Selected quad for the lemma: diversity_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
diversity_n	ceremony_n	church_n	tradition_n	579	5	10.4369	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10958	The faith, doctrine, and religion, professed, & protected in the realme of England, and dominions of the same expressed in 39 articles, concordablie agreed vpon by the reuerend bishops, and clergie of this kingdome, at two seuerall meetings, or conuocations of theirs, in the yeares of our Lord, 1562, and 1604: the said articles analised into propositions, and the propositions prooued to be agreeable both to the written word of God, and to the extant confessions of all the neighbour churches, Christianlie reformed: the aduersaries also of note, and name, which from the apostles daies, and primitiue Church hetherto, haue crossed, or contradicted the said articles in generall, or any particle, or proposition arising from anie of them in particular, heereby are discouered, laid open, and so confuted. Perused, and by the lawfull authoritie of the Church of England, allowed to be publique.	Rogers, Thomas, d. 1616.; Rogers, Thomas, d. 1616. English creede.	1607 (1607)	STC 21228; ESTC S116041	208,079	284

visible Church can inflict vpon the wicked and vngodly of this world is Excommunication which is a part of discipline to be exercised and that vpon vrgent occasions and it is commended vnto the Church euen by God himselfe who in his word hath prescribed 1. Who are to excommunicate namely such as haue authoritie in the Church 2. Who are to be excommunicate euen two sorts of men whereof the one peruert the sound doctrine of the truth as did Hymeneus and Alexander the other be defiled with notorious wickednes as that inces●uous person as Corinth was 3. The manner of proceeding in Excommunication namely first by gentle admonition and that once or twice giuen with the spirit of meekenesse euen as to a brother if the fault be not notoriously knowne and next by open reprehension afterward by the publique sentence of the Church to put him from the companie of the faithfull to deliuer him vnto Sathan and to denounce him an Heathen and a Publican if none admonitions will serue and the crime and person be very offensiue A man so cut off from the Congregation and Excommunicated is of euery godly professor to be auoyded and not to be eaten with all not to be companied with all nor to be receaued into house This censure is had in great reuerence estimation among the faithfull seruants of God Errors adversaries vnto this truth 1. Aduersaries vnto this doctrine be they Who vtterly condemne all censures ecclesiasticall and so Excommunication saying how the wicked are not excommunicable so did the Paulicians Haeretickes holding other points of religion soundly for their priuate and singular opinions are not to be excommunicate so the Pelagians Christians cleauing vnto the foundation which is Christ are not by excommunication to bee thrust out of the Church for any other errors or misdemeanors whatsoeuer Of which opinion be sundrie Diuines of good regard 2. Which allowe the censure of Excommunication so it be done Not as with vs it is by Commissaries Chancelars or Bishopes but in euerie Parrish and that either By the whole Congregation or by the Eldership and the whole Church or by euerie Minister yea euery member of the Church or finally if not by yet not without the consent of his Pastor who is to be excommunicate 3. Which rightly vse not but abuse the censure of Excommunication drawing the same foorth Against what they list euen against dead bodies dumbe Fishes Flies and Vermie when they haue auoyded them For this the Papistes are famous or infamous rather The dead bodies of Wicliefe Bucer P. Fagius were excomunicated after they were dead and buried The Bishop of Can●●●●on anno D. 1593. verie Catholickely accursed the mute Fishes S. Bernard denounced the sentence of Excommunication against Flies And against whom they please so the Apostolikes excommunicated all that were married only for that they were married Diotrephes thrust the Brethren out of the Church The Brownists excōmunicate whol citties churches the Papists excōmunicate euē Kings Emperors Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie was excommunicate by three Popes Pius quintus Gregorie the 13 and sixtus quintus The Puritanes mislike and find great fault that excommunication is not exercised against Kings and Princes Barrowe saith that a Prince contemning the censures of the Church is to be disfranchised out of the Church and deliuered ouer vnto Satan Also for what thinges they list euen for May-games and Robbin-hoode matters as sometime it was denounced in Scotland by the newe Presbyterie and for all crimes which by Gods lawe deserue death and for all things that to Gods people be scandalous yea not only for all matters criminall but also for the very suspition of auarice Pride c. 4. Lastly which fauour the right and true excommunication but exercise it not being bound thereunto 2. Proposition An excommunicate person truly repenting is to be receaued into the Church againe The proofe from Gods word Sundrie be the reasons and ends why Excommunication is vsed as That a wicked liuer to the reproach of the Gospell be not suffered among the godly and Christian professors of true religion That manie good men bee not euill spoken of for a fewe bad That good and virtuous persons may not bee infected through the continuall or much familiaritie of the wicked For as S. Paule saith a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe And that he which hath fallen through shame of the world may at the length Learne to blaspheme no more through repentance be saued Among all other causes therefore of Excommunication one is and not the least that the person Excommunicate may not be condemned vtterly but returne vnto the Lord by repentance and so be receaued againe into the visible Church as S. Paule willed the Incestuous man should be The Adversaries vnto this truth Contrariwise the Montanistes and the Nouatians are of opinion that so many as after Baptisme doe fall into sinne bee vtterly damned of God and therefore bee not to find fauour at the Churches hands 34. Article Of the traditions of the Church 1 It is not necessary that traditions and ceremonies be in all places one or vtterly like for at all times they haue bin diuers and changed according to the diuersitie of countries times and mens manners so that nothing be ordained against Gods word 2 whosoeuer through his priuate iudgment willingly and purposely doth openly breake the traditions and ceremonies of the Church 3 which be not repugnant to the word of God and be ordained and approoued by common authoritie ought to be rebuked openly that other may feare to doe the like as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church and woundeth the consciences of the weake brethren 4 Euery particular or nationall Church hath authoritie to ordaine change and abolish ceremonies or rites of the church ordained onely by mans authoritie so that all things be done to edifying The Propositions 1. Traditions or ceremonies are not necessarie to be like and the same in all places 2. No priuate man of a selfe will and purposely may in publike violate the traditions and ceremonies of the Church which by common authoritie be allowed and are not repugnant to the word of God 3. Ceremonies and traditions ordained by authoritie of man if they be repugnant to Gods word are not to be kept obserued of any man 4. Euery particular or nationall Church may ordaine change and abolish ceremonies or rites ordained onely by mans authoritie so that all things be done to edifying 1. Proposition Trad●tions or ceremonies are not necessarily to be like or the same in all places The proofe from Gods word IF a necessitie were laid vpon the Church of God to obserue the same traditions and ceremonies at all times and in all

places assuredly neither had the ceremonies of the old lawe bin as they are now abolished neither would the apostles euer haue giuen such presidents of altering them vpon speciall reasons as they haue done For the said Apostles changed the times and places of their assembling together the people of God meeting and the Apostles preaching sometimes on the weeke sometime on the Sabboth daies sometimes publikely in the Temple in the synagogues and in the Schooles sometimes priuately in house after house and in chambers sometimes in the day time sometimes in the night Neither kept they the same course in the ministration of the Sacraments For as occasion was offered they both baptized in publike assemblies and in priuate houses before many and when none of the faithfull but the minister onely and the party to be baptized were present and ministred likewise the Supper of the Lord in the day time and at midnight in the open Churches and in priuate houses So nothing therefore be done against the word of God traditions and ceremonies according to the diuersitie of countries and mens manners may be changed and diuers Of this iudgement with vs be all reformed Churches The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth They are greatly deceiued therefore which thinke that The Iewish ceremonies prescribed by God himselfe for a time vnto the Iewes are to be obserued of vs Christians Such were the old Heretikes the false Apostles the Cerdonites the Cerinthians and the Nazarites and are the Familists The traditions and namely the tradition and ceremonie of the seuenth day for the Sabboth the manner of sanctifying thereof must necessarily be one and the same alwaies and in al places Hence the demi-Iewes our English Sabbatarians affirme first touching the sanctification of the seuenth day howe It is not lawfull for vs to vse the seuenth day to any other end but to the holy and sanctified end for which God in the beginning created it So soone as the 7. day was so soone was it sanctified that wee might know that as it came in with the first man so must it not goe out but with the last The Sabboth or seuenth day of Rest which hath that cōmendation of antiquitie ought to stand still in force All the Iudaicall daies and Feasts being taken away onely the Sabboth remaineth And next concerning the forme and manner of keeping the day they deliuer that Wee are bound vnto the same Rest with the Iewes on the Sabboth day As the first seuenth day was sanctified so must the last be Wee be restrained vpon the Sabboth from work both hand and foote as the Iewes were Euery ecclesiasticall minister in his charge necessarily must preach and make a sermon euery Sabboth day euery man or woman vnder paine of vtter condemnation must heere a Sermon every Sabboth day Euery pastor in his charge must execute the discipline and Presbyteriall gouernment in his parish euery Sabboth day Last of all deceiued by be the Romane Catholikes which are of opinion how the ceremonies of their Church are vniuersally and vnder the paine of the great curse necessarily to be vsed in all places and countries 2. Proposition No priuate man of a selfe will and purposely may in publike violate the traditions and ceremonies of the Church which by common authoritie be allowed and are not repugnant to the word of God The proofe from Gods word Great is the priuiledge great also the libertie and freedome of Gods Church and people For they are deliuered From the curse of the Lawe From the Law of sinne and of death From all Iewish rites and ceremonies And from all humane ordinances and traditions whatsoeuer when they are imposed vpon the consciēces of men to be obserued vnder paine of eternall condemnation Notwithstanding the Church and euery member thereof in his place is bound to the obseruation of al Traditions and Ceremonies which are allowed by lawfull authoritie and are not repugnant to the word of God For hee that violateth them contemneth not man but God who hath giuen power to his Church to establish whatsoeuer things shall make vnto comenesse Order and Edification This of our godly brethren in their published writings is approoued The adversaries vnto this truth Notwithstanding say the Anabaptistes The people of God are free from all lawes and owe obedience to no man are not to be bound with the bands of any iurisdiction of this world say the Brownistes are freed frō the obseruation of all rights and eccles ceremonies say certaine ministers of the praecise faction both in Scotland and England Againe there be of the Clergie who rather then they will vse or obserue any rights ceremonies or orders though lawfully ratified which please them not will disquiet the whole Church forsake their charges leaue their vocations raise stirs and cause diuisions in the Church as did many when it was in Germanie about the Rheme Frankeland and Sneauland whereby most lamentable effects did ensue and doe the refractorie ministers in the Church of England at this day the more is the pittie The principall author of all these tragicall suries about ceremonial matters was Flacius Illyricus whose preachings were that rather thē ministers should yeeld vnto the seruitude of ceremonies they should abādō their calling giue ouer the ministery to the end that Princes magistrates euē for fear of vprores and popular tumults might bee forced at the length to set their ministers free from the obseruation of all ceremonies more then they were willing to vse themselues 3. Proposition Ceremonies and traditions ordained by the authoritie of man if they be repugnant to Gods word are not to be kept and obserued of any man The proofe from Gods word Of ceremonies and traditions repugnant to the worde of God there bee two sorts whereof some are of things meerly impious wicked such was the Israelites calfe and Nebuchadnezars idoll and bee the Papisticall Images Reliques Agnus-deis and Crosses to which they doe giue diuine adoration These and such like be all flatly forbidden Others are of things by God in his word neither commaunded nor forbidden as of eating or not eating Flesh of wearing or not wearing some Apparrell of keeping or not keeping some daies holy by abstinence from bodily labour c the which are not to be obserued of any Christian when for sound Doctrine it is deliuered that such workes either doe merit remission of sinnes or bee the acceptable seruice of God or doe more please then the obseruation of the lawes praescribed by God himselfe or be necessarilie to be done insomuch as they are damned who doe them not We must therfore haue alwaies in minde that we are bought with a price and therefore may