Selected quad for the lemma: diversity_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
diversity_n	divine_a	form_n	unity_n	461	5	10.6037	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52184	The liturgical-discourse of the holy sacrifice of the masse by omission of controversial questions; abridged and accommodated to the pious use of devout Christians in hearing masse, by A.F. the authour of the same at the instance of some devout friends.	Angelus à Sancto Francisco, 1601-1678.	1675 (1675)	Wing M938; ESTC R217659	145,436	447

grounds thereof Now as there is one Lord one Faith and one Baptism so there is one Church and one Sacrifice and this one Church in as much as may be speaks the same Tongue that as our hearts are united in the same Faith so our devotions to the same Sacrifice ought to agree in those Tongues which are not subject to alterations and changes as vulgar Languages are wherefore the Church hath thought fit to have this divine Sacrifice to be celebrated in Latin which uncorruptedly and without alteration passes throughout the Western parts as common to all the Nations thereof So that in diversity of Countreys still there remains the same form of Masse equally intelligible to all and thereby any Catholick in all Countreys finds the same Sacrifice and understands it as well in one Countrey as in another and certainly there is no exteriour thing that so much agrees to the Unity of the Church and Conformity to the divine Service and the Priests in all Countreys wheresoever they go may serve God in this Sacrifice agreeably to those of every place where he comes Moreover we must know that the Masse is a Sacrifice as hath been declared before and none are to offer this Sacrifice but Priests it is their Office and Function only to celebrate Masse for the faithful the Church even from the Apostles times has ordained Six other Orders for the Priest's assistance therein and none by Office is to intervene therein all Seculars in the primitive times were excluded from the Quire and have nothing to do therein but silently to offer up their prayers votes affections and desires with the Priest in the same manner as in the old Law The High Priest only did enter into the Sancta Sanctorum and none but Priests and Levites did enter into the places for Sacrifice which St. Luke Chap. 1. testifies saying That when Zacharias entred the Temple of our Lord all the multitude of the People was praying without at the hour of Incense loe here the People were praying without which is described by the wise man Eccl. 50. where having declared the Office of the Priests and their Oblation he sayes Then all the People together made hast and fel on their faces upon the Earth to adore our Lord their God and to make prayers to God omnipotent the Highest It was then the Office of Priests to offer Sacrifice and the duty of the People was to pray and adore their God it sufficed them to see the smoak of the Incense whereby they knew that the Priests was offering Sacrifice for them and with prostrations and genuflections they joyned their prayers with the Priest believing by a lively Faith and firm Hope that the Sacrifice was acceptable to God and profitable to themselves All which did prefigurate the holy Sacrifice of the Altar wherein Christians regard not so much the words as the action nor the voice but the vow Here all are or ought to be employed in fervent affections and contemplation of the divine Mysteries and by their vows of heart or in their prayers unite themselves to the Priest in his actions of the Sacrifice In fine the People come not for Instruction they come not to Sacrifice which is not their Office they come not precisely to pray for that they may do at home or in the Church at all times but they come here to be partakers of the Priest's prayers and oblation of the Sacrifice it nothing imports them whether it be done in this or that Language no more then it imports to a Countreyman to have his Petition offered to his Prince in this or that Language the only thing he requires is the grant of his Petition and I believe he is as earnest for his Suit as if it were done in his own Language It suffices then for the People that they believe the Priest according to his Function and exteriour actions in offering the Sacrifice for them and endeavour to concur with him as I said before besides the understanding of the words avails little unless the affection of the mind second it the words serve but to move the senses and by them the understandieg if then the understanding be well informed and instructed as all good Christians are or ought to be in the knowledge of the Mysteries nothing more is required but a correspondency of the will to that Dictamen Q. Are there not certain means to help the attention at Masse A. Love or fear would easily produce motives of attention a man that hath a Suit in any Court of Justice is very attentive although his cause be pleaded in another Language for during his Plea he is anxious of the success sometimes fears his cause may fall sometimes hopes he may obtain what he desires now regards his Advocate then beholds the Judges if by any sign he may note their Inclinations in fine he thinks of nothing else during the whole time In like manner the devout Soul who hath made his Intentions to hear Masse for something which he desires is attentive to what the Priest offers for him and with correspondent affections does follow him in the whole course of the Masse If any one will trust to experience let him go to Catholick Assemblies and he shall plainly see that Pater Noster did build Churches and our Father pull'd them down So the Devotion of the Catholick People in their Latin Masse will in all respects surpass that of those who frequent the new invented vulgar Service and that with a great deal of reason for that they serve God in a more noble way to wit in a Sacrifice Instituted by Christ Jesus Moreover the Church ordains many Ceremonies in the whole course of the Masse to move and continue our Attention as in the second part shall be more particularly declared in general She invites us in the beginning with a mutual confession and frequently with an Oremus let us pray in like manner with a Dominus vobiscum our Lord be with you it is convenient that you attend to him Finally all along the Masse by the Ceremonies she puts us in mind of Christ in his Nativity last Supper Passion Resurrection and Ascension which if we observe it will be hard to find any other thoughts SECT III. Of Ceremonies in General and Particular 1. Of Ceremonies in General Q. WHat is that you call Ceremonies A. By Ceremonies nothing else is understood but external Religious signs or actions testifying or moving the internal Worship Service or Duty which we give or ought to give to God and imports no more then the manner of God's exteriour Worship or what may conduce thereto either by external actions signs sutable object and motives which serve for encrease of Devotion Reverence and respect in our minds to God and to the things which belong to him which ought to be accompanied with affection of the mind and therefore are called signs in as much as they signifie or manifest that which is Holy in order to