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 miracle_n teacher_n 556 5 9.5967 5 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A30892 The anarchy of the Ranters and other libertines, the hierarchy of the Romanists, and other pretended churches, equally refused and refuted in a two-fold apology for the church and people of God called in derision Quakers : wherein they are vindicated from those that accuse them of disorder and confusion on the one hand, and from such as calumniate them with tyranny and imposition on the other ... / by Robert Barclay. Barclay, Robert, 1648-1690. 1676 (1676) Wing B718; ESTC R10444 60,765 91

There are 2 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

and have been all made to drink into one Spirit 14 For the Body is not one Member but many 15 If the Foot shall say because I am not the Hand I am not of the Body is it therefore not of the Body 16 And if the Ear shall say because I am not the Eye I am not of the Body is it not therefore of the Body 17 If the whole Body were an Eye where were the Hearing If the whole were Hearing where were the Smelling 18 But now hath God set the Members every one of them in the Body as it hath pleased him 19 And if they were all one Member where were the Body 20 But now are they many Members yet but one Body 21 And the Eye cannot say unto the Hand I have no need of thee nor again the Head to the Feet I have no need of you 22 Nay much more those Members of the Body which seem to be more feeble are necessary 23 And those Members of the Body which we think to be less honourable upon these we bestow more abundant Honour and our uncomely Parts have more abundant Comliness 24 For our comely Parts have no Need but God hath tempered the Body together having given more abundant Honour to that Part which lacked 25 That there should be no Schism in the Body but that the Members should have the same Care one of another 26 And whether one Member suffer all the Members suffer with i● or one Member be honoured all the Members rejoyce with it 27 Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular 28 And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles then Gifts of Healing Helps Governments Diversities for Tongues 29 Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all Teachers Are all Workers of Miracles 30 Have all the Gifts of Healing Do all speak with Tongues Do all interpret Which I would not have set down at large but that there be some of careless especially in Matters they like not that they will scarce be at the pains seriously to read over a Citation only named and that also this being presented before the Reader in the Current of the Discourse will fix the Nature of my Application the more in his Understanding for the Apostle shews here the Variety of the Operations of the divers Members of the Body of Christ working to one and the same End as the divers Members of a Man's Body towards the Maintaining and upholding of the whole Now these are not placed in contrary Workings for so they would destroy one another and so the Apostle in the ordering of them in three several kinds proves this First Diversities of Gifts Secondly Differences of Administrations Thirdly Diversities of Operations and that which is the Bond that keeps the Oneness here he also mentions to wit The same Spirit the sam Lord the same God the Apostle names nothing of Contrariety or Opposition but lest any should be so critical as to bring in here the School Distinction of contrarium oppositum and contradictorium I shall not deny but Contrariety or Opposition in the Sense it is sometimes taken may be found in the Body without Schism as the comely Parts may be said to be opposite or contrary to the uncomely or the left Hand contrary to the right or the Foot opposite to the Head as the uppermost Part to the undermost or the Doing a Thing is contrary to the Forbearing of it but as for that which is acknowledged to be Propositiones or Termini contradictorij that is contradictory Propositions which are in themselves irreconciliable whereof one must be still wrong and that still destroy one another and work contrary Effects they are not at all admitted nor supposed to be in the Body of Christ as I shall give in one Instance ver 8. To one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit First here are two different Gifts but not contrary Secondly There may something like Contrariety in the Sense afore-mentioned be here supposed as some may want this Gift of Wisdom and Knowledge and so to have is contrary to want though as to these two none may be absolutely said to want them yet all have them not in the same Degree as a special Gift though as to some Gifts there may be an absolute want as that of Miracles and Interpretation of Tongues but should I suppose such a Cont●●●●●y or more properly a Contradiction as to Wisdom to oppose Folly and to Knowledge Vtter Ignorance this were an Opposition not to be admitted of in the Body because it were false to suppose that to proceed from the same Spirit and such Contrarieties or Diversities as cannot justly be supposed to proceed from the same Spirit of God which is the Bond that links together cannot be mutually entertained in the Body So the Differences and Diversities which the Apostle admits of while he speaks largely in this Matter is that none ought to be offended at his Brother that he hath not the same Work and Office in the Body that he hath but that every one keep in his own Place as God hath appointed them that neither them that are set in a higher Place despise them that are set in a lower nor them that are set in a lower grudge and repine at such as are set higher but all work in their proper Place towards the Edification of the whole and that the Apostle intends this is manifest where he draws to a Conclusion ver 27. Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular and God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets c. and then he subsumes Are all Apostles c. which the same Paul again confirms Ephes. 4. 8 11. to the 17th which was the second Place I intended and shall only mention for Brevity sake leaving the Reader to consider of it at his Leisure This is also held forth by the Beloved Disciple John in his Threefold Distinction 1 John 2. 12 13. Of Fathers Young Men and little Children and by Peter 1 Pet. 5. 1 5. in that of Elders and Younger The true Liberty then in the Church of Christ is exercised whenas one judgeth not another in these different Places but live in Love together all minding the Unity and general good of the Body and to work their own Work in their own Place also the Forbearance of the Saints is exercised whenas they judge not one another for being found in the different appearance either of Doing or Forbearing which may be peculiar to their several Places and Stations in the Body for that there is may be Diversities of Works there is excellently well expressed by the Apostle Rom. 12. 3. For I say through the Grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think but to think soberly
cannot be denied that there may arise Persons in the true Church that may do such Things from such a Spirit though pretending Conscience and Tenderness then it must also be acknowledged that such to whom God hath given a true Discerning by his Spirit may and ought to judge such Practices and the Spirit they come from and have no Unity with them which if it be owned in the General proves the Case to wit that some pretending Conscience in Things seeming indifferent but yet it proceeding in them from a Spirit of Singularity Emulation or Strife those that have received a Discerning thereof from the Lord may and ought to judge the Transgressors without being accounted Imposers Oppressors of Conscience or Inforcers of Uniformity contrary to the Mind of Christ against which the Apostle also guardeth the Churches of old Phil. 2. 3 4. Let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-Glory but in Lowliness of Mind let each esteem other BETTER THEN THEMSELVES Look not every Man on his own Things but every Man also on the Things of others Now if it be an Evil to do any Thing out of Strife thus such Things that are seen so to be done are they not to be avoided forsaken So that we are confident our Judgment herein cannot be denied or reputed Erroneous except it be said that none will or can arise in the Church of Christ pretending such things from such a Spirit which I know not any that will it being contrary to the express Prophecies of the Scripture the Experience of the Church in all Ages as may appear from Mat. 24. 24. Acts 15. 24. 1 Tim. 4. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Mark 13. 21 22 2 Pet. 2. 19. Or on the other Hand that those that abide faithful and have a Discerning of those Evils ought to be silent and never ought to reprove and gainst and them nor yet warn and guard others against them and that it is a part of the commendable Unity of the Church of Christ to suffer all such Things without taking Notice of them I know none will say so but if there be any so foolish as to affirm it let them consider these Scriptures Gal. 2. 4. 1 Tim. 1. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. Tit. 1. 9 10 11. Now if none of these hold true but on the contrary such Evils have been and may be found to creep in among the People of God and that such as see them may and ought to reprove them then necessarily the doing so is neither Imposition Force nor Oppression As to the third concerning the Consequence and Tendency of them it is mostly included in the two former for whatsoever tendeth not to Edification but on the contrary to Destruction and to beget Discord among Brethren is to be avoided according to that of the Apostle Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them And since there is no greater Mark of the People of God then to be at Peace among themselves whatsoever tendeth to break that Bond of Love and Peace must be testified against let it be observed I peak always of the Church of Christ indeed and deal with such as are of another Mind not as reckoning only false Churches not to have this Power but denying it even to the true Church of Christ as judging it not fit for her so to act as in relation to her Members for though Christ be the prince of Peace and doth most of all commend Love and Unity to his Disciples yet I also know he came not to send Peace but a Sword that is in dividing Man from the Lusts and Sins he hath been united to and also it is the Work of his Disciples and Messengers to break the Bonds and Unity of the Wicked wherein they are banded against God his Truth the Confederacy of such as stand in Unrighteousness by inviting and bringing as many as will obey unto Righteousness whereby they become disunited and separated from their Companions with whom they were centered at Peace in the contrary and cursed Nature and indeed blessed are they that are sent forth of the Lord to scatter here that they may gather into the Unity of the Life and they are blessed that in this Respect even for Righteousness Sake are scattered and separated from their Brethren that they may come to know the Brotherhood and Fellowship which is in the Light from which none ought to scatter nor to be scattered but be more and more gathered thereunto this leads me to what I proposed in the third Place under this Head of the true Church's Power in Matters Spiritual or purely Conscientious which may be thus objected If thou plead so much for an Oneness in the smallest Matters wherein consisteth the Freedom and Liberty of the Conscience which may be exercised by the Members of the true Church diversly without judging one another In answer to this Proposition I affirm first in general That whatsoever Things may be supposed to proceed from the same Spirit though divers in its Appearance tending to the same End of Edification and which in the Tendency of it layeth not a real Ground for Division or Dissension of Spirit Fellow Members ought not only to bear one another but strengthen one another in them Now the Respects wherein this may be I can describe no better then the Apostle Paul doth principally in two Places which therefore will be fit to consider at length for the opening of this Matter this being one of the weightiest Points pertaining to this Subject because as on the one Hand due Forbearance ought to be exercised in its right Place so on the other the many Devices and false Pretences of the Enemy creeping in here ought to be guarded against The first is 1 Cor. 12. from 4. to 31. thus 4 Now there are Diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit 5 And there are Difference of Administrations but the same Lord. 6 And there are Diversities of Operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all 7 But the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit 9 To another Faith by the same Spirit to another the Gifts of Healing by the same Spirit 10 To another the Working of Miracles to another Prophecy to another D●scerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of Tongues to another the Interpretation of Tongues 11 But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will 12 For at the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free