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	speak_v	word_n	9,283	5	4.1967	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29428	A brief answer to three very great and concerning questions		1662 (1662)	Wing B4547; ESTC R214758	8,898	12

A Brief Answer to three very great and concerning Questions There are at this day three great Questions which if they were rightly stated and thoroughly resolved they would serve very much to confirm the minds of Believers in an active discharge of those duties which the present season requires from them or else quiet and compose their spirits if they are called to suffer THe first question is concerning the Ministers of the Gospel I mean such as are otherwise rightly qualified to preach as being gifted by God Quest 1 and called by the people but are forbid by the Civil Magistrate to exercise that office the question concerning them is whether in obedience to the commands of the civil Magistrate they are to forbear preaching or not I answer by no means and that Ans 1 First from the example of our Saviour and his Apostles who though they were as subject to the Law as we are now and injoyned obedience to all the lawful commands of civil Magistrates yet when ever the civil Authority was abused to hinder preaching they did constantly refuse to obey them Thus our Saviour who as man behaved himself wisely [a] Isa 52.13 and commands all his followers to do so yet in his preaching he did not walk by those rules of secresie and concealment which are now accounted prudential for when he was questioned concerning his Doctrine he answered [a] John 18.20 I spake openly or freely Mat. 10. boldly plainly for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often rendred to the World I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jews always resort and in secret I have said nothing thus did our Saviour really what is figuratively but with respect to him spoken concerning wisdom [b] Pro. 1.20.21 wisdom cryeth without she uttereth her words in the streets this preaching in publick our Saviour maketh to be one great part of doing his Fathers will [c] Psal 40. v. 9 10. I have saith he in that Prophetical Psalm preached righteousness in the great congregation Lo I have not refrained my lips O Lord thou knowest I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving kindness and thy truth from the great congregation In order to the fulfilling this Prophecy it is very remarkable that our Saviour began his Ministry at that very time when and in that very place where John was cast into Prison which circumstance is observed by 2 of the Evangelists after that John was cast into Prison saith Mark [d] Mark 1. v. 14. Jesus came into Galilee which was under the Jurisdiction and command of Herod [e] Luke 3. v. 19.20 who had newly imprisoned John preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and from that time saith Mat [f] Mat. 4.12.17 i. e. From the time of Johns Imprisonment Jesus began to Preach thereby shewing in his own example that no danger should discourage a Gospel-Preacher from the discharge of his duty VVhat our Saviour did himself he doth likewise advise his Disciples unto and therefore in that very Chapter [g] Ma● 1.10 where he sent them forth to preach though he directs them to beware of men [h] 4 6.1.7 and to be wise as Serpents yet withall he commands them to preach publikely what I say to you saith he in the dark do you speak in the light and what you hear in the ear publish on the house top and as foreseeing that the Disciples might raise some objections against this because of the certain danger and hazzard rhat would attend such a practice our Saviour doth no less then three times expresly command them [a] Mat. 10.26.28.31 not to be afraid of them that only kill the body whereby mentioning the worst and utmost that men can do in a way of opposition he doth sufficiently arm his ministers against lesser difficulties and to shew that he did not leave the duty of preaching publikely unto his Apostles liberty as a thing they might do or forbear as they pleased he makes it afterwards to be a part of their confessing him [b] v. 32 which he requireth as an indespensible duty from all his followers and accordingly when the Apostles after the descent of the holy Spirit upon them were commanded to be silent by the High Priests and to Preach no more [c] Act. 4. v. 19.20 in the Name of Christ Though the Persons which injoyned this were their lawful magistrates yet they absolutely refused to submit unto them and upon the account of an Argument which is still of equal force if it be righteous before God say they to obey you rather then God judge ye for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard and afterwards when they assembled together v. 29. they did not pray either for the favour of the Magistrates or for wisdom to conceal themselves or for their own preservation but appeal unto God to be a righteous Judge between their rulers and them and for themselvs do beg nothing but courage to discharge their duty and now say they v. 31. O Lord look upon their threats and give unto thy Servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word In which Prayer is being agreeable to the will of God they were presently heard and answered for they were filled with the Holy Spirit and as an effect thereof they spake the word of God with boldness The same Prayer and for the same ends doth the Apostle Paul desire the Ephesians to make for him when he was in Prison Praying [d] Eph. 6.19.20 saith he for me not that I may be released from my bonds and set at liberty but that utterance may be given to me by the opening of my mouth with boldness to make known the Mistery of the Gospel that I may be bold therein as I ought to speak and in his advice to Timothy whom he instructs as a Pattern of all following Teachers he exhorts him to stir up the gift that was in him the meaning of which advice is as he himself explains it in another place [a] 2 Time v. 2 preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all manner of long suffering and Doctrine for which Assiduity and diligence in Preaching he gives a reason which holds true and binding in all Ages [b] 2 Tim. c. 1. v. 7.8 because God hath not given to us whether we are believers or preachers the spirit of fear but of power and therefore we now as well as the Apostles afore us are not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord but to suffer hardship with the Gospel according to the power of God [c] 2 Tim. 2.1.2 ● 2. as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ Secondly another Argument may be taken from the Nature of a Gospel Ministry which to whomever it is committed is to