Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	answer_v	know_v	word_n	2,215	5	4.1186	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A82010	A persuasive to full communion, with the churches of Christ in all Gospel-ordinances and priviledges Containing an essay for the conviction and reformation of such adult, or grown persons who live in the sinful neglect of baptism and the supper of the Lord. Together with an account of the manner of the transition of church-members from their infant to their adult-state, and regular admission to full communion. Written, for the help of such as need instruction in these spiritual concerns, 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be jews or gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit. By the late reverend Mr. George Day, minister of the gospel in London-street in Ratcliff / 1697.	Day, George, d. 1697.	1698 (1698)	Wing D461; ESTC R232085	42,081	116

unworthiness that you deserve it not this should not keep you from it for all that are Partakers of it are thus unworthy We are all unworthy of our common Food for our Bodies much more unworthy of this Holy Food for our Souls and the deeper Sense you have of this unworthiness the more Worthy you are in Gods account 2. If you have a Gospel-right to this Ordinance and a Gospel-sitness or Preparedness for it you are worthy in a Gospel-sense to be Partakers of it See then that you are thus qualified and come Obj. 2. But we fear we are not fitted or prepared enough to approach this Holy Table and this keeps us off Ans 1. It may be you do not rightly understand what that Fitness or Preparedness is that you ought to have and so your Ignorance may occasion your fears If so your next Duty is to get the Knowledge thereof and then Examine your selves whether you have it or no. The Sacramental Catechism will instruct you herein 2. Your Unfitness and Unpreparedness is your Sin because you ought to be fit and have sufficient means to make you so therefore to Plead this for your forbearance of this Ordinance is to excuse one Sin by another which is a Plea that God will not allow of 3. It may be some that make this Objection are better prepared then they take themselves to be For there are many sincere Christians who being naturally of a Melancholly Temper or of a Timerous Spirit and having mean Thoughts of themselves are full of Jealousies and Fears concerning their own Sincerity and afraid of being found Hypocrites at last Whereas this is one good Sign of their Sincerity that they are Self-suspicious and such though they come Trembling to this Ordinance are more fit and worthy and so like to be more Welcome Guests at the Lords-Table than many of those who approach it with great Confidence but over-looking or not clearly discerning the Grace of God in themselves they want the Comfort and so give not God the Glory of his Grace Now such as these should not rest satisfied in their own Judgment of the State of their Souls but seek to some Judicious Minister for spiritual Counsel and help herein 4. If you are not yet fit when will you be so Hath not God given you many Years to prepare for this Ordinance And are you not still as unfit as ever Yea more unfit now then you have formerly been Whereas in a few Days well improved you might have gotten a Gospel-fitness 5. If you are not prepared for this Ordinance doubtless you are not prepared for Death and how dare you live unprepared for that one Day or Hour seeing you know you must Dye e're long and you may dye soon even this Day or Hour and should you dye in an unprepared State must you not be miserable for ever O let the serious Consideration of this Danger quicken you to prepare for Death and then you will be prepared for this Ordinance also 6. What hath hitherto hindred your Preparation Hath it not been want of a Sense of your Duty to wait on God in the Use of this as well as of other Ordinances And of your need of it for spiritual Ends Your worldly Cares and Incumbrances your Love to some Sin or other and loathness to leave it or your Sloath and Carelessness about your Souls Concerns Doubtless these have been the Obstructions that have kept you back from your Duty and these are Sins and must be repented of and turned from if ever you be saved Therefore set upon this Work presently Obj. 3. But others say some Ministers will not admit us to this Ordinance without a strict Examination of us they require we should have a great deal of Knowledge and we fear they will ask us such Questions as we shall not be able to Answer and then we shall be turned away with Shame Ans 1 The Ministers or Pastors of Churches are under Christ your spiritual Guides and Overseers and solemnly Charged to take heed both to Themselves and to their Respective Flocks as Acts 20.28 And Heb. 13.17 They are entrusted by Christ the Chief-shepherd with the Care of your Souls and must give an account to him of them in the Great Day He hath Empower'd them to teach and Rule his Church under him and by his Laws and will you not allow them to do their Duty And inquire into the State of your Souls and take heed whom they admit to meddle with these Holy Things Would it not be great unfaithfulness both to your Souls and their own too if they neglect their Duty 2. No Prudent Minister will ask you any Questions but such as you should be able to Answer If you are Adult or grown Persons and Educated under the Ministry of the Gospel and such as relate to Things necessary to be known to make you Wise unto Salvation They only inquire whether you understand in some Competent Measure the Religion you profess and Soul-saving Truth desiring to know what need you have of their Help by Way of Instruction and have you any Reason to be against this Surely did you well understand your own Interest and Wants you would beseech the Ministers of Christ to give you their Assistance in your Souls-concerns and thankfully accept it when offered to you 3 Inquire of those that have been with Ministers on this Occasion and have been Examined and Instructed by them and so admitted when duly qualified and hear what they say concerning this Matter and whether they Repent of their Applications to them and Converses with them Or whether they have found spiritual Benefit thereby If so let that encourage you to go and do likewise and suffer not Ministers to be Misrepresented and your Selves abused and prejudiced against them by flying and false Reports or your own evil Surmises 4. Suppose the worst that Ministers upon Conversing with you should not find you duly qualified for this Ordinance will it do you any hurt to be brought to a better Knowledge of the State of your own Souls and to be counselled and directed by those that are wiser than your Selves what to do that you may get due Qualifications And this is the worst Treatment you are like to find at Ministers Hands 5. Consider this seriously if any Prophane or Unworthy Persons should be admitted to this Holy Ordinance thro' the neglect of Ministers their Prophanation of it would be justly chargeable on such Ministers and therefore Love to their own Souls as well as to the Souls of others should make them careful in this Matter This made Holy Calvin that Blessed Instrument of the Reformation deny the Lords-Supper to one Bartherius and other Servetians who were most unworthy of it tho some called Protestants rose up against him for it so that he was ready if not altogether forced to leave Geneva for a Time yet bearing up his Christian Courage he said I like Chrysostome will rather suffer Death

John 2.12 13 14. In Christs Fold some are Lambs others Sheep as John 21.15 16. Being thus distinguished according to the different Time of their standing in the Church or the different Measure of Knowledge and Grace they have obtained and regard ought to be had to each accordingly in Feeding and Ruling of them that Milk be given to Babes even the sincere Milk of the Word i. e. Such Truths as are Plain and easie to be understood by them who are unskilful in the Word of Righteousness and strong Meat to such as are of full or perfect Age i. e. Such Truths as are more Mysterious Sublime and Spiritual they being Persons who by Reason of Use have their Senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil as Heb. 5.12 13 14. Some Christians are in their Infant-state and so to be admitted only to a Participation of those Priviledges and Ordinances that belong to it Others are in their Adult-state and so have a Right to Partake of the highest Priviledges and Ordinances in the Church Church-History informs us that in the Primitive Times there were several Ranks of Professed Christians the lowest were called Catechumens Catechized Persons of which there were two Sorts 1. Such as were Sinners of the Gentiles or Heathens by Birth but upon the Preaching the Gospel to them inclined to and began to embrace the Christian Faith and were thereupon instructed in the Principles of it or in the Doctrine of Christ These were only in the Church-Porch 2. Such as were the Children of Believing or Christian Parents who by their Birth-right being Members of the Visible Church and under the same Covenant of Grace with their Parents received Baptism in their Infancy as a Seal of the Covenant and were to be brought up by their Parents in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord as Eph. 6.4 Both these Sorts of Catechumens were Instructed in the Christan Religion by a Catechist or Minister whose main Business was to feed these Lambs of Christ and to train them up in the Way they should go and take care of these Young Plants as being the Nurseries of the Church When the former Sort were sufficiently Instructed they desired to be Baptized and then were called Competent i. e. Persons desiring Baptism upon which they gave in their Names and came under a strict even a seven-fold Examination and so were admitted to Baptism Then were called Batptizati Illuminati i. e. Baptized and Inlightned Persons and no longer accounted to be in the Porch but got over the Threshold into the Church owned as Fellow-Citizens and Denisons with the Saints and of the Houshold of God and had their Names inrolled among the Servants of Christ Being thus initiated or entred into the Church they obtained some Priviledges which they had not before of which this was one That the Mysteries of the Sacraments of which they were ignorant while Catechumens or knew but little of them were more clearly revealed to them For the Church then thought fit to conceal the knowledge of them till after Baptism both because they were such high Mysteries and least the knowledge of them should bring them into Contempt and that they might be stirred up to stronger Desires after them say some yet were they accounted but incompleat Christians and might not be admitted to all the Priviledges of Church-Members as being yet but in their Infant-State or Minority until they received Confirmation also which was performed by the Imposition or laying on them the Hands of the Minister or Pastor of the Church and Prayer unto God for his Holy Spirit Increase of Grace and their Confirmation or Establishment in the Faith of Christ which they had professed This Religious Rite of Confirmation both the forementioned sorts of Catechumens were obliged to receive and so by it were passed from their Infant-state to the State of the Adult and then admitted to the Participation of all the Priviledges of Church-Members even to the Lords-Supper it self the highest Mystery of Christianity and so became and were declared to be compleat and perfect Christians therefore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perfect as Phil. 3.15 Not as if they had attained a sinless Perfection in Grace and Holiness But because now they had all things needful to the Perfecting of their Church-state Those that were not Baptized till Adult or grown Persons received Confirmation by Imposition of Hands ordinarily in a short Time after their Baptism to make them compleat Church-Members But such as being the Children of Believers were Baptized in their Infancy were not Confirmed till they were grown up to Years of Discretion and well Instructed in the Principles of the Christan Religion by their Parents and by the Catechists and so capable to give an account of their Knowledge and Faith nor were any judged meet for Admission to the Lords-Table until they had some considerable Time before given Proof of their Manners and Godliness But when they were Confirmed and had received that Ordinance they were then arrived at the highest Form in the School of Christ his Church and then were called Fideles The Faithful That this was the Practice of the Primitive Church is plainly and fully proved by divers Learned Pens and amongst our own especially by Mr. Hanmer and Mr. Baxter to whose Writings I refer such who desire more clear Light and fuller Satisfaction in this Point All that I shall further observe at present as to Confirmation is That this as well as other Gospel-Ordinances was in after-Ages Corrupted and Abused by the Addition of Chrysm or Unction that is Anointing with Oyl and by admitting those to it who were not the meet Objects of it as Persons grosly Ignorant and Propane c. The just Resentment and Abhorrence of these Corruptions hath occasioned a fault on the other hand in many of the Churches of Christ viz. the Total Rejection or disuse of this Pious Rite of which I fear they will be able to give no good account to our Lord Jesus in the Great Day our Duty doubtless lyes between these two Extreams to Reform the Abuses and reassume the Primitive right Use of Confirmation a thing greatly to be desired and zealously to be endeavoured by the Reformed Churches for the Glory that might hence Redound to God and the Benefits that would accrue to the Church of Christ by it As the forementioned Authors have excellently demonstrated and therefore with Nervous Arguments perswade to the Revival of it May there be new Effusions of Gods Holy Spirit on those who are principally concerned i. e. Christian Magistrates and Ministers to put them on the vigorous Use of their Authority and Interest for a more perfect and thorow Reformation in this and some other Points that call for it at this Day that all remaining Corruptions may be swept out of Gods House and Christian Practice at length reduced to and regulated by the Gospel-rule in all things Secondly Mean while I shall next as I promised humbly

provoked to inflict some Judgment upon them 4. Seeing the Lords-Supper is appointed for the increase and strengthening of Grace where it is and not for the working of Grace where it is not and so those that approach it should be only Gracious Persons if they would receive Benefit thereby for we must first live spiritually as well as naturally before we Eat and Drink therefore it is needful that the Pastor inquire also into the State of the Candidates Soul What experience he hath had of the workings of Gods Word and Spirit upon him What Reason he can give of the hope of Salvation that is in him What Evidences he hath of a saving change or work of Grace upon his Heart 1 Pet. 3.15 And for the better discovery of his Souls Condition direct him in that needful and useful Duty of Self-examination and Exhort him to a diligent performance of it and to an Holy Jealousie over his own Heart least he should be deceived by it in a Matter of so great Importance 1 Cor. 11.28 29. The Sacramental Catechism may be very helpful to him in this Work in which he will find the Marks or Signs of saving Grace and thereby may the better Judge of his own Case 4. When the Pastor hath received Satisfaction in these Points and in the Judgment of Charity believes him to have a Gospel-right to and fitness for this Ordinance it seems necessary at least on a prudential account and for the fuller Satisfaction of the Church that the Person be propounded to the Church when met together by Name and Place of Habitation and held as an Expectant for some convenient Time at least from the Time of his Proposal to the next Sacrament-day That the Members may have liberty and opportunity to Inquire whether he be well reported of and unblameable in his Conversation And that they first give the Pastor an Account of what they hear more Privately that if any thing be objected he may further inform himself as to the Truth of it and the Person be kept off until the Objection shall be removed and all concerned receive Satisfaction 5. When the Expectant is actually to be admitted and come before the Church The Pastor may signifie him to be the Person formerly propounded to them desiring to be joyned to them and admitted to full Communion with them requiring that if any Member remain yet unsatisfied he would Now speak or by their silence lifting up the Hand or other Signal testifie their unanimous Consent to his Admission which being done the Pastor may next desire him to make Profession of his Faith and own his Baptismal-Covenant addressing himself to him in these or such like Words Seeing you desire to be admitted into full Communion with this Church of Christ to walk with it in all Gospel-Ordinances and Duties and to partake with it in all Church-Priviledges and it being fit the Church should satisfied that every Person admitted a Member thereof do own and profess the same Principles of the Christian Faith which the Church professeth In Order to this Satisfaction you are desired to make true Answer to these following Questions Q. 1. Do you believe there is but one only Living and True God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost which are Three distinct Persons and each of them God and yet all of them but One God Infinite Eternal and Unchangeable in his Being Wisdom Power Holiness Justice Goodness and Truth A. I do believe this Q. 2. Do you believe that this God from all Eternity ordained whatsoever comes to pass in Time and that in the beginning of Time he Created and made the whole World and all Things therein out of nothing by the Word of his Power in the space of six Days and all very Good and that he doth still uphold preserve and govern it according to his own Will and for his own Glory A. I do believe this Q. 3. Do you believe that God made Man upright after his own Image in Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness with Dominion over the Creatures here below and that he entred into a Covenant of Life with him upon Condition of Perfect Obedience forbidding him to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil upon Pain of Death A. I do believe this Q. 4. Do you believe that our first Parents being left to the Freedom of their own Wills and hearkening to the Temptation of Satan Transgressed the Commandment of God by Eating the forbidden Fruit and so brake their Covenant with God and thereby brought themselves and all their Posterity descending from them by ordinary Generation into an Estate of Sin and Misery A. I do believe this Q. 5. Do you believe that Man thus fallen was not able to recover himself and that God having out of his meer good Pleasure elected some to Everlasting Life did enter into a Covenant of Grace to deliver them out of that Estate of Sin and Misery and to bring them into an Estate of Salvation by Christ as a Redeemer A. I do believe this Q. 6. Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ being the Eternal and only begotten Son of God became Man also in the fulness of Time by taking to himself a true Body and a reasonable Soul being Conceived by the Power of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin Mary of her Humane Substance and born of her yet without Sin both in his Nature and Life and that so he was and continueth still to be both God and Man in Two distinct Natures and one Person for ever A. I do believe this Q. 7. Do you believe that this Redeemer of God Elect as a Prophet doth Teach his Church by his Word and Spirit the Will of God for their Salvation And as a Priest hath satisfied Divine Justice for their Sins and reconciled them to God by his once Offering up himself as a Sacrifice unto God in Suffering the Cursed Death of the Cross and now continually interceeds for them in Heaven and as a King subdues the Elect unto himself Ruleth and Defendeth them and Restrains and Conquers all his and their Enemies A. I do believe this Q. 8. Do you believe that though this Jesus Christ was put to Death and Buried yet he rose again from the Dead on the Third Day shewed himself to his Disciples and Conversed with them alive and afterward in the sight of divers of them ascended into Heaven where he still remaineth sitting at the Right Hand of God the Father from whence he shall come at the Day appointed by God to Judge the World in Righteousness A. I do believe this Q. 9. Do you believe that God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son hath fully and sufficiently Revealed the Will of God in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the perfect perpetual and only Rule of our Faith and Obedience And that the same Holy Spirit doth Effectually apply the Redemption purchased by