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 scripture_n 61 3 5.4811 4 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A69570 An antidote against lay-preaching, or, The preachers plea in a discourse answering such objections which were given to a conscientious friend : who for his satisfaction requested a resolution : in which discourse is proved that preaching of the Word is a peculiar calling to be undertaken by none without a speciall call : and that more is required in such who undertake it than abilities : in which likewise other incidentall questions and cases concerning the profession of preachers are discussed. Bewick, John. 1642 (1642) Wing B2192; ESTC R22339 30,236 47

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST LAY-PREACHING OR THE PREACHERS PLEA In a Discourse answering such Objections which were given to a conscientious friend who for his satisfaction requested a resolution In which Discourse is proved that preaching of the Word is a peculiar Calling to be undertaken by none without a speciall Call and that more is required in such who undertake it than abilities in which likewise other incidentall Questions and Cases concerning the Profession of Preachers are discussed The Lord gave the Word great was the company of those that published it Psal. 68. 11. No man taketh this honour unto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4. LONDON Printed for Andrew Crook Anno 1642. The VVriting occasioning the ensuing Discourse THe places of Scripture underwritten which some doe bring to prove That a man who hath the gift of the spirit and can preach may preach the Gospel of what calling soever he be To prove it lawfull they quote 2 Acts 17 18. from which place they understand that not only they that have been at the University and have gotten learning that they only should be Teachers but they also to whom is given the gift Ergo if I can teach and edifie my breathren and my brethren can teach to edifie me it is lawfull although we be but Tradesmen for the Apostle did labour with his hands and yet a Teacher and many others besides 2 Thes. 3. 8. By way of Reason thus 1. A Teacher is knowne to be called of God by those qualifications and gifts which hee hath received but many of Gods people have the gift to teach and resolve doubts Ergo they are called and therefore bound to teach 2. Every man who hath a gift which is spirituall it is his talent and he who useth not his talent God will take it from him and cloath him with shame and a curse Ergo men are bound to use their gifts And this is the way which we have prescribed 2. Joel 28. 44 Isaiah 3. 1 Cor. 14. 29. 1 Cor. 14. 31 and 33 ver. The Reason is given God is not the author of confusion but of peace which doth prove as they understand that when men can prophesie and doe not it causeth confusion and not peace 11 Numb. 29. Would God all could prophesie 8 Acts 1. compared with the third and fourth verses of that Chapter From which places they understand that any one poore or rich weak or strong if they could teach they became Dispensers The same times are now for the want of publick meanes they were scattered so are we Therefore if God enable us we will take a course in private If men send us to prison God will send prison-comforts 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. As every man hath received a gift so let them administer the same one to another In this thing I desire to be resolved being of my selfe but weak and not able fully to answer it An Answer to the former VVriting I Have seriously pondered the paper and according to your desire have returned an Answer to help you to a satisfaction in those things wherein some have sought to scruple you All which by the assistance of God I have throughly sifted and I hope shall discover what bran was presented by the Objectors in stead of the pure manchet of Gods word The maine assertion in the paper is this A man that hath the gift of the Spirit and can preach may preach the Gospel of what calling soever we be The proofs alledged seeme to prove two things First That any of any Profession may preach being enabled And Secondly That such ought to doe so especially in the want of publique meanes I conceive that the Affirmers of these things doe not understand by this word Preaching and Teaching preaching as it is largely taken for any kinde of notifying and making known the Gospel of Christ or the Oracles of God for then what need this controversie since it is well knowne that there are many wayes thus to doe as namely by Conference so Aquila and Priscilla expounded to Apollos the way of God more perfectly Or by Catechising so Theophilus was instructed that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been catechised so is the originall though in our English transion it is rendred instructed Or by Writing in which respect Solomon is called a Preacher because by his writings he published those truths wherewith the Spirit inspired him Or by reading and so the Prophecy of Ieremiah and the minde of the Lord was made knowne to the Jewes by Barucks reading Yea any other meanes by which the truth is made knowne may in a sense be called Preaching but I think they meane not this generall kinde of Preaching but by Preaching they meane as it is in a restricted sense taken An expounding of Scripture by doctrinall deducing of instructions and conscientiall applications of them to the Hearers by way of dilating or enlargement Or more briefly by Preaching they mean A speaking unto men for exhortation edification and comfort I beleeve they meane this by the word Preaching for so their proofs seeme to prove And therefore I will propose against their phancy of the lawfulnesse for any of any calling being able to preach five Propositions as an Antidote which when I have discussed I will punctually answer the paper The Propositions considerable are these 1 Preaching or dispensing of the word is a peculiar calling distinct from other callings 2 Not any of another calling ought to dispense the word preachingly till they are thereunto called 3 In the Call to preach more things are required than endowments to preach without which things no man hath a Call to that function 4 Men of other Professions though enabled with spirituall gifts yet are not to undertake preaching till they are thereunto lawfully called 5 Such as take on them that calling after lawfull Call thereunto ought not to intangle themselves in worldly emploiments and follow their wordly calling Of all these I will say something and then come to answer the paper CHAP. I. The first Proposition Preaching of the word that is an expounding or interpreting it thence drawing out Doctrines of instruction and applying them to severall sorts of Hearers gathered together to heare is a peculiar calling distinct from other callings A Calling is a certaine kinde of life ordained and imposed on man by God for the common good Now it is certaine that God hath constituted and appointed some men to spend their dayes in finding out acceptable words even the words of truth that they may the better publish the word of God and fasten it as Masters of the assemblies according to the command given from one shepherd Goe and teach all Nations This truth is evident from two Scriptures to name no more The first place is 10 Rom. 14. How shall they heare without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they be