A93091:349
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.
Thirdly, Apostles, Prophets, and all gifts and offices in general and indefinitely, are given to the Church indefinitely considered, but particular officers, Paul, Cephas, Apollo, Titus, Archippus, &c. are given or set in particular Churches; we mean, according to the several natures and extents of their offices; As unto Bees in general is given a power to gather honey, and order themselves in their hives; but in their exercise of this power it is given to the several swarms in the hives, who have their Queens, &c. to order themselves. But as this power in general makes not a universal organical body of Bees; no more here an universal organical Church.
Thirdly, Apostles, Prophets, and all gifts and offices in generall and indefinitely, are given to the Church indefinitely considered, but particular officers, Paul, Cephas, Apollo, Titus, Archippus, &c. are given or set in particular Churches; we mean, according to the severall natures and extents of their offices; As unto Bees in generall is given a power to gather honey, and order themselves in their hives; but in their exercise of this power it is given to the severall swarms in the hives, who have their Queens, &c. to order themselves. But as this power in generall makes not a universall organicall body of Bees; no more here an universall organicall Church.
Lastly, to speak more particularly, we conceive that the place in the utmost latitude of it is meant of the mystical body, that one body into which all are baptized, vers. 13. And that the fundamental mistake of our Brethren is this, that because the Church here mentioned hath Organs and political Officers in it, that therefore it must needs make one political Church, where some Organs are to rule in common, and every part is to be subject to the whole. For although the mystical Church hath Organs and political Officers in it; yet it follows not therefore that it is one political body. For the invisible Church conjoined with the visible, hath political Officers set in it, and given to it as invisible, as well as visible, in respect of Gods general designation and particular application of them to this whole Church; yet it follows not that they are one political body by actual combination thereunto; actual combination, we say, for although Christs institution must warrant and prescribe all forms of political bodies, yet it will not be found that ever there was any political Society without actual combination, whether civill or sacred, whether national or more particular. The mystical Church may be said to be organical in respect of the Officers amongst them in the several parts thereof; every part being a part of the whole spiritually, though not politically. But it doth not thence follow that the whole is one political