Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	aaron_n	annex_v	priesthood_n	27	3	10.0536	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86708	Gods appearing for the tribe of Levi: improved in a sermon preached at St. Paul's, Nov. 8. to the sons of ministers, then solemnly assembled. / By Geo: Hall, minster at St. Botolph Aldersgate.	Hall, George, 1612?-1668.	1655 (1655)	Wing H336; Thomason E859_1; ESTC R202510	19,055	39

Aarons Rod did not onely bloom Blossoms but also yeilded Almonds not onely gave hopes and promises and Earnest of Fruit but the fruit expected and that not overhastned but kindly and come to due maturation This was the height of the wonder Buds Blossomes ripe Fruits and all within so little a time as a night who sees not in these severall productions both satisfaction given to that present age in the Fruit a sure proofe of Aarons Calling to the Priesthood and security given to Posterity for constant succession in the Buds and Blossoms which did tell what fruit should come in after times from the same Stock Of these Almonds much good use may be made many wayes we content our selves now with this There is no such good and sure proofe of the calling of God as Fruitfulnesse Some more weak and scrupulous sheep of Christs Flock do stand looking upon their Pastor and question his Calling to take the care of them when they should be feeding they scruple whether their Ministers be lawfully called to the oversight of them though never so duly ordained when they might find it by their owne Improvement let that scruple cease If with right Ordination and the continued practice of the Church determines what that is there be fruitfulnesse in their Ministry if there be on their part laboriousnesse watchfulnesse desire to approve themselves to the consciences of men endeavour to gaine soules unto God if they be Doctrinall men as Doctor Donns word was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Living Lawes their lives sound Commentaries upon their Doctrine these be evidences enough here be Almonds upon Aarons Rod And in this will we make our free appeals to God to judge between us the legally ordained Ministers of the Church of England and whosoever our opposers If we have not fruit to shew of our Callings which Gifted pretenders shall vainely boast of if there be not in all places where we have been setled some seals of our Ministry Epistles and Letters of Commendation of it to be produced if men have not thrived happily under our labours and been fitted for Heaven if Christs Kingdom be not more advanced by us then it can be by any of those Invaders of our Ministry then let Heaven and Earth be witnesses against us let us be razed out of the land of the living yea we may boldly make the imprecation Let the earth do by us as it did by Corah Dathan and Abiram even swallow us up quick But stay Fruits so extempore so soon ripe as these Almonds on Aarons Rod might perhaps as soon wither not so they were kindly and lasting by this good token That for perpetuall memory both the Rod and Fruit were kept in the Arke of God And in this if it be fit to make comparisons between them saith a Reverend Auther This Rod of Aaron had the pre-eminence above that of Moses though that did very great Miracles yet the wonders which it did passed away But this carried still the Miracle in it self and so was a most precious Relique And that the Fruit should continue upon it and that be continued in the Ark was also most necessary for a signe of the perpetually succession of the Priesthood By the way If we had then lived and should have seen the Ark rifled the Buds Blossoms and Almonds all the good Ornaments of the Rod pluckt off and the Rod it self broken would we not have shaked our heads at it If any of Levi especially should have been accessary to the mischief would we not have cryed shame upon them It is well considered by a Master of Contemplation who spends good thoughts upon this Subject what comfort Aaron must needs take to see his Rod among all the rest thus flourishing and fruitful what a good Assurance he saw in this of Gods gracious Election and Approbation of him And what a satisfaction is it to us also whom God hath called neerer to himself to knows what ample Testimony he hath given to our sacred Calling And who shall make my Glorying vaine If I now take a fit occasion {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as the Apostle to magnifie and speak big words of our holy Office After so much Dirt and Contempt as hath been cast upon our Coat let none call what I shall bring for the honour of it swelling words of vanity but a just vindication and Apology To the stopping of the mouthes of all our Vilifiers and Contemners We will plead the high dignity of our Office and to the Conviction of all such as do suggest our uselesnesse the high necessity and importance of it 1. For the Dignity of it first who can deny that in the beginning of the World for many hundreds of years the Kingdome and Priesthood did concur in the same person and when they were severed were divided between two brethren Moses and Aaron To Minister before the Lord was the Prerogative of the First-born And how observable is it that the Spirit of God supposes Royalty annexed unto the Priesthood Yee are a Royall Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and so the Sept. renders that Exod. 19.6 Yee shall be unto me a Kingdome of Priests As if to be Royall without the Priesthood were not Dignity enough {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c. To Raigne as a Monarch and to Officiate as a Priest these are properly inherent in the same person saith Aristotle And that even among Heathens the Priests were in the highest Esteem and Veneration is a State Truth Among the Egyptians {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Grace with the precious Crown of Priesthood Is Isid. pelusiots of them And that they were {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Next to the Prince in dignity and Authority Di. Siculus assures us That they were so among the Greeks known by the several names of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} their Authors give us full account In what high strains the Greek Fathers speake of this Function is obvious to all that read them {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the excelling Priesthood is St. Chrysostomes language of it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the greatest of all Ornaments Nazianzen calls it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is S Cyrills a thing honourable and great in Gods esteem And those who are in this Office to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} venerable and to be lookt upon with most respect nay a Counsell gives it this Elogy {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The name of Priesthood to be Divine and in the first place to be reverenced Hath our Profession been set so high and have we lived to see it in a Christian reformed Nation scorn'd and layd as low as the dust The name of Priest cast as a reproach this is not more the Atheisme then the Folly and weaknesse of

GODS APPEARING For the TRIBE of LEVI IMPROVED In a Sermon Preached at St. Pauls Nov. 8. To the Sons of Ministers then solemnly ASSEMBLED By GEO HALL Minister at St. Botolph Aldersgate Rom. 8.31 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} LONDON Printed by Tho Roycroft for Philemon Stephens at the gilded Lyon in Pauls Church Yard 1655. TO THE READER Reader I Can hardly satisfie my selfe and thee much lesse who dost wonder to finde me in Print My comming forth into this open light who have rejoyced in my close retyrednesse is as if the Batt should stare the Sun in the face at noon day I desire thee to know that as the service fell unexpectedly upon me by Lot so the performance no lesse unexpectedly ingageth me to be thus publicke I was not a little tempted to decline the employment and even ready to say in some discouraging Considerations O my Lord send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send And see how my Experience justifieth my Fears the Report is come to me of one an unknowne Hearer who hardly refrained himselfe in the Congregation from clamouring against me as a Preacher of false Doctrine Serpents will bite the heels I am in this somewhat concerned to submit to common censure what was delivered let the false Doctrine be pointed at I desire no mercy and shall justifie every syllable The adventure was in my owne apprehension great while as St. Paul in that time of his greatest perill when the Ship was falne into a place where two Seas met so was I ingaged betweene opposite Parties which I was to speake unto the rigid Punctilio-men both of the right hand and of the left unto whom to speake of any thing tending to Moderation is the same thing as to bring severall swelling mountaines together to grow into one even ground But as they do not finde me so for Communion with dissenting Brethren as to buy it upon the unfit termes of yeelding up my owne sure Principles so I wish them to sit downe and calmely consider whether as Christians we are not bound to make all faire offers for it we may and to lay downe all our Animosities of which the Mischeif is so sadly visible Now that I may be sure not to disappoint thee I promise little i● this Sermon but the Subject the extraordinary occasion the Orthodoxy the plaine open Honesty and Zeale without intemperate heat If thou finde something which may be of good use and for the temper proper and seasonable as some would perswade me I repent not my well meant few dayes labour most gladly would I bestow and bee bestowed If in the least I may be profitable I never cared as all who have known me can witnesse to wrap up and hood my self as shy of discovering what I am and now it will appear I am no Changeling though one who would sacrifice himselfe for the Unity or Gods Church I would give thee a little further advertisement For that Generation of men who are haters of Ministers Toto genere who are for a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} nothing lesse then utter extirpation of us and who if they were Basilisks as they are Serpents would look us dead These I do either roughly treat or slightingly passe by Disingenuity is th● 〈◊〉 Vis plastica And what can Ingenuity or reasoning prevail upon such As for the other sort who face us and with the mustered Forces of their pretended Gifts do invade our Pulpits and pull away the Cushion from us We stand and admire not them but the infinite patience of God who plucketh not his right hand out of his bosome to consume such uncommissioned undertakers He judge between them and us whom he hath been pleased to seperate and call neer unto himself Whether their taking our Censers and holding forth be upon any warrant or no I am sure it will be hard for them to plead what We can I am vvilling to suppose thee a sober Well-wisher to a fixed Ministry and I hope one who dost solicite God in thy Prayers for us who are beset with so many and those unreasonable Adversaries In lieu of those Prayers take our blessing with thee that God would give thee such Wisdome as is most needfull to guide and direct thee in the worst and most perilous times that thou mayest steer an even safe course without danger of making Ship-wrack of thy Faith and good Conscience till thou arrive in thy wished Haven In sinu Abrahae out of all the still new threatning Stormes of this tempestuous evill World Gods appearing for the Tribe of LEVI NUMB. 17.8 And it came to passe that on the Morrow Moses went into the Tabernacle of witnesse And behold the Rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded and brought forth Budds and bloomed Blossoms and yeelded Almonds A Good day and happy design of our solemn Meeting a Meeting not of Vanity but Piety not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to make a shew of our selves to number our Tribe that it may be spoken how many of the Lords people are Sons of the Prophets but in singlenesse of heart to present and dedicate our selves unto the God of our Fathers We are come up hither as the Tribes to the Temple at Jerusalem Even the tribes of the Lord unto the Testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord And blessed be his Name who taketh pleasure in the prosperity of his Servants and hath given us this occasion of a free and solemne Convention People in this Age love to talke of Gods appearings for them Fondly leaning upon him and saying Is not the Lord amongst us But let the House of Levi now say The Lord hath appeared for us of a truth and It is well seen O God how thou goest how thou our God and King goest in the Sanctuary He hath appeared I say both for his Priesthood under the Law and for his Ministers under the Gospel and this have I prepared to entertaine you with which the Lord hath brought suddenly to me and I hope it will prove savoury meat that a blessing may follow it How God did manifest his especiall favour to the House of Levi in the Signall Election of Aaron the Head and Prince of the Tribe The Text points us to look back to what had passed before and there we find that as Sin took occasion by the Law to work evill in the Apostle so here Mercy took occasion by wickednesse and rebellion to work good to magnifie and exalt it self A Mutiny was kindled by some hot headed men levelling Spirits and Pretenders to Giftednesse against their Governours Moses and Aaron they put themselves forward in a pretended zeal to give a check to the incroachment of the Priest upon them in an assumed peculiarity of Office in setting up a Pale where all as they thought should be Common Corah the Ring-leader gets many Complices to