Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	ghost_n	holy_a	inspiration_n	3,288	5	10.8693	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49408	Five sermons, preached before His Majesty at Whitehall, published severally by command, and now printed together, tending all to give satisfaction in certain points to such who have thereupon endeavoured to unsettle the state and government of the church by B. Lord Bishop of Ely.; Sermons. Selections	Laney, Benjamin, 1591-1675.; Laney, Benjamin, 1591-1675. Study of quiet.	1669 (1669)	Wing L342; Wing L351; Wing L352; ESTC R16949	80,355	196

like or dislike It is not simple hearing the Sense it self is not capable of advice but mix'd St. Paul gives the reason why the Gospel being preach'd to the Jews did not profit them because not mix'd with Faith in them that heard it It is not simple hearing but mix'd with a more noble part of the Soul that guides it And so to take heed what you hear is in effect to take heed what Faith and Credit you give to that you hear for so it follows in the Verse VVith what measure you mete it shall be measur'd to you the benefit will answer to the care measure for measure But what different measure can there be of that which differs not Gods Word is from everlasting unchangeable The grass may wither and the flower thereof may fade away saith St. Peter but the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you 1 Pet. 1. ult Though Gods word be one in it self yet that one hath been made known to the world in different ways and Degrees and so requires a hearing proportionable to them God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken by his Son And likewise that which the Son spake in those last days the days of the Gospel was in divers manners For first he spake by himself in person The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor That which he preached was certainly Gods word And when he left the world to go to his Father he sent the Holy Ghost from Heaven who in the mouth of the Apostles preached the same Gospel for those holy men spake not by the will of man but as they were mov'd by the Holy Ghost And therefore this also was truly the word of God And when the Church was thus founded by the preaching of the Holy Ghost for the propagation of it to all times after it pleased God to give it in VVriting in a Scripture and that by inspiration of the same Spirit which before preached it So as now we need not ascend to Heaven to fetch Christ down nor the Holy Ghost as some pretend to do to know Gods will but to receive it only from that Scripture Thus far we have the Word of God in Proper i. e. immediately out of the mouth of God and our hearing must be absolute for the matter we must say with Samuel Speak Lord for thy servant heareth But when it pleased God to commit the dispensing of that word to the Pastors of the Church for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes 4. 12. Now the word of God was come into the hands of men subject to infirmities and error who may both deceive themselves and others And here our Saviours advice comes in season Take heed what you hear Before Gods word was in the Original but here only in the Transcript or Copy and some Copyings are more happy than others and come nearer the Original and therefore not all of the same value and esteem All Preachers are not to be heard alike nor all Sermons The word of God in them is so the water of Life that it often tastes of the mineral through which it runs and hath a tincture from the earthen Vessel that brings it and therefore not to be receiv'd with that measure of trust which belongs to the pure and proper word of God For take a Sermon at the best the most you can make of it is that it is Gods word only in a qualified sense because the Church intends it should be so and it is the Preachers judgment and opinion that it is so and possibly it may be so indeed But then because possibly it may not be so we had need take heed what we hear We learn from St. Paul that it was more than possible it was truly so then for he warns Timothy of Preachers that will strive about words to no purpose but to the subversion of the hearers 2 Tim. 2. 14. And verse 16. By prophane and vain bablings do increase to more ungodliness And verse 17. Their word will eat as doth a Canker or a Gangrain for so the Greek word is and that 's a dangerous Disease and by all means possible to be avoided and especially to be taken heed of Thus it was in the early times of the Church we have reason then to look for worse after and so we of late times found it by sad experience Not only profane and vain bablings but Sedition Treason Rebellion were drest up and appear'd in the likeness of Sermons It is too plain we have but too much need of caution to take heed But alas what should private men do must they or can they call all Preachers and Doctrines to account The Scriptures indeed which are the undoubted Word of God would do it if well manag'd but how can that be hoped from every hand wherein wise that is learned men are mistaken and from whence every Sect seeks Patronage and perswades it self to have it What means is there then left by the help whereof we may take heed what we hear Truly none that I know but this still the Scriptures are the only insallible rule But how Not left loose to the prejudices and fancies of every man for then it will fall out as with those that look in a Glass in which every one sees his own face though not anothers the reason is because he brings his face to the Glass not because it was there before So every Sect sees the face of his own Religion in the Scripture not because it was there before but because his strong fancy and prejudice brought it thither he thinks he sees that in the Scripture which in truth is only in his own imagination But how then can we have any help from the Scriptures to take heed what we hear Not as Gods word lies diffus'd through the whole body of them but as prepar'd and ●itted up in a summary and short form of wholsom words by such to whom the care of the Church is committed If any shall think this a humane invention derogatory to the sufficiency of the Scriptures Let him implead St. Paul first who made the same use of it finding what mischief false Teachers had done charges Timothy with the care of it 2 Tim. 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me This form he calls in the last verse of the former Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a depositum committed to his trust and for that very purpose that he might avoid profane and vain bablings and oppositions of Science falsly so called and that is plainly that they might take heed what they hear The same course was