Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	apostle_n	church_n	creed_n	2,605	5	10.2206	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80833	Altar-worship, or Bowing to the communion table considered as to the novelty vanity iniquity malignity charged upon it. In an antithesis to the determination of Dr. Eleazar Duncon, lately translated, and sent into the world in a Romish dress, with a cross in the front and fine. By Z. Crofton Presbyter, but proved enemy to all fanaticks.	Crofton, Zachary, 1625 or 6-1672.	1661 (1661)	Wing C6981A; ESTC R31315	36,476	142

presence Is the Paten Chalice or Elements in them the sign of his presence Are the Candlesticks or Candle the sign thereof The last is most likely for Christ is the light of the world But I wonder then his presence doth not light them as it sometimes burned the Sacrifices Significancy of a thing or instrumēt will make no symbol of Gods special presence they must be notes not shapes of Gods existing the Elements in the Sacraments with the Actions thereto pertaining are signs of the body and blood of Christ and of his Passion but they are not Symboles ascertaining a real special presence from which he is not separated but that he cometh and goeth or tarrieth with it unlesse every Communicant must be concluded to eat his God who must then pass through his body or abide really present in him with this Symbol which would make all our streets full of moving Altars to whom Canonical Priests must continually cringe and bow for Gods sanctifying presence the Symbol never do divide this was the reason why the Gentile Proselites under the Law were constrained to travel from the utmost parts of the earth to Hierusalem to enjoy fellowship with and appear before God and Israel in Captivity were tyed to pray towards the Temple if they would prevail for that Gods peculiar presence was there confined as to his habitation These two kinds of Divine presence though sanctifying in themselves confer no holiness to the Communion table because neither of them doth thereupon exist whereby to make it holy and the object of special solemn reverence and the third cannot do it for in this sense it sanctifieth not any thing or place that is His spiritual presence by the assistance and influence of his Grace Spirit This presence attends persons in solemn and sacred actions but is not affixed to any place or Instrumēts Determ de ado adver Alt. p. 20. so as to know or make in D. Duncons Dialect a best place in the Church or a most holy of houshold-stuff the promise of it is in Mat. 18.10 to persons in any in every place Where two or three are met together in my Name THERE am I in the midst of YOU This is with the Minister in praying or reading in the Desk praying or preaching in the Pulpit him and others baptizing at the Font as well as at the Table in the administration of the Lords Supper Nay this spirituall presence is attendant on every of the people in every Pew whilst hearing singing or attending in composed silence upon any Ordinance Yea it is in any private place field or Chamber with any of Gods people praying or performing any holy duty and is not tyed unto the Chancel or Church or there existent when the Ordinances and Duties are ceased and intermitted and can therefore stamp no holiness or any way make the Table Gods Mercy Seat or an holy Instrument to be the Object of special Reverence And yet in which of these senses Dr. Duncon intended Christ his presence at the Commnion Table the Translator of his Lecture on this Subject or Dr. Gauden his Patron must explain we not knowing how to refer and understand his words Nor can the Holy Ghost be thought to be so strictly conjoyned to the word of God as the Son of God to the blessed Sacrament Which sure must be differenced by some reality of presence whether sensible or symbolical for as to the spiritual influence and presence the Holy Ghost by specialty of sanctification is more peculiarly and strictly tyed to Word and Sacraments than is the Son of God who sitting at the right hand of his Father sends his spirit to operate by his Ordinances and to rule the hearts of his chosen and to convince the world of sin But if the Communion Table be not sanctified by God it may be by men Let us therefore consider how men can make any thing holy and so the object of speciall solemn reverence and adoration and they must do it one of these two wayes Men may make a place or instrument holy ministerially but a formal consecration by certain Rites and in such order as God himself prescribeth who chuseth the place or instrument and chargeth the Method Rites and Order of its Consecration from which his Ministers may not vary by addition abstraction or alteration but use the same very same which God hath appointed to the stamping of holiness thus was the Tabernacle in the time of Moses and the Temple in the time of Solomon and all the Vtensils thereof consecrated according to divine direction but since those places and instruments have been prophaned as God never sanctified any other so he no where in scripture hath directed any method or order of consecration whereby to stamp holiness on them nor do we find any practised by Christ or his Apostles or any primitive Christians professing the simplicity of the Gospell I have indeed heard and read of the Consecration at Lambeth Creed Church Giles in the Fields Woolver hampton and other places And I have read some authors who urge it as necessary for that the place or Instrument cannot be holy unless it be consecrated But I read not of any Rites or Order prescribed by the Lord or in any part of the New Testament or any other Books the Roman Ritual Pontifical or Breviaries excepted And I am sure our own Pilkington and Aretius do determine such opinions to be notorious Fallacies and Fancies Aretii problem tom 2. fol. 15. de Euc. If any do pretend the Church to have any Judical power whereby to stamp holiness on any place or thing and make it the object of special solemn reverence we must desire they will produce her Commission that we may read it and understand when this power was to her committed and how far it doth extend I am much mistaken if time and place as to their holiness be not of the substance of divine worship And I am no lesse mistaken if ever God committed the Substantials of his Worship unto the judgement of men and if God hath prescribed no form of Consecration and men have no Judical Authority to stamp holiness of place or instrument though they may in prudence determine the conveniency or inconveniency of places or instruments as to the Service therein thereat or thereupon to be performed yet they cannot without superstitius vanity appoint the Cōmunion Table to become the object of reverence or adoration or as an holy place or instrument Seeing the Communion Table is not made holy by God or men we might take it for granted that it is not holy at all and ought not to be owned as the Object of adoration but that our Altar-cringers have found out a new way of sanctifying a place or instrument and that is by the particular holy Services there performed therefore one saith Profaunomast in what place we have the most lively demonstration of Gods presence by something either done