A80640:515
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.
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.
Albeit, If it had been of any weight for the expediting of any controversy about the Keys (which I know none:) I might easily have given some definition of the Keys; as to say, The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are spiritual Powers given by ⟨p. 15⟩Christ to his Church to dispense the Treasures of his Kingdom, for the opening and shutting, binding and loosing the spiritual Estates of men in the Church. By spiritual Powers, I mean spiritual callings, and spiritual gifts fitting for them, enabling to some spiritual Acts: By the treasures of the Kingdom I mean the Word, Seals, and Censures, and the spiritual blessings laid up in them. But Callings, Gifts, and Treasures, are all of them Ordinances. The other parts of the Definition, what be the Acts, and Ends, Objects, and Subjects of this power, I opened formerly in the third, fourth, and fifth Paragraphs of the first chapter of the Keys.
Albeit, If it had been of any weight for the expediting of any controversie about the Keyes (which I know none:) I might easily have given some definition of the Keyes; as to say, The Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven are spiritual Powers given by ⟨p. 15⟩Christ to his Church to dispense the Treasures of his Kingdom, for the opening and shuting, binding and loosing the spiritual Estates of men in the Church. By spiritual Powers, I mean spiritual callings, and spiritual gifts fitting for them, enabling to some spiritual Acts: By the treasures of the Kingdom I mean the Word, Seals, and Censures, and the spiritual blessings laid up in them. But Callings, Gifts, and Treasures, are all of them Ordinances. The other parts of the Definition, what be the Acts, and Ends, Objects, and Subjects of this power, I opened formerly in the third, fourth, and fifth Paragraphs of the first chapter of the Keyes.