Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	become_v	gain_v	weak_a	7,469	5	11.0638	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41106	Christs alarm to drowsie saints, or, Christs epistle to his churches by William Fenner.	Fenner, William, 1600-1640.	1646 (1646)	Wing F682; ESTC R25397	286,079	411

of abilities to move the affections of their hearers not only to informe their judgements but also to work upon their affections not onely to illighten their understanding but also to stirre up their hearts as Peter sayes I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you up 2 Pet. 1. 13. a Minister is to stirre up his people to stirre their hearts and affections hee may preach a wholsome Sermon and the hearers bee like Mill-posts and not stirred a jot Paul laboured to stirre affections too Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5. 11. that is wee labour to work upon your affections and therefore Christ sent a Seraphim with a live coale unto the Prophet Isaiah to touch his lips Esa 6. 6. he had need of live coales in his lips to fire the affections of his auditory So hee sent the Holy Ghost down upon his Apostles in fiery tongues without this the information of the judgement is little worth Religion consists more in the will and the affections of men then in any other faculty of the soule I confesse the Minister must shine too I but he must heat too John the Baptist was a burning and a shining light Fifthly To speak Pro re natâ a Minister hath need of extemporary abilities sometimes hee shall bee called before Councills hee preaches such doctrine as angers the world and therefore he is in danger to be had before Councills and therefore hee had need to have an extemporary faculty that he may answer as hee sees cause as Christ sayes When they deliver you up take no thought how or what yee shall speak for it shall bee given you in that same houre what yee shall speak Matth. 10. 19. sometimes to preach upon short warning as Augustine did when hee relyed upon his Brother Severus to Preach for him hee not comming hee was faine to goe up extempore himself and so hee preacht upon the 95 Psalme So when there was a suddain judgement of God that fell out there in Hippo though Augustine had preacht twice that very day before yet he went up again and preached the third time O sayes hee doe not wonder my deare Brethren Si hodie ter Sermonem c. doe not wonder that I preach thrice this same time it is not without cause c. Again a Minister may be put upon it as Philip was by the Eunuch concerning the meaning of a place of Scripture to speake of it at first sight a Minister must not only have this knowledge in his note-book but in his lips that is to be in a readinesse upon every occasion His lips must preserve knowledge Mal. 2. 7. Sometimes he may come among his people he may light upon their company by chance now if he have not good abilities he cannot doe the part of a Minister As Paul sayes I long to see you to impart unto you some spirituall gift Rom. 1. 11. A Minister when he sees his people he should be a well-stored man to impart some spirituall thing or other to them a word of instruction a word of exhortation a word of admonition when he does but see them he should be able to drop something among them Sixtly to observe seasons to be able to make choice of speciall Texts for speciall occasions For howsoever all Scriptures are full of divine and Heavenly truths yet some Scriptures sit some persons and some occasions better than othersome Aarons bells must be wisely rung sometimes in one tune sometimes in another as the occasion serves A Minister is to change his note as the circumstances do require A Steward in a family must have aswell wisedome to Minister every owne his portion in due season as fidelity to dispence his Masters goods A word fitly spoken in due time is like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver Pro. 25. 11. The very Heathen man Commends much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When a man speakes in due season S. Paul had this gift in all his preaching to ponder all circumstances who and what and where when how I made my self a servant unto all saies he that I might gain the more To the Jewes I became as a Jew that I might gain the Jewes to them that are under he Law as under the Law that I might gaine them that are under the Law To the weak I became as weake that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some 1 Cor. 9. 22. To Beloved we are the ministers of God and we have need of abilities to fit our doctrine to the present time and occasions and persons that we may profit hearers When the Apostle came to Athens he tooke his Text according to the present hint He found an Altar with this inscription To the unknown God and so he spake of that Act. 17. 23 24. He tooke occasion from thence to speake of the God of Heaven and Earth to them When our Saviour Christ saw the woman of Samaria come to draw water hee tooke opportunitie to preach unto her of the living water Joh. 4. 10. Ministeriall gifts are for this very purpose as the Prophet sayes The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speake a word in season Isa 50. 4. It is noted of John Baptist that when he saw the Scribes and Pharises came in to heare him he had about with them O generation of Vipers who hath forewarned you to slie from the wrath to come q. d. What do you make here yee are Hypocrites ye are vile wretched persons repent or else you 'l to hell This was now in due season So when a Drunkard comes in we should let fly at him Weepe and howle yee drunkards See what God saies of you to whom is wo but to you See what the Scripture sayes of your courses yee shall never inherit Gods Kingdome none of you as the Apostle speaks So when Whoremongers step in we should give them their doome O ye Whoremongers Adulterers God will judge you one day This is like the former and the latter Raine Then it comes when the ground hath need of it So when a Minister observes seasons then the word comes when the soule hath need of it It comes pat as we say Then people may see a speciall providence in it I see a speciall providence of God that the Minister should speak of such a Theme this day that he should hit so right upon my sin when a man hath beene cozening then to come to Church and there heare of it againe When a man hath beene swearing and lying then to turne in to the preacher and heare of that very sinne and the danger of it and the damned estate of the commit of it When a man hath beene thinking to do evill then to sit in his seat and heare his evill ript up and all his secrets laid open and wo