Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
truth_n church_n doctrine_n scripture_n 7,107 5 6.0018 4 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
A85542 Christians liberty to the Lords table, discovered by eight arguments, therby proving, that the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord, doth as well teach to grace, as strengthen and confirm grace, and so is common, as well to the outward Christian as to the inward Christian: occasioned by the contrary doctrine, taught by a strange minister in Woolchurch, on the 29th of June last. / By I.G a parishioner there. Imprimatur, James Cranford. Graunt, John, of Bucklersbury. 1645 (1645) Wing G1589; Thomason E296_30; ESTC R200217 18,658 23

There are 3 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

CHRISTIANS LIBERTY TO The Lords Table Discovered by eight Arguments thereby proving that the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our LORD doth as well teach to Grace as strengthen and confirm Grace And so is common as well to the outward Christian as to the inward Christian Occasioned by the contrary doctrine taught by a strange Minister in Woolchurch on the 29th of June last By I. G. a Parishioner there Matthew 26. vers. 20. Now when the Even was come Jesus sate down with the twelve Gal. 4. vers. 16. Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Imprimatur JAMES CRANFORD LONDON Printed for Humphrey Robinson and are to be sold at the three Pigeons in Pauls Churchyard 1645. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL JOHN ROWLES Esquire one of the Honourable House of COMMONS of the High Court of PARLIAMENT SIR IT is above thirty yeeres since the Lord hath brought mee to be an inhabitant of Woolchurch And for the greattr part of this time the providence of God hath so ordered it that I have enjoyed your acquaintance which hath been profitable both to the outward and inward man although of late by reason of your great and high imployments for God and man there hath not been that personall society as heretofore yet I often see you to participate in the best and excellent places of sound Doctrine in the way of truth and salvation which with the knowledge I have of you hath often moved my heart and spirit to supplicate the God of heaven for you as for my self to whom it hath pleased God to make his Truth so known as to make mee a childe of it above twenty yeeres since which heavenly Principles had I so heeded and improved as I ought I might have been by this time a strong man in Christ Jesus How ever Sir I must confesse to you Gods mercies have been more and abundantly greater then my own miseries and notwithstanding mine own naturall indisposition and unaptnesse to the good and streight way of the Lord yet hee hath so magnified his good will and compassion as thereby to make mee one though the least of his Disciples who therefore cannot nay dare not but speak the things I have seen and learned of him notwithstanding the Crosse and persecution that attend on the obeying and declaring the truth a part whereof you may see if you please to take view of these few ensuing lines where you may observe that the testifying to the abundant mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ manifested in the Sacrament as in the Word even for this many are offended and rise up against mee and do as much as in them lies to make the world believe that though they know me yet they know me not so as that I am seen and not discerned and yet I fear not for to speak though I care not to be known except to you and the whole houshold of faith to whom the Lord continue his love and goodnesse which shall be ever the prayer of him who is truly yours and theirs J. G. An Introduction to the Arguments shewing the cause of their writing HEaring many corrupt doctrines delivered in wool-Wool-Church by a stranger where I am a Parishioner the knowledge of the truth moved mee to write these eight Arguments below specified thereby to vindicate Gods great Bounty and free Grace set forth to man-kinde by the Sacrament of the Bodie and Blood of our Lord as well as by the Word preached His Text was these words of the Apostle But let a man examine himself and so let him eat 1 Cor. 11. 28. affirming that the Apostle here by the name man spake only of a spirituall man and that the Scriptures do in no place call a naturall man by the name of a man alledging Jer. 5. 1. to prove it with divers other Scriptures and affirmed that naturall men all of them always are denominated by the name of beasts as Serpents Vipers Wolves Dogs Swine beasts after the manner of men c. Now to deliver this without the due distinction the Scriptures make is very false and contrary to our Lords own doctrine Joh. 3. 5. Except a man be born again c. meaning by the name man a naturall man as also the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 9. Now see his doctrine as strange to the Scriptures as the Preacher was to mee for it is beyond exception that as our Lord so his servant means by the name man naturall men And as the misunderstanding of the Scripture is the ground of all errour and schisme so from these premisses he drew this strange conclusion that one in nature and unregenerated ought not to be admitted to the Supper of the Lord and because hee had no plain Scripture that forbids a naturall man which hath received the faith to believe and to be baptized therefore he falsly affirmed that John the Baptist Mat. 3. 7. forbad the Pharisees and Sadduces to come to his baptisme and so argued from the lesser to the greater that if Baptisme which is the lesser ought to be denyed to impenitent men much more the Sacrament which is the greater ought to be denyed naturall men and this hee sham'd not to affirm although there be not one word in the Text of Johns denying the Pharisees and Sadduces and so went on to shew many Reasons why naturall men ought not to be admitted to the Lords Table First saith hee because a naturall man cannot discern what the Sacrament shewes forth Secondly because all naturall men are Serpents Vipers Dogs Swine cruell and savage beasts to whom the holy and precious things of the Sacrament ought not to be given for naturall men saith he are no more capable of them then the beasts that perish Thirdly because all naturall men are forbidden to come as Christ in another case said Mat. 5. 23 24. If thou bringest thy gift to the Altar and remembrest thy brother hath ought against thee go first and be reconciled to thy brother and then come c. in which Reason this yong Minister did not remember that our Lord here speaks of a brother not naming him a naturall unregenerated man neither is it to be understood only of the Sacrament for there we come rather to receive then give Fourthly because saith he every naturall man that comes to the Sacrament is that man Matth. 22. 11 12 13. that had not on the wedding garment who therefore speechlesse was cast into utter darknesse which if this be so then all the unregenerate elect in receiving the Sacrament are in that case and condition so that none of them by his reasoning shall be converted if they receive the Sacrament but condemned which is blasphemy to affirme and all that have heretofore received it before regeneration shall perish Fifthly because whosoever giveth the Sacrament to a wicked naturall man doth therein cast the childrens bread to Dogs Sixtly because the Sacrament was ordained only to confirme Grace and not at all for
the begetting of grace as bread is not given to beget but to sustain a man Seventhly hee that comes to the Lords Table being unregenerate is that fathers son Mat. 21. 30. saying Go and went not His Uses following did aggravate his Doctrine and Reasons as it follows also he did affirm that the damned shall cry out of hell to such Ministers as have delivered the Sacrament to such naturall men here in their life-time and shall say Thou gavest me my damnation in giving me the Sacrament for I was blind and saw it not dead and discern'd it not and therefore wo be to you that have given mee my eternall confusion and destruction with many more of these and the like strange and fond expressions of his own vision invented by his own brain contrary to Gods truth hee concluding these vanities with such a seeming confidence as no man could contradict or gainsay but assured himself that every one that heard him were satisfied with the cleere truth of this dark light urging it on the Congregation again and again with these or the like words Now I hope there is none but who are fully satisfied whose importunities for mistakings where no lesse then an engagement to mee which understood their falsenesse to make these opposing Grounds presently turning them into eight Arguments proving thereby that the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord ought not to be denyed to any that receive the common faith and outward Baptisme except in the case of excommunication and in that respect the spirituall as well as the carnall may be excluded 1. He that preacheth that the Sacrament of the Lords Table doth not as well teach to the begetting of grace as the confirming of grace hee is ignorant of the nature of the Sacrament and of the Word of God but so it was preached at Woolchurch on the 29th of June 1645. Ergo 2. If by the preaching the Word Christ crucified be the means to beget grace then the visible manifestation to the eye as well as to the eare of the signes if his death are the means of begetting of grace also But by the preaching of the Word to the eare Christ crucified is manifested or set forth for the begetting of grace Gal. 3. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. Therefore the visible manifestation of the signes of Christs death are for the bagetting of grace also 1 Cor. 11. 26. Matth. 26. 28. 3. If Gods Word say So often as you eat this bread and drink this cup yee do shew the Lords death till he come then the Sacrament doth teach grace to be received by Christ as well as confirm the grace already received but the Apostle so saith 1 Cor. 11. 26. therefore hee that teacheth otherwise is ignorant of the Scripture and of the nature of the Sacrament as also it is proved Luke 22. 19 20. Matth. 26. 28. 4. He that teacheth that whosoever giveth the Sacrament of bread and wine to a naturall man although hee believe the Scriptures and be baptized doth hereby cast holy things to Dogs and pearles before Swine such a Preacher doth not understand the command of our Lord in that place Matth. 7. 6. But so it was taught in the place and time above said Ergo 5. Whosoever so teacheth as aforesaid doth either willingly or ignorantly or both testifie that Christs practice was against his commandment which is blasphemy so to affirm but so it was affirmed in Woolchurch in the time and place above said Ergo For hee gave the bread and cup to Judas amongst the rest of the twelve Matth. 26. 20. to the 30th verse Luke 22. 14. to the 22. verse John 13. Mark 14. 17. to the 25. verse and in so doing hee did not cast holy things to Dogs nor pearles before Swine 6. If the Scripture shew to us that all that had the common or historicall faith to believe Jesus Christ come in the flesh had admission after baptisme to the Lords Supper and so by and through the common gifts of Gods Spirit might examine themselves and discerne the Lords body according to the Apostles meaning 1 Cor. 11. 28. then he that restrains it to the spirituall Christian only presumes above what is written but at Woolchurch the place and time above said the restraint was affirmed Ergo 7. If the Paschall Lamb to the Jewes were the same that the Supper of the Lord is to Christians then all Christians are to have the same liberty as the Jewes both outward and inward carnall and spirituall Exod. 12. 47. But the Supper of the Lord is the same in effect as the Passeover 1 Cor. 5. 7. Heb. 11. 28. of the which the carnall Jewes were to communicate as well as the spirituall Ergo carnall Christians may communicate as well as spirituall Christians 8. He that teacheth that whosoever delivereth the Sacrament to a wicked unregenerated man delivers to him his damnation preacheth a devillish doctrine for therein he condemneth the Lord of life for the Word and Sacraments are not properly the causes of mens damnations in themselves but casually and accidentally But so it was affirmed in the place and time abovesaid that whosoever delivereth the Sacrament to a wicked unregenerate man delivers to him his damnation Ergo he that so teacheth preacheth a damnable and devillish doctrine These Arguments were delivered to the Preacher by the Clerk some two days after his Sermon and the next Lords day after Prayer in the Pulpit he did declare to the Congregation that hee had received divers Arguments against the doctrine hee had taught them the Lords day before and that they may the more cleerly be answered saith hee I will make repetition of what I delivered before unto you verbatim and accordingly did repeat two thirds of his Sermon or thereabouts some of the said particulars hee in repeating delivered with more caution then before other things hee wholly omitted and when he had finished his repetition then he drew forth the Arguments with Answers written to every one as he affirmed although indeed and in truth not any one of them were answered And notwithstanding his publike notice in the Pulpit that whosoever would might have copies yet my importunitie these nine or ten dayes together cannot procure his Answers that I might make my Replication thereby to open the Scriptures that prove my Arguments As also to shew the weaknesse and invalidity of his Answers although I have promised money for the writing thereof and as yet hee will not avouch them notwithstanding his publike vaunting at the first yea my importunity was such as that he passed his faithfull promise to me before a friend in private that within two dayes after I should have them but I understood he was prevented by some parishioners that in affection towards me are dissented wherfore I am forst to call them to mind by my memory which he read written to the auditory His Answer to my first Argument To the first saith hee I answer that the
the like another said he is a foole to meddle with that he understands not for saith he he hath not the tongues and without them it is impossible he should understand the Scriptures this man although an Elder did not remember that the Apostle saith To one is given the gift of Prophesie to another the gift of Tongues by the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 10 11. Another said I was an enemy to all goodnesse and threatened me I should answer it before Authority so I heard and have born the defamings of many amongst which some were my familiars And between the Church and my house one told me Now you are met withall you are repayd now to whom I answered according to the old Proverb one tale is good till another is heard and the Scripture saith said I he that is first in his cause seems just which opprobrious behaviours and reproachfull expressious I have born wth patience both in the time of the assembly and ever since and so will continue without opening my mouth against them and conclude with an exhortation to Ministers and people concerning the receiving the Communion For although there be no rule in Scripture that gives any one particular Minister order to restrain any from the Lords Table that believe and are baptized except the authority given to the Church in case of excommunication as at first is signified yet the Scriptures do plentifully testifie that faithfull Minsters ought to watch over the flock of Christ to teach instruct and admonish the people to learn know and understand the meaning of all Gods ordinances and instructed in our own estates and conditions as John the Baptist exhorted the Parisees and Sadduces Mat. 3. 7. and that except we be betterred by them that which is ordained for our eternall life will be found to be to our eternall death and therefore Ministers ought to be apt to teach upon all occasions in season and out of season to shew and open to the Congregation what Prayer is in it self and that the people ought to joyn their affections to the plain truth hee should pronounce to God in his own and the peoples behalf so likewise that the Scriptures and truths opened and discovered by them is no lesse then the Word of God that shall judge us at the last day and therefore that all attention should be given to it with feare and trembling and that the end of our hearing should be to know obey it so also as touching the Sacraments that of Baptismes to declare the doctrine of Baptismes which the Scriptures cleerly teach and distinguish of so also the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord that for as much as it is Gods great mercy and goodness to give unto us those visible signs of his body and blood which are living representations of his death and passion and that as he is the propitiation of the sins of the elect of God called and justified whose hearts are purified by faith in his blood who thereby eat his flesh and drink his blood spiritually and so have eternall life in them So also Gods Word teacheth us that his blood is the propitiation of the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2. 2. And therefore as every naturall man renders their salvation so they are to examine themselves and prepare their hearts by repentance so to come to the Sacrament as to finde Jesus Christ to become their spirituall life as he is life and food both to such as are regenerated so that all and every mans coming to Gods Ordinances may be endeavoured to be for the better and not for the worse and also Ministers ought to have compassionate affections towards the people even as a Nurse towards the Babe on her breast and as a tender mother towards the childe of her womb and in all their wayes seek them and not theirs so that all bitternesse and pride be avoided and that the Congregation may see that they sincerely seek the salvation of the people and also the people must know that holy and faithfull teachers ought to be had in double honour both by countenance and maintenance that the glory of God and mans salvation be promoted and thus and so admonisheth he that is the Lords and thine in him J. G. The Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priests beare rule by their means and my people love to have it so saith the Lord Jer. 5. 31. FINIS 1 Cor. 15. 23.