Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	aaron_n	brethren_n	lord_n	22	3	3.0936	3	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

certainly never was there such need of the Serpents wisdome and the Doves Innocency to keep Integrity and Indemnity together To resolve {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} I will be honest and righteous and discharge a good conscience and yet not righteous over-much neither so hotly and indiscreetly and peevishly as to be doing mischief to tempt trouble Why should I destroy my self {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} live close and retired so as to keep neerest Communion with God and to have least to do with the World This I do magnifie and account the Apex the top of wisdome 4. Be stedfast not Giddy and Virtiginous This Age hath beene taken with an unhappy Vertigo which hath made men not keep the ground they first stood upon shall I add inoffensively while I speak inter nos and onely of our selves There hath been a wanton delight to be meddling trying experiments and ringing of Changes Quieta movere merces magna videbat yea so distemperd have some been that like the intoxicated man who the liquor being busie in his braine fancyed himselfe at Sea in a great Storme in present danger of Shipwrack and thought there was a necessity of lightning the Ship and throwing some of the lading over board and so threw the Goods of the House out at the Windows So I say have some fancyed a present necessity of abolishing and throwing away what they would have done better to have kept But the worst ficklenesse and novelty hath been Growing weary of old Truths as well as old Establishments and espousing new fond opinions Forsaking the ancient paths wherein the Prophet adviseth us to walk and choosing to go in paths not cast up yea good God! how many wayes have many been lost Some proving Apostates to God and Religion rellishing the Cup of Romes inchantment and making themselves drunk with it so that that Scarlet Whore can openly brag of the numerous Lyst of her new Proselites and Servants though they are such indeed for the most part that we could well spare them and care not to Lure them back againe Others crumbling away into Conventicles ready to joyne with every frantick Sect and so making Gods Israel to become a speckled Bird of severall Colours of all varieties of Religions O what Rivers can wash off that deep scandall which sticks upon this late glorious and most Uniform but now miserably deformed and even Antick Church for which we may thank the Giddinesse of men well but while others have gone away after strange delusions Believe you J beseech you that you heare Christ calling to us especially vvho are the Sons of his Teachers in Israel Will yee also go away Of all it will be most to our shame and to the shame of our Fathers house if while they were strong Pillars in the house of God vve prove our selves Weather-cocks turned about vvith every wind If vve vvho are Branches of the firm Cedars shall shew our selves as the soft bending Willowes of no strength or Consistency O let us remember the best Inheritance our Fathers could leave us were their Principles and let us not upon any termes part with our Inheritance The Apostle well insinuates with his young Timothy telling him he was perswaded that the same Faith which dwelt in his Grandmother Lois and his Mother Eunice was in him also I do not press this that we should all be of the same Religion that our Grandmothers were of because it was their Religion but our inheritance of sound Faith from our Fathers is the same that his was from his Mother and Grandmother whosoever then be fickle and warping let us hold our own and let our word be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} rooted and grounded in Faith 5. Be Moderate and Peaceable after those unhappy divisions for which there hath been and yet is such thought such bleeding of heart so many prayers and teares poured out by good men and wch have cost so much precious blood what can be more seasonable and needfull then cementing Counsell That all Gods Building O when wee shall see it may be raised up as of one stone By having Cor unum viam unam one heart and one way It is true Christs Coat hath been miserably rent in the whole cloath as well as in the fringe Do not so much as ask who made the Rent let the world judge of that Do not suppose it hard to be drawne up and made entire again Down with whatsoever Animosities and study of parties and pertinacy to keep up what hath been set up which have already given to growing Sectaries such advantage and to the Devill such occasion to laugh and triumph Let those ill invented differential Termes whereby we have been distinguished from each other be buried and swallowed up in that name vvhich vvill lead us all hand in hand to Heaven the name of Christians J know here are many of different perswasion from me But is there any here vvhom J vvould not gladly accompany and zealously further towards Heaven Why then should we not be friends in the way If my stomack or any of yours do rise against the name of Brotherly Communion which may consist with our severall principles retained not differing in Substantials God take down that Stomack and make us to see how much we are concerned to keep the unity of the Spirit in bond of Peace to make our moderation known unto all men because the Lord is at hand Moderation in what we may And let me ask in one particular Why should some in the height of their zeal for Liturgy supposeth there can be no Service of God but where that is entirely used Why should others againe think their piety concerned and trespassed if I do prefer and in some considerations think sit to use a set form There must be Abatements and allowances of each other a coming down from our Punctilio's or we shall never give up a good account unto God My last word is Be Charitable And a good close shall I make if I maybe heard effectually in this which is indeed the grand motive and inducement of our summoning one another this day Not to feast our selves who are full but to feed others who are hungry and empty We would this day pay our Vowes of thanksgiving in the great Congregation for Gods visible blessing upon us for his goodnesse in letting our Lot fall in so faire ground and so encreasing our Store But if we would appear thankful where is our thank-offering No man should appear before the Lord empty What Present do we bring to shew our readinesse of honouring the Lord with our Substance How can we but be damped in our enjoyment of the good things we have To see before our eyes so many sad and only too fit Objects of our Commiseration Venerable Wanderers who ill become their condition And the Relicts of worthy Servants of God