Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	affection_n	good_a	soul_n	3,189	5	4.8286	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13091	The second part of the anatomie of abuses conteining the display of corruptions, with a perfect description of such imperfections, blemishes and abuses, as now reigning in euerie degree, require reformation for feare of Gods vengeance to be powred vpon the people and countrie, without speedie repentance, and conuersion vnto God: made dialogwise by Phillip Stubbes.; Anatomie of abuses. Part 2	Stubbes, Phillip.	1583 (1583)	STC 23380; ESTC S112627	103,282	240

should teach vs this truth sufficiently if we were not wilfully blinded that when any church or congregation is destitute of a pastor it were better to place there one able person than to make two or three hundred or mo vnable fellowes and they for want of liuing to runne stragling the countries ouer without any liuing or maintenance at all being glad of any thing For as the old saieng is Hungrie dogs eate sluttish puddings Theod. What order would you haue obserued in this Amphil. Me thinke this were a verie good order That euerie church or congregation being destitute of a pastor should present to the bishops and others to whom it dooth appertaine one or two three or foure able persons or mo or lesse as they conueniently can whose liues and conuersations they haue had sufficient triall of whose soundnesse in religion integritie of life and godly zeale to the truth they are not ignorant of Then the bishops and others to whom it doth apperteine to examine and trie them thoroughly for their sufficiencie in learning soundnesse in doctrine and dexteritie in teaching and finding them furnished with sufficient gifts for such an honorable calling to admit them to lay their hands vppon them and to send them foorth the chiefest of them to that congregation or church so destitute Which order if it were strictly obserued and kept as it ought to be then should not so manie run abroad in the countries to seeke liuings then should not churches bee pestered with insufficient ministers Then should not the bishops be so deceiued in manie as they be And no maruell For how should the bishop choose but be deceiued in him whom he neuer sawe before whose conuersation he knoweth not whose disposition hee is ignorant of and whose qualities and properties in generall he suspecteth not Whereas if this order were established that euerie church destitute of a pastor should present certeine able men whose conuersation and integritie of life in euerie respect they perfectly knowe for the whole church is not likely to erre in iudging of their conuersations who haue béene either altogither or for the most part conuersant amongst them then as I say should not the bishop be deceiued in any nor yet any church scandalized with the wicked liues of their pastors or rather depastors as they be For now it is thought sufficient for the certeintie of his conuersation if he either haue letters dimissorie from one bishop to another whereas they little or nothing knowe the conuersation of the man or else letters commendatorie from any gentleman or other especially if they be of any reputation If he can get these things he is likely to spéede I warrant him Which thing is scarce well in my iudgement For you knowe one priuate man or two or thrée or foure may peraduerture either write vpon affection or else bee corrupted with bribes or gifts whereas the whole church cannot nor would not Therefore is the other the surer way Theod. How prooue you that the churches that are destitute of a pastor ought to present him whom they would haue admitted to the bishop and not the bishop to intrude vpon the church whom he will Amphil. In the first chapter of the Actes of the apostles before cited we read that after the defection of Iudas the traitour the apostle Peter knowing it necessarie that one shoulde be chosen in his place to giue testimonie and witnesse of the resurrection and ascension of Christ Iesus commanded the church to present one or two or mo as they thought good that hee with his fellowe brethren might confirme and allow them And therevppon saith the text they chose two to wit Matthias and Ioseph surnamed Bersabas And the church hauing presented them they were elected confirmed and allowed of the apostles and elders Also in the foresaide sixt chapter of the Acts of the apostles when the deacons whose office was to make collections for the poore and to sée the same bestowed vpon them without fraud or deceit were to be chosen the text saith that the apostles desired the church to choose foorth seuen men from amongst them of honest report ful of the holie Ghost which they might appoint to that businesse By all which reasons appereth that the church ought to present him or them whom they would haue to be admitted and not that the bishop ought to present to allow or to intrude him vpon the church at his pleasure against the will thereof Theod. Why would you not haue pastors to be thrust vpon the churches whether the churches will or not Amphil. Bicause it is manifest that no church will so willingly receiue nor yet so louingly imbrace him that is intruded vpō them against their wils as they will doe him that they like of choose and allow of themselues And if the churches beare not a singular loue fauour good will and affection to their pastor it is vnpossible that they should heare him or learne of him with profit to their soules And if they heare him not Auide sitienter as we say Greedily and thirstily thereby to profit then shal they perish euerlastingly in that the word of God is the ordinarie meane appointed by the diuine maiestie And therefore in conclusion if there be not a mutual amitie loue and affection betwixt the pastor and his flocke and if that the one l●ue not the other as themselues it is not to be looked for that either the one shall teach or the other receiue any thing to their soules health but rather the cleane contrarie Theod. I pray you what is your iudgement in this What if a man be once lawfully called into the ministerie may he euer vpon anie occasion whatsoeuer leaue off the same function and applie himselfe to secular affaires Amphil. There is a twofold calling The one a diuine calling immediately from God the other a humane calling immediately from and by man Now he that hath the first diuine calling his conscience suggesting the same vnto him and the spirit of God certifieng his spirit of the certeintie thereof being furnished with gifts and graces necessarie for such a high function and office as God calleth none but he indueth them first with gifts and graces necessarie for their calling and afterwards is lawfully called of man according to the prescript of Gods word hauing a flocke appointed him wherevpon to attend this man may not nor ought not at any hand to giue ouer his calling but to perseuere in the same to the end for that he hath both the diuine and humane callings being furnished with all gifts and graces necessarie in some measure for the discharge of his high function and calling Yet notwithstanding in time of extreame persecution when Gods truth is persecuted and his glorie defaced if he have not wherewithall to maintaine his estate otherwise he may for the time giue himselfe to manuall occupations and corporall exercises in the affaires of the worlde as we sée the apostles

themselues did who after Christ Iesus was crucified gaue themselues to their old occupations of fishing making of of nets tents pauilions and the like But vpon the other side if a man haue not this diuine calling his conscience bearing him witnesse thereof nor yet the graces gifts and ornaments of the minde fit for his calling which whosoeuer hath not it is a manifest argument that the Lorde hath not sent him for those that hee sendeth hee furnisheth with all kinde of graces and giftes necessarie for their callings this man though he be called by humane calling neuer so precisely yet he may nay hee ought to leaue his function as vnwoorthie to occupie a roome in the church of God representing as an idoll doth that thing which hee is not Besides hee that is compelled and inforced either by friendes as manie are or by pouertie as not a few bee or for anie other respect else to take that high function vpon him without the testimonie of a good conscience being not furnished with gifts and graces fit for such a calling which argueth directly that God hath not called him hee I say is so farre from being bounde neuer to leaue his function and calling that hee ought not one minute of an houre to continue in the same though he bee called by man a thousande times Therefore he that is a minister and hath charge of soules committed vnto him let him if hee bee not furnished with such gifts ●s his high calling requireth in the name of GOD make no doubt of it to giue ouer his function vnto others that are able for their giftes to discharge the same in the meane time giuing himselfe to godlie exercises of life as God may be glorified his conscience disburthened and the commonwealth profited Theod. But I haue heard of some that considering the naughtinesse of their calling and their owne insufficiencie to discharge the same haue therefore left off their function giuing themselues to secular exercises and in the ende haue béene inforced to resume their former function vpon them againe and that whether they would or not How thinke you of this Amphil. I thinke truely that they who compelled them to take againe that function which they were not able to discharge and therefore lest it haue gréeuously offended therein This is as if I knowing a simple ignorant foole presumptuously to haue taken vpon him a great and waightie charge yea such a charge as all the wisedome in the world is not able thoroughly to performe and when he in taking a view of his owne insufficiencie shuld be mooued to leaue his charge to others better able to execute the same than hee I should notwithstanding not onely counsell but also compell him to resigne againe his former great charge which I knowe he is neither woorthie nor yet able euer to accomplish Thinke you not that he that compelleth him to take againe that office or calling which before he had least for his inabilitie shall not answere for the same yes truely you may be sure of it In conclusion he that is sufficiently furnished with such gifts as are necessarie for his calling withal is found able to discharge in some sort his duty ought not to leaue his function for to such a on that so doth Christ saith hee that laieth hande vppon the plough and looketh backe is not fit for the kingdome of God But againe he that hath not these gifts and graces sufficient for his calling to the discharge of his dutie ought not to occupie a place in the church of God as the pastor thereof much lesse ought he when he hath for his inabiltie leaft the same to be constraied to resume againe his former function and calling which he is not able to discharge But hereof inough Theod. Then I perceiue that any minister or ecclesiasticall person that hath not gifts sufficient to discharge his duty may with good conscience leaue their functions and giue themselues to liue by their labors as others temporall men doe may they not Amphil. Yes with a better conscience than to retaine them being not able to discharge them in any small measure For with what cōscience can he receiue temporall things of his flocke and is not able to giue them spirituall With what face can a shepeheard receiue of his sheepe the milke the wooll and fleece and yet will not or cannot giue to the same either meate or drinke sufficiently With what conscience can he receiue fortie pound a hundred pound or two hundred pound a yeere of his poore flocke and is not able to breake to them the breade of life in such forme and maner as he ought Nay how can he euer haue quiet conscience that knowing that the blood of all those that die ghostlie for want of instruction shal be powred vpon his head at the day of iudgment and be demanded at his handes will yet notwithstanding refeane the same charge and function to himselfe still not being able to discharge the least iote of the same Therefore would I wish euery man of what office function or calling soeuer he be if he be not able to discharge his dutie in the same to giue it ouer and not for greedinesse of a little mucke or dung of the earth For monie is no better to cast away their soules which Iesus Christ hath bought with his most precious blood Theod. Is it lawfull for a pastor or minister that hath a flocke to departe from the same In the time of plague pestilence or the like for feare of infection Amphil. Is he a good sheepeheard that when he seeth the wolues comming will take him to his heeles and runne away Or is he a sure freend that when a man hath most neede of his helpe will then get him packing not shewing any fréendship towardes him at all I thinke not And truly no more is he a good pastor or minister but rather a depastor and minisher that in time of any plague pestilence or sicknes whatsoeuer will conuey himselfe away from his flocke for feare of infection at the houre of death when the poore people haue most need of comfort aboue all other times then is he their pastor that shoulde féede them the furthest from them When they stande vppon the edge as it were of saluation or damnation then permits he the wolfe to haue the rule ouer them Our Sauiour Christ saith Bonus pastor animulam dat pro ouibus A good shepheard giueth his life for his shéepe but these felowes are so far from giuing their liues for their sheepe that they seeke to saue their owne liues with the destruction of their whole flocke This is the loue that they beare vnto their flocke this is the care they haue ouer their soules health which Christ Iesus bought so deere with the price of his blood Out vppon those shepheards that for feare of incurring of corporall death which is to the Godly an entraunce into parpetuall glorie will hazard manie a thousande