Selected quad for the lemma: diversity_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
diversity_n	church_n	faith_n	unity_n	1,026	5	9.9897	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07190	The avthoritie of the Chvrch in making canons and constitutions concerning things indifferent and the obedience thereto required: with particular application to the present estate of the Church of England. Deliuered in a sermon preached in the Greene yard at Norwich the third Sunday after Trinitie. 1605. By Fran. Mason, Bacheler of Diuinitie, and sometime fellow of Merton College in Oxford. And now in sundrie points by him enlarged.	Mason, Francis, 1566?-1621.	1607 (1607)	STC 17595; ESTC S112385	61,269	101

and spirit vpon them and make them like the thousands of Manasses and the ten thousands of Ephraim It is true they haue reiected some ceremonies which we retaine the things were indifferent and they haue vsed their Christian libertie in refusing them and we the like libertie in vsing them But why should we be bound to their example Indeed in the same nation and vnder the same gouernment it is fit there should be an vniformitie and therfore whereas the Iewes in the Prouinces kept the feast of Purim vpon the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar and the Iewes in Shusan vpon the fifteenth Mordocheus authorised by the King reduced them to an vniformity by inioining them both daies But diuersitie of rites in diuers Churches independent doth noe harme where there is an vnitie of faith It only shewes that the Kings daughter so that she be glorious within may be clothed with garments of changable colours Yet we cannot but maruell that men will vrge vs to conformitie with forraine Churches to which we owe no subiection and will not conforme themselues to their owne mother the Church of England in whose bosome they liue and whereof they are members But to whom shall we conforme our selues and whose patterne shall wee follow for the reformed churches differ one from another as hath beene in part declared in their celebration of holidaies Peraduenture they will saie that wee must follow the best But how shall we know which are best vnlesse the reformed Churches would haue a generall meeting in a publike Councell and make vs a finall determination and yet peraduenture that would not be voide of inconuenience for that might be best for one which is not best for another If in this case wee should be tied to follow the most ancient then Geneua it selfe must be cast in an other mould which our reproouers will not allow to bee of equall perfection But whatsoeuer our reformers say it is cleere that they haue alwaies one eie fixed vpon the face of Geneua yet Geneua hath some popish orders if you call all orders popish which haue beene vsed in poperie as well as wee as hath beene declared in their custome of godfathers and godmothers and some popish orders they keepe which are not imposed vpon vs in the Church of England as the wafer cake which was more scandalously abused in poperie than any thing that we inioin yea then the crosse it selfe For the wafer cake was not onely made an idoll but such an idoll as did abolish the verie substance of the Lords supper But the crosse howsoeuer it was abused yet it did not diminish the Sacrament of Baptisme but the substance remained wholy euen in the darknesse of poperie Moreouer Caluin himselfe doth not require that other Churches should follow their patterne but professeth that it is against equitie that the Church of Geneua should preiudice others And againe such a kinde of frowardnesse saith he is a most mischieuous plague when wee would haue the maner of one church to preuaile in place of an vniuersall law In which point singular is the wisedome and modestie of the Church of England which intreating of ceremonies saith In these our doings we condemne no other nations nor prescribe any thing but to our owne people onely for we thinke it conuenient that euerie countrie should vse such ceremonies as they shall thinke best to the setting foorth of Gods honour and glorie c. And although Heluetian and French Cities follow the fabricke of Geneua and should finde it commodious yet that will not prooue that it is either necessarie or conuenient for the Church of England For there is great difference betweene a popular state and an absolute kingdome betweene small territories and ample dominions betweene the schoole of Geneua and the renowned Vniuersities of Oxford and Cambridge Neither is any man to be offended with the diuersitie of ceremonies in diuers countries for as Socrates declareth those auncient Churches which imbraced the same religion had notwithstanding varietie of ceremonies And it is well said of Gregorie In vna fide nihil officit sancta ecclesia consuetudo diuersa Moreouer Saint Augustines mother hauing vsed when she was in Africke to faste vpon the Saturday and comming to Millan where that was not obserued was doubtfull what to doe whereupon her sonne Austin asked Saint Ambrose who answered When I am heere at Millan I doe not faste vpon the Saturday and when I am at Rome I faste vpon the Saturday and vnto what Church soeuer you shall come keepe the custome of it if you bee willing neither to take nor giue scandall And S. Augustine aduised Casulanus when there are diuers customes in the same countrey to follow them to whom the regiment of the people is committed and to conforme himselfe to his owne Bishop Wherefore it appeareth first that diuers countries professing the same religion may haue diuers ceremonies Secondly that in Churches independent one is not bound of necessitie to follow an other Thirdly that it is the dutie of euerie priuate man to conforme himselfe to the lawdable customes of the Church wherein hee liueth Hitherto we haue seene the Archers shooting at the Church of England but God is her buckler and the Almightie is her protection So her how abideth strong and the hands of her armes are strengthened by the hands of the Almightie God of Iacob And thus farre of the confutation 38 And now my deare brethren let me exhort you in the name of the Lord Iesus to performe all holie obedience to God and the Prince For what is it which withholdeth you from the cheerefull discharge of so gracious a dutie if the supposed blemishes of our church be inconueniences onely how dare you disturbe the peace of the Church for bare inconueniences The Communion bread of Geneua seemed inconuenient to Caluin yet he aduised his friends not to make any tumult for a thing indifferent and the same counsell which he gaue to other he followed himselfe In another place the belles at buriall did seeme inconuenient yet Caluin wished them if it could not be obtained that the Prince would remit it yet not to be clamerous or contentious for such a matter In an other place the holidaies and other ceremonies did seeme inconuenient and Caluin being asked returned this answer that Though a thing imposed should bring offence and draw matters of foule consequence after it yet if in it selfe it be not repugnant to Gods word it may bee yeelded vnto especially where the greater part preuaileth in which case he that is onely a member of that body can proceed no further In England that learned and blessed Martyr M. Hooper being elected Bishop in King Edwards time did vehemently denie the wearing of his episcopall ornaments but Caluin did counsell him not to stand so stiffely against the cap and the rocher And Caluin answering to certaine