man severally as he will And so it was with David and Paul and Jeremiah and others as a fire within them But it is to be feared as least if not a thing obvious and manifest that there is some even now adays as in the days of old that shut the doors of the Kingdom of God and neither enter in themselves nor suffer them that would as Christ himself told them Yea Light is wanting and Vision faileth them and they walk in darkness and yet despise the help of any new lights though many old lights that are publique and clear and manifest unto others and that of old likewise would be new lights unto them if they could discover them 1 Joh. 2. 10 11. But they are in darkness and walk in darkness and know not whither they go nor what they speak nor whereof they affirm But even speak evil of the things they know not 2 Pet. 2. 12. And yet for all that would be accounted and expect to be followed and obeyed of all as if they were omniscient like God himself and could not possibly err Vers 10. But all have not the knowledg of God this may be spoken to all our shame Else they would know that he that thinketh he knoweth any thing knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know Object But there is ordinarily Scriptural examples alledged against this which hath been said concerning preaching of unlearned men that are not learned in the Tongues nor graduates in the Schools to deter men from presumption in such respects to wit the examples of Vzza and Vzziah and of Korah and his company But they are mis-applyed for the most part as I shall make it manifest from sacred Scripture 1. For first Whereas they are applyed against all unlearned men that take upon them the Priests office they apply them also against Peter and John as Acts 4. 13. 8 1 4. 2. And secondly It is manifest in Scripture That in some sence all the Elect are truly and properly called Priests and both do and ought to offer sacrifice and to take upon them so far forth even a Priest-like office Reas For the Apostle Peter writing to the strangers scattered through Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia that were Elect c. 1 Pet. 1. 1 2. calleth them a chosen generation a royal Priesthood c. Chap. 2. 9. And a holy Priesthood vers 5. And that also to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And that they might shew forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light And Rev. 1. 6. It is said of Christ That he hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father I hope therefore that none will deny but all the Elect may offer these sacrifices to wit these spiritual sacrifices of prayers praises and virtuous living to shew forth the virtues and praises of him that hath called us c. And that also without danger of being struck with leprosie or death or being swallowed up of the earth like Korah and his Company or being destroyed with fire or any such judgment if they do it in sincerity and offer not strange fire like Nadab and Abihu And if they charge not others with taking too much upon them that are called of God and precious c. like Korab and his company Object But it will be objected But what is there no difference then but all that are elect may take upon them to preach I answer Yes There is diversities of gifts and diversities of operations c. And there is degrees and measures given out of the same Spirit It is onely true of the Lord Jesus Christ That to him was not given the Spirit by measure And as all members of the body are not fit for neither have the same office so it is also in the body spiritual That one and the self-same Spirit giveth out to every one severally and variously as it pleaseth him There is and ought to be feet and hands as well as eyes and mouth which are most properly placed in the head And though it be true That if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Yet it therefore follows not That all that are his have the manifestations of the Spirit It is one thing to have the Spirit and another thing to have the manifestations of the Spirit But where ever the manifestation of the Spirit is given to any man it is given saith the Apostle to prosit withal in their several places and degrees according to the measure or nature or property of their gifts and calling and qualifications For To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledg by the same Spirit And to another faith by the same Spirit to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit To another the working of miracles to another prophecy to another discerning of spirits to another divers kindes of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues As 1 Cor. 12. 8 9 10 11 12 c. I shall therefore compare such who in any of these particulars mentioned by the Apostle have the manifestation of the Spirit to the sons of Aaron to whom belonged the Priesthood in a peculiar manner above the rest of the sons of Levi for such who have in any of these particulars the manifestations of the Spirit they have as it were a visible unction from the holy One 1 joh 2. 20 27 According as Aaron was anointed and his sons also with him and sprinkled with holy oyl Levit. 8. 30 31. And so were consecrated and appointed to their charge at the Lords appointment as Vers 33 34 c. And as Aaron was above his sons and wore the brest-plate and other ornaments that were peculiar unto him as Vers 7 8 9. and to him onely as the chief Priest so the Ministers of the Word are chief and ought to be so accounted and esteemed in the Church and all other officers as Elders and Deacons who are resembleable to the sons of Aaron if such as they ought ought to be chosen and consecrated likewise as well as the Ministers And they should be known approved as men full of the holy Ghost and wisdom and of honest report likewise or else they are not suitable to be joyned with the Ministers nor consecrated by them unto any office in the Church of God as appeares Act. 6. 3. But all that are such