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	prophet_n	teacher_n	630	5	9.4590	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02178	The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: reuised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as loue the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse. By H.H.; Works	Greenham, Richard.; Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.; Hill, Robert, d. 1623.	1612 (1612)	STC 12318; ESTC S120843	1,539,296	988

few and as it were to an handfull now it is giuen to many and to all nations then to one sexe more specially now to both the other is that then they had knowledge now they haue more and a greater measure both of knowledge and repentance For young men shall see visions and old men shall dreame dreames This I say is the first difference that this grace is offered to moe nations For the first was bestowed onely vpon the Iewes for they onely had the Law Psal. ●47 19. but now al is one Christ is the head both of the Iew and Gentile there is one shepheard and one sheepfold both of Iew and Gentile The second note of difference is that the young men should see visions and the old men dreame dreames This is a great benefit and a singular signe of God his loue to his people that they should some of them see visions and some dreame dreames It is said Numb 12. 6. that the Lord would be knowne to a Prophet among his people by a vision and that he would speake vnto him by a dreame and though then of al some did prophecie some did see visions some did dreame yet now all shall prophecie all shall see visions all shall dreame dreames not that all shall be Prophets as the Anabaptists and Familie of loue doe gather but that now sons and daughters seruants and women should haue as great knowledge as they that among the Iewes were chosen Prophets Now that it cannot be litterally vnderstood there is great danger if it be not rightly vnderstood it is proued thus Because there was neuer any age at one time wherein all were Prophets yet this saying was true and fulfilled in the Apostles time and yet not so literally that we can perceiue that all the Apostles prophecied and saw dreames Peter and Paul indeede saw dreames but where shall we find that all the other Apostles did so and yet this were not so fulfilled vnlesse the hearers also should prophecie But this was not so euen at that time and therefore it was not literally fulfilled in them that all sorts of men had all these gifts and therefore it must needes follow that it was neuer so vniuersally fulfilled because either at that time it was fulfilled or neuer For euen in the Apostles time all were not Teachers neither shall it euer be in any time hereafter because God is a God of order and not of confusion and hath appointed and purposed this diuersitie that some should bee Teachers and some learners Wherefore the Apostle after hee hath set downe the diuers callings of Christians for edifying of the Church 1. Cor. 12. he addeth vers 29. Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers Yea Paul proueth that it was not then so For as there be diuers mēbers in one bodie al members haue not the same office so it is in the Church of Christ. For all are not Prophets all are not Apostles all are not Teachers As if he should say Wee see it is not so but God hath otherwise disposed it Ephes. 4. it is saide that Christ when he ascended did ordaine diuers offices some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ vntill the number of the elect be fulfilled and not vntil men become perfit in this life as some men haue foolishly dreamed Here we see some Teachers and the rest the worke of the ministerie Againe Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians intituleth his Epistle to the Saints which was the Church and to the Bishops and Deacons which were the Ministers of the Church all the Saints were not Bishops all the Saints were not Deacons Besides if all were Bishops what neede the rules which Paul giueth to Timothie and Titus for the chusing of Bishops 1. Corin. 14. Paul saith if any man be a Prophet or spiritual that is a disciple where he constituteth two orders to wit a Prophet or Teacher teaching by the spirit and a Christian not of the cōmon sort but taught of God or one that hath receiued of the graces of God And againe it is said that young men should prophecie Were then all yong men Prophets Indeed Titus was yong a Minister but he was chosen by Prophets and foretold of had been instructed in the Scriptures from his childhood For Bishop he is so called of his office because he ouerseeth so he is called an Elder for his grauitie which sheweth that euen ordinarily then the Teachers were olde Christ began not to preach vntill he was thirtie yeeres old and Iohn was old before he began to preach and therefore ordinarily men ought to bee of good age before they come to that calling not that I thinke that none ought to teach before they bee thirtie yeeres of age but that it neuer was ordinarie that any young man should teach for it is giuen in precept that Teachers should not be young schollers But it is one question what God may doe and another what is ordinarily done For God can and doth often raise vp young men to shame the aged as it may be thought he hath done euen in our daies but this was neuer ordinarie neither yet ought it to be Women were not ordinarily admitted to this function yet God to shew his power and to shame men doth sometime raise women Prophetesses It is said here that women should prophecie What was this euer fulfilled did women euer take vpon them the roome of teaching Indeed there was a Prophetesse among them but that was not ordinarily And when the women of Corinth began to be bold and to speake in the congregation the Apostle giueth out a flat rule that women should not speake but learne in subiection It is said further that seruants maids and men should see visions Was this euer fulfilled did they at any time take this office vpon them Indeed if they had had the gifts they had been fit but wee see it neuer came to passe And seeing it was not then fulfilled in the Apostles time then was it not any time fulfilled before nor in any age since Yea let vs drawe an argument from the Anabaptists and from the Familie of loue themselues this is not fulfilled euen in them For are all of them Teachers Indeed if they could doe this that were the way to conuert all vnto them but they are not For some yea and the most of them are learners those men that seeme to be teachers are not yet according to this prophecie full of the Spirit For the abundance of God his spirit maketh his people the bolder Peter was not afraid of the whole Councel Steu●n made his persecutors and accusers ashamed and the Apostles were alwaies the first to answere for the defence of the doctrine But it is thus with the Familie of loue No surely