Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	apostle_n	holy_a	scripture_n	6,970	5	5.7262	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50418	A sermon preached at the consecration of the Right Reverend Father in God, Herbert, Lord Bishop of Hereford by Jasper Mayne ...	Mayne, Jasper, 1604-1672.; Croft, Herbert, 1603-1691.	1662 (1662)	Wing M1478; ESTC R19642	22,579	52

in their Travels through the World to convert it from Idolatrie and to gain Proselytes to Christ. When the number of Believers was every where increast and the name of Christian which at first began at Antioch was every where disperst as far as Words were Names of persons the next business of the Apostles whose commission like the Sun 's was never to stand still or settle in one place but still to move like him from one Countrey to another was to mould their new Believers into well-form'd and govern'd Churches especially in great Cities such as Ephesus and Corinth and to appoint them Over-seers who should both teach and rule the Flock lest being left like Sheep without a Shepherd to o'relook them they either should be swallowed up by their own Heresies and Schisms or should break out of the Fold and relapse back again to Heathens These Overseers or as the Scripture calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Bishops of the Flock they were compelled to chuse out of their new Converts and Disciples who in that infancy of time that famine of great Parts were generally men whose Faith was far greater then their Knowledge men not bred in Schools unskilled in Tongues and Arts especially the Art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Art of Ruling well Indeed they were such men as St. Paul describes in that mean and humble Map which he drew of those Times in the first Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians at the 26. and 27. Verses where he sayes Ye see your calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise and weak things of the World to confound the mighty and base things and things despised and things that are not hath God chosen to annihilate and bring to nought the things that are To supply this great Defect the holy Ghost was fain to assist the very Apostles in the making of their choices and to furnish men with gifts and parts which might fit them for Elections Nay the persons generally were so ungifted raw unlearned in all kinds so unfit to rule or govern in the Church that he was fain to qualifie them in a way of new creation to make Things which were not bring to nought the things that were to give form to shapelesse matter to change their Ignorance to Knowledge to make unwise men wise and to raise their Wisdom out of nothing to call Light out of Darknesse and then divide it into Stars to make those learned Shepherds who were but lately Sheep able to defend their Flocks from the most fierce and learned Wolves In short to call a Church out of a Chaos and give a beauty to confusion to dispose the several parts into well-tuned Orbes and Spheres to place great Lights in this new Firmament which were to rule the Day and lesser Lights to drive and chace away the Night was a Work which required the Illumination of Gods Spirit to hold a Torch to those who had else stood in the dark And this is that which St. Chrysostom Oecumenius Theodoret Theophylact and many other ancient Writers have very well observed For St. Chrysostom in his Comment upon this very Text sayes that in this childhood this nonage of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That nothing was done as Mans Wisdome did direct 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by the direction of Gods Spirit whose business 't was not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to foretell things to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to reveal things present too especially in the choice of fit Rulers in the Church Clemens Romanus speaking of those Rulers sayes That the first Bishops which were made were made by the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having tryed them by the Spirit Oecumenius also speaks as if the other held his pen and sayes almost in the same form of words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Bishops were made Bishops by the appointment of Gods Spirit Thus St. Paul and Barnabas were of Preachers made Apostles Act. 13. 2. thus Titus was made Metropolitane of Creet Tit. 1. 5. and thus Timothy in this Text was made the first Ephesian Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Spirit of God designing of him by the Prophets Nay Eusebius in the third Book of his Ecclesiastical History taking Clemens of Alexandria for his Chronologer and Warrant sayes That this way of making Bishops by the Appointment of Gods Spirit was observed in the Church till the death of St. John who after his return from his banishment to Ephesus being intreated by the Church there to provide for succession went through all the Regions near in a holy Visitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ordained such a Clergie as the holy Ghost revealed So that they who have been curious to compute St. Johns return which was in the Reign of Nerva the 98. year of Christ 30. years after St. Pauls martyrdom do reckon That from the day of Pentecost in which the holy Ghost descended on the Apostles in cloven Tongues of fire to the time of St. John's death which was in the 100. year of Christ this way of making Bishops by the designation of Gods Spirit continued in the Church 66. years complete At which time the Church having taken general root and from a grain of Mustard-seed being become a spacious Tree able to diffuse it self without Miracles and Wonders those gifts of Gods Spirit which had brought it to this Growth and had every where furnisht it with Rulers sent from Heaven like the Manna in the Scripture ceast to fall on those who had now the Promised Land given to them in possession But yet though all this be true we are not to suppose that Gods Spirit did so wholly ingrosse this businesse to himself as to obtrude those new Rulers on the Church without their Allowance and Approbation too He onely did direct and name and recommend them 't was left to the Church to admit them to their Cures he but designed the Persons the Church gave them Ordination by the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery Which describes to us the Forme of this Bishops Consecration and comes in the fourth place to be considered and examined 'T is observed that the Spirit of God who in the Jewish Church spoke by the several sparklings of those precious stones or Jewels which shined in the Brest-plate of Aaron the High-priest where a Diamond and Amethyst gave Oracles and Answers and an Agate might be reckoned into the number of the Prophets removed those precious stones into the twelve Apostles and made them twelve Foundation stones in the new Building of Christs Church as you may read in the 21. Chapter of the Revelation at the 18 19. Verses Certainly whatever in that Church conduced to Piety and Order whatever might be made a patterne for religious Imitation the Christian

2. Canon of the Nicene Council the 18. Canon of the Council of Ancyra the 101. Canon of the Council called in Africk do speak as if those Fathers did either make those Canons or did inspire the pen of the Scribe or Register who wrote them And truly if I may joyn Historians to those Councils and those Fathers Eusebius in his 6. Book and 8. Chapter Socrates in his 7. Book and 41. Chapter do make the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last word in this Text bear the same sense and meaning with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not a Presbytery of Elders but the very Office of an Elder ordained and made a Bishop Indeed this Text in Greek if we transpose the words a little doth seem to favor this Opinion and may be made to run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Neglect not the gift of Eldership which is in thee which was given thee by Prophecy with the laying on of Hands Where it would not be hard to prove to you by the best primitive Records That the word Eldership where ere 't is used in the Writings of the New Testament signifies the dignity and office of a Bishop Nay if you will hear me quote a more authentick Author then all these not for his integrity for he was no friend to Bishops nor yet for his parts for St. Jerome sure had greater but for his authority which ought not to be question'd when the Enemy of a cause bears witness to the Truth Mr. Calvin himself was of this Opinion who in the 4. Book of his Institutions and the 3. Chapter hath translated this Greek Text into this modern Latine Fac ut gratia quam per manuum impositionem accepisti cum te Presbyterum crearem non sit irrita Take heed the grace or favour which was bestowed upon thee by the laying on of Hands when I made thee a Presbyter were not given thee in vain Where though he do mistake the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a grace or favour as the other doth a gift yet he did not erre when he made both words agree in this that in this place they signifie an Office given by the Church But what need I quote Authorities either ancient or more modern when I have a clear demonstration of Gods Spirit that by the gift here in this place is meant an Office given For doth not St. Paul remove all Clouds and lend a Sun-beam to this Text in the 4. Chapter of the Ephesians from the 8. to the 12. Verse Doth he not there strike one of the chief strings in Davids harp and say That Christ ascended up on high that he led captivity captive and that he gave gifts to men And what were those gifts The 11. Verse resolves you they were the several Offices and Orders in his Church He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and some Teachers as you may read in that place And all this for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the building of his Church as the End is exprest in the 12. Verse of that Chapter Onely by the way I cannot but observe That in the bestowing of those gifts those Church Offices and Functions as none were to partake them without commission from the Church so lest the Church should erre in the admission of the persons they still brought their Letters Testimonial from Gods Spirit He first by some Prophet designed and named them to their Office before the Church drew up their Patent by the Imposition of their Hands Which is the Conge D'Eslire or third part of this Text namely the Prophecies which markt out this Bishop for his See What Prophet 't was or whether one or many by whom the holy Ghost design'd this Bishop to his Office is wrapt up in a Cloud which affords no light to see by But sure 't was none of the old Prophets who though they were called Seers yet this person stood too distant to fall within their view And because the name of the new Prophet is not set down in particular the most we can do is to seek for him by conjecture In the 21. Chapter of the Acts at the 8 9. Verses 't is said that St. Paul in his Travels with this Disciple in his Train came to Caesarea where dwelt Philip the Evangelist Into whose house they entered and abode there many dayes And that Philip had four daughters Virgins which did prophesie Again 't is said at the 10 11. Verses of that Chapter that Whilest they staid there a certain Prophet named Agabus came down from Judaea who prophesied against Pauls going to Jerusalem Now the circumstances of Persons Time and Place thus laid together have made it probable to some that some one of these She-prophetesses conversing daily with him or that Agabus who forewarned St. Paul of his imprisonment and bonds were opportunely moved by Gods Spirit in that place to nominate this Timothy to his Bishoprick and Charge of which St. Paul no longer could be an Over-seer And great reason there was why the Prophets should have a hand in all such sacred Nominations who standing next to the Apostles in the Bill and Catalogue of Honour for there were first Apostles then Prophets then Evangelists then Pastors As an Evangelist was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fellow-labourer or Assistant to a travelling Apostle in the dispersion of the Gospel so when he was to fix and settle in some one certain place and from an itinerant Preacher or Evangelist was to pass into a Bishop for order sake some Prophet who stood next in rank above him was to recommend him to the Consecration of the Church to point him out his Diocese where he was to reside with the full power of an Apostle fixt and seated to his charge So that the business of those Prophets was partly to foretell the contingent future accidents which were to happen in the Church partly to provide fit Guides and Rulers for it But whoe're the Prophet was for 't is but Curiosity to search the same holy Spirit which did consecrate our Saviour to be the Head of the Church and to publish his own Gospel in the 4. Chapter of St. Luke at the 18. Verse where he sayes and quotes the Prophet Esay for it The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel and the same holy Spirit who commissioned the Apostles to go and plant a Church in all Nations of the World the same holy Spirit I say did direct and guide the Church in the choice of the persons who were to follow and succeed them For here if I may draw waters from the same Fountains and Spring-heads from whence others have poured forth their Discourses on this subject In the first Age of the Church when 't was but yet a tender plant the first businesse of the Apostles was