A34675:122
A defence of Mr. John Cotton from the imputation of self contradiction, charged on…A defence of Mr. John Cotton from the imputation of selfe contradiction, charged on…
A defence of Mr. John Cotton from the imputation of self contradiction, charged on him by Mr. Dan. Cawdrey written by himself not long before his death ; whereunto is prefixed, an answer to a late treatise of the said Mr. Cawdrey about the nature of schism, by John Owen ...A defence of Mr. John Cotton from the imputation of selfe contradiction, charged on him by Mr. Dan. Cavvdrey written by himselfe not long before his death ; whereunto is prefixed, an answer to a late treatise of the said Mr. Cavvdrey about the nature of schisme, by John Owen ...
Oxford: printed by H. Hall for T. Robinson, 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Ans. It hath been showed above, That in that Place in the Way, I speak expressly of Profest Believers, to have received all the power of the keys not Formally, but virtually. So that if there be some Power of the keys which they cannot exercise Formally as Brethren, yet they may exercise the same virtually, by choosing and calling forth such, as may formally exercise the same for them: which presupposed I answer to the Major, If the Power of the keys (which was to continue ⟨p. 13⟩in the Church) were given to Peter, not as an Apostle, nor as an Elder, but as a Believer, then it was Given to all Believers, and only to believers, & to such whom Believers shall orderly choose, and call forth to execute the same. As to instance in a like example, If heat be Given to Fire, as such, then to all Fire, and only to Fire, & to such other things, as Fire communicateth his virtue to. When therefore the Publishers of the keys say, The Power of the keys may be Disposed in a due Allotment into divers hands. The Replyer had no cause to say, Herein they neither Agree with me, nor with them. They say it is put into diverse hands, And he saith it is Given only to Believers: And is not this a Contradiction?
Ans. It hath been shewed above, That in that Place in the Way, I speak expresly of Profest Believers, to have received all the power of the keyes not Formally, but virtually. So that if there be some Power of the keyes which they cannot exercise Formally as Brethren, yet they may exercise the same virtually, by choosing and calling forth such, as may formally exercise the same for them: which presupposed I answer to the Major, If the Power of the keyes (which was to continue ⟨p. 13⟩in the Church) were given to Peter, not as an Apostle, nor as an Elder, but as a Believer, then it was Given to all Believers, and only to believers, & to such whom Believers shall orderly choose, and call forth to execute the same. As to instance in a like example, If heate be Given to Fire, as such, then to all Fire, and only to Fire, & to such other things, as Fire communicateth his virtue to. When therefore the Publishers of the keyes say, The Power of the keyes may be Disposed in a due Allotment into divers hands. The Replyer had no cause to say, Herein they neither Agree with me, nor with them. They say it is put into diverse hands, And he saith it is Given only to Believers: And is not this a Contradiction?