A80640:519
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.
Answ. Vindex doth clearly mistake my scope and meaning, to think I did lay down the state of the Question in this Paragraph. For I think it is no Question at all, That the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, are the Ordinances of Christ, which he hath instituted to be administered in his Church. Neither is it the scope of my whole Book, to give the people a share in the Government of the Church: Nay, it is not the scope of the greater part of the Book: Nay further, there be that blame the Book for the other Extreme, That it placeth the Government of the Church not at all in the hands of the People, but of the Presbytery. So various are the apprehensions of Books by variety of Readers, and by their sometime judicious, sometime cursory reading.
Answ. Vindex doth cleerly mistake my scope and meaning, to think I did lay down the state of the Question in this Paragraph. For I think it is no Question at all, That the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven, are the Ordinances of Christ, which he hath instituted to be administred in his Church. Neither is it the scope of my whole Book, to give the people a share in the Government of the Church: Nay, it is not the scope of the greater part of the Book: Nay further, there be that blame the Book for the other Extreme, That it placeth the Government of the Church not at all in the hands of the People, but of the Presbyterie. So various are the apprehensions of Books by variety of Readers, and by their somtime judicious, somtime cursory reading.
Least of all is there any colour for this apprehension, that I do in this Paragraph strongly confute the scope of my whole Book. Yes (saith he) For if the Keys be the Ordinances of Christ, they are given indeed for the Church of Believers, that is, for their good and benefit, objectivè; but are never in all the Scripture, nor in all Antiquity said to be given to the Church Subjectivè.
Least of all is there any colour for this apprehension, that I do in this Paragraph strongly confute the scope of my whole Book. Yes (saith he) For if the Keyes be the Ordinances of Christ, they are given indeed for the Church of Believers, that is, for their good and benefit, objectivè; but are never in all the Scripture, nor in all Antiquity said to be given to the Church Subjectivè.