Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	able_a	lord_n	zion_n	48	3	9.1901	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14690	A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse by Iohn Walsal, one of the preachers of Christ his Church in Canterburie. 5. October. 1578. And published at the earnest request of certeine godlie Londoners and others	Walsall, John.	1578 (1578)	STC 24995; ESTC S102702	33,978	86

worde vnto his people then we shall finde in these dayes of ours and in this our owne Churche many that are no good ministers It were a straunge and lamentable case if in this age of our Church such grosse imperfections should be founde and if suche bee founde verely rather teares are to bée shedde and prayers powred out for spéedy reformation then any long aunswere made in this place to that former obiection But this I must néeds say that as in the beginning when the abolishing of poperie was attempted flesh and bloud might haue pretended some reasons for the placing of vnméete ministers namely that the number of Popish sacrificers to be displaced was great the number of learned ministers to succéede them was small the Vniuersities were infected as man might haue coulorablie pretented these causes of a rawe ministerie in that beginning So I knowe no expresse worde of God no sounde authoritie of any writer no good reasō which can be now yelded for the continuance and encrease of the same especially in this longing of the people to be taught in this staruing of soules with wante of teaching in this comfortable aboundaunce of able ministers whiche both the Vniuersities maye and are willing yearely to sende out into the Lordes great haruest Let vs all therefore as many as wishe for the perfect beautie of Sion heartily pray the Lord so thoroughly to deuour the heartes of all placed in authoritie with his gratious spirite that both in making ministers and in bestowing liuings appointed for ministers the glorie of God the profite of the church the institution and description of ministers conteined in his worde may alwaies be carefully obediently resoected Mée thinkes I sée by his outwarde countenaunce that some Romanistes heart is inwardly cheared with this my speach of our ministers But soft a while looke before ye leape and be not merrie without cause For blessed bee God Englande hath at this time good and great cause spiritually to reioyce and hartily to blesse and praise the Lord for the goodly store of godly learned wise painfull ministers wherewith he in his rich mercie thath so blessed vs as our forefathers albeit no doubt they often wished yet they seldom or neuer enioyed the like And this I may boldly say and proue it substantially that the meanest of all our ministers though vnable to preach are notwithstanding such as for their true religion right worshipping of God zealous affection to the Gospell prayinge for and with their congregations in a knowen language onely to the Lord and their wishing well and séeking as they can to doe good in their charges c. may iustly bee preferred to the learnedst to the wisest and deuoutest of all that Romish rabble of sacrificing priestes As yee haue hearde that the Lorde God beeing authour of the ministerie therefore great care must be had in opening the dores of the ministerie that none vpon any carnal respect be therevnto admitted so this consideration that the Lorde is the raiser vp of Prophetes the ordeiner of ministers the sender foorth of preachers ought so to preuaile in the hearte of euery priuate true Christian man that hee shoulde make choyse rather to begge his bread and abide any hard estate in the world then beeing vnfite for that function to intrude himself into the same either for a last refuge or for ease or for profite or anye other vnchristian considerations It is saide in the Epistle to the Hebrues No man taketh honour to himselfe but hee that is called of GOD c. It is then Gods calling that maketh the office entring into the same lawefull Whosoeuer therefore taketh on him the office of a minister without this inward calling of god cannot haue the sure testimony of a good cōscience y he is a true minister And how shal any mā assure himselfe that the Lorde hath called him to take the charge of his people to guide his flocke to breake vnto their soules the bread of life vnlesse hee finde that the same Lorde hath mercifully adorned and beautified him with such graces as are requisite and necessarie for a minister of the worde to witte sounde knowledge of the worde abilitie sincerelie to teache it strongly to maintaine the trueth valiauntly to conuince errour and to applie thys worde with profite and discretion This consideration of these notes and markes whereby the Lordes calling of any man to the ministerie maye bee discerned will I trust teach men to holde themselues thankefully contented with their owne vocations and not to leape of from their stalles and out of their shoppes and trades into the ministerie to the offence of the godlie the hardening of the wicked the contempt of the worde and displeasure of the LORDE our GOD which is the author of the ministerie Héere according to promisse I woulde speake of the dignitie and excellencie of Christ his true ministers but that the same is so often and so plainely mentioned in the holy worde of God as no diligent reader or hearer of the worde can bee ignorant of the same The names whereby they are called the office to them inioyned the person they represent all these euery one of these diuers other respects to the same end do plainly certifie vs of their high holy and excellent function They are called the salt of the earth the light of the worlde the ministers of Christe disposers of the secretes of God preachers of the worde starres Angels Their office is to season and poulder the heartes of the elect with the swéete sauour of Iesus Christ their sauiour to be meanes to illuminate and lighten our darke vnderstanding by a sincere interpretation of the worde to minister the Gospell and sacramentes of Christ to receiue light frō Iesus Christ the Sunne of righteousnes and to conueigh the same to vs for the guiding of our steppes to carie like trustie Ambassadours and faithfull messengers the Lorde his will and pleasure to his seruaunts They represent the verie person of the Lorde Iesus as is euident by his owne wordes He that receiueth you receiueth me again He that heareth you heareth me he that dispiseth you disspiseth mee c. These fewe but yet greate thinges spoken of the worthynesse of Christe his ministers are I trust sufficient to bringe them out of that contempt wherevnto they are growen by the malice of Sathan by the wicked practises of his instrumentes and by the horrible vnthankefulnesse of the worlde THE SECOND PART AS ye haue heard in the first parte that the Lord shal raise vp this prophete whereby hath béen declared that not carnall man but the immortall and euerliuing God is authour of the ministerie so in the second place we are to consider what manner of Prophete the Lorde shall raise vp our text saith A Prophet of your brethren like to mee Wée reade in the holy