A93091:452
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.
Reply. Fifthly, If it be granted that the seals are the prerogative of particular visible Churches, known and approved Christians amongst us are members of such Churches, and so to be esteemed amongst you, &c. and every visible believer professing the pure entire faith, admitted to the right and lawful participation of the sacraments, is a visible member of the true Church, if he hath neither renounced the Society, nor deserved justly to be cast out by excommunication, or Church censure, &c. And if known and approved Christians, members of our Churches coming to New-England, shall desire to have their children baptized, or themselves admitted to the Lords-supper, before they be set members amongst you; we desire to know upon what grounds from God you can deny them, if you acknowledge our Churches, Ministry and Sacraments to be true, (as you profess) and the members of the Church be known and approved, orderly recommended unto you.
Reply. Fifthly, If it be granted that the seals are the prerogative of particular visible Churches, known and approved Christians amongst us are members of such Churches, and so to be esteemed amongst you, &c. and every visible beleever professing the pure entire faith, admitted to the right and lawfull participation of the sacraments, is a visible member of the true Church, if he hath neither renounced the Society, nor deserved justly to be cast out by excommunication, or Church censure, &c. And if known and approved Christians, members of our Churches comming to New-England, shall desire to have their children baptized, or themselves admitted to the Lords-supper, before they be set members amongst you; we desire to know upon what grounds from God you can deny them, if you acknowledge our Churches, Ministery and Sacraments to be true, (as you professe) and the members of the Church be known and approved, orderly recommended unto you.
Answ▪ We grant all this here expressed for the substance, however some reasons spoken unto before intermixed we pass over, and to your question we frame a ready answer from your own words. For, first, you grant, that if such members have renounced that Society wherein they did partake of the seals, they are not to be reputed members of it; and this is generally the case of all approved Christians among us, who though they do not so renounce the Churches that bare them, and gave them suck, as no true Churches; yet seeing they were grown so corrupt many ways, as they could neither enjoy some needful Ordinances, nor partake in those they had without sin, they have therefore renounced and forsaken all further communion with them, and membership in them; and so by your own grant, neither themselves, nor the Churches here can take them as members of your Churches, to receive them under that respect.