Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ghost_n	holy_a	mean_v	6,969	5	6.7481	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41233	The lawfull preacher, or, A short discourse proving that they only ought to preach who are ordained ministers occasionally delivered in some lectures at Epping by John Ferriby, minister of Thoydon-Garnon in Essex ; now printed upon the anti-preaching of some against it in the same pulpit about the latter end of November last : as also the pulpit-guard-relieved, in a short appendix in answer to a late book called the pulpit-guard-relieved / written by Tho. Collier.	Ferriby, John, b. 1613 or 14.	1653 (1653)	Wing F819A; ESTC R32027	69,768	96

although I shall not insist on it How little strength there is in this Argument to prove the lawfulness of their preaching who are only gifted me thinks every one should see without any direction and then what room there is left for a reply unless it be that wranglers can make room anywhere I can scarcely see or imagine Those that might prophesie one by one were not the private members of the Church for some are forbidden to speak but the Prophets whose Office was extraordinary and who had an extraordinary gift who had this liberty of speaking upon a received Revelation Adde but to this what you heard before that Prophesying and Teaching were in that Church two distinct Offices and I hope it will be sufficient The third Argument is built upon that prophecy Joel 2. 18. where it is said that God will pour out his Spirit upon all flesh and their sons and their daughters shall prophesie c. This is looked on as a Gospel promise and therefore it is conceived that in Gospel daies all that have gifts may preach For answer to this also 1. Consider that this promise of prophesying cannot be meant of preaching else must the promise in the daies of Joel crosse the prohibition given by the same spirit in the time of Paul here it is said their daughters shall prophesie In the Epistle to the Corinthians it is forbidden that women should speak in the Church 2. If it be taken literally for prophesying it must relate onely to those times when all parts of the same prophcey might equally be fullfilled young men may as well now pretend to visions and old men expect now to have God discover himself by dreams as others claim a liberty to prophesie now by this promise Whatsoever prophecy is here meant if you take it strictly can then only be practised when God gave such extraordinary gifts and made such discoveries of himself to people 3. It is manifest that the Prophet in this Promise referreth to the coming of the Messias where there should be more Light and greater knowledge given then was before under the Law The extraordinary part of it was fullfilled when the Spirit was most plentifully poured out When Saint Luke urgeth this promise as foretelling what was there acted Act. 2. 16. 17. this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel and verse 22. it is said that Christ was approved by signs and wonders But fourthly The true meaning of the place is that when the Messias should come as it is urged in Gospel daies God would pour out of his Spirit i. e. he would give the gifts of his Spirit unto all sorts of people as well ●o young as old to Female as well as male viz. illumination sanctification c. he would do it extraordinarily in the Primitive times for the confirmation of the Gospel which was fulfilled he would do it ordinarily afterward under the continuance of the Gospel which is performed in our experience The Antithesis in the former verses will help well to confirm this exposition he had before promised them meats and drinks and only outward mercies but he would then multiply spirituall blessings upon them This is the judgement of others upon the place I will by the inward vertue of my spirit enlighten the understanding of mine Elect who by nature are but children in knowledge saith Diododate and so Calvin The holy Ghost means that knowledge and understanding wherein the Church under the Gospel shall excell that under the Law The fourth Argument is framed from the practice of the Church that was scattered abroad after the death of Stephen Act. 8. 1 4. They were all scattered abroad except the Apostles veas 1. and they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the Word To answer this briefly I could tell you that it is probable that they had some extraordinary Call from God or Commission from the Apostles before they went for they had extraordinary gifts and where God gives extraordinary gifts by immediate inspiration I should not oppose such mens Preaching But plainly and clearly First I cannot see any ground to imagine that the word they in verse 4. should be referred to every particular member for in vers. 1. it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} all were scattered but ver. 5. it is only {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they that were scattered which may relate to some only Besides it is past doubt that among so many that were scattered there were many women and as you heard already they might not preach 2. Although the Apostles were left it is known that there were many Officers in the Church at Jerusalem besides There were Prophets Evangelists and the seventy Disciples Philip was one of the scattered ones who went down to Samaria and preached there vers. 5. whom you will finde called an Evangelist Act. 21. 8. so that if the word they must not be referred to all as you see it cannot be then more then probably to those onely who were called to Office they who were scattered being called to the Office of Teaching did preach the word every where But thirdly the answer is most easie It was in a time when the Church was through persecution scattered there was a great persecution against the Church vers. 1. which was one of the extraordinary cases I before mentioned when an ordinary Calling could not be had nor expected and among people who before had not received the faith of Jesus Christ Nor do I know any sober-minded man that is or would be against the Preaching of well-gifted men in such times and cases without any ordinary setting apart to the Office when and where it is impossible to be had But this through the yet continued goodness of a patient God not being our case the Argument is too weak to prove the preaching of onely gifted uncalled men in our daies There is but one thing more and I have done It is loudly cried out That although gifted men may not preach yet those who are ordained by Antichristian Bishops are not true Ministers and then not the Preachers neither For answer to this I shall tell you 1. That all Bishops by whom Ministers in England have been ordained were not Antichristian Many of them have more strongly opposed and done more against Antichrist then yet we have For besides their serviceable endeavours they have many of them in suffering resisted unto bloud Me thinks we might yet remember the labours of Jewel Abbot Davenant Vsher c. nor should we soon forget the bloud of Hooper Ridley Cranmer Latimer c. which I speak not to pleade for the Office of Lord-bishop nor to excuse the wickednesse of those who were popish and ungodly but to recover the names and to remember the vertues of those who were and are godly and usefull in their generations 2. There have been evil men in Office in the Church at all times Hophni and Phineas

censure What they would have done he knows not I know who do labour to suck the bloud of the lambs of Christ Let me tell him time was that if others had exercised such cruelty against him and his party as he would have inflicted now upon the Ministers of Christ his tongue must not have run at this rate It is pity so much tendernesse should be repaid with so great severity But the Proverb is true Pag. 20. We have no true Church no true Ministers How then got he to be of a Church or when did the true Church begin For Pag. 29. We are not speaking saith he out of but in a constituted Church He is much put to it to answer that Argument If gifted men may preach then gifted women too This saith he is your conclusion we say and the Scripture saith that gifted Brethren may preach you Will will conclude that gifted women may preach But where doth the Scripture mention gifted brethren more then gifted women I had thought gifting had been the qualification thè sending and then in one as well as another Let people see what pains he takes to shift off the truth what ●oles he runs into so prevent a conviction Nay Pag. 60. he saith Women may prophesie too though not in the Church or at Last by the permission of the Church For which ●●●●…geth 1 Cor. 11 5. An excellent interpretation Paul saith the women must not be permitted to speak in the Church and he would move they may with his glosse upon another pi●●● But besides what is answered by the Gentleman t●●●… I shall 〈◊〉 that Learned Mead expounds it of singing and for that exposition urgeth ●Chron 25. 2. 1 Sam. 10. 5. where prophesying is taken in the same sense Every woman that praisth or singeth praise c. He labours much to take off those answers given to what is urged from 1 Cor. 14 But for all he saith to that I shall referre the Reader to what I have spoken of that place and of the argument drawn thence in the former part of this Book He acknowledgeth prophesying to be extraordinary under the law but not in Gospel-daies pag. 60. If it were ordinary in the Primitive times why was it given then by Revelation Why were not all that had gifts Prophets If it be ordinary now Why doth it not continue If Th. Collier can but discover that there is such a gift of prophesying now as was then when ut suprà they received immediate Revelation when they could foretell things to come when they could by sudden instinct explain dark and difficult Prophecies he will speak something but I do not see that is attempted I would advise him never to urge that Scripture more until he can manifest such a gift Yet I cannot but observe his learned exposition upon the 32. verse of 1 Cor. 14. Let the spirits of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets P. 21. i. They are able to contain themselves and be silent while another speaks When it it is said ver 29 that they must speak two or three and the others judge The text it self tels you what subjection is meant there i. to the judgement of the Prophets Surely if he had such a measure of the Spirit that he pretends to he would have more skill in discerning of Scripture Let none think that he hath the spirit of prophesying spoken of 1 Cor. 14. that can no better explain so easie a Text Master Hall The Gentleman having said that the holy Ghost commends Learning He replies pag. 41. Holy Ghosts Is there any such word in all the Scripture as Ghost How now which way went the Spirit of God from him What immediatly inspired yet ignorant of this hath he forgotten Mat. 28 20. Hath Baptism been so long out of fashion that he hath forgotten the words of it Is Act. 2. 4. besides other places quite out of his minde Hath his new and clear light dazled his eyes or hath he been digging so long in the bottomlesse pit that the smoak hath wholly beclouded him He would know whether Pauls gift and ours were received different waies p. 45. I shall grant they were yet deny his false inference we may have gifts from the same spirit yet in a diverse manner As different gifts so different wayes of conferring them were from the same spirit Paul had his by immediate Revelation we receive ours more mediatly by the use of means One man takes up water at the Fountain is it not the same water or must it be wickedly come by that another takes up in the channell Why had he not as well questioned what Timothy's gift had been when it was different from Pauls too What is spoken concerning Numb. 11. 25. to the 30. is sufficiently cleared before yet without further reference he grants me enough that it was an extraordinary spirit of prophecie then whatsoever may be practised in Gospel dayes that place will afford us no Argument in ordinary times when extraordinary gifts are not given Jehoshaphat sent Princes to teach pag. 62. from 2 Chron. 19. but you 'll see the Levites had the Law of the Lord vers. 11. It is urged May not you do your self what you may command your servant to do No A King might command a Judge to hear and determine Causes which he may not do himself A King inthose dayes might command a Priest to offer sacrifice which to have done himself had been sin Our Iehoshaphats saith he pag. 63. have of late rather encouraged the gifted brethren for to teach then prohibited them I think the State is little beholding to him If another should have said so much it might have been taken ill I am sure they have not yet recalled those Ordinances of Parliament made against such Preachers He that sent Christ extraordinarily sends lay Prophets ordinarily pag. 67. that remains yet to be proved this is per idem as he learnedly answers in anothers place Let us but see the examples of any in Scripture that ever Preached who were no otherwise sent then our gifted brethren are now You have seen the Apostles and Disciples were sent extraordinarily by the immediate voice of God but these although they urge their examples have no such mission He would perswade us that Prophesying was not an Office but a gift pag. 60. alibi yet it is numbred among the severall Offices of the Church Rom 12. 7. he confesseth that the Office of Ministers is meant in the same place why then not prophesying when they are equally called gifts so they are called too Ephes. 4. 11. yet there meant of Offices I shall say nothing of his vain-glorious crying up himself and his Party as the only gifted the only godly men his despitefull reproaching of the Ministers of Jesus Christ as wicked ignorant Antichristian Devils what not Let the world judge who have the best gifts and by this who have the most pride I could quickly shew you a parallell between their

3. It is agreed by all that I meet withall that this which is here called Prophesying was some extraordinary gift conferred by God only for some time not that they did prophesie as the Prophets but whereby they did in a wonderfull manner even to admiration speak of some difficult and abstruse things which would not have been known or spoken of but by such a gift Calvin saith that prophesying here is no more then some excellent ability to reveal mysterious things of the same judgement are many others a Whereas it is said of the rest that they prophesied and did not cease v. 25 b it is to be meant only of that time when God conferred that extraordinary gift upon them for the manifestation of their Call So that had they prophesied in this sense without a Call which yet you see they did not it were no argument to prove preaching without a Call because that is not at all intended in prophesying here 4. That Moses wished all the Lords people were Prophets hath nothing at all of proof in it for besides that by prophesying here is not meant preaching as was shewed before and that the Scripture makes a difference between Prophets and Teachers as shall be shewed presently his wish is only that they were Prophets which implies no more then that when they were Prophets they might prophesie that if they were thus gifted and set apart they might in the like manner exercise their gift If we should hear of some great acts of mercy done by rich men and I should wish you were all rich it were not to intend that you should do the like acts till you had the like riches Or if we were filled with the reports of some famous acts of Justice done by some faithfull Judges in avenging bloud in executing malefactours and I should wish that all the honest people in England were Judges It were not that every honest man should avenge bloud without Commission or execute malefactors till he were a Judge For my part I wish that all Prophets may prophesie and that there were more able and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel that the Lord would yet thrust out more labourers into his Vineyard yet I do not see that this place will prove that any should prophesie till they are Prophets that any should preach till they are set apart for the Office The second Argument is drawn from the order of the Corinthian Churches mentioned 1 Cor. 14. 31. where it is said that they may all Prophesie one by one whence it is urged that every one that is gifted may preach For the answer of this as of the other I shall lay down some particulars whereby you may see the mistake the more clearly 1. Prophesying in that place was not Preaching but was in the Church of Corinth an extraordinary Office now an extraordinary example is no foundation to ground an ordinary practice upon as was spoken sufficiently before Prophesying is generally taken in Scripture for a gift differing from Preaching The Apostle reckons Prophets among extraordinary Offiuers Apostles Prophets Evangelists are all together 1 Cor. 12. 2. these Prophets could by immediate revelation explain difficult and abstruse places could foretell things to come as did Agabus If we can in our daies finde any such Prophets who without any study by immediate Revelation can thus explain Scripture he shall prophesie and preach too by my consent And that this was an extraordinary gift spoken of here is manifest from the Context it is joyned with the gift of tongues which was miraculously given yea they spake by Revelation Ver. 31. If any thing be revealed c. this is not meant of every sudden fancy any uncertain conceit of any ordinary Text it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which is spoken of discovering and making plain things in themselves hard to be understood and that without our industry by the immediate dartings of Supernaturall Light 2. Where it is said that they might All prophesie it is not meant of all the members of the Church but only of the Prophets who had this extraordinary gift bestowed on them That it relates not to all is manifest from what is spoken presently after where some were forbidden to speak in the Church vers. 34. It is not permitted to a woman to speak in the Church Yea the same Apostle saith that all are not Apostles all are not Prophets c. 1 Cor. 12. 29. if all were not Prophets then all must not prophesie and if all must not prophesie then the word All in that place must have some other reference The drift of the Apostle there was to prevent that disorder and confusion which was too common and too evil among them vers. 26 33. It is strange that men should take occasion by it to introduce and Foment disorder in the Church That term All then must be referred to the Prophets all the Prophets may prophesie verse 29. Let the Prophets speak and let the others judge this can be only meant of them who were called to the office and were partakers of that gift which I told you was extraordinary for they are called Prophets Let the others judge let the Prophets judge who have the Spirit of discerning and were able to try the truth as Diodate and so Beza nimirum Propheta for saith he it cannot at all be gathered from those places that it should be permitted to any of the Church to speak to this purpose it is observable that the article {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is joyned with the adjective it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which speaks its reference to the Prophets ver. 30. If any thing be revealed to another this cannot be spoken of any of the private members for it is onely of him that had immediate Revelation given him if any thing be revealed to another viz to another Prophet so Diodate and Beza renders {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} alii nempe Prophetae Then ver. 31. for ye may all prophesie c. of whom can this All be meant but of those Prophets who were to speak two or three while others judged who had Revelations immediatly given them Diodate renders it all that had the gift and calling of Prophets and Beza explains {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} All all the Prophets it concerns not the private members of the Church nay the following ver. 32. explains it and tels you who must speak the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets they surely were to speak whose doctrine for that is meant by the Spirits was to be tried by the Prophets but the text saith they are the Spirits of the Prophets Whereas it is said they must speak one by one Diodate explains it by turns and in divers or several Assemblies and so Beza saith it must not be the same day but at severall meetings this is their glosse