A93091:538
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.
CHAP. IX. Consid. 4.
Reply. TO the fourth consideration, first, Men are capable of Church censures, either as having power to dispense them: or as being subject unto them, &c. In the second sense, many are capable of Church privileges, who are not subject to Church censures: as the children of Christian Parents are capable of baptism, and approved members of any true Church are capable of Seals in other Congregations amongst you, who are not subject to the censures of the other Congregation, spiritual Communion in public prayer, whereof visible believers (not in Church order) are capable, but not subject to common censures in your sense.
Reply. TO the fourth consideration, first, Men are capable of Church censures, either as having power to dispense them: or as being subject unto them, &c. In the second sense, many are capable of Church priviledges, who are not subject to Church censures: as the children of Christian Parents are capable of baptisme, and approved members of any true Church are capable of Seales in other Congregations amongst you, who are not subject to the censures of the other Congregation, spiritual Communion in publike prayer, whereof visible beleivers (not in Church order) are capable, but not subject to common censures in your sense.
Answ. This distinction is needless: our meaning is plain in the second sense, and therefore we say nothing to what is objected against the first. To the instances objected against the proposition in the second sense, we answer first concerning the Infants of Church-members, they are subject to censures, whensoever they offend the Church, as others are, though so long as they live innocently, they need them not.