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
A78093	Temple-defilers defiled, vvherein a true visible Church of Christ is described. The evils and pernicious errours, especially appertaining to schisme, anabaptisme, and libertinisme, that infest our Church, are discovered. And directions to preserve from the sin and punishment of temple-defiling, delivered in two sermons preached at the lecture in Kingston upon Thames, Feb. 20. & 27. 1644. out of I Cor. 3.17. / By Richard Byfield pastor in Long-Ditton, Surrey.	Byfield, Richard, 1598?-1664.	1645 (1645)	Wing B6394; Thomason E278_20; ESTC R200019	46,454	48

this signified God in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing the transgressions ●respass●s against his holy Law but accepting their persons imperfect obedience to his Commandments presented to him through Christ the Mediator and in Chr●st beholding them with favour acceptation passing by their sins as expiated covered in whom also their Prayers are heard answers are given to them their hearts find feel him teaching ●uling them the holy Angels attend on thē guard them are their ministers now in the believer this presence of God in Christ on a throne of grace is set up in his heart 2. The Altar of incense placed before the vaile that was by the Ark before the Mercy-seat Ex. 30. 1. 6. 2. This signified Christs interc●ssion and the Golden Censer and Odours of his meritorious sacrifice with which he appears before God as our high Priest Rev. 8. 3. this Altar Censer Odours and high Priest the Believer through the word of Faith even the Gospel receiving and imbracing presents himself and all he doth to God therewith that God may smell a savour of rest towards him he offereth all to God in Christs name in the hands of this consecrated Priest and on this Altar that can sanctifie his gift he puts his prayers into this Golden Censer The vertue also of Christs intercession is in him in the spirit of Prayer 3. The Altar of burnt-offering signified Christ bearing our sins and making reconciliation in whose sacrifice of himself a whole burnt-offering is found ful satisfaction a perfect ransom and price plentuous and eternall Redemption This Altar Heb. 13 10. 10 5. 8 9 10. is set up in the Christian who by Faith presents before God this Lamb and his Redemption for his Iustification and while he apprehends this Redemption in his soul offers through Chr●st himself a whole bhrut offering to God and all other his spirituall sacrifices 4. The Table of shew bread on which were set new every Sabbath weekly twelve Cakes with pure incense representing the twelve Tribes of I●ra●l which stood on the Table continually before the Mercy-seat in the presence of God which as it signifieth the gracious favour and the eyes of God in Christ over the righteous so also how the Christian liveth continu●lly as in the presence of God reconciled and reconciling him to him through Christ his heart saith with David Thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes Psa 26. 3. and I have walked in thy truth And this constant presence as before God reconciled only through the blood of his Son raiseth the incense and sweet odours of holy motions presented also before God in Christ continually and look as God feedeth him with Christ the bread of life and furnisheth a Table be●ore ●●m so the Believer keeps a furn●shed Table Cart. 1. 12. 7. 12 8. 2. of the fruits of the Spirit in which God in Christ is delighted this Table stood on the North-side in the Tabernacle 5. The Candlest●ck of pure Gold with seven Lampes burning was on the South-side right against the Table of Shew bread This is the Word of God written in the heart of the true Christian burning and shining in saving knowledge with the seven lampes of his spirit even manifold gifts and graces in the light of this Word ingrafted by which the Holy Ghost dwels in them they serve God in Christ with their spirits in the Gospel 6. The Br●zen Laver to w●sh in is the very fountaine of godly sorrow and of renewing grace Esa 1. 16. Psal 26. 6. Act. 26. 18. the spirit of sanctification which is opened in the heart of a beleever it is the sanctification in them by faith which is in Iesus Christ whereby their soules are sprinkl●d from an evill conscience and their bodies washed with cleane water that so they may draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of faith Heb. 10. 20. This is the furniture of Gods house 3. For the Glory The Glory that fills this house of God is God in the presence of his Grace as the Apostle saith Ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walke in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 2 Cor. 6. 16. 4. For the Ministers The Ministers that serve in this house they are beleevers they are both the Temple and the Priests as the Apostle Peter saith coming unto Christ Ye are built up a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. In these foure respects is the beleever the Temple of God and every one that is called though but outwardly is called that he might be a partaker of this heavenly honour of which honour unbeliefe and impenitency doe deprive him Who can sufficiently expresse the Dignity of the true beleever who can sufficiently bewaile the state of the Christian that is so only in profession who while he seemes to give himself to God in words keepes his heart a stye for Sathan keeps open house for the Devill Thus we see how every Christian is Gods Temple The Church is also Gods Temple even the Church visible It is true that as the Temple and Tabernacle had three parts the outer Court for the people the Holy Place where the Priests did their Office and the Holy of Holies into which the High Priest only entred so they did type out the visible Church as the outer Court where are good and bad the Holy Place the true Saints and Beleevers and Heaven the Holy of Holies But here the visible Church in the whole and in every particular visible Church is called the Temple of God 1. For the generall qualities or adjuncts 1. Vnity There was but one Temple so the Church is one Cant. 6. 9. There is but one body 1 Cor. 12. 12. though there be diversities of gifts of operations and of administrations though there be divers members this diversity makes for Unity for if they were all one member where were the body 1 Cor. 12. 19. unto every one is given some measure of Grace from Christ the Head which being improved in our fit and proper place in the body according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it selfe in love Ephes 4. 4. 7. 16. Diversity of gifts makes for growth as well as for unity if love with lowlinesse and meeknesse doe act and carry us 2. Sanctity The Temple of God is holy so the Church are a society or community separated from the world they are without we have nothing to doe to judge them that is to proceed with them that are the fornicators of this world or the covetous or the like with Church-censures These are within these that are called Brethren and are yet fornicators or covetous or Idolater● or drunkards or such like these that are

be worse that ruines the foundation but vain curious unnecessary doubtfull tending to jangling strife and divisions perhaps true but unprofitable like the Genealogies in the which the Jewes were curious or else erroneous and of ill consequence though not in it self impious Such in a word as suites not with the foundation such as is not like gold silver and precious stones these only are fit for this building suitable to Christ the foundation the Apostle reasons against their bringing such stuffe to Gods building and in this verse bringeth his Argument from the greatnesse of the sin and the certain●y of the punishment Their sin is the defiling of Gods Temple their punishment shall be destruction 2. Again his Argument against such ill Church workes lyeth also against Schisme Divisions and Factions in the Church as appeareth to the diligent and intelligent Reader by that in the chap. 1. ver 10. 12. and in this chap. 3. ver 3 4 5. The Apostle is still about the cure of this one disease and this verse we are upon argues against it as a Temple-pollu●er and destructive to those that are guilty of it 3. To whom he speaks 1. To the Church of Corinth called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1. 2. Consider it 1. He speaks not to them without there were within the Church too many defilers of Gods Temple 2. He speaks not to a party in that Church the house of Cloe a choice party separating from the faulty party making up a new Church l●st they should be pollu●ed in holding Church Fellowship with them that were such sinners The house of Cloe knew how tostand free from partaking with them in their sins and yet retain Gospel Union to seek a Medicine and not make a rupture The Apostle guided by the spirit of Vnion love and a sound minde breathes forth nothing to make Rents but what ever might be to make up breaches He directs not the Epistle to the house of Cloe that stood sound and untoucht though they gave him notice of the evils that infested the Church at Corinth But 1. To the whole company of Professors of Christianity in that great City to the whole society of Christians there 2. And that also to such a society as were enriched in gifts and graces so that he fi●st breaks out in the mention of them with solemne Thanksgiving to God they were enriched in every thing by Christ in all utterance in all knowledge they came behinde in no gift as in chap. 1. ver 4. 5. 7. Yet many of ●hese fell into this sin of Schisme these must take heed how they walk on in that sin for they may fall under this destroying judgement of God 2. To the whole and Vniversall Church of God ver 2. of chap. 1. All in every place that call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours One Lord in common of one visible Church in all the world which is one body under that one head par●icular visible Churches are not so many Independant Churches those that so teach m●ke Jesus Christ monstrous The Papists make Christs Church a Monster in that they hold that Christ is the head of the Church which is most true and yet withall that the Pope is the head of the Church The Church then is a body that hath two heads And those make Christ yet more monstrous that setting up so many Independant Churches as there be Christian Congregations in the world which they call each s●verally the mysticall Body of Christ do make Christ a head that hath so many bodies but there is but one Body all particular Churches make up one Church and visible universall society in which Church he sai●h not Churches God hath set Apostles Prophets Teachers Miracles gifts of healings helps Governments diversities of Tongues Therefore many of us also must beware of that and such like sins of Divisions that defiled the Church at Corinth for the Ax of this Sentence in this Text is by the Apostle laid also to every of our roots While therefore these words are handled according to the truth Look not on me as if I spake of my self look not off your selves blesse not your selves under the vain thoughts of Gospel-Grace that you will hear and only that or Gospel-graces and gifts wrought in you or your freedom from other grosse-sins as if this of falling into divisions were no sin but consider who speaks How and to whom And the Lord Jesus Christ make all saving to you though for the present it should not savour you The Substance of the Text hath three words to be opened 1. The Temple of God He means not hereby the materiall Temple in Ierusalem first or second nor the Tabernacle built in the wildernesse but the latter end of this verse sheweth clearly he means Christians which Temple are ye every particular Christian every of you and ye the Church of Christians both then at Corinth and also every where not only the Christian that hath truth of grace and is so inwardly as well as outwardly but the Christian by outward calling for to these he wrote also not only every particular member but chiefly the Church the Society This word ye referred to all in Corinth called to be Saints and to all in all the world that call on the name of the Lord Iesus Christ doth fully evince thus much They are called Gods Temple continuing the Metaphor of a building considered severally and in a Church-society with Relation to the typicall Temple to shew that the truth of that type is now remaining 2. Defile Destroy The Greek word is but one in divers tenses it signifieth both to Defile and Destroy to corrupt and violate the Greek is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The translation would render the Originall more naturally if we retained one English word either thus If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God defile or thus If any man destroy the Temple him will God destroy It is an Elegancy and not barely so but pregnant in instruction for it teacheth that the punishment of such offenders shall be in justice proportioned to their offence Defiling for defiling violence for violence degree for degree if they 'le be dilapidating and corrupting Gods house they shall have enough of it God will dilapidate and corrupt them 3. If any man him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any do it that same man shall feel it whoever he be Teacher or hearer of high esteem for place in the Church or for gifts and graces this man God will certainly meet withall this his sin shall finde him out Now from hence arise three Doctrines worth our through perusall and attention 1. Doct. Every Christian professing the true Faith much more every true Professor of that true Faith is the Temple of God And every particular visible Church or Society of these Professors and the whole Church or universall society of Christians professing the true faith are the Temple of God