Selected quad for the lemma: diversity_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
diversity_n	apostle_n	church_n	teacher_n	555	5	9.5793	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89760	Proposals for propagation of the gospel, offered to the Parliament: by Capt. Robert Norvvod.	Norwood, Robert, Captain.	1652 (1652)	Wing N1384; Thomason E656_21; ESTC R206655	18,095	23

those who give counsel to States and Commonwealths herein give not counsel evidently and eminently destructive to them For no one command precept or president is there given for it by Christ or any of his Apostles who brought preached and published the Gospel but the quite contrary as hath been shewed I would next offer to consideration what surer or better pretension the present Clergie have may or can have to the Chair of Peter to the power given from on high to the appointing or anointing of the Father then hath the Romish Episcopal or other Clergie that what they propose preach or publish should be more obliging or binding then others And then whether they can pretend any more or further to the spirit of infallibility for the opening those mysteries of the Kingdom the mysteries of Christ or to open unfold and truly to declare Christ who is the Mystery of mysteries Great is the mystery of godliness Christ manifest in flesh Perhaps they think it easie let them take heed that lest seeing they be made blinde but Christ himself saith in Matth. 11.27 No man knoweth the Son but the Father Or whether they be able to unriddle the riddles open the parables declared by Christ for it 's written Without a parable spake he not Or to unseal the book spoken of by John in the Revelations And if any man understand not these mysteries as they do unfold or open these riddles or parables according to their sence meaning or interpretation he must presently without all doubt or peradventure be an Heretick or Blasphemer And then from the consideration of what Christ and his Gospel as it is held forth unto us in the Scriptures quoted and many other coherent thereunto whether the constituting or appointing any other laws by any in reference to the promulgation and propagation thereof other then are by himself expresly commanded and appointed be not derogatory unto if not a denying of Christ himself whom we lay and affirm to be the onely and alone King Priest and Prophet in and unto his Church and people And then whether it be not upon the fore-going grounds indeed and in truth the spirit of Antichrist as in their predecessors so now risen up again in these their successors labouring and endeavouring by all the force and power they can and by all the subtil devices they are able to engage stir up and incite the present powers for the support defence and maintenance of their own kingdom under colour and pretence of defending the Kingdom of Christ which he disclaims as is before proved and under the notion of suppressing Blasphemy and Heresie that spirit doth not in very deed and in truth aim at labour and endeavour the suppressing of the very Truth it self as it hath constantly been seen to this day though perhaps and I do verily believe many of them see or know it not Verily Truth is seldom or never heard in out-cries against others it 's seldom whispering against or secretly backbiting of any Truth is strong and therefore not easily oftended it willingly hurts no man because it knows no man can hurt it Verily that 's not worth owning that will not stand alone by it self Wherefore I say Let them alone to stand or fall to their own master and if Christ be their Master what need they fear I should therefore offer As you have already broken the Head of that Abaddonism in this Nation that same persecuring spirit that same spirit of division and dividings so that you would also cut off its Tayl. Not that I would have them or any other injured troubled persecuted or molested no for that were contrary to the Gospel as is already declared it were contrary to that rule also which saith Love thy neighbour as thy self and Do to all men as thou wouldst they should do to thee nay as thou wouldst God should do to thee and Do not that unto another man that thou wouldst not another man should do to thee And indeed herein is the fulfilling of the whole Law and on this as Christ saith hangeth or dependeth all the Law and the Prophets this being indeed and in truth all in all this and this onely being the onely and alone necessary and fundamental thing so far as I can or ever could understand It and it onely serving and enduring in and unto all sorts of men whatsoever Wherefore it is that Paul in 1 Cor. 12. the four last verses and the eight first verses of the thirteenth Chapter after he had reckoned up all the most glorious gifts of the Spirit as Apostles Prophets Teachers workers of Miracles Gifts Healings Helps Governments diversities of Tongues but saith he Study earnestly the best gifts and yet saith he shew I unto you a more excellent way intimating there was something more desirable more excellent then all or any of these as in the thirteenth Chapter it appears And God hath set some in the church first apostles secondarily prophets thirdly teachers after that miracles then gifts of healings helps in governments diversities of tongues Are all apostles are all prophets are all teachers are all workers of miracles have all the gifts of healing do all speak with tongues do all interpret But covet earnestly the best gifts and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way Though I speak with the tongue of men and angels and have not charity I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal And though I have the gift of prophecie and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have no charity I am nothing And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing Charity suffereth long and is kinde charity envieth not charity vannteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Charity never faileth but whether there be prophesies they shall fail whether there be tongues they shall cease whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away So that here you see Love or Charity is preferred before and above all other things and the reason of it as you see also is because it and it onely is everlasting for it is God or Christ as the Scriptures testifie God or Christ made visible manifest born or brought forth in flesh Apostles Prophets Teachers may nay must cease nay all things but it then it and it onely is and can be Fundamental The Temple with all the rites laws and administrations thereof are ceased and done away the Brazen serpent one especial type and figure of Christ after the flesh it also when idolized is stamped to powder and done away the Priesthood must be changed from Levi to Judah as it was in