Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A09580
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The fisher-man A sermon preached at a synode held at Southwell in Nottinghamshire. Shewing 1. The necessitie of calling and gifts enabling in a minister. 2. The danger intruders are in. 3. Whose fault it is that such are in the Church. 4. A good life requisite in all that professe Christianitie, but especially in ministers. 5. Wisedome and learning absolutely necessary in preachers. 6. Vnlearned & frothy preaching doth much hurt. 7. Gods worke goeth best forward when his workmen agree well amongst themselues. 8. Contempt of Gods ministers shall not be vnpunished. With other points of moment. By Ierom Phillips Bachelour in Diuinitie.
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Phillips, Jerome, d. ca. 1648.
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1623
(1623)
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STC 19862; ESTC S114717
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16,136
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34
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means whereby the minde is enriched with knowledge whether it be hearing or reading or meditation or conference in this sense then he that heareth speaketh continually But he that will be speaking continually and neuer heareth shall be sure alwayes to speake that that is not worth the hearing It is better the people should heare fewer Sermons to their edification then many without profit Col. 4.6 Let our words be gracious alwayes saith the Apostle and seasoned with salt and let vs not more regard the number of them then the weight 1. Cor. 14.19 I had rather saith Saint Paul speake fiue words with vnderstanding and to the edification of others then ten thousand in a barbarous tongue without profit But to those that are able to be frequent the counsell of the King and Preacher is to be followed Eccles 11.6 In the morning sow thy seed and in the euening let not thy hand cease for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that or whether both alike But to others such as now I speake of they should speake no oftener in the name of God to his people then when almightie God commands them to speake and then onely God commands to speake when he furnisheth his speaker with good matter according to that of Elihu in Iob Iob 32.18 I am full of matter and the Spirit within me compelleth me It behoueth vs not onely to haue the tongues of the learned to speake sound iustifiable doctrine but also to haue the tongues of the discreet too to speake seasonably respecting persons times and places this was the Prophet Isaies gift Isa 50.4 The Lord hath giuen me the tongue of the learned that I should know to minister a word in due season to him that is weary It behoueth vs to know how to giue to euery one his portion in due season milke to them that are weake strong meate to the stronger We must learne to know the maladies of the people and how to cure them and not always which the Prophet reproues to heale the sores of Gods people with sweet words Ier. 6.14 If the wound be festring and putrifie we must know how to make incision if it be a broken wound how to heale it vp We must know how to vse sometimes oyle to supple a wound sometimes wine to search it the good Samaritan vsed both Luk. 10. he powred in wine and oyle A skilfull Pastor must sometimes be a Boanerges that is the sonne of thunder to thunder out the curses of the Law against obstinate sinners Again he must sometimes be a Barnabas that is the sonne of consolation to comfort with the sweet promises of the Gospell those that feele the weight and burden of their sinnes It is not the least part of our skill to know how to reprehend with good effect Many do lose many times the reprehension and the man too because they are not cautelous in the application of it if it haue the least sauour of ill wil and reuenge it marres all The very matter of reprehension hath in it a certaine kind of harshnesse and bitternesse therefore must be qualified in the manner We must do as Physitions that vse to giue their wholesome-bitter pils lapt vp in sweete-meates To a naturall man to be reprehended for his sin his sweet sin his darling sin oh it goes like daggers to his heart he is ready to crie out Murder murder Act. 7.28 Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday There is in this a Christian art to be vsed Vt secantem gladium sentiat aeger antequam cernit saith Bernard that the soule-ficke man may gulpe downe his physicke before he is aware and let it worke on him afterwards Many omit this dutie of reprehending altogether especially towards great ones lest they should offend and so do not fulfill their ministery wholy but in part onely that is no good course Habet etenium suum virus blanâ—a adulatio Seneca great persons must not be alwayes poisoned with flattery Is there for them no balme in Gilead Must they be alwayes serued in with butter in a lordly dish to their owne confusion No they must be admonished too but in good termes and with due respect De regim Abbatif ad Eustoch Nihil est in rectore periculosius quam vana humilitas ad correptionem erga superbos protervosque subditos saith Ierom It is dangerous humilitie to be afraid to speake in Gods cause and for the gaining of any of what degree soeuer Fishers do not vse to cast nets for smal fishes let great ones go we may not so make fish of one and flesh of another yet regard must be had to the qualitie of the person Is it fit saith Elihu to Iob to say vnto a King Iob 34.18 thou art wicked and to Princes Ye are vngodly No Saint Paul would haue a difference obserued towards persons of meaner qualitie Seniorem ne increpaueris sed obseora vt patrem 1. Tim. 5.1 Rebuke not an Elder but intreate him as a father Dauid could well brooke that Nathan should tell him of his greatest sinnes because as he did his message faithfully from the Lord so he did it with due reuerence and respect to the person of the King Vir sanctus saith Bernard regem considerans peccatorem But whem Shimei rebuked him for the same sinne he was highly displeased with him and that iustly for he vsed vnreuerent and disgracefull railing on the King The second qualitie in Fisher-men is Painfulnes Fishing is a painfull trade As Peters trade of fishing for fishes of the Sea was painfull in the sweate of his browes so this his trade in fishing for men is as painfull in the sweate of his braine For as in that he had many times sore trauell without fruite so in this it may sometimes befall him to haue cause to complaine with the Prophet Isay I haue laboured in vaine Isai 49.4 and 55.2 I haue spent my strength in vaine all the day long haue I stretched out my hands to a rebellious people This Chaire of Peters is not a Chaire to sit and sleepe in he that sits in it must think that spoken to him which our maister Christ spake to Peter Peter louest thou me then feed my sheepe feed my lambes if thou louest me Peter feede The lips of the righteous saith Salomon feede many Prou. 10 21. And the hungrie flock of Christs fold expect their food from them that are their Pastors they must therefore with all diligence giue them their meate in due season Many Pastors are not painfull in feeding because their flocks are ignorant and cannot iudge of their paines and some Pastors reioyce that they haue such a people with whom they may be idle and none complaine of their idlenesse whether it be silent idlenesse in not preaching or speaking idlenesse in preaching without meditation Such a stupiditie in the people should be no reioycing to