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truth_n	church_n	profession_n	visible_a	2,188	5	9.1158	5	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

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

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