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
A26981	A paraphrase on the New Testament with notes, doctrinal and practical, by plainess and brevity fitted to the use of religious families, in their daily reading of the Scriptures : and of the younger and poorer sort of scholars and ministers, who want fuller helps : with an advertisement of difficulties in the Revelations / by Richard Baxter.	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1685 (1685)	Wing B1338; ESTC R231645	1,057,080	615

variety of Members 21. And the eye cannot say unto the hand I have no need of thee nor again the head to the feet I have no need of you 21. As the principal Members of the Body need the less principal so the Rulers Pastors and wisest Members of the Church need even those weak and inferiour Christians whom surly Censurers and proud or contentious Usurpers will cast out 22. Nay much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary 22. Yea the Parts which are least honoured and feeble have a peculiar necessary Office which none of the rest is able to perform or supply 23. And those members of the body which we think to be less honourable upon these we bestow more abundant honour and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness 23. And those Parts which we account shameful we most carefully clothe and cover to hide either Deformity or Shame and do not reproach neglect or cast away 24. For our comely parts have no need but God hath tempered the body together having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked 25. That there should be no schism in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another 24 25. Our comely Parts need not our care to adorn and cover them from Shame But God hath so contempered the Parts that we should more care to secure from dishonour the Parts that need our care That Unity and Love of the Whole should cause such Love and Care for every Part that the Parts should not envy or strive against or cut off or divide from one another Note 1. O how clean contrary to this are the tearing Canons and Cruelties that cut off all Members that think any of their needless Impositions unlawful 2. And here Paul tells us the true Cause of Schism Not Weakness of Christians but the Butchery of that Clergy that cut off the Weak when they should carefully hide their Dishonour in Love and that revile them whom they should love as themselves 26. And whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it 26. As all the Body condoleth or rejoiceth with the pain or welfare of every Member even the weakest so is it with the Living Members of Christ Note Therefore they are but Hypocrites like Wooden Legs that have no such sense and trayterous Enemies of Christ that hate and reproach and destroy his true Members 27. Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular 27. Thus must it be with you that are the several Members of Christs Church 28. And God hath set some in the church first apostles secondarily prophets thirdly teachers after that miracles then gifts of healing helps governments diversities of tongues 28. And God hath set in his Church Diversity and Disparity both in qualifying Gifts and Offices As in the first place are Apostles sent immediately by Christ to be the Chief Witnesses and Recorders of his Works and Words Next them Prophets immediately inspired to reveal his W●ll And next them setled Teachers of his Record●d Word And then Workers of Miracles for convi●cing Infidels and confirming Believers Then extraordinary Gifts of Healing and eminent Helpers of the Churches by Charity and special Care especially for Ministers and the Poor and Governments to arbitrate Differences and keep Order and Languages to spread and confirm the Word 29 30. 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 31. But covet earnestly the best gifts 29 30 31. None of all these Gifts or Offices are common to all But desire most that which is best and most edifying Note That even Apostles are but Chief Members and Peter himself not the Head but one of them 31. And yet shew I unto you a more excellent way 31. Yet true Christian Love excelleth all these Gifts and Offices CHAP. XIII 1. THough I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal 1. Lest you should too much trust to any of these forementioned Gifts which Christ giveth to some that perish you must know that the true Divine Nature proper to Saints consisteth in Charity which is the predominant Love of God and of Saints as Saints and Men as Men as God is in them and served by them And if I be without this could I preach discourse and pray in better Language and Oratory than any mortal Man even as well as Angels what were this Voice to God that is a Spirit and looketh to the Heart but even as the tinkling of a Musical Instrument 2. And though I have the gift of prophecy 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 2. And though I could speak by Inspiration as Balaam did of things present or things to come and could understand all the deep and difficult Points in Gods Word and Works and were the most excellent Philosopher and could truly open all the Principles and Compositions in Nature and though I could believe even to the Production of the most miraculous Effects and yet have not this predominant Love of God and of Saints and of Men as to Gods Acceptance and my own Salvation I am as a meer Nothing None of these Shadows will do my Work 3. 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 3. And though I give all that I have to the Poor either to be well spoken of or through fear of Hell or a conceit of obliging God by Merit or out of meer natural Pity or any other Cause which includeth not Love it will not profit me to Salvation Yea if for these lower Ends I should forsake Life it self without the predominant Love of God and Man it would be as nothing to me 4. Charity suffereth long and is kind charity envieth not charity vaunteth not it self is not puffed up 4. Love is kind inclining to do good and is patient and can bear much wrong from others as Self-love maketh us bear much more from our selves Love envieth not the Reputation Applause Precedency or Profit of others Love doth not vaunt and lift up a Mans self in his own esteem or desire to be lifted up by others above our Worth and Place but in Honour preferreth others 5. Doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil 5. Love doth not break out into injurious Reflexions or Passions or uncomely Deportment towards others It is not selfish and seeketh not our own inordinately to the injury neglect or greater hurt of others Is not provoked to any uncharitable thought word or deed by

Policy was not utterly demolished till near fourty years after Christs Resurrection Therefore till then the Jews there were to be Preacht to and the twelve Apostles suited to the twelve Tribes though after the number was changed by Pauls Conversion when the Gospel was to be principally sent unto the Gentiles 23. And they appointed two Joseph called Barsabas who was surnamed Justus and Matthias 24. And they prayed and said Thou Lord which knowest the hearts of all men shew whether of these two thou hast chosed 25. That he may take part of this Ministery and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell that he might go to his own place 23 24 25. Note 1. The Apostleship was not only the qualification of Eye Witnesses of Christs works but a special preeminent office of some of those many who saw his works All that saw them were not Apostles Therefore Christ did set diversity and disparity of Ministerial Offices in his Church 2. Peters speech was to all the Disciples ver 15 16. It s therefore to be supposed that the two were chosen by all the Company but by the Conduct of the Apostles And God by Lot chose one of the two it being his Prerogative to make Apostles And I know no reason why the chief Pastors of the Church at least in cases of doubt should not now be so chosen 26. And they gave forth their lots and the lot fell upon Matthias and he was numbred with the eleven apostles 26. Note How casual soever it seemed God was the undoubted determiner of it But solemnly to appeal to his determination in ludricrous toys or things already determined by his word is but prophanely to take his name in vain CHAP. II. ANd when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in one place 1. It is by most Expositors taken to be on the Lords day though some few contradict it 2. Christ chose the time to send the Spirit when they were unanimously assembled for his worship 2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting 3. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sat upon each of them 2 3. Note It is likely it was only on the Apostle 4. And they were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance 4. They that were unlearned men were all suddenly filled with the Holy Ghost who inspiring their minds with Sacred Light of Knowledge and fervor of affection caused them to utter these in various Languages which they had never learnt in the Praises of God and his works Note As Baptism entereth Men into the state of Christianity this effusion of the Spirit solemnly invested the Apostles in the full state and power of their Offices 5. And there were dwelling at Jerusalam Jews devout men out of every Nation under heaven 5. Then were at Pentecost Jews out of many Nations where they were dispersed that came up to the Feast 6. Now when this was noised abroad the multitude came together and were confounded because that every man heard them speak in his own language 7. And they were all amazed and marvelled saying one to another Behold are not all these which speak Galileans And how hear we every man in our own tongue wherein we were born 9. Parthians and Medes and Elamites and the dwellers in Mesopotamia and in Judea and Cappadocia in Pontus and Asia 10. Phrygia and Pamphylia in Egypt and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene and strangers of Rome Jews and proselytes 11. Cretes and Arabians we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God 6 7 c. The word as of Christ and of his Gospel was that which they speak in the Tongues of all these Countries 12. And they were all amazed and were in doubt saying one to another What meaneth this 13. Others mocking said These men are full of new wine 12 13. Some derided them as Drunken 14. But Peter standing up with the eleven lift up his voice and said unto them Ye men of Judea and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem be this known unto you and hearken unto my words 15. For these are not drunken as ye suppose seeing it is but the third hour of the day 14 c. It is but nine a Clock at which time Men use to pray fasting and Drunkeness will not enable a Man to speak various Languages 16. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel 17. And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams 18. And on my servants and on my hand-maidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit and they shall prophesie 16 c. This is the fulfilling of what Joel Prophecied of the times of the Messsiah c 19. And I will shew wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath bloud and fire and vapour of smoke 20. The Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lord come 21. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved 19 20 21 Many Prodigies in Heaven and Earth as if the frame of Nature did shake or were altered shall go before the destruction of the Temple and Nation of the Jews But faithful praying Christians shall be saved 22. Ye men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you as ye your selves also know 23. Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain 24. Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it 22 23 24. You deny not the fact of those Miracles done by Jesus which are the infallible works of Gods attestation Gods determinate Counsel having appointed him to die as a Sacrifice for the Sins of the World and he foreknowing all that your wicked hearts do in it hereto accordingly with wicked hands you have murdered him not at all excusable by the said decree or fore knowledge of God But God raised him from the dead having loosed the bonds of Death it being impossible they should be held and conquered by it Note The word translated Pains of death may be also translated bonds But if it must be read Pains Death as a separation of Soul and Body is by privation a Penal state though not dolorous by positive evil yet some think that the Article of Descent into Hell signifieth some