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
A64611	The summe of Christian religion, delivered by Zacharias Ursinus first, by way of catechism, and then afterwards more enlarged by a sound and judicious exposition, and application of the same : wherein also are debated and resolved the questions of whatsoever points of moment have been, or are controversed in divinitie / first Englished by D. Henry Parry, and now again conferred with the best and last Latine edition of D. David Pareus, sometimes Professour of Divinity in Heidelberge ; whereunto is added a large and full alphabeticall table of such matters as are therein contained ; together with all the Scriptures that are occasionally handled, by way either of controversie, exposition, or reconciliation, neither of which was done before, but now is performed for the readers delight and benefit ; to this work of Ursinus are now at last annexed the Theologicall miscellanies of D. David Pareus in which the orthodoxall tenets are briefly and solidly confirmed, and the contrary errours of the Papists, Ubiquitaries, Antitrinitaries, Eutychians, Socinians, and Arminians fully refuted ; and now translated into English out of the originall Latine copie by A.R.	Ursinus, Zacharias, 1534-1583.; Parry, Henry, 1561-1616.; Pareus, David, 1548-1622. Theologicall miscellanies.; A. R.	1645 (1645)	Wing U142; ESTC R5982	1,344,322	1,128

Church is 1. Visible or Militant which in this world fighteth under Christs Banner against the world the flesh and the Divell This Militant Church is either visible or invisible The visible Church is a company among men imbracing and professing the true and uncorrupt Doctrine of the Law and the Gospel and using the Sacraments aright according to Christs institution and professing obedience unto the Doctrine in which company are many unregenerated or hypocrites consenting notwithstanding and agreeing to the Doctrine in which also the Son of God is forcible to regenerate some by the vertue of his Spirit unto everlasting life Or it is a company of such as consent in the Doctrine they professe wherein notwithstanding are many dead and unregenerate members Mat. 7.21 13.21 42. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven Hither pertain the parables of the Seed and the Tares likewise of the Net gathering both good and bad Fish The invisible Church is a company of those which are elected to eternall life 2. Invisible in whom a new life is begun here by the holy Ghost and is perfected in the life to come This Church as long as it warfareth and sojourneth on earth alwayes lieth hid in the visible Church It is otherwise called the Church of the Saints They which are in this invisible Church never perish therefore neither are any Hypocrites therein but the Elect only John 10.28 2 Tim. 2.19 Why it is called invisible of whom it is said No man shall pluck my sheep out of mine hands The foundation of the Lord remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are is It is called invisible not that the men therein are invisible but because their faith and godlinesse is invisible neither is known of any but of themselves in whom it is and because we are not able certainly to distinguish or discerne in the visible Church the true godly from the Hypocrites Moreover both these parts of the true Church both visible and invisible are either universall or particular The universall visible Church The universall visible Church is the company of all those which professe the Doctrine wheresoever in the world they be The particular visible Church The particular visible is also a company of those which professe the doctrine but in some certaine place The visible Church is universall in respect of the profession of one faith in Christ and of one Doctrine and worship But it is particular in respect of place and habitation The universall invisible and of diversity of rites and customes So also the invisible Church is universall as all the Elect in whatsoever place they be and whatsoever time they lived have one faith againe it is particular as either in this or that place they have the same faith Now all particular Churches are parts of the universall and the visible are parts of the universall Church visible as also the invisible are parts of the universall Church invisible And of this personall visible Church doth the Article or Creed speak properly I beleeve the holy Catholike Church For besides that the universall invisible Church is Catholike it is also nobilitated with this title that it is Holy Further in this is the true communion of Saints between Christ and all his members What difference between the visible and invisible Church Rom. 8.30 There is almost the same difference betweene the visible and invisible Church which is between the whole and part For the invisible lieth hid in the visible as a part in the whole Which appeareth out of this place of Paul Whom the Lord predestinated them also he called This calling whereby the Lord calleth us is of two sorts inward and outward The inward Saint Paul saith was wrought according to the purpose of saving men and the Elect are called by both Hypocrites are called onely by the outward calling And in respect of this outward calling is the Church called visible and the Church of the called where are Hypocrites also But the invisible is called the Company or Church of the Elect and Chosen Object 1. If the whole be visible the part also is visible Answ That part also is visible as concerning men elected or as they are men and as they professe the Doctrine of the visible Church but it is not visible as concerning the godlinesse or faith of men or as concerning faith and repentance in men Object 2. They which are in the Church perish not as the definition of the Church affirmeth Many Hypocrites are in the Church Therefore either Hypocrites shall not perish or it is false that they which are in the Church perish not Answ They which are in the invisible Church perish not and of this was our definition But the Minor proposition speaketh of the visible Church in which are many Hypocrites Object 3. Where the invisible Church is not neither is the visible In the time of Popery was not the invisible Therefore there was not the visible Ans I deny the Minor For there also were remnants that is there were alwayes some mingled with those dregs who held the foundation some more purely some lesse In summe The Church was oppressed but not extingnished The Church of the Old Testament and the New There is also another division of the Church into the Church of the Old Testament and of the New The Church of the Old Testament is a company or congregation imbracing the Doctrine of Moses and the Prophets and making profession that they will imbrace in Jury the Mosaicall Ceremonies and keep them and as well in Jury as also out of Jury imbrace the things signified by those Ceremonies that is beleeving the Messias which was to be exhibited The Church of the New Testament hath not these differences because all beleeve in the Messias already exhibited This Church is a company imbracing the Doctrine of the Gospel using the Sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ and beleeving in him being exhibited the true Messias 3. what are the tokens and marks of the Church Profession of the true doctrine THe marks of the true Church are Profession of the true uncorrupt and rightly understood Doctrine of the Law and Gospel that is of the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles There concurre withall oftentimes errours but yet notwithstanding this mark is sure if the foundation be kept albeit stubble be builded thereon yet so that those errours of stubble be not maintained The right use of the Sacraments The right and lawfull use of the Sacraments For amongst other ends of the Sacraments this is one that this company of Gods Church may be discerned from all Sect and Hereticks Profession of obedience to the doctrine Mat. 28.19 20. Profession of obedience to the Doctrine or Ministery These three marks of the Church are contained in those words of Christ Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of

the Kingdome to the Father The Rule for answer to this is Of the phrase of Scripture wee must iudge according to the whole Scripture that is by marking circumstances of the Text alledged and by conference of other places with it The Son shall deliver up the Kingdom unto the Father not by laying it downe but by manifesting it or changing the forme thereof For the Father also reigneth now neither shall the Son ever cease to reigne Likewise he shall deliver it by subjecting all things under him So the Father also delivereth the Kingdom unto the Son neither yet doth he forgoe it The Son doth nothing to wit nothing of himselfe or without the precedent will of his Father yet he doth something by himself from his Father Other Rules whereby the objections of the Arrians are dissolved 1. NOthing hindereth why they who are equall in nature may not be in degree of office unequall 2. That which the Father hath given unto the Sonne that hee should ever have it hee will never demand of him againe but that which was but for a certaine time given and committed unto him the same hee must meeds depart from and resigne 3. That consequence doth not hold in reason which is brought from a thing that is respective to a thing that is absolute 4. That is said of the person in the concrete which is proper only to one nature but not otherwise than in respect of that nature unto which it is proper 5. There is a double wisedome one existing in the creatures which is the order of things in nature wisely disposed and the doctrine or knowledge as well of nature and the law as also of the Gospel Another wisdome is subsisting in God which when it is opposed unto the creatures is the very divine minde or eternal decree as touching the order of things in the Father the Son and the holy Ghost that is it signifieth the three persons but when it is distinguished from God then it is taken for the Son of God the second person only The former wisdome existing in the creatures is created the other subsisting in God is uncreate 6. God absolutely named in the Scripture is never meant but of very God himselfe 7. Whereas the Son and the holy Ghost are of the Father and the Father worketh by the Son and the holy Ghost neither was humbled as the Son the Scripture doth oftentimes especially in Christs speeches understand by the name of the Father the Son also and the holy Ghost 8. When God is considered absolutely or by himselfe or is opposed to the creatures the three persons are comprehended but when hee is opposed to the Son the first person of the God-head is understood which is the Father 9. The name of God being put simply or absolutely is essentially taken that is for the God-head it selfe and compriseth all three persons but when the property of any person is joyned therewith it is taken personally 10. The Scripture distinguisheth the persons when it opposeth or compareth them among themselves or expresseth their personall properties whereby it restraineth the name of God common to them all to one certain person and it meaneth them altogether when it opposeth the true God to creatures or false gods or considereth them absolutely according to his own nature 11. That which began at some certain time to be manifested may not thence be concluded never to have been before 12. The Son is wont to referre that to the Father which yet hee hath common with the Father not making any mention of himselfe when hee speaketh in the Mediatours person 13. The Son is said to see learne heare and worke as from the Father in respect of both natures yet not without a difference still remaining For unto his humane understanding the will of God is made known by revelation But his God-head doth by it selfe and of his owne nature know and behold from everlasting most perfectly the Fathers will 14. The externall operations of the three persons if they were distinct they should make verily distinct essences because one working and another ceasing there should be diverse essences but the internall operations because they are the communicating of one and the same whole essence make not a diversity but an unity of essence 15. When God is called the Father of Christ and the faithfull it doth not hereof follow that he is after the same manner their Father and his 16. The Father was never without the Son nor the Father and the Son without the Spirit inasmuch as the God-head can neither be augmented nor lessened not changed 17. It followeth not that whosoevers person is from another his essence also is from another 18. As often as in Scripture one person of the Deity is opposed to creatures or feigned gods and is distinguished from them the other persons are not excluded from the Deity but the creatures only between whom and the true God comparison is made This we must also observe in all exclusive and superlative speeches The principall arguments against the Divinity of the Son and the holy Ghost together with the answers unto them 1. ONe essence is not three persons for one to be three doth imply a contradiction God is one essence Therefore there cannot be three persons of the God head Ans The Major is true of an essence created and finite that cannot being one be the same and whole substance of three or be three but it is false of the infinite most simple and individuall essence of the God-head For this as it existeth one and whole together in many nay in infinite places and things so may it be remaining one the same and whole essence of moe yea and moreover it is necessary so to be seeing the generation of the Son and the proceeding of the holy Ghost is the communicating of the essence of the Father 2. Whose operations are distinct their essences also must needs be distinct The eternall operations of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are distinct Therefore they have also distinct essences Answ The Major of this reason is true of persons having a fi●ite essence but being understood of the divine person it is false if it be meant of those internall operations whereof the Minor speaketh Wherefore inverting the Major wee returne it backe upon the adversaries themselves Whereas the internall operations namely the generation of the Son and the proceeding of the holy Ghost are the communicating of the Fathers essence whole and the same in number it must needs be that there is not a diverse or distinct but one divine essence of all three persons 3. That which hath a beginning is not eternall but the Sonne and the holy Ghost have their beginning or originall from the Father Therefore they are not eternall Answ That is not eternall which hath a beginning of essence or nature and time But the Sonne and the holy Ghost have a beginning or originall of person or order or