A93091:263
A treatise of liturgies, power of the keys, and of matter of the visible…A treatise of liturgies, power of the keyes, and of matter of the visible…
A treatise of liturgies, power of the keys, and of matter of the visible church. In answer to the reverend servant of Christ, Mr. John Ball. By Thomas Shepherd, sometimes fellow of Emanuel-College in Cambridge, and late pastor of Cambridge in New-England.A treatise of liturgies, power of the keyes, and of matter of the visible church. In answer to the reverend servant of Christ, Mr. John Ball. By Thomas Shephard, sometimes fellow of Emanuel-Colledge in Cambridge, and late pastour of Cambridge in New-England.
London: printed by E. Cotes for Andrew Crooke, 1652
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
4 Yea further, what if it were gained also by such disputes, that the Keys and Officers, Ordinances, &c. be given firstly to this Catholic Church as to the object and end? We confess we do not see that what our Brethren contend for, is by all this obtained. For, first, if the universal number of visible believers be one totum aggregatum; yet it will be hard to prove that these are one instituted and political Society, that can enjoy visible communion together in visible Worship and government; and yet more hard to prove that by the institution of Christ, these all are to be actually governed as one totum.
4 Yea further, what if it were gained also by such disputes, that the Keys and Officers, Ordinances, &c. be given firstly to this Catholick Church as to the object and end? We confesse we do not see that what our Brethren contend for, is by all this obtained. For, first, if the universall number of visible beleevers be one totum aggregatum; yet it will bee hard to prove that these are one instituted and politicall Society, that can enjoy visible communion together in visible Worship and government; and yet more hard to prove that by the institution of Christ, these all are to be actually governed as one totum.
Secondly, what though the members of the Church Catholic be in order of time before particular Churches, as being fit matter for them, and constituting of them? yet this proves not one political body before they combine, but rather the contrary.
Secondly, what though the members of the Church Catholick be in order of time before particular Churches, as being fit matter for them, and constituting of them? yet this proves not one politicall body before they combine, but rather the contrary.
Thirdly, be it so that this Catholic Church is the first Church to which Christ hath firstly given the Keys, Ordinances, Promises, &c. for which Christ firstly performed the Offices of King, Priest, and Prophet, and what else soever can be said in this kind; yet all this may be in this respect that Christ looked at this Catholic Church firstly as the chief object and end for whose sake and good he ordained and gave all these things, and this will not carry the cause; for as the Church Catholic visible in this sense is the first Church in respect of the particulars, so the invisible body of Christ is in nature and priority the first Church in respect of visible, as visible; for Christ no doubt firstly intends and gives all these things to the invisible Church, as to the object and end of the same for whose good they are all ordained; rather then for the Catholic visible Church, which contains many hypocrites and reprobates within the verge of it. But now if we speak of a subject of the Keys, to which the actual exercise and dispensation