A93091:604
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.
Answ. 1 If all this were granted that when Churches were gathered by Apostles and extraordinary officers out of persons unbaptized, they were first baptized into Church fellowship, before they chose Officers, and so long as the Apostles remained, enjoyed from them other ordinances, as Act. 2. and so had no Officers chosen by themselves, but by Christ immediately for them, yet as when the Apostles left them, they must choose Officers if they ⟨p. 156⟩will enjoy ordinances: So when there is no such Apostles nor Evangelists, nor no need of baptism, (as is usually the cause of Christians arising out of popery) in this case we say such Churches can partake of no ordinances without they choose officers, and yet this varieth not from the Scripture pattern neither. But only so far as the state of those believers differ, when Paul found about twelve believers at Ephesus, who were baptized by John the Baptist, Act. 19. 1. &c. If these were by the Apostle set into a constituted Church, as is probable, (being called on further to the knowledge of Christ and his will and ways) there was no need of baptizing them again with water, but only with the holy Ghost, as the Apostles were at Pentecost, Act. 1. 5. with 2. 1. 2. and yet no varying from the rule in so doing: and the like is our case now.
Answ. 1 If all this were granted that when Churches were gathered by Apostles and extraordinary officers out of persons unbaptized, they were first baptized into Church fellowship, before they chose Officers, and so long as the Apostles remained, enjoyed from them other ordinances, as Act. 2. and so had no Officers chosen by themselves, but by Christ immediatly for them, yet as when the Apostles left them, they must choose Officers if they ⟨p. 156⟩will enjoy ordinances: So when there is no such Apostles nor Evangelists, nor no need of baptisme, (as is usually the cause of Christians arising out of popery) in this case wee say such Churches can partake of no ordinances without they choose officers, and yet this varyeth not from the Scripture patterne neither. But onely so farre as the state of those beleevers differ, when Paul found about twelve beleevers at Ephesus, who were baptized by John the Baptist,