Selected quad for the lemma: diversity_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
diversity_n	body_n	member_n	unity_n	542	5	10.1952	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57373	Believers evidences for eternall life collected out of the first epistle of John which is catholique : explained and confirmed by very many subservient signes, or undernotes grounded upon Scriptures and illustrated by testimonies both of ancient fathers and modern writers whereby persons truly regenerate may divers wayes discover their present state of grace and title unto glory / by Francis Roberts.	Roberts, Francis, 1609-1675.	1655 (1655)	Wing R1579; ESTC R29322	150,624	294

strength In his own strength who can prevail against the depths and subtilties of Satan and his instruments but only from the power of God in them for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world Satan is in the world in the wicked especially in false Prophet and hereticall Seducers who are therefores called his Ministers 2 Cor. 11. 15. blinding and deceiving them instigating and instructing them to deceive others But God Christ the Spirit is in the people of God anointing them to understand all things 1 Ioh. 2. 27. discovering to them the depths of Satan and his Agents 2. Cor. 2. 11. and preserving them so in the truth as they shall not be poysoned with the error of the wicked Thus GOD in them is stronger then Satan in the world against them In Gods strength not their own they overcome seducements to Error and Heresie And this their victory discovers they are of God Obj. But overcoming of Error Heresie and seducements thereunto seems not to be a sure signe of Regeneration for 1. Sometimes even Gods own childeren are overcome with erroneous opinions One whom God had received into favour and should be holden up yet might erroneously hold himself bound in conscience to the legall difference of dayes and meats under the Gospel Rom. 14. 1 to 7. The Apostles themselves erroneously deemed Christ should be a worldly King Mar. 10. 37 41. And this error was not cured in them though they were eye-witnesses of his Passion and Resurrection Act. 1. 6. And the Church of Galatia erred grossely in the point of Iustification mingling Moses with Christ the works of the Law with Faith in justification Gal. c. 3. c. 4. c. 5. Therefore all that are borne of God do not overcome such errours and hereticall seducements And 2. sometimes even carnall unregenerate persons may hold confesse and maintain the truth doubtlesse Jud as truly preached Christ yea the Devills themselves believe there is one God Jam. 2. 19. yea confessed Christ to be the sonne of God Mar. 1. 24. Therefore others overcome Errour as well as Gods people and therefore overcom●…ng erroneous hereticall seducements is no sure note of Regeneration Answ. For resolution in this materiall Objection consider briefly these following Positions viz. 1. A grecious Regenerate person may sometimes be overtaken with an Errour of Opinion in lesser matters of Faith As there are more weighty matters of the Law Mat. 23 23. and lesse weighty so there are more or lesse weighty matters of Faith Fundamentals and built upon the foundations Proportionably there may be Errour against fundamentals not holding the Head c. Col. 2. 19. and there may be Errors only against lesser matters These lesser Errours may possibly befall godly regenerate persons as the Errour about Legall dayes and meats in the times of the Gospell incident to a dear child of God Rom. 14. 1 to 6. And no wonder For 1. God hath no where promised to the dearest of his servants an universall exemption from lesser or greater Errors 2. The best and perfectest of Gods people in this life have remaining in themselves the foundation of Error and Heresie many reliques of darkenesse weaknesse instability c We know but in part We see through a glasse darkly 1 Cor. 13. 9 12. All men are lyars Rom. 3. 4. 3. Unity of Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God or onenesse of Judgements in all points is to be expected among all the Members of Christs mysticall body till as the Apostle intimates we all come unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4. 13. And where there is not Unity of Faith and Knowledge there will be some diversity in Opinions and diverse Opinions must inevitably some of them be Erroneous So that lesser Errours though they are part of the misery and reproach of the Saints in this life and diseases which they ought to labour against may attend upon Gods own people 2. Regenerate persons may perhaps for a time be insnared in some Errours that are more grosse and dangerous and that against fundamentals of faith Christ and his Offices are fundamentals 1. Cor. 3. 11. Eph. 2. 20. yet the Apostles till the sending of the Holy Ghost upon them were in an errour about Christs Kingly office taking it to be temporall rather then spirituall Mark 10. 37 41. compared with Act. 1. 6. Iustification by faith alone a fundamental R●…m 3. 28. Gal. 5. 4 5 6. yet for a season the Galatians laboured under that grosse Errour of the necessity of Legall works with Faith to justification So that to be drawn into some grosse Errours for a season doth not presently conclude a nullity of grace As also may appear by the three former Reasons Though it must needs be confessed that it is a very sad uncomfortable and dangerous thing for any of Gods people to fall into such grosse Errours For 1. hereby their Minds that should be treasuries of Truth are darkned Eph. 4. 18 corrupted 2 Cor. 11. 3. bewitched Gal. 3. 1. Now how grievous is it to have a mans mind corrupted The Leprosie in the head was the worst of all Leprosi●…s Lev. 13. 44. If the mind the light be darknesse how great is that darknesse Mat. 6. 23. It was Gods heavy plague upon the Gentiles to be given up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a mind void of judgement Rom. 1. 28. 2. Hereby their soules which Christ hath bought with his precius blood shall be endangered for Heresies are works of the flesh destructive damnable and shutting out of Gods kingdom if not repented of Gal. 5. 19 20 21. with 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. 3. Hereby many weak ones are endangered to be carried with them into the same Errours out of that good opinion they have of their piety Errour spreads and fret●… like a gangrene 2 Tim. 2. 7. And it is no small sin to be guilty of seducing Gods servants Actively Exemplarily or but permissively See Rev. 2. 20 21 22 23. 4. Hereby in a word the Name of God will be blasphemed and the way of Truth evil spoken of 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. 3. Though Gods people may fall into lesser yea sometimes into more grosse Errours for a time yet there is a great deal of difference betwixt the Elect and the children of God and unregenerate carnall or hypocriticall persons in reference unto Erroneous opinions and the embracing of them For 1. The true children of God are not so facile apt to be carried aside into Error in opinion especially against fundamentals as carnall and hypocrites are apt to be They are not so unstable fickle wavering mutable unsetled in matters of Faith and Religion as carnall men are not so easily tainted and carried about with every wind of doctrine c. There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive