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	bless_v	levi_n	898	4	12.3865	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85035	A triple reconciler stating the controversies whether ministers have an exclusive power of communicants from the Sacrament. Any persons unordained may lawfully preach. The Lords prayer ought not to be used by all Christians. By Thomas Fuller, B.D.	Fuller, Thomas, 1608-1661.	1654 (1654)	Wing F2472; Thomason E1441_2; ESTC R202064	51,442	150

we now to answer those Cavils which this age hath devised against the Lords prayer a subject not unnecessary in our days Indeed when one had made a large discourse in the praise of Hercules and expected great commendation for the same his Audience onely answered his expectation with this question quis unquam vituperavit Herculem whosoever spake in the disparagement of Hercules Intimating thus much that his pains might very well be spared in a needless subject all the world acknowledging the worth and valour of Hercules The same will be said of the ensuing part of my sermon ut quid haec perditios what needeth this wast of words and time were ever any so impious so prophane as to doubt much less deny the divine inspiration and dayly necessary and profitable use of the Lords prayer Ans. Thirdly I believe it is almost unprecedented in former ages which maintained a constant reverence and esteem thereof as the Lords prayer and Lord of prayers But alas we are fallen into such an impudent age wherein many begin to slight it of whom I will say no more than this If they begin to think meanly of Gods prayer what cause hath God to think basely of theirs And now I remember what John the Baptist said to our Saviour Matth. 3. 14. I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me In humble allusion whereunto I may say my prayers have need to come to Christ to mediate and intercede to God for them and to present them with his merits to the Throne of grace And now his prayer comes to me so the all disposing providence of God hath ordered the matter that in the prosecution of my Text I must be a weak Advocate in the defence thereof The best is it mattereth not who is the Pleader when God is the Clyent and what is wanting in my weakness and worthlesness will be abundantly supplyed in the might and merit of the subject which I undertake First it is objected that it is a set form of prayer and therefore doth pinnion and confine the wings of the Dove which ought to be at liberty and freedom to make choice of his own expression of it self It is said Rom. 8. 26. The spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered It is therefore presumption in man to make himself Gods Interpreter and to dictate those words whereby his Spirit is to impart and communicate it self to the Throne of grace It was charged on the Rebellious Israelites Psal. 8. 41. That they limited the holy one of Israel no better is their practice who offer to score out both the path pace to Gods Spirit in prayer by pre-designing the Numericall words which are to be used thereby Gods servants are said to be led by the spirit Ro. 8. 14. And so also if ye be led by the spirit Galatians 5. 18. But this is leading the spirit when men will guide their Conduct-our and draw up a set form whereby the same shall be directed Ans. That set forms are no restrainings of the holy Ghost in us appeareth by the practice of our Saviour himself Matth. 26. 44. And went away again and prayed the third time saying the same words namely the same words which he uttered the second time viz. O my Father if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it thy will be done See we here he who made the tongue to speak who was the frauder and confounder of all languages who needed not by premeditation to press words for his service seeing millions of volunteeres proffered themselves to be used by him See I say him pleased notwithstanding to resume the same individual terms which he had uttered before Secondly next to our Saviour who may be presumed most able to pray then the High Priest Aaron and his two inspired Sons Eleazer and Phineas Yet God in their publick blessings left them not to the liberty of their own expressions Num. 6. 23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his Sons saying on this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them the Lord bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace I confess they were not confined to these words on all ennergencies and occasions having the latitude allowed them that in the Temple they might varie from this form according to their own discretions Witness the blessing of Eli to Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 17. Go in peace and the God of Israel grant thee thy Petition which thou hast asked of him But otherwise God had ordered them not to decede from this form and as Moses was to make all things according to the pattern in the Mount Heb. 8. 5. So no doubt the Priests conformed themselves in their prayer to every word syllable and etter of Gods prescription neither detracting thence nor adding thereunto Thirdly the Ministers conceived prayer under the Gospel is a stinted and premeditated one to such people his Auditours who ay Amen thereunto Their fancies and which is more their hearts do or should go along with the Ministers words so that he boundeth their meditations Hither shall they come and no further If any say that notwithstanding this Obligation to the words of the Minister they may make their own Salleys and excursions by Gods spirit in their hearts to enlarge themselves and as it were to comment in their sighs and groans on the Text of the prayers of their Ministers it is said that no less liberty is allowed them in all premeditate forms of prayer where on the plain song of the set words the devotion of their hearts may descant to their own spiritual contentment Fourthly none will deny but Songs and Hymns are prayers of thanksgiving both those which David made in the Old Testament and those that were used by Christians in the Primitive times Ephes. 5. 19. Speaking to your selves in Hymns and spiritual songs Colos. 3. 26. Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs Now surely such Ditties would be bad and Notes worse and the Harmonie rather ridiculous to move laughter than melodious to raise Devotions if the singers thereof were not predirected to the very words and syllables of what they sung and chanted in the Church Excellent was the expression of Doctor Preston in point of preaching and is applyable equally to prayer He would have a Minister take such pains in studying his sermon as if he relyed not only on Gods assistance but when he cometh to preach the same so wholly to cast himself on divine asisstance as if he relyed not at all on his own studies Proportionable whereto a Christian soul may compile and compose his prayer as trusting nothing to the Spirit and yet in the minute of the utterance thereof to God so quit and renounce all efficacie of premeditation as consisting onely in the concurrence of Gods

and reduced tendency of the soul to that calling Especially when such persons if consulting sinister respects might have provided more plentifully both for themselves and their posterity yet passing by more gainfull professions whereof they were equally capable with others their restless souls cannot be centred with satisfaction on any profession save that of the ministery Thus Tim. 3. 1. If a man desire the Office of a Bishop he desireth a good thing not the honour but the Office not the profit but the pain whence {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} mans natural appetite if he have as great a desire thereunto as to his natural food Secondly in having some competent ability to discharge that Office I say competent For for these things who are sufficient It is a Burthen too heavy for the back of an Angel Some skill in Greek and Hebrew that he may competently recover the Scripture in the Original Some skill in Logick to analize the Scripture aright For although the words of the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 15. Rightly dividing the word of truth be principally intended Theological divisions giving comfort to whom comfort terrour to whom terrour belongs yet even Logicall dividing is necessary for the clear parcelling and expounding the word Some skill not in vain but full Philosophy to understand the Metaphors of Scripture Know here great the difference of abilities in several ages In time of general ignorance a lesser degree of knowledge must be admitted Sad the times in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth when by her Majesties injunctions the Clergy were commanded to read the Chapters over once or twice by themselves that so they might be the better enabled to read them distinctly in the Congregation Blessed be God we have an alteration to the better and lately there hath been plenty of able men were their parts but sufficiently sanctified which hath brought me to the third part of the Internal Call viz. Inward Holiness This is mainly material as rendred for a reason of the extraordinary success of the ministery of Barnabas Acts 11. Why much people were added to the Lord by his preaching For he was a good man and full of the Holy Christ and of faith c. I deny not but it may be possible even for a wicked minister virtute officij by virtue of his office to convert others to God But far betterit is when done officio virtutis by the office and efficacy of his virtues as the Instrumental cause thereof True it is Daniel 12. 3. They that turn many to righteousness shall be as the stars for ever and ever but what went before in the same verse and they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament And what saith Solomon Prov. 9. 22. If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self chiefly labouring to make his own calling and election sure The External call consists first in the approbation of such in the Church which have power and place to examine them For know all men by nature have Laodicean humour in their souls ready to say I am rich and have need of nothing when indeed they are poor and have need of all things I have gifts I have graces fit to make a minister will swelling emptiness say when modest abilility is often silent Now let another praise thee and not thy own mouth Let guilty dross decline the Touch-stone good gold rejoyceth when brought thereunto But let these also first be proved A great Emphasis is couched in also how good soever they may be reported let their honesty and ability both of them be first examined wherein eminent holiness may make the less knowledge to pass currant but no knowledge how great soever can qualifie profaness for the Office But all these will not do the deed to make a Lawfull minister still one thing and but one thing is wanting and that is ordination Acts 14. B. Titus 1. 5. the solemnity whereof with the Ceremony used thereat are set forth in scripture This done after the Internal and External call compleated by Approbation and Ordination let one so qualified preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine The Lord prosper the work of his hands yea the Lord prosper his handy work we have wished him good success in the name of the Lord Come we now to resume our main Doctrine which is this None may ordinarily execute the Office of a Preacher except lawfully called thereunto This first appears by the Legall Priesthood appropriated to the Sons of Levi and two eminent judgements one to Forraigners usurping the same Vzzah a private man Vzziah a King to shew that neither high nor low may be excused therein Uzzah to the Tabernacle Uzziah to the Temple To shew that whether the Church be in motion in afluctuating and tottering condition or Temple-like in a standing and setled estate none can be defended Uzzah out of charity mistaking meaning well Uzziah out of mere pride of heart lifting up himself to shew that God will not hold them guiltless be their intentions good or bad Uzzah favoured at leastwise not opposed by the beholders and pitied by David himself Uzziah resisted by the Priests to shew that whether men do or do not mislike such intrusion it is unlawfull in it self Uzzah instanly smitten with death Uzziah with a long and lingering sickness parted from publick society to shew that divine justice goeth not always the same path and the same place in punishing offenders And here it is not unworthy our notice that though Jeroboam made Priests of the meanest of the people without any respect to the Tribe of Levi 1 Kings 12. 31. never giving his negative voice for any mans worthiness but whosoever would might be a Priest Yet even those Priests did not officiate till the Ceremony of a mock-consecration was passed upon them 2 Chron. 23. 9. With the sacrifice of a Bullock and seven Rams Well did that wicked Politician know that except some solemnity was used to separate his Priests as mean as they were from common people his prophane Religion would quickly be contemned and confounded Secondly This may be proved by the solemn calling and Commission of Christs Apostles Their Calling consisted in Come hither Their Commission consisted in Go therefore Their Calling Mark 3. 13. And he goeth up into a mountain and calleth unto him whom he would and they came unto him {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} whence our English Call it was not who would come but whom he called Christ invites all to salvation Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden onely some to the ministerial Function Object It was Moses his wish Num. 11. 27. Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets what he desired is now done what then wished is now wrought then prayed for now performed The Pulpit or Prophecying according to Moses his wish is now open to all and such discover