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	run_v	34	3	6.2159	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07822	Salomon or A treatise declaring the state of the kingdome of Israel, as it was in the daies of Salomon Whereunto is annexed another treatise, of the Church: or more particularly, of the right constitution of a Church.	Morton, Thomas, of Berwick.	1596 (1596)	STC 18197.7; ESTC S112936	159,289	238

reuerenced and obeyed yet this is to be noted that this authority doth not stretch it selfe to any Churches saue only to those which ioyne themselues together in this kinde of gouernment or rather in this subiection And therefore a councell which is gathered out of all the Churches of some countrie or parte of the world cannot impose lawes vpon the Churches of other countries yea if in an oecumenicall councell any one Church should refuse to ioyne it selfe with the rest the lawes of that councell should not builde that one Church for councels haue no authoritie but ouer those Churches from the which they haue authority Sect. 2. Of whom councels may and ought to consist SEcondly we are to see of whom these councels ought to consist the answere is of men whom the common consent of the Churches ioyned together vnder this common gouernment doth in respect of the excellencie of their giftes to wit of zeale godlines wisdom learning experience faithfulnesse boldnesse diligence and such other graces requisite in this behalfe iudge fit for this purpose Here we haue two questions to answere The first is whether that any besides the ministers of the word ought to be of these councels the second is whether that a councell may conueniently consist wholly of those who are not ministers of the word For answere of both these questions we confesse that the ministers ought to be accounted most fit to be admitted into consultation of these waighty matters for that they ought not only to know the state and condition of the particular churches better the any other it being their calling and office to looke vnto them but also to be endued with more excellent giftes then are to be expected vsually in others yet these councels may lawfully according to the word of god cōsist of others Yea the constitutions or decrees of such councels are no lesse to haue the force reuerence and obedience of ecclesiasticall lawes then if they had been made by a councell consisting wholly of ministers For it is in the power of the Churches which do consociat● themselues in this manner to delegate their authority to whom they will of what calling or condition soeuer he be For although the knowledge and care of the state of the Church and all other graces haue in corrupt times bene appropriated to the ministers the people being accounted ignorant and prophane idoles neither able nor worthy to deale with ecclesiasticall matters much lesse to iudge deter●ine and aduise of matt●rs of great importance yet we learne out of the worde and see it ratified by experience that the spirite of GOD and all spirituall graces do as well belong and are as often as plentifully yea some times in greater measure granted to other Christians then to the ministers of the word So that the ministers of the worde cannot challenge to themselues authority and abilitie to be the only doers in this action but must admitte into their company and consultation those of the people that are iudged fitte for this purpose yea although there be a sufficient nomber of ministers able to performe whatsoeuer is required in this behalfe yet it is diuers waies inconuenient that councels shoulde consist wholly of them For first we knowe that a great parte of these lawes do concerne the ministers themselues and the performance of their duties and functions wherein if there be any generall negligence want or ouersight and errour which is no straunge thing as they knowe who are acquainted with the histories and state of the Church who shal lay open the faulte make lawes for the redressing of it For although it may be supposed that they wil doe it of their owne accord yet it standeth not with their wisdome who haue the choosing of fit men for these councels to commit the matter wholly to them especially whenas the amending of the errour is against the credite commoditie or ease of the ministers yea it is not agreeable to any reason that they should appoint to themselues the duties and worke which they ought to doe and correct whatsoeuer is amisse therein for we know that most of all those corruptions wherewith the Church hath bene polluted and defaced these many ages haue bene both broug●t in and continued by the meanes of these councels consisting of ministers onely Besides this reiecting of the whole Church as vnfit to aduise any thing for their owne good is both iniurious to God who especially in this time of the Gospell poureth foorth his spirite with a full and indifferent hand on all his seruants that call vpon him so that his graces bestowed on the Church are as the oyntment which being poured vpon Aarons head ran downe euen to the skirtes of his garments and also reprochfull to the Church as being destitute of all spirituall wisdome and vnderstanding Lastly the excluding of all the people from councels maketh the lawes enacted by them to be vnwillingly receaued for that the ministers taking all the authoritie into their own handes doe easely incurre the suspition of tirannizing ouer the Church whereas the lawes would be readely obeyed without murmuring or repining if that some of the people had a hand in the making of them As touching the second question although a councell gathered about ecclesiasticall matters might lawfully consist wholly of those who are not ministers of the word yet it is seldome conuenient that this shoulde be put in practise for first the ordinary authority wherewith the ministers are endued in that they are the teachers and gouerners of the people although it be not sufficient to make lawes yet it requireth that they shoulde vsually beare the greatest sway in making those humane lawes whereby the Church should be gouerned yea by this meanes it commeth to passe that the lawes haue greater force and authoritie among the people then when they come from men otherwise meerly priuate Yea the state of many Churches is so that fewe men of other callings besides the ministers of the word giue themselues to the studie of the word of God or haue sufficient knowledge for this purpose thinking that it doth belong to ministers onely to know the manner of the worshippe of God and of the gouernment of his Church And if we doe suppose a flourishing state of a Church wherein knowledge doth abound not onely in the ministers but also among the people so as they are able to giue a sounde iudgement and good aduise in these waightie matters yet the ministers ought not to be excluded for if the people doe abound with knowledge it is like yea necessarie that the ministers be much more filled with all spirituall vnderstanding and wisedome yea it is seldom seene that others know the state of the Church and of the people which in making these lawes is chiefly to be regarded so wel as the ministers do who are cōtinually exercised in looking vnto thē Sect. 3. Of the necessarie coniunction of particular Churches vnder the gouernment