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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

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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
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 some Texts commonly alledged for proof of such a Suspention and of Excommunication doe really warrant neither 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 Whether it be a Seale of Grace or not and in what sense debated and some common mistakes therein rectified By WILLIAM PRYNNE of Lincolnes Inne Esq JER 14. 14. Then the Lord said unto me the Prophets prophesie lyes in my name I sent them not neither have I commanded them neither spake unto them they Prophesie unto you a false vision and divination and a thing of naught and the deceit of their heart 1 JOHN 4. 1. Beloved beleeve not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they be of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world LONDON Printed by T. B. for Michael Sparke at the signe of the Blew-Bible in Green Arbour 1646. To the right Honourable HENRY Earle of Kent and the rest of the COMMISSIONERS for the Great Seale of England RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lords Supper being commonly tearmed by Divines both in their Writings and Sermons though never by the spirit of God in sacred Writ a Sacrament and a Seale yea Gods GREAT SEALE of Grace and of the Covenant of Grace wher of our Syon Colledg Ministers now preted themselves the divine LORD KEEPERS asserting that by the will and appointment of Jesus Christ himself they have both Commission and Authority to suspend al such whom they shall deem Ignorant or Scandalous from this SEALE though they earnestly thirst hunger after it and be not actually excōmunicated from any other publicke Ordinance or the society of Christians I conceived I could not so fitly Dedicate this Briefe Examination and Refutation of their Divine claim and new Institution of sole suspention from the Sacrament so much contested for to any others as to Your Honors the present Commissioners for the Custody of THE GREAT SEAL OF ENGLAND to whose Noble Patronage I humbly recommend it so farre forth onely as it shall appear to be consonant to the Word of Truth My little Treatise intituled The opening of the Great Seale of England was through Gods blessing on it one speciall meanes of passing the first Ordinance for the New great Seale of England which hath ever since continued in your keeping and I have some good hopes that by the like divine Benediction on this smaller Pamphlet the Lords Supper the GREAT SEAL OF HEAVEN as many stile it shall be opened and communicated to many poore soules cordially desirous to receive it who otherwise might have most injuriously by colour of the pretended Will and appointment of Jesus Christ been suspended from it Where this Will and Appointment of Christ is to be found in Scripture it rests on the Divines of Syon-Colledge to demonstrate for my part after many diligent inquiries to find it out either in the old or new Testament I alwayes returned with a Non est inventus only this I have observed in my reading that when ever any matters of Ecclesiasticall or Pontificall Jurisdiction have come to be debated the Clergy in all Ages have made very strange Interpretations and perversions of Scripture to maintaine their pretended Divine Authority What ridiculous Inferences the Popes of Rome with their Parasites have published in print to support their usurped Antichristian supremacy over all Bishops Churches and Kings themselves from Thou art Peter arise Peter kill and eat Lanch out into the deep Feed my sheepe God made two great lights Behold here are two swords Ye shall find an Asse and a Colt tyed loose them and bring them hither Tell it to the Church c. is known to all who peruse their Books of this controversie Whether some of our Divines have not incurred the like solecismes and made almost as grose Misapplications of Scripture as they in maintenance of their new Church-government and Discipline I submit to the determination of such who without partiality have perused their la●e Discourses of that subject For my part having neither any private interest nor Design to misbyas my judgment 2 Cor. 3. 8 I a can I dare do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth in this present controversie My impartiall debate whereof though it may displease some will I trust conduce much to the settlement of our publike peace which the unhappy controversies about Church-government have disturbed and find acceptance with all lovers of Truth in generall and your Honours in particular from the hands Of your Devoted Servant WILLIAM PRYNNE SUSPENTION SUSPENDED OR SYON-COLLEDGE Claime of the Power of Suspending Scandalous persons from the Lords Supper by the Will and Appointment of JESUS CHRIST and Authority derived to Church-Officers from him Examined Discussed Refuted by the Word of GOD. WEE Read that one one of the first and fiercest contestations which brake out among Christs owne Apostles even when he sent them out to Preach and when he was about to institute the Lords Supper was concerning Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction a Luke 9. 46. cap. 22. 24 25 26. Mat. 20. 20. to 29. Mark 10. 35. to 46. which of them should be the greatest which though then severely checked and determined by Christ himselfe yet I know not by what unhappy uninterrupted succession it hath disturbed the peace of the Church and whole Christian world more or lesse in all succeeding Ages and in this last Age of ours as much or more then in any precedent Century whatsoever the wisdome of our wisest Counsellours united altogether in our greatest and wisest Counsell the high Court of Parliament being unable to quiet and conjure downe this ambitious restlesse spirit of Domination and contention about Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction still predominating in the Clergy To instance but in one particular The Parliament after long and serious debate was pleased to approve and set up a Presbyteriall Government in our Church and at the Clergies extraordinary importunity in a prudentiall way to give Ministers and Presbyteries power to keep ignorant and scandalous persons from the Lords Supper confining them to a particular enumera●ion of scandals not leaving it arbitrary and indefinite investing them with this authority not as a Jurisdiction bequeathed to them by the will and appointment
children of Israel In respect of which command the Jewes accused Paul Acts 21. 28 29. for bringing Greekes into the Temple and polluting that holy place Which Text if it make any thing for excommunication as some pretend though others upon good reason deeme the contrary it speaking onely of excluding uncircumcised Heathens not any uncleane or scandalous circumcised Israelites out of the Temple at Jerusalem not the Jewish Sinagogues nor of secluding or excommunicating any baptized Christians under the Gospel from the Church though uncircumcised either in the flesh or heart yet certainly it proves nothing for any sole suspention from the Passeover or Lords Supper since such strangers were totally secluded both from the Temple and all Ordinances therein used not suspended from one Ordinance alone but admitted to all others The sixt Text is Matth. 18. 17. If he neglect to heare the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican that is as our l Master Rutherfurds Divine right of Church-Government cap. 8. and Due right of Presbyt●ries c. 4. sect 5. p. 187. Opposites expound it a person cut off and secluded from the visible Church and people of God and all communion in holy Ordinances as Ezek. 44. 7 8 9. Acts 21. 28 29. Ephes 2. 11 12. insinuate Which if objected for proofe of suspention from the Lords Supper onely not from other Ordinances then the meaning and sense of the place must be no more but this Let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican that is let him be suspended onely from communicating at the Lords Table once a moneth a quarter a yeer but let him constantly resort unto and communicate in all other Ordinances and duties of Gods worship every Lords day and Lecture day without the least suspention or impediment which Heathens never used to doe and very few Publicans A very pretty exposition of this much controverted Text. The seventh Scripture is John 9. 22 34 35. chap. 12. 42. chap. 16. 2. Where we read that those who professed Christ were put or cast out of the Synagogue by the Jewes Ergo they were debarred from preaching reading of the Word prayer and all other publjck Offices of Gods worship used in the Jewish Sinagogues not from the Passeover or Lords Supper onely never administred in any Sinagogue that we read of in Scripture And to intepret putting out of the Sinagogue to be nothing else but a bare suspention from the Lords Supper without any exclusion from other Ordinances is a meer Bull and miserable perverting of these Texts it being an unlawfull act done by the unbeleeving Jewes not against scandalous offenders but faithfull beleevers and professors of Jesus Christ The eighth is the 1 Cor. 5. where the Apostle writes to the Church at Corinth To take away from among them the incestuous person to deliver him to Satan To purge out the old Leven that they might be a new lump not to keep company with a Brother that is a fornicator c. with such a one no not to eat and to put away from among themselves that wicked person From which place our m Master Rutherfurds Divine right of Church-Government c. 4. qu. 1. p. 238. to 240. Opposites instruct us That to deliver to Satan is to cast out of the Church and to declare such an offender to be of the number of the wicked world of which Satan is Prince and to be purged out of the Church least he should infect the Sheep and Christians are not to beare company with him nor to eat with him and he was judged to be cast out as a heathen and Publican and deprived of the comfortable communion of the Saints and of the prayers of the Church and meanes of Grace Ergo by their owne argumentation confession exposition this Text enjoynes a totall excommunication from all publick Ordinances meanes of grace and communion of the faithfull not a naked suspention onely from the Lords Supper with free admission to all other Ordinances But if this Text be meant of a Suspention onely from the Lords Supper then the delivering of that incestuous person to Satan the purging out of the old leaven the not keeping company the not eating with him the taking and putting away of him from among them must be all reduced to this one negative act not to admit him to the Lords Table once a moneth a quarter a yeere yet to communicate with him in all other Ordinances every day and week in the yeer without scruple or scandall an interpretation as point blank against the very words and meaning of the Text as may be The ninth is Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you Brethren marke them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine ye have received and avoid them To which I shall annex n Master Rutherfurds Divine right of Church-Government p. 249 269 c. 12. qu. 8. Mr. Walkers Modell of the Government of the Church p. 17. 2 Thes 3. 14. And if any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed And 2 John 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed Which if meant of publick communion conversation in Ordinances of Gods worship with Schismaticall Hereticall scandalous Christians as well as in private prohibit communion with them in all other publick Ordinances as well as in the Lords Supper but if appropriated to a single suspention onely from the Lords Table then they must run into this absurdity that to avoid such persons not to keep company with them not to receive them into our houses or bid them God speed is onely not to eat the Lords Supper with them and to suspend them from it alone which neither the words nor meaning of these Texts will beare The tenth is Tit. 3. 10. A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject That is as our o Mr. Rutherfurd and Mr. Walker ibid. Opposites interpret it excommunicate and cast him out of the Church But if objected to prove a bare suspention from the Eucharist then reject must signifie suspend him from the Lords Table onely not from any other Ordinance he may preach and broach his heresies still to poyson and canker others To which I shall subjoyne Rev. 2. 20. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto Idols Which if it proves ought for excommunication yet certainly makes nothing for a sole suspention from the Sacrament but against it The eleventh is the 3 John 9 10. Neither doth Diotrephes himselfe receive the Brethren and forbiddeth them that would and casteth them out of the Church that is excommunicates them as all accord Which if objected for proof of suspention of scandalous persons from
a meere Heathen without the Church witnesse 1 Cor. 5. 10 11 12 13. I wrote to you in an Epistle not to keep company with fornicators yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or with extortioners or with Idolaters for then ye must goe out of the world But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a Brother be a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a Rayler or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such a one NO NOT TO EATE of which few make any conscience that presse this place so much for what have I to doe to judge them that are without doe ye not judge them that are within But them that are without God judgeth Therefore put away from among you that wicked person In which words the Apostle informes us First That scandalous Christians are z Which Master Ruthe●furd affirmes Divine right of Church Government p. 357. worse then Heathens that are scandalous in the same kind Secondly That Christians in some cases may keep company a Soe 1 Cor. 10. 27 28. and eat with the one but not so much as keep company or eat with the other Thirdly That they ought to judge censure put away from among themselves the scandalous Christian but not the Heathen which had the Doctor well observed he would never have desired me to instruct his ignorance in this kind Fourthly had the Doctor considered Matth. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs neither cast ye your Pearles before swine least they trample them under their feet and turne againe and rent you spoken principally of the preaching of the Word not of the Lords Supper then not knowne nor instituted Or Matth. 10. 14 15. Mark 6. 11 12. And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words when ye depart out of that house or City shake off the dust of your feet for a testimony against them Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgement then for that City Or Acts 13. 45 46 50 51. But when the Jewes saw the multitudes they were filled with envy and spake against those things that were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming Then Paul and Barnabas waxed s● bold and said It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing you put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turne to the Gentiles But the Jewes stirred up devout and honourable women and the chiefe men of the City and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coasts but they shook off the dust of their feet against them and came unto Iconium Or Luke 14 16 17 24. A certaine man made a great Supper and bade many and sent his servants at Supper time saying to them that were bidden Come for all things are now ready but they all with one consent began to make excuse c. So that servant came and shewed his Lord these things Then the Master of the house being angry said to his servant Goe out into the lanes and streets of the City and bring in hither the poore and the maimed and the halt and the blind c. and compell them to come in that my house may be full For I say unto you that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my Supper Or Luke 19. 41. And when he came neere the City he wept over it saying if thou hadst knowne even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes with sundry other Texts of this kind He might have learned from them That such Christians who contemne and neglect the Gospel and word of Grace when offered to them may be justly deprived of and secluded from them when as others though Pagans may be admitted to enjoy them according to that expresse Text Mat. 21. 33. to 45. where the Lord of the Vineyard when his servants were beaten and his son slaine by the husband-men from whom he required fruits threatens he will miserably destroy those wicked men and will let out his Vineyard to other husband-men which shall render him their fruit in due season Christ himselfe thus closing up the Parable with reference to the obstinate Jewes Therefore I say unto you the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof which you may read fully executed and ratified Rom. 11. 7. to 26. 1 Thes 2. 15 16. Isa 5. 1. to 8. This Objection therefore will no wayes fortifie our Opposites weak Cause but confirme my tenets But it is secondly objected by our Antagouists Objection 2. b M●ster Ruthe●f●rds Divine right of Presbyter●e● p. 361 362 524 525. that the Word may and must be preached to meere Pagans and Infidels to convert and instruct them but the Lords Supper is not to be administred to such as all acknowledge Therefore there is a vast difference in this respect between the preaching of the Word and receiving of the Lords Supper and so by consequence scandalous persons which are as Heathens may and ought to be suspended from the one though they be admitted to the other I answer Answer First this Objection if examined is but a meere fallacy and inconsequent the controversie not being Whether Infidels Turks and Pagans ought to be admitted to the Lords Table before they publickly embrace and professe the Christian faith But Whether scandalous Christans externally embracing professing the faith of Christ endued with competent knowledge professing unfain●d repentance for their sinnes past promising reformation for the future and earnesily desiring to be admitted to the Lords Supper may by any institu●io●● or appointment of Jesus Christ be suspended from it when not secluded from but admitted free accesse to the Word and all other pulick Ordinances Therefore to argue thus the Lords Supper ought not to be administred to Turkes and Infidels Ergo not to scandalous Christians is a meere Nonsequitur and departing from the point in issue Secondly the reason why the Lords Supper and Baptisme ought not to be administred to Turks and Pagans before their externall conversion to the Christian faith though the Gospell may be preached to them is not because preaching of the Gospel is a converting Ordinance and the administration of the Sacraments onely a confirming but not converting Ordinance as is pretended but because the Sacraments as all c Calvin Peter Martyr Aretit● Jewel Beacon Paraeus Willet others and Master Rutherfurd himselfe Divine right of Presbyteries cap. 4. sect 5. p. 212. Divines accord are badges of our externall Christian profession yea solemne Covenants or Oaths to oblige us to yeeld all obedience and subjection unto Christ and distinguishing signes to difference Christians from all Infidels and Pagans in the