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
A77504	The mystical brasen serpent: with the magnetical vertue thereof. or, Christ exalted upon the cross, with the blessed end and fruit of that his exaltation, in drawing the elect world to himself, to believe on Him, and to be saved by Him. In two treatises, from John 3. 14, 15. 12. 32. Whereunto is added A treatise of the saints joint-membership each with other. As they were delivered to the Church of God at Great Yarmouth, by John Brinsley, minister of the gospel, and preacher to that incorporation. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy. July 30. 1652.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1653 (1653)	Wing B4719; Thomason E1249_1; ESTC R208891	155,986	284

in remembrance Which that you may doe I shall second my Counsels with my Prayers resting Yours under God ready to serve you in the Gospell of his Sonne JOHN BRINSLEY July 1. 1652. THE SAINTS Joint-Membership ROM 12.4 5. For as we have many members in one Body and all members have not the same Office So we being many are one Body in Christ and Every one Members of another IN the verse foregoing we have a Charge A generall charge propounded a charge directed by this our Apostle to these his beleeving Romans and in them to all other Christians The sum whereof is that they abandoning of Arrogancy and curiositie not overweening themselves or intermedling with other folks businesses they would quietly content themselves in the Stations wherein God had set them wisely improving the severall gifts bestowed upon them to common and mutuall Edification in all Christian Humility and Charity For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himselfe more highly then he ought to think or to be over-wise above what he ought to be wise but to think soberly or to be wise unto sobriety according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith This Charge in the words I have now read he prosecuteth and presseth which he doth by an Argument taken à Comparatis from a Comparison Prosecuted by a comparison a Comparison betwixt the Naturall and Mysticall body in which as in every Comparison we may take notice of two things two parts the Protasis and Apodasis the Proposition and the Reddition The former we have in the fourth verse For as we have many members in one Body The parts of the comparison c. The later in the fifth verse So we we being many are one body c. In the former of these the Proposition 1. The Proposition the Apostle maketh observation of three paticulars 1. The Vnity of the body one body 2. The Plurality of members We have many members in one body 3. The Diversity of Offices And all member have not the same Office So is it in the Natural body the body of Man or other living creature The body is one one Totum integrale one Integrall whole made up of many members which are distinct and differing the one from the other Differing in site and place some higher others lower as the head and the feet Differing in externall forme and fashion some of one fashion others of another Differing in Order and Dignity some more noble and principall others more ignoble Differing in their Offices and Operations All have not the same Office saith the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same Action the same Operatoon the eye hath one Office the ear a second the tongue a third and so in the rest Thus it is in the Naturall body There is the Proposition But that is but the shell or paring The kernell and meat which our souls are to feed upon we shall find it in the later part the Reddition 2. The Reddition which followeth So wee being many are one body in Christ Wee Meaning the Church in speciall that particular Church to which he directs this Epistle the Church at Rome in generall the whole Catholick Church whereof that Church was a part and Paul himself a member which he was not properly of the Church at Rome no more then of Corinth or Ephesus or for ought I know of any other And this Church he here calleth a Body The Church called a Body a term usually and familiarly given to any society or combination of men Thus in the Camp as the whole Army so every Brigade every Company being ordered in a martiall way in ranks and files they are called a Body the Body of the Army a body of Horse a body of Pikes c. A Military Body thus in the Civill State as a whole Kingdome or Commonwealth so every particular Society every Corporation is a Body a Politicall Body and such is the Church As the Church Catholick so every particular Congregation is a Body an Ecclesiasticall Body so our Apostle here calls it as often elsewhere 2 Cor. 12.12 Ephes 4.4 16. Colos 3.15 Hebr. 13.3 And not unfitly may the Church be so called and that in regard of those Resemblances which are betwixt it and the Naturall body Resemblances betwixt the naturall and Mystical body The chief and principle whereof our Apostle here in this verse sets before us I shall take them up in their order as I fall with them in the words 1. The first which we meet with is the Plurality of members Resembl 1. Plurality of members which are diverse in We being many So is it in the naturall body which is a compages of many members meeting and joyned together And so it is in this Mysticall body of the Church We being many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the members of the Church may be said to be and that in a double respect 1. In regard of their Persons 1. Their Persons they are many Such is the Church catholick a Body made up of many Members The Church Catholick Invisible of the whole company of true Beleevers in all Ages and Places of the world The Church catholick visible of the whole company of Professours which under the Gospel may well be called many and such is a particular Church a congregation a body made up of a plurality of many members How many there must be or may be in such a Church the Spirit of God in Scripture hath not precisely determined it I know some others have done it making the least number in a particular church to be seven without which number it cannot be a constituted organicall church And the greater to be so many as may conveniently meet together in the same place to partake in all the ordinances of Christ But for my part I shal not vouch either of these contenting my selfe with what the Text holds forth that a church is a Company a Plurality a Body made up of many members Many for their Persons 2. Many in regard of their Offices 2. Offices and gifts which are various and diverse So is it in the Naturall body as the former verse tels us Many members many offices All members have not the same office And so it is in the Church as the persons are many so are their Offices and gifts diverse So it followeth in the next verse ver 6. Having then gifts differing c. Here is a first Resemblance 2. A second is in the unity of this Body Resembl 2. Unity of the body Many members but one body so is it in the naturall body We have many members in one body saith the Proposition So we being many are one Body saith the Reddition Such is every particular Church where there is a company of visible Saints joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospel united in the profession of the

church-members to learne from the members of the natural bodie where the severall members have severall Offices and severall faculties the eye to see the ear to hear the tongue to speak c. And having so each one holdeth to its particular function no one member incroaching upon the office of another even so would he have it for to be in the Mysticall Bodie of the church and so let it be There being therein a like plurality of members and diversity of Offices paralell and answerable to the former the Ruler as the eye the Teacher as the tongue the Hearer as the ear the Distributer as the hand c. some having one function others another let every one look to his owne Thus is it in the Military body where there are Colonels and Majors and Captains and Leiutenants Sergeants Officers and private Souldiers every one intends his own imployment And so is it in Politick Bodies where there are Mayor Bailiffs Sheriffs Justices Constables c. every one looketh to his owne office not interrupting not disturbing one another the inferior by no means intruding upon the place of the Supeior And so let it be in the Church But I hasten Is the church one Bodie Then let all who professe themselves members thereof seek to maintain the unity of it Vse 3. Seek to maintain the Churches unity not rending and tearing it asunder by factions and schimes unwarrantable Separations and Divisions but labor to keep the onenesse the unity of this body The unity not only of those particular congregations whereof they are Members which Christians ought have a speciall regard unto not withdrawing themselves upon every slight occasion or making breaches in them but also of the church catholick So as though it be divided into severall congregations yet all they may keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace as so many lines meeting in the same center by their Associations and Combinations helping and strengthening each other all endeavouring as much as may be a Religious uniformity that they may all walk by the same Rule as of Faith and Manners so if it might be of Discipline a thing much to be desired by all those who pray for the peace of Jerusalem and without which they are not like to see what they long for But I passe to the fourth Is the church one body in Christ Then let all the members thereof know and acknowledge him for their Head Vse 4. Know and acknowledge our head Holding fast to him It is that which our Apostle chargeth upon some in his time Colos 2.19 They did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hold fast the head They did not hold themselves to Christ alone but they would be setting up other Mediators other Intercessours with him and besides him even as Romanists at this day do For us take we heed of the like remember we that Christ is our Head our Mediator our Advocate and therefore hold we to him and him alone not admitting any other to any participation with him in his Headship Submitting our selves unto him to be governed by his lawes leaving him to the regulating and ordering of his Church seeking after a nearer union and a more free and ful communion with him The members of the naturall body the more free communion they have with the head the more active and vigorous they are whereas if that be intercepted and obstructed as in some cases it is as viz. in Palsies and Apoplexies c. they prove useless and dead The Christians life is bound up in Christ whence it is that he is called their life Col. 3.4 And therefore holding fast this head seek nearer union and further communion with him But I promised to give you but a taste of these Come we now to the fifth and last upon which I have a speciall designe as conceiving it to be a branch Vse 5. A fruitfull Branch The Saints Joint-membership which may afford us a great deal of good fruit such as will be well worth my shaking and your gathering much matter which will be very usefull unto you and to all Christians in reference to their church state Where let me only premise one generall caveat what I shall speak of Church members A Caveat concerning the word Church-members and their mutuall respects and duties let it not be construed in too strict a sense as intended only to the members of particular congregations in reference unto that particular body whereof they are members True it is I will not deny what I have already yealded that the Apostle here in my Text in laying down the Doctrine hath a speciall eye to such a particular Relation And so shall I have in the Application But as he doth not so neither shall I impale and confine what I am to say within so narrow a room As for a particular Church as I said before it is but a part a member of the Church catholick visible so much is by some collected from that Text forecited 1 Cor. 12.27 where out Apostle telleth his Corinthians that they were the Body of Christ and members in particular The Originall hath it word for word Members of a part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the vulgar Latine as also Ambrose there renders it Membra de or ex membro possibly by the change of a letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost ad loc Aliquatenùs Nam omnes Ecclesiae per orbem dispersae diversa sunt unius corporis membra Beza Annot. Vide Calvin Con. ad locum as Beza conjectures and Heinsius approves it reading it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 members of a member that is as Chrysostome and Beza gives the sense of it members of that Church of Corinth which was but a part a member of the catholick christian Church but that I will not stand upon conceiving that it may admit of another construction more apposite and agreeable to the scope of that place to which Calvine directs me Neither need I seeing it is a truth clearly held forth by the Spirit of God in the very language of the Scripture which speaking of the church catholick calleth it the church without any other addition or modification As in the ver there fore-going ver 28. God hath set some in the church c. so often else-where But speaking of particular Congregations calls them churches Here what the Spirit saith to the churches Revel 2 3. c. Or the church at such a place and such a place clearly importing that the one is a totum Integrale the whole Body the other parts and members of it And being so parts of an Homogeneall Body what I say of or concerning the one let it be conceived as intended also to the other This generall caution being premised which as my selfe shall so I shall desire you to carry a long with you now come wee to particulars Are the members of the Church Joint-members Vsefull Instructions