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	call_v	preacher_n	21	3	8.2017	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27497	The penitent death of a woefull sinner, or, The penitent death of John Atherton, late Bishop of Waterford in Ireland who was executed at Dublin the 5. of December, 1640 : with some annotations upon severall passages in it : as also the sermon, with some further enlargements, preached at his burial / by Nicolas Barnard ...	Bernard, Nicholas, d. 1661.	1642 (1642)	Wing B2015; ESTC R3687	79,120	190

Co-workers with God Christs Witnesses Ministers nay Christs glory To the Ministers of the Law indeed pertained the glory viz. of the Arke and Temple but these are termed the Glory of Christ himselfe typified by them whose presence made the glory of the latter Temple though meaner in building to exceed the former The dignity done to the Priests and Prophets under the Law was much Jehojada the Priest marries Jehorams daughter the King See the honourable termes given by Obadiah the chief of Ahabs Courtiers to the Prophet Elijah and to omit what we reade from good Kings See Joash a bad one visiteth Elisha in his sicknesse calling him my Father c. Now by how much the Gospell excels the Law so ought the Ministers to be preferr'd as being of a better Testament and of a farre more glorious Ministration Embassadours are usually respected according to the Princes they represent Saint Paul was so received by the Galatians As an Angell of God nay as Christ Iesus in whose stead he moved And thinke not this to be any pride in magnifying our calling Saint Paul surely was no more ambitious of honour then he was covetous of a gift but yet that he might have some fruit that might abound to their account for their own sakes no doubt he beseecheth the Thessalonians To know those that were over them in the Lord and to esteeme them very highly c. A high calling indeed the Son of God himselfe despised it not and let not the greatest then thinke his sonne of too high a birth for it 'T is no argument that now they should be made the Of scouring of the world because the Apostles were so that now they should be driven to worke with their owne hands as some it may be would be contented with because St. Paul was once put to it by necessity that now they should have no respect because there was so little heretofore given them by infidels No yee have not so learned Christ and do not ye fill up the measure of your Fathers And yet how many are there who seem to reverence Christ but like the Jews mock him in his word and servants like cursed Cham deriding their Fathers till the curse rebound upon their own heads If like Ieremiah a Minister deale truly and impartially presently devices are laid for him a conspiracy to smite him with the tongue if he indeavour to dispossesse a man of his evill spirit than like Saul to David a dart is throwne at him nay Spears and Arrows of reproaches even bitter words If a reproof then you take too much upon you ye sons of Levi. Obiect We grant the Apostles to be sent of Christ but what is that to such as are ordained in these days Ans The difference is only Vocationis modo Christ cals Paul immediately by himself and he cals Timothy per media ordinario as S. Paul speaking to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus whom himself had ordained yet Act● 20.28 he tels them the Holy Ghost had made them Over-seers as his Epistles may be truly cal'd his writings as being the Pen-man and yet Gods too who was the Inditer and in them guided his hand So the Messengers of the Church are also Christs who in his name ordain● no other then testifie they find themselvs inwardly mooved to 〈◊〉 by his Spirit See both together in that fore-named 2 Cor. 8.23 We are the Messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ as the man is called the glory of God 1 Cor. 11.7 and the woman the glory of the man Because as the Moon from the Sun they each derive their light and authority from them so are these so called here as receiving their dignity and commission from Christ by the Churches hand who in this sense confirmeth the word of his servants and is with them to the end of the world of which there can be no surer Seale than the assistance of Gods Spirit in converting their hearers Hence a two-fold instruction for the Preacher and people For the Preacher 1. A necessity of Ordination Mark 3.14 None may take this upon him be he as wise as Salomon or Daniel before he be cal'd of God as Aaron How can they preach i. e. de jure unlesse they be sent God complains of some I have not sent them yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophecied The Labourers though able and willing yet went not into the Vineyard till they were bidden by the Husband-man They who clime into this Office through the window of their own pride and self-conceit and enter not by this door are rather theeves than shepheards 'T is an observation some have made of Origen why he fell into such dangerous errours though he had an excellent wit because he so long neglected orders 2. A necessity of continuance if their Mission be from Christ none can then give them a Dismisse but Christ Have you set your hand to this Plough there is no looking back whatever other imployment by man is laid upon you of this you cannot be unloaden There may be indeed some good cause of a remoovall from a place even for the same the Colt our Saviour sent for was loosened viz. when the Lord hath elswhere need of you but I find no writ of ease in any place to dispense with the office For the People 1. First then give them entertainment the Apostle argues this case largely Cor. 9. What amendment soever hath bin here of late in some places yet still in most the meanes of the Levite is like the garments of Davids Servants by Hanun King of Ammon cut off ●y the halfs But let such con●●der the admonition of Moses Deut. 12.19 Take heed to your ●●lves they that thus rob God ●o but in conclusion rob them●elvs as there are in Story di●ers such observations Moses ●rayer for Levi is still effectuall ● Chap. 33.11 Blesse Lord his ●●bstance and smite through the ●ynes of them that rise against him ●nd of them that hate him that ●●ey rise not again That distin●tion of three sorts of Sacriledge by Peter Lumbard is commonly knowne Sacrum de sacro non sacrum de sacro sacrum de non sacro as that of Thomas Aquinas that it may be committed against three in Personam in Locum in rem The last of each are alike in a robbery upon the Churches possessions where in other Countries it hath bin consented to it is now as much repented of though too late Justinian makes it a greater sinne than treason Howsoever thou whi●● worthily abhorrest Idols doe not thou commit Sacriledge You that stand for Christs word doe not you cast lots for his coat The fish Saint Peter catched it came up with mony in the mouth and certainly such as are truly taken by the net of

29.2 who prepared with all his might for the house of God the Oyle in the Lamps of the Tabernacle must be beaten Exod. 27.29 to signifie we must beat our braines in the preparing for the light of the word not in this sense to offer ex tempore unto God that which cost us nothing No it ought to be with some labour and paines Yet as S. Augustine saith well there is quaedam diligens negligentia commendable in a Preacher neither to have his Phrase too curious nor too carelesse quae sic ornatum detrahit ut sordes non contrahit While the Temple was in framing in mount Libanus there was doubtlesse the use of all tooles but when it was set up t is said there was not then either Hammer or Axe or any toole of Iron heard in it It may be applyed to this spirituall building while the Sermon is in framing in the study make use of all Authours but in the very delivery of it in the Temple to the people what needes there the noyse of so many names of Fathers and other Writers which often drownes the matter it selfe and the producing of Heathen Poets Me thinkes t is like the bringing of the uncircumcised into Gods house of all the most unfitting If thou shalt lift up such tooles upon it as t is said of the Altar thou hast polluted it In a word so preach that the hearer may be convicted his heart discovered his tongue confesse not that learning wit or eloquence but That God is in you indeed that your tongues are touch'd with a Coale from Gods Altar Preaching consists not in flashes and Rhetoricall descants and such like pleasing vanities but in the power and demonstration of the spirit in enlightning the mind in wounding the Conscience and healing it againe The teares of the people are a Preachers praise saith St. Hierome The words of the wise saith Salomon are as goades and nailes Dicuntur pungere non palpare saith the same Father not to stroake but to pierce not to flatter but to fright men out of their evill courses and so much for the first part of the Commission To open their eyes 2. The second part of the Commission to turn them from darknesse to light from the power of Satan unto God no great difference betweene them For as sinne is often set out by darkenesse so is Satan called the power and the Prince of darknesse As Grace is often resembled by light so is God also called light it selfe the Father of light c. Howsoever if this be a Preachers Office to turne others this conclusion must necessarily follow also viz. hee must be first turned himselfe They must not then be such as live in the works of darknesse and under the power of Satan themselves What effect can that Embassadour expect when his actions shall contradict his treaties Can he hope to draw others to take the Oath of Allegiance when he refuseth it himselfe when our lives do not second our doctrine we shall but pull downe with one hand what we build up with the other He that would have a Sermon effectuall saith a Father Must first reade it in himselfe He can only speake as he ought who lives as he should What sweetnesse can there be in that speech to the hearers when 't is contradicted within the Conscience of the Speaker They can care but little for his Counsell who is himselfe carelesse of his life How shall he blesse the people when he is in a cursed estate himselfe How shall he give the body of Christ to others who is not a member himselfe As neither the blinde nor lame Sacrifice were accepted with God Hab. 1. So are they as unprofitable with man the blinde in knowledge the halt in conversation Praedicat viv● voce qui vitâ voce S. Pau● bids Timothy be an example to the Beleevers in his Conversation Titus in all things to shew himselfe a Patterne of good works gravity c. S. Peter exhort the Elders to be examples to th● flocke 't is the same word in all three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Metaphor from a Seale or stampe to which the people are like the Waxe or Paper who accordingly receive their Print St. Ambrose well cals the Ministers life the peoples looking-glasse according to which they usually dresse themselves as taking whatsoever hee doth to be Gospell now if the glasse be false the eye be evill how can the whole body but be disordered and full of darkenesse Nay hee ought to flye the very suspition of his fame that he be not so much as accused or ill reported His life should be like the land of Goshen light though all the rest of Aegypt be darke Like Gideons fleece wet with the dew of Heaven though all the ground about be dry Gregory well compares the Preacher to the cocke as in his Message which is to cry with Saint Paul Nox praecessit c. The night is past the day is at hand So in his prepation Qui prius alis insonat quam cantus emittat First wakes himselfe before hee wakes others So saith he should a Preacher first shake off the dust of his owne feete and then take care to cleane others First moove himselfe in good workes and then draw and drive on others First repent himselfe and then denounce a iudgement on them that doe not And for this exemplary innocent life both in your selves and families hath it not beene seriously charged and solemnely vowed both at your Ordination and Consecration many prayers then made for you in it if so be it be yet in vaine And certainely it is a thing most necessary in this Kingdome where there are so many that will not heare our words there our workes must be the Preacher where they shut their eyes against the light of the word there the light of our lives must shine before them And examples are the stronger Cords of the two What wee say proverbially of the Plough That it thrives best when the Husbandman saith not Ite but Venite Soe 't is with the seede of the word when the Sower can say with Saint Paul Be followers of me as you see mee doe doe likewise The life and doctrine are like that signe of Castor and Pollux when they are seene together are a presage of a prosperous voyage when asunder they portend a dangerous storme if thou livest well saith Saint Hierome thou art as the spirituall man judge of all If thou teachest well and livest ill a Judge only of thy selfe and iudged of all By thy teaching thou tels the people how to live by thy life thou shewest God how to condemne thy selfe There are some like Nebuchadnezzars Image the Head was of Gold but the Feete of Clay They have golden wits but their conversation is earthly and sensuall Whether that be true or no that is proverbially said of