A93091:495
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.
2▪ When we say the seals are limited to a particular Church or Congregation because the Ministry is so limited; our meaning is not of that congregation only whereof the Ministry is, but of any Congregation in general.
2▪ When wee say the seales are limited to a particular Church or Congregation because the Ministery is so limited; our meaning is not of that congregation onely whereof the Ministry is, but of any Congregation in generall.
3▪ When we say that where a Minister hath no power, he may not do an act of power, this is to be so understood, that he cannot perform such an act, as an Officer over them or unto them as to his proper flock, the office being (as we said) founded in the relation between the Church and the Officer, such a stated power as an Officer over his own flock, he hath not to those of other Congregations partaking in his own Church, or in any act of his Office in another Church; yet an occasional act of power, or precaria potestas, charitatively to put forth an act of ⟨p. 133⟩his Office to those in an other church, over whom he is no Officer, we see not but he may; but then this act of power is not towards them as over his own flock; for two things are clear to us. 1. That an Officer of one Church, is no Officer over those of an other Church, as not being his proper flock, for there being no Office of Pastor at large without power of Office, and the power that a Pastor hath over others, being by the election of those that chose him their Officer, who thereby become his proper flock, hence he hath no power as an Officer over those of an other flock, unless he should [Greek or Hebrew].
3▪ When wee say that where a Minister hath no power, he may not do an act of power, this is to be so understood, that hee cannot performe such an act, as an Officer over them or unto them as to his proper flock, the office being (as wee said) founded in the relation betweene the Church and the Officer, such a stated power as an Officer over his owne flocke, hee hath not to those of other Congregations partaking in his owne Church, or in any act of his Office in another Church; yet an occasionall act of power, or precaria potestas, charitatively to put forth an act of