Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	ancient_a	church_n	doctrine_n	1,896	5	6.2759	4	false

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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

of God and as God is laid hold on in the Word upon our beliefe so likewise is he apprehended in the Sacrament when we beleeve Wherefore as the Word is an instrument by which the holy Ghost is effectuall as Paul saith The Gospell is the power of God to every one that beleeveth Also Faith is by hearing c. So BY THE SACRAMENTS the holy Ghost IS EFFECTUALL namely when they are received by faith FOR THEY ADMONISH AND MOVE US TO BELEEVE AS THE WORD DOTH Therefore by his resolution the Sacraments are converting Ordinances and meanes of begetting grace as well and in like manner as the Word and not confirming Ordinances onely of grace begun Yea he b Ibid loc de Sacramentorum numero positively affirmes and so did our English Apostle c Dialogorum l. 4. c. 1. f. 101. ●imiliter praedicatio verbi Apostolici Videtur esse Sacramentum ●o quod est ●ignum sanctitatis auditorii ita significanter in ●ide Scripturae in jung 〈…〉 exerc●ium alte●ius Sacraments c John Wickliffe long before him That the very preaching of the Word is a Sacrament instituted in the G●spell Maximè autem placet mihi Ordinem ut vocant inter Sacramenta numerari mod● ut intelligatur ipsum ministerium Evangelii voca●io ad hoe ministerium docendi Evangelium administrandi Sacramenta c Hoc modo numerare Ondinem inter Sacr●menta● fuerit utilissimum scilicet ad illustrandam dignitatem ministeri● verbi● And he addes That Prayer likewise may be called a Sacrament because it hath great promises anne●ed to it If then Sacraments doe onely confirme grace where it is begun before not confirme and beget grace where it is wanting then by this new Divinity neither the Ministry of the Word nor Prayer shall be converting and regenerating but onely confirming Ordinances Since in Melanchtons and Wickliffes opinions to omit● others they are and may be called Sacraments as well as the Lords Supper or Baptisme which Wickliffe d Dialogorum l. 4. ● 1. termes primum Sacramentum CONFERENS GRATIA PRIMAM SPIRITUALITER GENERANTEM Asserting likewise in the same Chapter Etsi diffinitio Sacramenti sit sacrae rei signum videt●r quod omne signabile sit e●iam Sacramentum Quià omnis creatura signat suam creationem etiam creatorem sic rem sacram signat Deus multas sacras creaturas signat seipsum Quod si Sacramentum sit invisibilis gratiae visibilis forma ut fimilitudinem gerat causa existat Cum visibilis forma in proposito signat quamcunque formam vel quidditatem sensibilem videtur quod quaelibet sensibilis creatura SIT ETIAM SACRAMENTUM quia est visibili● sorma invisibilis gratiae creatoris geret similitudinem Idaearum causa existit similitudinis suae intelligentiae creaturis Quomodo sunt ergo solum septem Sacramenta distincta specivocè Which I wish my Opposites to consider who advance the Sacraments so much above the Word which makes them Sacramēts and appropriate the tilet of a Sacrament onely to Baptisme and the Lords Supper from which they exclude and suspend all scandalous persons their children too from e Apology of the Churches in New-England against the exceptions of Richard Bernard ch 8. See Mr. Rutherfurds due right of Presbyteries c. 4. sect 5 p. 221 c. Baptisme in New-England upon pretence they are onely confirming Ordinances Sacraments and Seales of grace upon which pretext they may as well suspend them from the Ministry of the Word and prayer and from the use of any of Gods Creatures which may be termed Sacraments as well as these if these two eminent Divines mistake not I shall close up this point with the resolution of the whole Church of England both in the Articles of Religion compiled and published in King Edward the VI his Reigne Anno 1553. Artic. 26. refined and confirmed by Act of Parliament Anno 1562. in Queen Elizabeths Reigne Art 25. of Sacraments which determines thus Sacraments ordained of Christ are not onely badges and tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certaine sure witnesses and EFFECTUALL SIGNES of Grace and Gods good will towards us by the which he doth WORKE INVISIBLY IN US and doth NOT f ONELY QUICKEN The holy Spirit doth seale Christians Eph. 1. 13 c. 4. 30. Rom. 8 10 11. Yet it regenerats and converts them tos John 3. 6. to 9. Rom. 8. 10 11. 2 Cor. 3. 18. So doe the Sacraments by its concurrence with them but ALSO STRENGTHEN AND CONFIRME OUR FAITH IN HIM Therefore by our own Churches resolution which all our Ministers have actually subscribed to the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Lords Supper too is both a converting and regenerating Ordinance to quicken and beget as well as a confirming Ordinance to strengthen and confirme grace and so it is no New Paradox of mine but an ancient resolved truth yea the very received Doctrine of our Church and of the Churches of Christ in former Ages and the contrary opinion a meere upstart errour maintained purposely by some Divines against their owne subscriptions if not their consciences too to justifie and support the sole suspention of scandalous persons from the Lords Supper as a Divine institution by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ which else would necessarily fall unto the ground if this maine pillar of it be subverted As for Master Rutherfurds Objection 5. Doctor Drak●s and others maine reason to the contrary That no man can receive the Lords Supper worthily unlesse he come unto it with a true lively faith and sincere repentance which graces he cannot enjoy without he be first really converted else he eats and drinks dam●●ation not conversion to himselfe Ergo This Sacrament is no first converting but onely a confirming Ordinance I answer Answer First that the argument is but a meere fallacy which will either nullifie all Ordinances or prove no Ordinance no not the preaching of the Word or Prayer to be converting but meerly confirming for the very preaching of the Word will neither profit nor externally nor really convert any that heare it unlesse they heare it with faith as is resolved by Heb. 4. 2. But the Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Rom. 1. 16 17. Heb. 11 4. 6. Mar. 16. 15 16. 1 Pet. 2. 1 to 9. So Prayer without Faith is vain ineffectuall receiveth nothing from the Lord Jam. 1. 5 6. ch 5. 15. Ergo by this reason if allowed a man must have saith and spirituall life wrought in him before he can either heare or pray with profit as he ought and so must be first converted ere he can heare the Word or Pray What then shall we conclude hence that men neither may nor ought to pray heare or receive the Lords Supper untill they be actually regenerated and inspired with saving faith God forbid for then