Selected quad for the lemma: diversity_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
diversity_n	gift_n	holy_a	spirit_n	1,598	5	6.1666	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34538	The kingdom of God among men a tract of the sound state of religion, or that Christianity which is described in the holy Scriptures and of the things that make for the security and increase thereof in the world, designing its more ample diffusion among the professed Christians of all sorts and its surer propagation to future ages : with The point of church-unity and schism discuss'd / by John Corbet.	Corbet, John, 1620-1680.	1679 (1679)	Wing C6258; ESTC R23940	125,145	296

spread forth in such fulness and plainess of speech as will not be unacceptable even to Scholars that are not wise in their own conceit But the careless and confused speaking of incoherent and undigested matter rudeness or baldness of expression is no part of this commended plainness which is orderly comely and weighty agreeable to the Majesty of Gods word A true Preacher of the Gospel rightly divides the word of truth and gives to all their portion He doth not make distinction where the rule of faith makes no difference nor doth he confound things that ought to be distinguished He is not partial towards parties for interest or affection And so he doth not promiscuously justifie or condemn the evil and the good together on any side but as he accounts it an odious thing to rail upon one party in the ambiguous terms of false Church false Worship false Ministry Idolatry Superstition Formality so he accounts it no less odious confusedly to inveigh against those of an other persuasion under the no less ambiguous terms as they are now commonly used of Hypocrites Pharisees Fanaticks Enthusiasts Separatists Humorists and such like He is constant in Preaching the word instant in season and out of season For in Preaching frequently he doth not do the work of the Lord negligently but duely feeds the flock and that with better prepared food than they use to bring that Preach but seldom upon pretence of greater preparation He watcheth over the flock with diligence and naturally cares for their estate for he knows the worth of precious souls He condescends to persons of low degree and is concerned for the souls of the poor and simple and illiterate as well as of the noble rich and learned for he knows their Redeemer paid alike dear for both And however the proud and covetous judge he doth not think it below him to intermeddle for the reducing of the simple that go astray and he seeks to recover them with gentleness and patience for he prefers the gaining of one Soul before all the preferments of this world He earnestly looks after that which some do little regard to wit the Seal of his Ministery in the saving efficacy thereof on the hearers and when he finds it he makes it the crown of his rejoycing And this Seal he takes not to be their meer owning of Sound doctrine or following an Orthodox party much less their abounding in notions their talking and outward Guarb of profession but their new birth or their Spiritual growth the promoting whereof is the scope of his labours and the dayly travell of his Soul CHAP. V. The due performance of Publick Prayer PRayer being a main part of Gods worship and chief act of devotion and such as doth accompany and Sanctifie every other Religious duty and the publick management thereof pertaining to the work of the Ministry its due performance must needs be of no small import to the increase of true Piety and no small part of the Ministerial excellency and sufficiency Among Spiritual gifts I doubt not to number the gift of Prayer also and I judge they speak too low of it that make it only a natural gift or acquired by practice and imitation Much indeed may lie in natural parts and observation and exercise but not all for over and above these things the Spirit of Christ presiding perpetually over his Church sets in and by a secret influence on men designed of God for this service indues them with a peculiar aptness of knowledge and utterance as well in Prayer as Preaching for the edifying of the Church And some unsanctified persons being thus gifted may preach and pray with a notable tendency to the saving of others when themselves prove cast-aways Private Christians also according to their measure are partakers of this gift in much diversity of degrees God giving to every man severally as he will Besides this there is a special and saving gift the Spirit of Prayer and Praying in the Holy Ghost or by his gracious assistance in a holy manner according to the will of God which is indeed lively and powerfull and apt to kindle a holy fervour in them that joyn in the service so performed And why that which is performed in such a manner and by such assistance may not be called a praying by the Spirit I see no reason They who thankfully acknowledge and bless God for so great a gift of his grace do not intend thereby a miraculous inspiration or an absolute infallible guidance of the Holy Ghost Much less do they think that their prayers are such dictates of the Spirit as would infer that the very matter and word● thereof being written would become Canonical Scripture to which is requisite not only an infallible Spirit but also an attestation thereof by the same Spirit sufficient to convince others But this they maintain that the Spirit helps them against their indisposedness of mind and deadness of heart and manifold infirmities and strengthens their faculties and quickens their graces and enlarges their desires and elevates their souls and brings things to their remembrace specially the divine promises yea and in some particulars may guide the heart and tongue by a present immediate suggestion For why must the Spirit of God be thought to do less in exciting to good then the Devill ordinarily doth in prompting to evil And yet they are not to depend on the Spirits immediate suggestion for matter words and method without taking care or thought before hand It is an ordinary and not miraculous assistance which they expect and which is usually given according to mens preparations and suted to their several capacities The Spirit of Prayer is not confined to this or that exterior frame or order of Prayer but is ever found there where the heart hath a due sense of the matter A particular form whether stinted or not stinted is not of the essence of Prayer but only its outward shape and it pertains to it not as it is a Sacred thing but as an action in general and for that no action can possibly be performed but in some particular mode this holy action cannot otherwise be performed And whereas there are divers modes thereof they may be used as they are congruous to the substance of the duty according to mens choice and judgment unless they were as indeed they are not bound up to one by a divine determination The lawfulness of Set-Forms is further evinced from the Lords Prayer and other forms in Scripture and as much is owned by the general custom of singing Davids Psalms Wherefore to turn the back upon the publick Prayers of the Church meerly because performed in this manner is unwarrantable And there is a● little warrant to restrain all publick Prayer to a stinted Liturgy and leave no liberty at all to the Ministers godly zeal and prudence In this particular the interest of true godliness will be much better advanced by moderation than by contests and rigor on

not to run with the foremost but to proceed in such manner and so far as the standing in necessary libertie● may require and as the more considerate pa●… of men will justifie to be discreet and honest but above all to indeavour by a godly and blameless life to make it manifest that Conscience hath been duly satisfied and not trifle● with In doubtfull matters and difficult times th● all good men should keep the same latitud● of judgment and practice in all wisdom for th● true interest of Religion may be wished b●… not expected For some will be more other less inlarged by the diversity of their apprehensions Also some by their natural dispositio● are more timerous or more complying other again are more hardy and less flexible or mor● reserved and resolute in their opinions Many are injudicious and the best have their passion● and some lie under disadvantages that may Biass the judgment this or that way where th● matter is somewhat disputable others ma● have weightier reasons either for assent or di●… sent though not obvious and perhaps not 〈◊〉 expedient to be declared Mens cases bein● so exceeding various they must needs vary●… practice Some inconvenience but no d● structive mischief will follow this diversity it do not as one would think it should not disunite affections For then these several Pa●…ties or persuasions rather are one in their main cause and may with one Spirit though walking in several Paths carry on the great concernments of it If Religion were but the bond of a Faction or the strength of a worldly interest the asserters thereof might lose or lessen it by taking such several ways But it depends not upon parties and their designs nor is obnoxious to such ingagements but in it self perfectly free from them Therefore it is advanced in any way that gives it liberty and opportunity to display it self to the world in the evidence of its own truth and goodness CHAP. XXVII The surest and safest ways of seeking Reformations WHen a corrupt State of Religion is inveterate or deeply rooted in a Nation ●he work of Pious men is convincingly to re●rove that corruption by the light of holy Doctrine and of holy Walking and to pro●agate and press home with zeal the great and ●nquestionable truths of Christianity but to ●e more silent and sparing in matters more con●overted and of less importance the vehement ●rging whereof will not convince the world nor silence the adversary Likewise by humble addresses to the Higher powers in a fit season they may seek the redress of such enormities as are evidently Scandalous Absurd and Odious and yet perhaps the chief props of that corrupt State For this may be done without scandal or hazard and much is done if it take effect Clamorous contests about doubtfull Forms and Customs and in comparison but by matters do serve to animate the opposite party and afford them matter to work upon but the vigorous maintenance of the vital parts of Religion and the detecting of gross abuses bears them down It is time that ripens all things and every thing in its season is beautifull and successfull Then the redress of evils will run in its prepared Channel and a plain Path will be found through passages formerly inaccessable And then Rulers themselves may see what one of deep judgment observes that when time of course alters things to the worse Wisdom and Counsell had need alter them to the better they may find the necessity and utility of Reformation and by their Authority make it warrantable If the friends of truth walk in sober counsels and sure ways and follow the truth in peace and love and be serviceable to the common good they retain their innocence and maintain their honour which is their surest interest and shall be found though the fewer number to have a considerable influence upon the publick State Both Religious and Civil Affairs are apt to be carried in extreams for which cause Reformations commonly are suspected and their credit is much impaired In avoiding Superstition some have run into rudeness and undecency In Divine worship the natural expressions ofreverence and devout affection and things necessary to decency and order should be observed carefully by those that turn away from Superstitious vanities that it may appear that a well informed Conscience and the Spirit of a sound mind doth guide and rule them and that their principles are no way defective but sufficient and ample unto all regular devotion These necessary decencies and natural expressions of Devotion are plain and obvious to all intelligent persons and the modes of Civil reverence and seriousness in use among us do much guide herein A compliance with sober and grave solemnities affected by a Nation in general helps to procure a good esteem and to get ground among them whereas opposition and singularity may beget a general dislike Men do but mispend their zeal in opposing prevalent customs that have nothing in them contrary to sound Doctrine and good life Among other things I may instance in Religious performances at Funerals which may well be ordered without Superstition or any other abuse and improved to the peoples benefit who are then met together in the house of mourning Some Churches being in the midst of false worshippers to prevent all Superstition have forbidden the making of Prayers or Sermons at the interment of the Dead But in things of this nature Several Churches may have their peculiar reasons and accordingly their different orders As concerning Heathenish pastimes and vanities sometimes affected by the rude vulgar and perhaps countenanced by some of higher degree for ends well known they tend indeed unto much profaness and may trouble the minds and stir the zeal of good men Nevertheless when the power of reforming is beyond their line it sufficeth that the weighty and unquestionable matters of true Religion be constantly inculcated upon the People and the spreading of sound knowledge indeavoured both by publick Doctrine and by private Instruction And those humorous fooleries which opposition often heighteneth would soonest fall to the ground by contempt and silence In a happy season when the power of Religion hath a potent influence upon a Nation the laying of a good foundation for time to come is mainly to be regarded An opportunity in this kind may be lost not only by a sluggish neglect but also by an impetuous overstraining of it It is overstrained when things are carried forth beyond what a Nation will ever bear It may be more advisable to stop at moderate Reformations than to proceed to such extream alterations as must needs stand in opposion if so be they can so stand to a contrary fixed inclination generally prevailing The consequents of such proceeding need not to be here discoursed Besides the more healthfull state of Religion may stand not in a total change of things long in use but in reforming the abuse thereof And it should be minded that sometimes in curing a lesser evil