Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ability_n	able_a	wise_a	24	3	4.9848	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69533	Five disputations of church-government and worship by Richard Baxter.	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1659 (1659)	Wing B1267; ESTC R13446	437,983	583

is commanded or commended by the Magistrate to the care of many Churches above his brethren yet some men are as diligent and faithfull in doing good to all within their reach as if they had been chosen and nominated to the work Many able painfull Ministers of Christ that thirst for mens salvation do go up and down among the ignorant or weak and preach in season and out of season notwithstanding the burden of their particular flocks which they faithfully bear § 33. And the parts and graces of these men do win them audience and respect where they come without any Humane Authority to awe men In almost all parts of our Countrey we have either settled or movable Lectures and when do we see a thin Congregation before a lively rowsing Minister or any man of great ability in the work No but we see the Temples crowded and find that the people reverence and hearken to such men as these in whom the Spirit of God appears § 34. Yea and the Ministers themselves will consult with the Wise and Love the good and learn of those that are ablest to teach them and imitate the ablest preachers as neer as they can So that I may truly say that there is a certain kind of Natural or rather spiritual Episcopacy everywhere exercised in the Church A great light that burneth and shineth above others will draw the eyes of many to it and if it be set on a hill it will hardly be hid Calvin was no Prelate and yet his Gifts procured him that Interest by which he prevailed more then Prelates for the conformity of the minds of many to his own There is scarce a Country but hath some able judicious Minister who hath the Interest of a Bishop with the rest though he have no higher an office then themselves Gods Graces deserve and will procure respect Even in Civil Councils Courts Committees we see that some one of leading parts is the Head of the rest though their authority be equal § 35. And indeed the conveniences and inconveniences are such on both sides that it is not an easie matter to determine Whether appointed Visitors or Superintendents be more desirable then these Arbitrary Visitors that have the Natural Episcopacy of Interest procured by their meer abilities On the one side if Magistrates appoint such Visitors the people yea and many Ministers will the more easily submit and hear and obey and more unanimously concur then if we offer our assistance without any such appointment That 's the convenience But then here 's the inconvenience The Magistrate may choose an unworthy man and then he may be feared but not honoured nor loved but greater lights will be greater still let the Magistrate set the lesser on never so high a Candlestick And then the Ministers and people will measure their esteem of the man according to his worth and that will irritate his displeasure For when he is lifted up he either looks to be valued by his Height and not his Light or Worth or else that his Light should be judged of by his Height And as this will turn to heart-burnings and divisions so the esteem that is procured by humane Constitution will be more humane and ordinarily less Divine then the calling and work of a Divine requireth On the other side if none be appointed by the Magistrate but every man go forth in the strength of his zeal and Abilities we are like to be cast on many disadvantages with carnal temporizing men and to have less unity among our selves But then that unity and peace and respect and success that we have will be more voluntary and pure § 36. The best way then if we could hit it seems to be the joining of both these together To have such Magistrates as will appoint only the most judicious able faithfull Ministers to be Visitors of the Churches that shall go forth both in the strength of the Spirit of Christ with eminency of gifts and also in the strength of the Magistrates Commission But if this cannot be attained I shall not long for constituted Visitors or Superintendents but shall be content with the Holy Ghosts appointment § 37. It is therefore the most Christian course to lay no greater stress on these modes and forms of Ministration then they will bear and therefore to live obediently and peaceably under either of them obeying such Visitors as are appointed by the Magistrate and honouring the graces of the Spirit where there is no such appointment and not to think the Church undone when our conceits about such things are crost CHAP. III. It is Lawfull for the several Associations of Pastors to choose one man to be their President durante vita if he continue fit § 1. I Come next to speak of a third sort of Ministry which hath a greater resemblance to the ancient Episcopacy then any of the rest Yea indeed is the same that was exercised about the second or third Century after Christ. And that is the fixed Presidents of the Presbyters of many Churches associated In the first settlement of Churches there was either a single Pastor to a single Church or many Pastors in equality at least of Office And whether from the beginning or afterward only one of them became the stated President is very uncertain of which anon But when the Churches encreased in magnitude and many Congregations were gathered under one Presbyterie then that Presbyterie also had a stated President as the Congregational Presbyteries perhaps had before And thus he was an Archbishop under the name of a Bishop that awhile before was either unknown or else must needs be es●eemed an Archbishop § 2. That these men should take the Pastoral charge of many Churches or that they should suspend the Governing Power of the Presbyters upon pretence of a Presidency or superiority is I think a matter not warrantable by the word of God § 3. But that such Associations of the Pastors of many Churches should ordinarily be for the sake of Union and Communion as also that it is lawfull for these Associatied Ministers to choose one among them to be their President is granted by all § 4. But all the question is Whether these Presidents should be only pro tempore or durante vita supposing that they forfeit not the trust I shall not say much of the point of convenience but I affirm that of it self it is lawful to choose a President that shall be fixed durante vita si tam diu bene se gesserit Yea it is lawfull now in England as things stand § 5. And 1. It may suffice for the proof of this that it is nowhere forbidden in Nature or in Scripture directly or by consequence and therefore it is lawfull Where there is no law there is no transgression They that say that it is a thing forbidden must prove it from some word of God which I think they cannot do § 6. 2. If it be lawfull to choose a fixed President