A93091:344
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.
Secondly, we deny not but in this discourse the Apostle also, vers. 12, 13. intendeth the whole mystical body of Christ, which is one Christ, neither do we deny that these gifts of Apostles, Prophets, &c. are given to this Church, but this will not prove it to be an organical Church. For what is this body of Christ, this one Christ into whom all are baptized, &c. It is properly the whole company of true believers in all ages, and so contains the invisible body of Christ; which Catholic body of all ages, cannot properly make an organical body: and be it so, that this body is visible, having visible ordinances, baptized and drunk into one body, yet the Apostle respects the real union of all the members to Christ; and therefore Interpreters understand spiritual and effectual baptism, containing the inward virtue with the outward sign.
Secondly, we deny not but in this discourse the Apostle also, vers. 12, 13. intendeth the whole mysticall body of Christ, which is one Christ, neither doe we deny that these gifts of Apostles, Prophets, &c. are given to this Church, but this will not prove it to be an organicall Church. For what is this body of Christ, this one Christ into whom all are baptized, &c. It is properly the whole company of true beleevers in all ages, and so containes the invisible body of Christ; which Catholick body of all ages, cannot properly make an organicall body: and be it so, that this body is visible, having visible ordinances, baptized and drunk into one body, yet the Apostle respects the reall union of all the members to Christ; and therefore Interpreters understand spirituall and effectuall baptism, containing the inward vertue with the outward sign.
Again, the Apostles were fit for the gathering in of the elect amongst all the heathen nations, but that proves not all these elect (who also are a part of Christs sheep, John 10. 16.) were an organical Church, or a part of it, till called and added to the Church.
Again, the Apostles were fit for the gathering in of the elect amongst all the heathen nations, but that proves not all these elect (who also are a part of Christs sheep,