Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	covenant_n	promise_n	seal_n	4,049	5	9.6971	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91293	Suspention suspended. Or, The divines of Syon-Colledge late claim of the power of suspending scandalous persons, from the Lords Supper (without sequestring them from any other publicke ordinance, or the society of Christians) and that by the very will and appointment of Jesus Christ (not by vertue of any ordinance of Parliament) from whom they receive both their office and authority; briefly examined, discussed, refuted by the Word of God, and arguments deduced from it; and the contrary objections cleerly answered. Wherein, a bare suspention of persons from the Lords Supper onely, without a seclusion of them from other ordinances, is proved to be no censure or discipline appointed by Jesus Christ in his Word: ... That the Lords Supper is frequently, not rarely to be administred as well to unregenerate Christians to convert them, as to regenerate to confirme them: ... / By William Prynne of Lincolnes Inne, Esq.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1646 (1646)	Wing P4097; Thomason E510_12; ESTC R203299	51,434	45

Lords Supper may perchance improperly be called a Seale by way of allusion but yet not properly and directly since Master Rutherfurd himselfe puts many differences between it and a civill seale Due right of Presbyteries c. 4. sect 5. p. 212 to 218. and Christ himselfe ordained it not to be a Seale but Remembrance memoriall representation of his Death and Passion as is cleer by Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 24 25 26. This is my Body which is given for you Doethis IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME This cup is the New Testament in my blood this doe ye as often as ye drink it in REMEMBRANCE OF ME For as oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup YE DOE SHEW THE LORDS DEATH TILL HE COME Now being a Remembrance and Representation of Christs Death by divine institution which hath no Analogy with a Seale which serves not to commemorate or represent any thing and being no where tearmed a Seale in Scripture I conceive it farre more proper to stile the Lords Supper as the k Bishop Jew●ls Defence of the Apology part 2. cap. 13 Divis 1. p. 251 Fathers usually doe a Figure Signe Remembrance Memory or Representation of Christs Death then a Seale which phrase is the originall ground of mens bare suspention from it Fourthly It is admitted by all that Baptisme is a Seale of Grace and of the Covenant of Grace as well as the Lords Supper I would then gladly be informed by our opposite Brethen by what authority will and appointment of Jesus Christ those who are admitted to be partakers of one of the Seales of Grace and whose children by their owne resolution ought to be admitted unto Baptisme even for these their Parents externall profession of Christianity and membership in a visible Church should be thus suspended excluded from the Lords Sxpper the other Seale not being totally secluded from all other Ordinances having as good a title to the one Seale as the other to the Lords Table as to Baptisme or the Word it selfe If they reply as usually they doe that it is because we must not put a Seale unto a blanke nor give the Seale of grace to those that have no grace I answer First that this reason is a meer whimsey of their owne warranted by no Scripture Secondly it is contrary to Scripture their owne practice and confession who l Master Rutherfurds Due right of Presbyteries c. 4 sect 5. Master Marshals De●f ●ce of Infants Baptisme grant First that the Sacrament and Seale of Baptisme may and ought to be given to the persons yea Infants of those who externally professe the christian Religion though they be not truly regenerate yea to the infants of Ignorant and Scandalous Christians though excommunicate even for these their Parents externall profession of Christianity Secondly that unregeherate persons who are not ignorant or notoriously scandalous cannot be suspended from the Lords Supper but must be admitted to it if they desire it Thirdly that in this case a Seale is not put put unto a blank for if their very baptizing at first was no sealing of a Blank then by the same reason their receiving the Lords Supper cannot be so Now that their baptizing was not so I shall prove by Master l A defence of Infant baptism London 1646. Dedicated to the Assembly of Divines p. 117 118. Marshals owne resolution approved by the Assembly You conclude writes he against Master Tombes that if there be not a promise of these saving graces to Infants in vaine are they baptized and the Seale is put to a blank My meaning is indeed according to the sense of the Directory and according to that direction I doe pray That God would make Baptisme to be a Seale to the Infant of adoption and the rest of the saving graces of the Covenant yet I utterly deny your consequence that unlesse there be absolute promises of saving grace to infants the scale is set to a blank for give me leave but to put the same case First for the Infants of the Jewes was the seale put to a blank with them or had they all promises of saving graces Secondly let me put the same case in growne men who make an externall visible profession and thereupon are admitted to baptisme can any man say that all the saving graces of the Covenant or the spirituall part of it is promised to all visible professors is it not abundantly knowne that in all Ages even in the best times even in the Apostles time multitudes were baptized to whom God yet never gave saving graces and therefore never promised them for had he made a promise he would have performed it But I shall desire you a little to consider the nature of a Sacrament in what sense it is a Seale and then you need stumble at this no longer These three things are necessary to be distinguished Note First the truth of the thing signified in a Sacrament and secondly my interest in that thing and thirdly my obligation to doe what is required in or by that Sacrament I say therefore that in every Sacrament the truth of the Covenant in it selfe and all the promises of it are sealed to be Yea and Amen Jesus Cbrist became a Minister of the Circumcision to confirme the Promises made unto the Fathers and so to every one who is admitted to partake of Baptisme according to the Rule which God had given to his Church to administer that Sacrament there is sealed the truth of all the promises of the Gospel that they are all true in Christ and whosoever partakes of Christ shall partake of all these saving promises this is absolutely sealed in Baptisme but as to the second which is interesse meum or the receivers interest in that spirituall part of the Covenant that is sealed to no receiver absolutely but conditionally in this particular all Sacraments are but Signa conditionalia conditionall Seales sealing the spirituall part of the Covenant to the receiver upon condition that he performe the spirituall condition of the Covenant thus our Divines use to answer the Papists thus Doctor Ames An●wers to Bellarmine when Bellarmine disputing against our Doctrine that Sacraments are Seales alleages then they are falsly applyed oftentimes he di● wers to Bellarmine Sacraments are conditionall Seales and therefo●e not seales to us but upon condition Now for the third thing the obligation which is put upon the receiver a lo●● or tye for him to perform who is admitted to receive the Sacrament this third I say is also absolute all circumcised and baptized persons did or doe stand absolutely engaged to performe the conditions required on their part and therefore all circumcised persons were by the circumci●●on obliged to keep the Law that is that legall and typicall administration of the Covenant which was then in force and Infants among the rest were bound to this though they had no understanding of the Covenant or that administration of the Covenant when this Seale

was administred to them Now then since in Baptisme there is such an absolute Seale of the truth of the Covenant of Grace in it selfe a conditionall Seale of the receivers interest in the Covenant and an absolut● obligation upon the receiver to make good the Covenant on his part IS THERE ANY REASON YOU SHOULD SAY THAT THE SEALE IS PUT TO A BLANK WHERE THE SPIRITUALL PART OF SAVING GRACE IS NOT PARTAKED OF This answer of Master Marshall to Master Tombes approved by the Assembly of Divines and Commissioners of the Church of Scotland to whom it is Dedicated in the case of Baptisme gives a full answer to the self-same objection of our Antagonists in case of the Lords supper they being both Sacraments and Seales alike and subverts the very maine foundation of Suspention onely from the Lords Table for if the Lords Supper be in truth a Seale of Grace as is alleaged yet seeing it is onely a conditionall Seale of the receivers interest in the Covenant but an absolute Seale to every worthy and unworthy receiver of the Covenant of Grace in it selfe and an absolute obligation to make good the Covenant on their parts as Master Marshall determines and Master Rutherfurd himselfe concludes against the Anabaptists in his Due Right of Presbyteries cap. 8. sect 5. p. 214 215 216. Nay more which I shall adde if it be a visible memoriall Remembrance and Representation of the Passion of Jesus Christ to every receiver a badge of distinction to difference Christians from Turks Pagans Insidels Jewes and a strong incitation and engagement to them to many Christian vertues duties as namely to Faith Hope Charity Thankfulnesse Mortification of their carnall lusts Patience under the Crosse unfained love to the Lord Jesus Christ and all his members hatred of and watchfulnesse against sinne and universall obedience to Christ as m Aretius Calvin the Harmony of Confessions and Master Rutherfurd himselfe Due right of Presbyteries c. 4. sect 5. p. 212. Divines unanimously accord and if it be in truth but a meere visible Word or Preaching of the Gospel and Christs passion to the eye as all accord no scandalous unexcommunicated person ought to be suspended from it that is not actually suspended from hearing the Word and all other publick Ordinances the rather because n Doc●or Drake in his sixteen Anti-queries in the Preface and p. 6. Doctor Drake himselfe asserts That not onely a scandalous Christian but a very Heathen may be present at the Lords Supper and heare the prayers and exhortations see the Elements consecrated and all the Sacramentall actions and that with a great deale of profit if the Lord please to sanctifie these things to him yet neither of them may be admitted to partake of the Ordinance it selfe or outward Elements though of all the concomitants and actions of it a prettty novell Popish whimsey contrary to Antiquity and the practice of the purest times who admitted none to be present at the Sacrament but such as did actually receive it as Thomas Beacon proves at large in his Catechisme vol. 1. f. 462. Finally it is asserted by all our o Master Rutherfards Due right of Presbyteries c. 9. sect 9. c. 4. sect 5. p. 186. Opposites That the true Saints of God endued with saving faith may fall into scandalous sinnes as well as unregenerate persons for which they may be justly suspended from the Lords Supper though admitted to other Ordinances Now such cannot be suspended from the Lords Supper if they desire to receive it as it is a Seale of Grace because they have a true interest in the Covenant of Grace and by reason of their frailty and lapse into sinne have more need of this confirming sealing Ordinance to strengthen encrease their graces and fortifie them the more against all future relapses after their fals then before Wherefore this Objection extends not unto such To close up my Answer to this grand Objection admit the Sacraments to be such Seales of the Covenant of Grace as Divines now make them I would then be resolved by them First Whether the Covenant of Grace and promises of salvation which God hath ratified a Heb. 6. 1● to 20. with an Oath and by the death and passion of Jesus Christ b 2 Cor. 1. 19 23. in whom all the promises of God are Yea and in him Amen to the praise and glory of God be compleat firme valid in themselves without these Seales annexed to them or meerly void and null in Law as Kings or mens Deeds and Charters are without a Seale to ratifie them If firme valid compleat without them then how are they seales and ratifications of the Covenant of Grace as seales are of royall Charters If incompleat infirme invalid that were extreamly derogatory to the Covenant promises themselves to the Oath the truth of God the death of Christ yea directly contrary to Gen. 17. 7 8. Exod. 6. 4 5. Levit. 26. 42. 1 Sam. 16. 15 16 17 18. 2 Chron. 6. 14. Nehem. 1. 5. chap. 9. 32. Psal 89. 28 29 34. Psal 105. 10. Psal 111. 5 7 8 9. Isa 54. 7. to 11. Isa 55. 3. Isa 61. 8. Jer. 31. 31. to 38. chap. 33. 20 21. chap. 50. 5. Ezek. 37. 26 27. Heb. 6. 17 18. chap. 13. 20. Therefore they are not properly seales Secondly Whether these Seales are inseparably annexed to the Covenant and promises of Grace in the Old or New Testament as parts or parcels of them as seales are annexed to Charter If yea then shew us to what Covenants and promises and in and by what Texts they are thus inseperably annexed and how any can be saved or made partakers of the benefit of the Covenant and promises of Grace who doe not actually receive these Seales of Grace when as your selves with all c Harmony of Confessions sect 13. 14. orthodox Divines must grant that many who were never baptized and infinite who never received the Lords Supper are and may be saved and are made partakers of the Covenant the promises of Grace without receiving or enjoying these Seales of Grace If no then how can these be tearmed Seales of the Covenant and promises of Grace which are not inseparably affixed to them as seales are to Charters since many receive the Covenant and promises of Grace without these Seales and others receive these Seales without the Covenant or promises the benefit whereof they never enjoy Thirdly By what reason or upon what solid grounds they can deny the Seales of the Covenant and promises to those very scandalous or ignorant Christians once a moneh a quarter a yeer to whom they every day or week without any scruple preach tender hold forth the very Covenant and promises of Grace to which they say these Seales are annexed Can men have an interest in any Covenant Deed Charter made tendred 〈◊〉 them and yet have no right nor interest in the Seals annexed to them an interest in a Coporation Patent or Charter of

pardon and yet no right nor interest in the seales thereto affixed This certainly is a monster a solecisme in Law why not them in Divinity too especially in this point wherein Divines turne Lawyers and allude to Law assurances If then they will grant the Lords Supper to be a Seale of the Covenant and promises of Grace they must either deliver and give this Seale to all those visible Church-members to whom they daily preach and tender the Covenant and promises of Grace which is the maine the Seale being but the c Accossorium s●quitor principale A●cessary which necessarily followes the principle as Lawyers determine or else deny to preach or tender the Covenant and promises to those to whom they deny the seal and so by consequence must exclude all ignorant at lestwise scandalous Christians from hearing the Word read or preached as well as suspend them from the Lords Supper which by their own assertition is but a Seale and appendant to the Covenant and Promises of Grace and must not be divided from them Fourthly it is objected Objection 4. p Antiquaeries Master Rutherfords divine right of Church-government p. 523 c. Answer That the Lords Supper is no converting Ordinance to conferre and bege●grace where it is wanting but onely to confirme it where it is already wrought therefore scandalous persons ought to be suspended from the Lords Supper though admitted to the preaching of the Word I answer First that I have sufficiently re●●ted this Objection q See a Vindi●ation of four serious Questions pag. 40. c. elswhere and proved the the Lords Supper to be a converting Ordinance to beget grace as well as a confirming to encrease it by reasons not yet answered and as I conceive unanswerable which I shall not here repeat yet because r Sixteen Antiquaeries the Preface p. 1. 6. Doctor Drake and others out of their ignorance or wilfulnesse stile this A NEW PARADOX AND MISTAKE OF MASTER PRINNES as if I were the first broacher of this truth I shall onely adde something de novo for refutation of their mistake First it is most apparent that in the Primitive Church the Lords Supper was administred to Christians every day at l●ast every Lords day and that the Ministers and Fathers in those times pressed all their Auditors to a frequent participation of this heavenly Banquet upon this very ground that those who alwayes sinne might alwayes receive the medicine of this heavenly Sacrament against their sins and daily receive it that they might be daily healed by it and because nothing was more effectuall to an holy and unblamable life then the frequent participation of it This is irrefragably proved by Justin Martyr Apolog. 2. Ignatius Epist ad Ephesianos Tertullian Apologia Ambrose de Sacramentis l. 4. c. 6. l. 5. c. 4. Augustine Epist 108. ad Januarium Ep. de Ecclesiast Dogm c. 53. in soan 6. Tract Hierom ad Lucinium Epist Chrysostom Orat. de B. Philogonio Hom. 6. ad Pop. Antioch Cyprian de Caena Domini Gratian de consecrat Dist 2. Ivo Carnotensis Decret pars 2. c. 24. to 35. Durandus Rat. Diu. Offic. l. 4. with s Harmony of Confessions sect 14. sundry others and largly manifested by Thomas Beacon in his Cat●chisme vol. 1. f. 463. When this pious custome began to be discontinued we find divers Decrees Canons made to enforce them to a frequent reception of this heavenly repast s Platina in vita ejus and The Becons Catechisme fol. 463. Anacletus Bishop of Rome decreed That Christians should receive the Eucharist every day and that those who would not thus communicate should be excommunicated But some of his Successors finding people more backwards to this holy Ordinance then formerly condiscending to their humours in some sort enjoyned by their Decrees That ALL persons should if not more frequently yet at leastwise thrice every yeer receive the Lords Supper to wit at Easter Pentecost the Nativity of Christ and every Lords day in Lent witnesse the Decrees of Pope Fabian Silverius recorded by t De Consect Dist 2. Gratian v Decretalium pars 2. c 27 29 Iv● Carnotensis and x Ivo Carnotensis Decret pars 2 c 28. Lutheri Carechismus major Saint Hilary decreed That if a mans sinnes were not so great as that he were to be excommunicated non debet a medicina corporis Domini seperari he ought not to be sequestred from the medicine of the Lords Body unde timendum est ne DIU abstractus a Christi corpore alienus remaneat à salute nam manifestum est vivere qui corpu● attingunt Christi c. Besides these the y Surjus Concil Tom. 1. p. 712. Gratian de Consecr Dist 2. Ivo Decret pars 2. c 33. Councill of Agatha about the 440. yeer● after Christ decreed That secular men who rece●v●d not the Lords Supper in Christs Nativity Easter and Pentecost should not be reputed Catholicks nor numbred among Catholicks which is seconded by sundry other forraigne Councils as z Bochellus decret Eccles Gal. l. 2 Tit. 7. c 5. l 3. Tit. 1 c 20 23 24 93 95 103 104 105 106 138. Synod Turon 3. sub Kar Magno Concil Burdig 1582. Concil Bitur 1584. Aquens 1585. Theodulphus Aurelian Epist An. 835. Synod Carnot 1526. Concil Rhomense 1583. Synod Paris 1557. Yea our owne ancient British Councils as a Spelmanni Concil Tom. 1. p 519 548 615 616. Concil Aenhamense Generale An. 1009. the Ecclesia●icall Lawes of King Knute An. 1032. with other ancient chapters pres●ribe that every Parishioner should receive the Sacrament at least thrice every yeer and the Bubrick in the old Common-Prayer Book after the Communion wth the 21 Canon made Anno 1505 enjoin That EVERY PARISHIONER shall receive the Lords Supper at lest three times every yeer of which Laster to be one And that in Cathedrall and Collegiall Churches where be many Priests and Deacons they shall all receive the Communion with the Minister EVERY SUNDAY AT THE LEAST except they have a reasonable cause to the con●rary Yea our learned b In his Catechisme vol. 1. f 461 463. Beacon reckons up this as a great abuse and POPISH INNOVATION that whereas the Lord Christ Jesus would have the holy communion of his blessed Body and precious Blood to be oft times received of the faithfull for a remembrance of his death and passion and for the worthy earnest diligent consideration of this inestimable benefit which we have obtained of God the Father through the Sonne his passion and death the custome of the Popes Church is that the people receive the Sacrament usually but once in the yeer that is to say at Easter by g See 〈…〉 p. 542. 〈◊〉 550. to like purpose which meanes the commandement of Christ is broken the Sacrament is neglected the death of Christ not so earnestly remembred the people become unthankefull dissolution of life breaketh in vice

y So the Lutherans generally hold Hinkelman de Anabaptismo Disp 9. c. 1. Er. 6. beget and work repentance sense of sinne spirituall life health true grace within us when we want them as well as to encrease confirme them when we have them whence it is generally tearmed by Divines A MEANES OF GRACE therefore we must frequently resort unto it in obedience to Gods command as well to obtaine faith repentance and spirituall graces by and in it when wanting as to corroborate and augment them when wrought in us Secondly this Argument necessarily implies that the Sacraments must be administred to none but the Elect and truly regenerate For since none are endued with saving grace faith repentance but onely the Elect and none ought to be admitted to the Sacraments but such who are endued with saving grace faith repentance as the Objection concludes It inevitably followes that none but the elect and persons truly regenerate must be admitted to the Sacrament But this the Objectors themselves deny and refute both in the case of Baptisme and the Lords Supper too Hence Master Rutherfurd determines in his Due Right of Presbyteries ch 4. sect 5. pag. 185. The Church may orderly and lawfully give the Seales of the Conant to those to whom the Covenant and promises of grace doe not belong in Gods Decree of Gods Election refuting the contrary opinion as Anabaptisticall x Defence of Infant Baptisme part 3. Master Marshall doth the like and that upon these grounds First because Christ and his Apostles admitted divers to Baptisme and the Lords Supper who were never elect or truly regenerate as Judas Simon Magus and others Secondly because no Ministers without speciall revelation but y 2 Chron. 6. 33. 2 Tim. 6. 19. God alone infallibly know who are Elect and truly regenerate z Jer. 17 9. the hearts of men bring deceitfull aboue all things and a Mat. 22. 14. many called but few chosen and so they cannot tell certainly who to admit or who to seclude from the Sacrament Upon which ground Master b Defence of Infant Baptisme p 111. 140. Marshall himselfe concludes thus against Master Tombes And truly Sir whosoever will grant that a Minister in applying the Seale must doe it de fide in faith being sure he applies it according to rule must either grant such a right as I plead for that many have right to be visible members and be partakers of the externall administration of Ordinances though they be not inwardly sanctified or else he must by revelation be able to ●ee and know the inward conversion of every one he applies the Seales unto for certainly 〈◊〉 hath no written word to build his Faith upon for the state of this or that man And for my owne part when once you have disproved this that there is such a visible membership and right to externall Administrations as I have here insisted upon I shall not onely forbeare baptizing Infants Note but the Administration of the outward seale to any what profession soever they make untill I may be de ●ide assured that they are inwardly regenerate Thirdly because Christ hath ordained the Sacraments to be means of distinguishing Christians from Pagan● yea to be an accidentall means of b ● Cor. 11. 27 28 29. 2 Cor. 2. 25 26. Articles of the Church of England Art 29. aggravating mens sin ingratitude damnation and to leave those without excuse who unworthily receive them which end should be wholly frustrated if unregenerate Christians should be secluded from them therefore this argument which subverts our Opposites owne Tenet and with the Anabaptists appopriates the administration of the Sacraments to the Elect alone must wholly be exploded as false and dangerous Wherefore the Objectors must be driven of necessity to renounce this Objection together with that of c In cap. 4. 2d Rom. p 39. 2. Explic. Catech qu. 81. Art 1. Paraeus which seduced them Sacramenta non sunt instituta justificandis sed justificatis hoc est non infidelibus sed conversis which if meant onely of persons inwardly converted is an errour if of Pagans not converted as he perchance meanes it is quite mistaken by the Opposites Finally Objection 6. d See Master Rutherfurds d●vine right of Church-government c. 5 qu. 1. p. 242 243. c. 15. they object That the Priests were to put difference between holy and unholy between uncleane and cleane Levit. 10. 10. Hag. 2. 11 14 and that they are checked by God himselfe Ezek. 22. 26. for putting no difference between the holy and prophane the uncleane and cleane Ergo Church-officers and the Ministers of the Gospell have power by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ not onely to excommunicate but likewise to suspend scandalous and ignorant persons from the Lords Supper I answer Answer that the Argument is a meere Nonsequitur For first these Texts belong only to the Aaronicall Priests under the Law e Heb. 7. 11. to the end c. 8 9. 10. Abolished by Christ not to the Ministers of the Gospell Secondly they speak onely of c●remoniall Holin●ss● and prophannesse cleannesse and uncleannesse f Acts 10. 10. to 17. Col. 2. 14. to 23. 1 Tim. 4. 5. abrogated by Christ not of morall Thirdly not of persons morally holy or unholy cleane or uncleane but rather of me●ts or creatures ceremonially holy and unholy clean and uncleane or at leastwise of persons meats and creatures promiscuously only as ceremonially clean uncleane Fourthly the putting of difference here mentioned was not any actuall secluding unclean● persons from the Passeover or Lords Supper or suspending them from all publick Ordinances by any judiciall power vested in the Priests but onely the Priests instructing of the people what was holy and unholy clean and uncleane as is evident by Levit. 10. 10. That ye may put difference between holy and unholy things uncleane and cleane things But how was this to be done Onely by instruction as the next words manifest And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the Statutes which the Lord hath commanded them by the hand of Moses viz. concerning the holy and unholy uncleane and cleane creatures mentioned in Levit. 10. Deut. 14. compared with Ezek. 22. 26. Her Priests have broken my Law and have defiled my holy things they have put no difference between the holy and prophane neither have they shewed the difference between the uncleane and the cleane and Ezek. 44. 23. And THEY SHALL TEACH MY PEOPLE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOLY AND PROPHAN● AND CAUSE THEM TO DISCERNE BETWEEN THE UNCLEANE AND THE CLEANE So that the Priests putting difference between holy and unholy cleane and uncleane in Lev. 10. 10. is both by the t●nth verse and these Texts of Ezekiel expresly interpreted to be nothing else but a teaching or shewing the children of Israel to put a difference and to discerne between the holy and prophane unclean and

SUSPENTION SUSPENDED OR The Divines of SYON-COLLEDGE late claim Of the Power of suspending Scandalous Persons from the LORDS SUPPER without sequestring them from any other Publicke Ordinance or the society of Christians and that by the very Will and Appointment of JESUS CHRIST not by vertue of any Ordinance of Parliament from whom they receive both their Office and Authority briefly examined discussed refuted by the Word of God and Arguments deduced from it and the contrary Objections cleerly Answered Wherein a bare Suspention of Persons from the LORDS SUPPER onely without a Seclusion of them from other Ordinances is proved to be no Censure or Discipline appointed by JESUS CHRIST in his Word That some Texts commonly alledged for proof of such a Suspention and of Excommunication doe really warrant neither That the Lords Supper is frequently not rarely to be Administred as well to unregenerate Christians to convert them as to regenerate to confirme them Whether it be a Seale of Grace or not and in what sense debated and some common mistakes therein rectified By WILLIAM PRYNNE of Lincolnes Inne Esq JER 14. 14. Then the Lord said unto me the Prophets prophesie lyes in my name I sent them not neither have I commanded them neither spake unto them they Prophesie unto you a false vision and divination and a thing of naught and the deceit of their heart 1 JOHN 4. 1. Beloved beleeve not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they be of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world LONDON Printed by T. B. for Michael Sparke at the signe of the Blew-Bible in Green Arbour 1646. To the right Honourable HENRY Earle of Kent and the rest of the COMMISSIONERS for the Great Seale of England RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lords Supper being commonly tearmed by Divines both in their Writings and Sermons though never by the spirit of God in sacred Writ a Sacrament and a Seale yea Gods GREAT SEALE of Grace and of the Covenant of Grace wher of our Syon Colledg Ministers now preted themselves the divine LORD KEEPERS asserting that by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ himself they have both Commission and Authority to suspend al such whom they shall deem Ignorant or Scandalous from this SEALE though they earnestly thirst hunger after it and be not actually excōmunicated from any other publicke Ordinance or the society of Christians I conceived I could not so fitly Dedicate this Briefe Examination and Refutation of their Divine claim and new Institution of sole suspention from the Sacrament so much contested for to any others as to Your Honors the present Commissioners for the Custody of THE GREAT SEAL OF ENGLAND to whose Noble Patronage I humbly recommend it so farre forth onely as it shall appear to be consonant to the Word of Truth My little Treatise intituled The opening of the Great Seale of England was through Gods blessing on it one speciall meanes of passing the first Ordinance for the New great Seale of England which hath ever since continued in your keeping and I have some good hopes that by the like divine Benediction on this smaller Pamphlet the Lords Supper the GREAT SEAL OF HEAVEN as many stile it shall be opened and communicated to many poore soules cordially desirous to receive it who otherwise might have most injuriously by colour of the pretended Will and appointment of Jesus Christ been suspended from it Where this Will and Appointment of Christ is to be found in Scripture it rests on the Divines of Syon-Colledge to demonstrate for my part after many diligent inquiries to find it out either in the old or new Testament I alwayes returned with a Non est inventus only this I have observed in my reading that when ever any matters of Ecclesiasticall or Pontificall Jurisdiction have come to be debated the Clergy in all Ages have made very strange Interpretations and perversions of Scripture to maintaine their pretended Divine Authority What ridiculous Inferences the Popes of Rome with their Parasites have published in print to support their usurped Antichristian supremacy over all Bishops Churches and Kings themselves from Thou art Peter arise Peter kill and eat Lanch out into the deep Feed my sheepe God made two great lights Behold here are two swords Ye shall find an Asse and a Colt tyed loose them and bring them hither Tell it to the Church c. is known to all who peruse their Books of this controversie Whether some of our Divines have not incurred the like solecismes and made almost as grose Misapplications of Scripture as they in maintenance of their new Church-government and Discipline I submit to the determination of such who without partiality have perused their la●e Discourses of that subject For my part having neither any private interest nor Design to misbyas my judgment 2 Cor. 3. 8 I a can I dare do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth in this present controversie My impartiall debate whereof though it may displease some will I trust conduce much to the settlement of our publike peace which the unhappy controversies about Church-government have disturbed and find acceptance with all lovers of Truth in generall and your Honours in particular from the hands Of your Devoted Servant WILLIAM PRYNNE SUSPENTION SUSPENDED OR SYON-COLLEDGE Claime of the Power of Suspending Scandalous persons from the Lords Supper by the Will and Appointment of JESUS CHRIST and Authority derived to Church-Officers from him Examined Discussed Refuted by the Word of GOD. WEE Read that one one of the first and fiercest contestations which brake out among Christs owne Apostles even when he sent them out to Preach and when he was about to institute the Lords Supper was concerning Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction a Luke 9. 46. cap. 22. 24 25 26. Mat. 20. 20. to 29. Mark 10. 35. to 46. which of them should be the greatest which though then severely checked and determined by Christ himselfe yet I know not by what unhappy uninterrupted succession it hath disturbed the peace of the Church and whole Christian world more or lesse in all succeeding Ages and in this last Age of ours as much or more then in any precedent Century whatsoever the wisdome of our wisest Counsellours united altogether in our greatest and wisest Counsell the high Court of Parliament being unable to quiet and conjure downe this ambitious restlesse spirit of Domination and contention about Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction still predominating in the Clergy To instance but in one particular The Parliament after long and serious debate was pleased to approve and set up a Presbyteriall Government in our Church and at the Clergies extraordinary importunity in a prudentiall way to give Ministers and Presbyteries power to keep ignorant and scandalous persons from the Lords Supper confining them to a particular enumera●ion of scandals not leaving it arbitrary and indefinite investing them with this authority not as a Jurisdiction bequeathed to them by the will and appointment

world therefore not to be administred to any but such who actually embrace and professe the faith of Christ and are admitted members of his visible Church whereas the bare externall hearing of the Word preached wherein the hearers are only passive but no wayes active or stipulative unlesse they embrace it is no such badge or emblem of Christianity nor such an externall Oath of Alleagiance to tye us to the obedience of Christ as Baptisme and the Lords Supper are which belong to none but such who professe themselves Christians and are members of the visible Church of Christ Thirdly It is generally agreed by all orthodox Divines that Baptisme and the Lords Supper are by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ given not simply and solely to the elect and invisible Church of Christ certainly knowne to God alone not to any Ministers or Presbyteries upon earth but to all the visible members of the visible Church not cut off from it by a legall Excommunication or hindred by some naturall disabilities who have a true right to and interest in them though not actually regenerated and endued with saving faith Upon which grounds Master d Due right of Presbyteries cap. 4. sect 6. throughout Rutherfurd and Master e A defence of Infants Baptism● part 3. p. 106. to 130. Marshall expresly maintain the lawfulnesse of baptizing the children of excommunicate persons Hereticks Schismaticks and Christians unregenerate even for the externall profession of the Christian faith by their ancesters though their immediate Parents be Hereticks or persons excommunicated from the visible Church Which being granted resolved as an undoubted truth in the Sacrament of Baptisme must likewise thus farre hold in case of the Lords Supper That a visible member of the visible Church endued with competent knowledge and not actually excommunicated ought not to be suspended from it for any pretended scandalous crime in case he desire to receive it since his very membership in the visible Church intitles him thereunto as well as himselfe or his children to Baptisme and gives him a right to receive it Objection 3. yea makes him guilty of sinne in case he neglect to participate thereof when publickly invited to receive it as our ow●e Homilies concerning the receiving the Lords Supper resolve which fully answers this fallacious Objection Thirdly it is objected f Master Rutherfurds div●ne r●ght of Church-Government c. 5. Due right of Presby ●ries c. 4. sect 5 That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is a Seale of Grace and of the Covenant of Grace as it is a Sacrament which the preaching of the Word is not therefore scandalous persons ought to be suspended from it though they be admitted to the preaching of the Word and other publick Ordinances else we should put a sezle unto a blank I answer Answer First that the Lords Supper is by no Text in Scripture stiled a Seale or Seale of Grace or of the Covenant of Grace though many Divines without any Scripture authority stile it so Secondly it is true that Circumcision is once onely in the Now Testament to wit Rom. 4. 11. stiled The SIGNE of Circum●ision A SEALE of the righteousnesse of faith which Abraham had yet being uncircumc●sed Whence g Calvin Peter Martyr Paraeus and Doctor Willet on Rom 4. Aretii Problem Locus 77. Amesii Bellarminus Enerva us Tom. 4. qu 4. and others Divines inferre That Baptisme and the Lords Supper are both Sacraments and Seales of Grace and of the Covenant of Grace But that it should hence necessarily follow that Baptisme and the Lords Supper are Sacraments are Seales of Grace and of the Covenant of Grace though never so called in Scripture nor yet the Passeover because Circumcision is called a Signe and a Seale of the righteousnesse of faith which Abraham had yet being uncircum●ised is expresly denied by h Stapletoni Antld. p. 225. Pererius Disput 4. num 〈◊〉 Bellarminus l. 2. c. 10. De Sacram. Remonstr in Apol. c. 23. Episcopius Disp 29. Thes 8. Smalci cont Franzium Disp 9. p. 199. Socin de offic Hom. Christ c. 4 and others some doubted by others and cannot infallibly be inferred thence for ought appeares to me Thirdly admit the Lords Supper be a Seale of Grace as Circumcsiion was of faith yet in what sense or in what respects it is or may be i See Willets six-fold Comentary on Rom. 4. qu. 7. stiled a Seale and what kind of Seale it is is questioned by many and very difficult to determine Origen thinks Circumcision was called a Seale of the righteousnesse of faith because in Circumcision was sealed and lay bid the righteousnesse of faith which should afterward be revealed and unfolded in Christ and a Seale to the unbeleeving Jewes shutting them up in unbeliefe untill they should be called in the end of the world Chrysostome Theodoret and others expound it to be a Seale that is a testimony onely of faith received Aquinas thinks it was called a Seale because it was an expresse Signe having a similitude of the thing received Others affirme it was tearmed a Seale because it distinguished the Israelites from other people as Seales distinguish one Merchants Goods and Letters from another But Calvin Paraeus Fayus Aretius Peter Martyr Marlorat Willet and the streame of moderne Divines tearme it a Seale because it is a visible confirmation of Gods promises to his people as Kings and other m●ns Seales confirme their Patents and Deeds being added to them for better assurance And in this last sense our Divines generally tearme Baptisme and the Lords Supper SEALES that is externall visible confirmations of Gods promises Indeed though I find not the Lords Supper or Baptisme called Seales in Scripture yet I read therein of a six-fold use of Seales The first is to conceale and close up things from publick view as Cant. 4. 12. Isa 29. 11. Job 41. 15. Dan. 9. 24. chap. 12. 9. Revel 10. 4. chap. 22. 10. chap. 5. 1. to 10. chap. 6. 1. In which sense the Greekes tearme Sacraments Mysteries or hidden things the phrase used by Paul Eph. 3. 9. chap. 5. 32. and k Decana Dom. Baptismo Se●m Bernard with others stiles a Sacrament Satrun secretum a sacred●secret The second to preserve shut up and keep things safe Deut. 32. 43. Dan. 6. 17. Job 34. 16. chap. 37. 7. Matth. 27. 66. Job 14. 17. The third to distinguish one thing from another 1 Tim. 2. 19. Revel 7. 3. to 9. chap. 9. 10. The fourth to appropriate things and mark them for our owne 2 Cor. 1 22. 2 Tim. 2. 19. chap. 7. 2. to 8. Ephes 1. 13. The fift to authorize and give commission John 6. 26. The sixt to confirme ratifie assure charters Dee● Promises Covenants Nehem. 9. 38. Ester 8. 8 10. chap. 3. 12. Cant. 8. 6. Jer. 32. 10 15 44. Dan. 6. 17. 2 Cor. 1. 22. Ephes 4. 3. 2 Tim. 2. 19. 1 Cor. 9. 2. In some of these senses the

eyes as the Word preached doth unto our eares as this Author with all m Calvin Melanchton Peter Martyr Zerchius Aretius and others Orthodox Divines and n Due right of Presbyteries c. 4. sect 5. p. 121. Master Rutherfurd himselfe unanimously accord it must needs follow that the Sacraments especially the Lords Supper most lively representing Christs passion to us must be a converting Ordinance as well as the Word read or preached Upon which grou●d the Ancient Catholick Fathers as our owne o Concerning the Sacrament part 1. p. 189 190. Homilies resolve stiled the Lords Supper A comfortable medicine of the soule the salve of immortality and soveraigne preservation against death the Pledge of eternall Health the defence of faith the food of immortality the be●lthfull grace and the conservatory to everlasting life therefore they deemed it a converting as well as con●irming Ordinance Master Richard Ward in his Commentary upon Matthew pag. 399. in the written Copy writes Sacraments doe not conferre Grace upon all nor by a physicall power give grace unto any but sometimes GOD IN AND BY THE SACRAMENTS CONVEYES GRACE INTO HIS ELECT CHILDREN and sometimes by the Sacraments confirmes grace which he hath formerly conferred Not to multiply Authorities in so cleer a case the very Directory it selfe composed by the Assembly and ratified by both Houses of Parliament pag. 25. enumerates the Word and Sacraments among the speciall meanes of Grace and salvation in these words To give thanks to God for all his benefits and especially for ALL MEANES OF GRACE THE WORD AND SACRAMENTS And for this Sacrament in particular by which Christ and all his benefits are applied and sealed up unto us making them both equally in the selfe same manner meanes of grace and coupling them both together in the selfe same predication therefore if the Word be a meanes of begetting grace where it was wanting and of obtaining salvation the Sacraments must be so too In fine p Due right of Presbyteries c. 4. sect 5. p. 217. Master Rutherfurd himselfe writes thus You say Sacraments doe not make a thing that was not but confirme a thing that was before while you would seem to refute Papists who vainly ●each that Sacraments ex opere operato doe conferre grace yet doe you make the Sacrament but a naked signe and take part with Arminians and So●●nians whose very Arguments in expresse words you use for if a Sacrament make not a thing which was before and if God give not and really produce conferre exhibit grace and a stronger measure of faith and assurance of remission of sinnes at the due and right use of the Sacrament the Sacrament is a naked signe and not an exhibitive Seale but if Christ give and in the present exhibit as surely remission of sinnes as the Infant is washed with water as our Divines and the Palatinate Catechisme teacheth and the Confession thereof and the Synod of Dort teacheth then by the Sacrament of Baptisme and so by consequent of the Lords Supper a thing ●s made that which it was not before therefore by consequence it is a regenerating and converting Ordinance This he more plainly expresseth in q Master Rutherfurds divine right of Church-Government p. 523 524. another discourse in those tearmes Master Prynne might have spared his paines That the Lords Supper is a converting Ordinance because it applies Christ to us WE GRANT IT TO BE A CONVERTING QUICKNING AND LIVELY APPLICATORY ORDINANCE But how He may know that whatever Ordinance addeth a new degree of Faith OF CONVERSION of living Application of Christ and the Promises MUST BE A CONVERTING ORDINANCE but it is so converting that it is a confirming Ordinance and necessarily it presupposeth faith and conversion already wrought by the Word it is not a first converting Ordinance so as is the Word c. I say not this as if the Church could give the Supper of the Lord to none but such as are inwardly and really regenerated but to shew that the Church taketh such as are externally called to be internally called whence they dispence the Supper to them In which words we have a most cleer confession That the Lords Supper is both a converting and quickning Ordinance But yet this must be controlled with a distinction not found Scripture or Antiquity It is so a converting Ordinance that it is a confirming Ordinance I grant it So is the reading and preaching of the Word it converts yet so as it confirmes and edifieth us too in our most holy faith yet it is a converting Ordinance Yea but it is not the first ●●●●erting Ordinance it is not the meanes of our first ●●nversion from formall profession to inward embracing the Gospell For the Word must goe before and not simply the externall Letter of the Word but the Word first beleeved and received by the efficatio●s working of the holy Ghost c. This is onely affirmed but not substantially proved by this learned Divine who takes upon 〈◊〉 to limit God and his Spirit so as to deprive them of their absolute 〈◊〉 to work and beget grace by the Sacraments when and where they please as well as by the Word and confines the Spirits first inward conversion of men onely to the Word r John 3. 7 〈◊〉 Who breatheth where and in what Ordinance ●e listeth the breath of spirituall life into our soules True it is the Word preached i● the first ordinary and most usuall meanes both of externall and internall conversion but yet the Sacraments as well as the Word are very frequently made the instruments though not of externall conversion of m●n from Paganisme to Chrstianity not here in question yet of carnall Christians s See Ta●●●●● in Thomam Tom. 4. Disp 3. qu. 3. Du. 50 first inward and reall conversion from sin satan unto Christ and a m●st effectuall means both of begetting encreasing grace and spirituall life in their soules as I have elswhere largely evidenced Hence a Loci Communes printed 153● Lo●● de Sacramentis Phillip Melanchton in a Book Dedicated to our King Henry the VIII though he deny that the Sacraments ex opere operato conferre grace and justification yet he expresly resolves that they were principally instituted to be signes of Gods good will towards us incurring into our eyes that they may admonish us TO BELEEVE the promise proposed in the Gospell Thus we conjoyne the Sacrament and promise now as the promise is to be received by faith so also in the use of the Sacraments faith ought to be added which may assure us that those true things shall happen which are propounded in the promise Augustine aptly compares the Word with the Sacrament when be saith The Sacrament is a visible Word that is As the Word is a certaine note which is received with the eares so the Sacrament is a spectacle or Picture which runs into the eyes As therefore the Word is a note signifying something of the will