A80640:513
The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the…
The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the historical aspersions of Mr. Robert Baylie, in his book, called, A dissuasive from the errors of the time. In the latter, from some contradictions of Vindicæ Clavium : and from, some mis-constructions of learned Mr. Rutherford in his book entitled The due right of presbyteries. / By Mr. John Cotton, sometime preacher at Boston in Lincoln-shire, and now teacher of the Church at Boston, in New-England.The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the historical aspersions of Mr. Robert Baylie, in his book, called, A disswasive from the errors of the time. In the latter, from some contradictions of Vindicæ Clavium : and from, some mis-constructions of learned Mr. Rutherford in his book intituled The due right of presbyteries. / By Mr. John Cotton, sometime preacher at Boston in Lincoln-shire, and now teacher of the Church at Boston, in New-England.
London: printed by Matthew Simmons for John Bellamie, 1648
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.
¶ What the KEYS of the Kingdom of HEAVEN be. Section II.
¶ VVhat the KEYES of the Kingdom of HEAVEN be. Section II.
IN opening what the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven be, it was not my intent to enumerate them all distinctly and particularly in that first Chapter of the description of the Keys, which was but a Preface and Introduction to the whole Tractate. I thought it enough to give an instance only in general, there, in two or three examples; reserving a more exact distribution of them to the chapters following: and referring each sort of them to their several Subjects in their proper place, lest I might clog my self and the Reader with needles repetitions. I therefore contented my self to say in general, The Keys are the Ordinances of Christ, which he hath instituted to be administered in his Church, as the preaching of the Word, as also the administering of the Seals and Censures.
IN opening what the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven be, it was not my intent to enumerate them all distinctly and particularly in that first Chapter of the description of the Keys, which was but a Preface and Introduction to the whole Tractate. I thought it enough to give an instance onely in general, there, in two or three examples; reserving a more exact distribution of them to the chapters following: and referring each sort of them to their several Subjects in their proper place, lest I might clogg my self and the Reader with needles repetitions. I therefore contented my self to say in general, The Keyes are the Ordinances of Christ, which he hath instituted to be administred in his Church, as the preaching of the Word, as also the administring of the Seals and Censures.
I instanced in these, as most obvious, and of easiest apprehension to any vulgar Reader. But in instancing these, I supposed no man would be of so narrow apprehension, as not to conceive those things to be included, without which, these cannot duly be performed. As, the word cannot be preached, nor the Sacraments dispensed, without a vocation unto such spiritual Administrations. Nor can it be doubted, that if there must be a vocation to administer these, there must be also some, who have power from Christ to give such a vocation.