Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	fire_n	set_v	tongue_n	3,258	5	9.1898	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09445	Of the calling of the ministerie two treatises, discribing the duties and dignities of that calling. Delivered publickly in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge, by Maister Perkins. Taken then from his mouth, and now dilligently perused and published, by a preacher of the word with a preface prefixed touching the publishing of Maister Perkins his workes, & a catalogue of all such particulars thereof, as are to bee expected.	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Crashaw, William, 1572-1626.	1605 (1605)	STC 19733; ESTC S102894	75,919	204

tongue and to that same purpose tht holy Ghost came downe vppon the Apostles in fierie toungs it may be that the one is a tipe of the other Certaine it is that they both teach vs thus much that all true and able Ministers must pray and endeuour to haue a tongue full of power and force euen like fire to eate vp the sinnes and corruptions of the worlde For though it bee a worthy gift of God to speake mildly and moderately so that his speech shall fall like dewe vpon the grasse yet it is the fierie tongue that beates downe sinne and works sound grace in the heart It may be there are some which neede the fierie tongue This shewes apparantly that those Ministers neuer had their lips touched with a coale from Gods altar that is their consciences neuer touched nor their soules seasoned with the sanctifying grace of Gods spirit which sit still and ●ee great and greuous staines in a Church and corruptions in a state and can bee content neuer to reproue ●hem as though Ministers were perswaders onely and not reprouers But when this comes to bee wayed in the ballance of a good conscience it will bee found that not the pleasing tongue but the fierie tongue is the principall grace of a good Minister But to goe further whence came this Coale Taken from the Altar This coale of fire was taken by the angel from the altar of God where was a fire which neuer went out and this fire was that that came from heauen sent downe by God at the dedication of the Temple by Salomon And this fire kindled by God neuer went out for no man could kindle the like but all other was counted strange fire As Nadab and Abihu tryed in wofull experience when they would needes offer with it Now the Prophet must be cleansed with the fire which came from Hea●●n teaching vs that the Ministers must haue his fierie tongue from the holy Ghost As the Apostles were said to bee baptized with the holy Ghost with fire A fierie tongue is a speciall ornament of a Minister but that fire must come from heauen that is his zeale must be a godly and heauenly zeale but hee that hath a railing lying a slanderous a malicious or a contentious tongue he hath a fierie tongue indeed But this is kindled of the fire of hell as Saint Iames saith The vnbridled tongue is a worlde of wickednesse and defileth the whole body setteth on fire the whole course of nature and is set ●n fire in hell So then a spitefull and malicious tongue wee see is a fierie tongue but that fire is taken from hell and not from Gods altar And hee that stands vp to preach with this tongue God will neuer suffer any great worke to be done by him in his Church though his tongue be neuer so fierie and his speech neuer so powerfull As therefore Ministers must abhorre the flattering and pleasing tongue and must haue a fierie tongue so on the other side this fire must bee from Gods altar that is the fire of their zeale must bee builded by Gods spirit and not by the spirit of discord and dissention Ambitious humors turbulent proud humours new opinions priuate quarrels all these nor none of these are for the pulpit These may make a man fierie tongued but this fire was neuer taken from Gods altar as the Prophets was this fierie tongue neuer came from heauen as the Apostles did It followeth And touched my lippes This fifth and last Circumstance is the Application of the remedie The coale which is the medicine is applyed by this Angel to his lips that is to that part which was polluted and as he formerly complayned of the pollution of his lips so the medicine is applyed to his lippes Here the Angell which in this case is made Gods Minister doth teach all Gods Ministers a great point of wisedome in heauenly Diuinitie namely to apply their Doctrine to their audience in such manner as the circumstances of place times or persons do require some Ministers come to an ignorant and vnhumbled people and teach them the Gospell which neuer knewe the lawe here the firy coale is vsed but the lips are not touched that is good doctrine taught but not well applyed for that the lawe should first be laid to their consciences others beate all vpon the lawe when it may be their hearers are a people sufficiently cast downe and haue more need to be raised vp with the sweet comforts of the Gospell others vse to lay open the nakednes of the Court in the country and to reproue the faults of Princes and great magistrates before the cōmon people who haue more neede of the Catechisme others bring the Catechisme or points of ordinary instruction into the Court wher y e duties of Kings counsellors should be taught in all plainnes and sinceritie others bring their new opinions or controuersall points vnto popular audiences which indeed are fit for the schooles others busie themselues about ceremonies when the substance is in danger to be lost All these haue it may be the Coale of fire but it is misapplyed and not applyed to the polluted lips Let all ministers therfore lerne this point of wisdome of the Angell to apply the medicines of their doctrine to the times persons and places which are infected so shall they bee sure not to take paines in vaine And thus much of the circumstances of his Consolation It followeth in the text Loe thy iniquitie shal be taken away and thy sinnes shall be purged After the Circumstances followeth the ground and matter of his consolation and that is the forgiuenesse of his sinnes where first let vs marke how it and the instrument are annexed together Loe saith the Angel this Coale hath touched thy lippes and thy Iniquities shall bee forgiuen and thy sinnes purged as though hee had bene clensed by the Coale wher we may note how greatly God magnifieth the meanes which himself ordaineth euen true remission and saluation to the right and holy vsing of them though it come not from them but from his own mercy and power of his ordinance It is therefore no maruell though God sanctifieth the childe by the Ministery of water in Baptisme and feede our soules in the Lords Supper by feeding our bodies with bread and wine and no maruell though the carelesse neglect of either of them be damnation to him that despiseth them seeing they are Gods instruments ordained by him to conuey his grace vnto vs And yet for all this wee are to knowe that remission or saluation is no more tyed to the very elements or the actions then here the Prophets forgiuenesse is to the Coale of fire But the maine point is that for the Prophets consolation the Angell tells him his iniquities shall be taken away and his sinnes purged as thereby hee had said thy sins were the cause of thy feare therefore that thy feare may

he saith certainly God speakes in this man This is the euidence and demonstration of Gods spirit It is thought good commendation before the world when men say of a Preacher surely this man hath showne himselfe a proper scholler of good learning great reading strong memory and good deliuery and so it is and such commendation if iust is not to be contemned but that that cōmends a man to the Lord his God to his owne cōscience is when he preacheth so plainly to the capacitie and so powerfully to the conscience of a wicked man as that hee thinkes doubtlesse God is within him Art thou therefore an Angell of God then magnifie the spirit of God and not thy selfe in thy preaching of his word The next vse is for the hearers and they are heere taught that if their Ministers be Angels sent them from God then are they to heare them gladly willingly reuerently and obediently gladly and willingly because they are Ambassad●rs reuerently and obediently because they are sent from the high God the King of Kings and doe deliuer his embassage God saith the people must seeke the law● at his mo●th and good reason for if the lawe be the reuealed will of God and the Minister the Angell of God then where should they seeke the will of God but a● the mouth of his Angell The reason therefore followeth well in that place ● they should seek● the lawe at his mouth for he i● the messenger of the Lord of hosts and this ●●st all christians doe not onely if their doctrine be pleasing vnto them but though it crosse their corruptions and bee quite contrary ●o their dispositions yea though it bee neuer so vnsauorie and h●rde vnto nature yet in as much 〈…〉 message from thy God and King and ●he ●eather the Angell or messenger of that God therefore both he and it must be receaued with al reuerence with the very obedience of the hart and soule And this is the cause why a con●●nient reuerence 〈◊〉 honour is to bee giuen of all good christians euen to the persons of Gods Ministers especially when they adorne their high calling with a holy life euen because they are Angels of God Saint Paule teacheth that womē ought to be modestly attired in the congregation because of the Angels it is not only because the holy Angels are present and alwayes beholders of our seruice of God but euen because the Ministers which are Angels and messengers sent from God are there deliuering their message and Embassage rece●●ed from God And th●s wee haue the first title giuen to the Minister he is an Angell Secondly he is an 〈◊〉 that is one that 〈◊〉 to deliuer 〈◊〉 the reconciliation made betwixt God and ma●● I say not the author of that reconciliation for that is the godhead● 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 for 〈…〉 second person Christ ●esus 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 for that is the holy Ghost nor 〈…〉 of it for 〈◊〉 the glad ●idings of the gospell 〈◊〉 I say he is the ●●●●●preter of it that i● first one that 〈◊〉 and explane the couenant of grace and rightly lay downe the meanes how this reconciliation is wrought Secondly one that can rightly and iustly apply those meanes for the working of it out Thirdly one that hath authoritie to publish and declare it when it is wrought and by these three actions hee is Gods interpreter to the people then he is also the peoples interpreter to God by being able to speake to God for them to lay open their wants nakednesses to confesse their sinnes to craue pardon and forgiuenes to giue thankes in their names for mercies recea●ed and in a word to offer vp all their spirituall sacrifices vnto God for them and so euery true minister is a double interpreter Gods to the people and the peoples to God In which respects he is properly called Gods mouth to the people by preaching to them from God and the peoples mouth to God by praying for them to God and this title sheweth how great and glorious a calling this Ministerie is if it be rightly conceiued Now then for the vse of it First if euery true Minister must bee Gods Interpreter to the people and the peoples to God then hence we learne that euery one who either is or intends to be a minister must haue that tongue of the learned whereof is spoken in Esay where the Prophet saith first in the name of Christ as heare the great Prophet and teacher of his Church and secondarily in the name of himselfe and all true Prophets while the world endureth The Lord God hath giuen me a tongue of the learned that I should knowe to speake a word in season to him that is wearie where note the weary soule or troubled conscience must haue ● word in season spoken to him for his comfort and that cannot bee spoken without the tongue of the learned and lastly that tongue of the learned must bee giuen of God Now to haue this tongue of the learned which Esay speakes of what is it but to bee this Interpreter which the holy Ghost heere saith a minister must bee But to be able to speake with this tongue is first to be furnished with 〈◊〉 and learning Secondly with diuine knowledge as farre as it may by outward meanes bee taught from man to man but besides these hee that will speake this tongue aright must 〈◊〉 inwardly learned and taught by the spirit of God the two first he must learne from men but the third from God a true Minister must be inwardly taught by the spirituall scholler and the holy Ghost Saint Iohn in Reuelation must take the booke that is the Scripture and eate it and when he hath eaten it then saith the Angell hee must goe preach to nations tongues people and to Kings which was done not that Saint Iohn had not eaten that booke in the comming downe of the holy Ghost the very end of whose comming was to teach them spiritually but that in him Christ might teach his Church for euer that no minister is fit to preach to nations and to Kings vntill they ●a●e eaten the booke of God that is till after and besides all the learning that man can teach them they be also ●●ught by the spirit of God himselfe and this teaching is it that makes a man a tr●● interpreter and without this he cannot be for 〈◊〉 can a man be Gods interpreter to his people vnlesse he kn●we the minde of God himselfe and how can he knowe the minde of God but by the teaching of the spirit of God Indeede we bee mans interpreter by humane teaching and may interpret the Scriptures truely and soundly as a humane booke or storie for the increase of knowledge but the diuine and spirituall Interpretation which shall perce the hart and astonish the soule of man must bee taught by the inward teaching of the holy Ghost Let no man thinke I heere giue the

besids declaration and testification he is to maintaine this truth and this righteousnesse if the sinners conscience be yet not quiet against all gainsayers against the power of darknes and all the gates of hell that this is true and perfect righteousnesse to him that apprehends it as afore is layd downe and this is so infallible to euery soule that repents and beleeueth that the Minister may assure it to the conscience of the sinner in the word of truth and in the name of God and may call to witnes all Gods Saints and all his holy Angels and may pawne vnto him his owne soule vpon it that it is most true that this is true perfect and all-sufficient righteousnes Thus we see in some measure what it is to declare vnto a man his righteousnes And this is the peculiar office of a Minister of God and this is the height and excellencie of his office In the want of godly Ministers I confesse that godly Christian men may one helpe another in the performance of these duties and that with profit but it is the proper function of a godlie Minister to doe it and the promise and blessing belongs properly to him as the consciences of all penitent sinners will testifie in this case let Dauids serue for many who when he was cast downe euen to the mouth of hell by that fearefull discouery of his two hideous sinnes by Nathans preaching when the faith of his soule beganne to wrestle against hell and striue against dispaire and to apprehend the mercy of God in Christ then I say could not the testimonie of all the men in the world haue giuen him that ioy comfort and assurance that Nathan did when hee said in the word of a Prophet and of a true Minister God hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die what did Nathan heere but declare vnto man his righteousnes what did Nathan heere but the duty of euery true Minister If this be the office and duty of a Minister and if such be the height and excellencie of his office let vs see then what vse we may make of it First concerning the Ministerie It first discouereth how nakedly weakely and insufficiently the Popish Church doth declare vnto man his righteousnesse who will let a man seeke it in himselfe where alas it is not for Paule himselfe testifieth that his desire is that he may bee found out of himselfe in Christ yet certainly if euer man had righteousnesse of his owne worth trusting to Paule had this is the cause why so many of that religion find not that righteousnesse which will pacifie and satisfie their consciences when they come to die and why so many of them whē it coms to the pinch do then go out of themselues and with vs doe seeke for this righteousnesse in Christ where both assuredly and sufficiently it is to be found Then for our owne Ministerie heere they are taught first the true manner of teaching and declaring righteousnesse namely this not to preach the law alone or the Gospell alone as some vnaduisedly doe but both without profit but both the lawe and the Gospell the lawe to breede repentance the Gospell to worke faith but in order first the lawe to breede repentance and then the Gospell to worke faith and forgiuenes but neuer before Secondly they are taught to bee holy to bee sanctified and reconciled themselues for it is thy office to declare vnto man his righteousnesse and not thy own to thy selfe and how canst thou be a true witnes to testifie betwixt God and the soule of a sinner when thy owne soule knoweth not nor feeleth the truth of it certainly such men a●e but lame witnesses betwixt God and the sinners soule Dauid saith to the sinner I will instruct thee in the way wherein thou shalt goe but he first of all in the same sets downe his owne experience in a large story of his owne repentance and of Gods mercy on himselfe And though God sometime doe satisfie and saue the poore distressed soule of a sinner by the testimonie of such men to teach vs that the vertue is not in the men but in the truth of Gods couenant yet alas how fewe are they to teach vs how pleasing it is vnto him when a Minister is a declarer of that righteous to others which he first hath himselfe and is a witnes of truth to others which he first knoweth in his owne experience Thirdly the consideration of this high excellencie of their calling must arme all true Ministers against the scorne and contempt of the world which by wicked men is cast like dust and mire into the face of Ministers let this suffice them they are the men that must declare vnto man his righteousnesse euen he that scornes and contemnes the ministerie he hath no righteousnesse in him vnlesse it be by the meanes of a poore Minister then doe thou thy duety and he that mockes thee hath cause to honour thee and let this encourage Students to consecrate themselues to the Ministerie for what calling hath so high an office as this to declare vnto man his righteousnesse And assuredly how euer in this wicked world thou art little accounted of for if it did not so it were not wicked yet thou art honored in the harts of all Gods children and euen in the consciences of some whose tongues doe smite thee and the soules of thousands when they die shall blesse thee who in their liues cared not for thee and the deuill himselfe doth enuy the holy Angels themselues doe wonder at the excellencie of thy calling in that thou hast power to declare vnto man his righteousnesses In the next place hearers may heere learne first if their righteousnesse bee thus to be declared as afore then if they will haue it they must seeke it as it may bee found namely both in the lawe and in the Gospell and not in the Gospell alone and first in the lawe then in the Gospell for he must neuer looke to tast the sweetnes of the Gospell which hath not first swallowed the better pills of the lawe if therefore thou wouldst bee declared righteous by the Gospell bee content first to bee pronounced miserable by the lawe if thou wouldst be declared righteous in Christ then be content first to bee pronounced sinfull and vnrighteous in thy selfe Secondly all men may heere learne how they are to esteeme of Gods Ministers and what reuerence and obedience is due to their persons and their doctrine these are they which must declare vnto thee thy righteousnesse if thou hast any Art thou beholden to him who when thou hast lost a Iewell which was all thy wealth can tell thee where it is and helpe thee to it againe or to him who when thy cause is in triall at the barre will pleade it for thee or to him who when thy health is lost can tell thee how to get it againe then