Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	earth_n	heaven_n	soul_n	6,226	5	4.7265	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29185	The ministers of England which are called, the ministers of the gospel vveighed in the ballance of equity: by way of consideration, whereby it plainly appears, whether they be the ministers of Christ, or of antichrist. And also, whether to bear a testimony against a setled maintenance, either by tyths or any other way which may be invented to uphold that ministry, be any way dangerous to destroy the gospel of Christ; resolved. With a serious meditation upon the dealings of God with England, and the state thereof in general. Published for the satisfactiou [sic] of such as desire to prove all things, and are willing to hold that fast which is good; by a friend unto the faithful ministers of the gospel of Christ, John Braithwait.	Braithwaite, John, fl. 1660.	1660 (1660)	Wing B4206; ESTC R221651	16,773	40

THE MINISTERS OF ENGLAND Which are called the Ministers of the Gospel VVeighed in the Ballance of Equity By way of Consideration whereby it plainly appears whether they be the Ministers of Christ or of Antichrist And also Whether to bear a Testimony against a setled Maintenance either by Tyths or any other way which may be invented to uphold that Ministry be any way dangerous to destroy the Gospel of Christ Resolved With a Serious Meditation upon the dealings of God with England and the State thereof in general Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but transgressors shall fall therein Hos 14.9 Published for the satisfaction of such as desire to prove all things and are willing to hold that fast which is good By a Friend unto the faithful Ministers of the Gospel of Christ John Braithwait LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson at the Sign of the Black-spread Eagle and Wind-Mill in Martins Le grand 1660. THE MINISTERS OF ENGLAND VVhich are called Ministers of the Gospel weighed in the ballance of Equity WHen I began to consider of these things and weighed them in the ballance of Equity and Truth my soul within me was troubled to hear the cry amongst the People concerning the Ministers and the Gospel some crying this is a Minister of the Gospel another that and while I was meditating on these things the Lord God that made Heaven and Earth by his Spirit said unto me Weigh them in my ballance of Equity compare them with my Servants and Ministers in former ages and see whether they be in their Call Practise and Doctrine agreeable to my Servants which if they be not let the People understand and know thereof that so many as desires after the way of life and salvation may be deceived no longer and the rest may be left without excuse Then I began to consider how the Ministers and Servants of the Lord were sent forth in former ages whether they were sent to the Schools to learn that they might be fitted to do the Lords work or be his Ministers Amos 1.1 and I could not find in all the Scriptures of Truth that the Ministers of Christ were sent to the Schools of Learning with an intention thereby to be made Ministers of the Gospel Mark 1.16 17. but they were called forth from their labours and imployments and were endued with power from on high by him that sent them to perform the service they went about But they who are commonly called the Ministers of the Gospel in England are sent to the Schools to learn the Tongues and Languages and that they say fits them to be Ministers of Christ which many Tongues and Languages came in since transgression Gen 11.7 8 9. and the justice of God was executed upon them who thought to make themselves a Name and build a Tower whose top might reach unto heaven and now those men called Ministers glory in their Tongues and Languages Do they not glory when they say he is an able Minister he hath the Tongues here the Tongues makes them able as they say here they take the glory from Christ and ascribes it to the Tongues which Tongues Christ redeems out of Rev. 5.9 and so they glory in that which Christ redeems out of which glory the Lord God of Heaven and Earth will stain and shame and confusion shall come upon them Object But sayes the People they may be Ministers of Christ though they learn the Tongues was not Paul a Minister of Christ and was not he brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and had not the Apostles the gift of Tongues Answ Yea Paul was a Minister of Christ but the bringing up at the feet of Gamaliel Acts 22.3 to the 22. did not make him a Minister of Christ is apparent for after that he persecuted the Church of God until such time as the Lord met with him and called him by his grace to be a Minister and a Witness for his Name Then if it be the Lords work to call and make Ministers then those men who believe or think that Tongues or Languages can make Ministers of Christ are in an error and are ignorant of the power of God and ascribe that to the Tongues and Languages which at the best are but a gift which is only due to God though we do not forbid to speak with Tongues Object But then they say you mistake us we do not ascribe the glory to the Tongues we use them but as a means Ans But if you use that as a means after such a manner as God never ordained to wit that none without it can be made Ministers of Christ then you ascribe that to the means which properly belongs to God and so would limit the holy one of Israel to your means and helps your tongues and languages Which tongues the Beast had power over Reve. 13.17 that so none might be called Ministers of Christ but such as you approve of who at the least will give some honour to your tongues and languages which makes the people idolize you and wonder after you but now you are weighed found too light your glory will the Lord God of Heaven and Earth lay in the dust and he will call forth Servants and Ministers by his Spirit as in former ages whom he will endue with his power from on high that will glorifie him for ever But further when I began to consider the life and practise of those men whether it might not be agreeable to the life and practice of the Ministers of Christ and when I had considered the life of the Prophets of the Lord and Ministers of Christ they were holy men and meek men just and sober Tit. 1.7.8 Mat. 10 Mark 12. 38 39 40. and were not to be called of men Master nor have the chiefest place in the Assemblies nor stand praying in the Synagogues for the Scribes and Pharisees did so which was against Christ which Christ cryed woe against and when I had diligently considered this matter I found them to wit those pretended Ministers of the Gospel in the steps and practise of the false Prophets preaching for hire and divining for money and more unjust than ever I read that the false Prophets were in former ages Mich. 3.11 in hailing men to prison and spoiling their goods and in the steps of the Scribes and Pharisees which is afore mentioned and when I saw them so clean contrary in their call life and practise to the holy men of God my heart began to pitty the people whereupon it came presently into my mind But nevertheless though it be thus with them in life and practise for all this may not their Doctrine be good Mat. 5.48 and then I began to consider their Doctrine and compare some few of them with the Doctrine of Christ and his