A93091:608
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. The third proposition: That the power of calling Ministers is given by Christ unto the Church, must also rightly be understood, by the Church must not be understood the faithful alone, but their guides and Officers with them, who are to go before them and to govern and direct them in their choice, neither can we say two or three believers linked in a society is such a Church, to whom the call of Ministers do belong, but that right was given by Christ to such Churches, as were gathered by the Apostles.
Reply. The third proposition: That the power of calling Ministers is given by Christ unto the Church, must also rightly be understood, by the Church must not be understood the faithfull alone, but their guids and Officers with them, who are to goe before them and to governe and direct them in their choyce, neither can wee say two or three beleevers linked in a society is such a Church, to whom the call of Ministers do belong, but that right was given by Christ to such Churches, as were gathered by the Apostles.
Answ. The first Limitation of this proposition we pass over as being spoken to in the former; to this we answer, that when a Church have guides, we grant they are to govern them therein, but not to limit them, whom to choose, but when the Church have no such guides, (as by death and other ways it may fall out,) shall they then lose their right of choosing? if so, let it be showed to whom the right falls; They may take what counsel and help from others they want, but the choice is only in them, and therefore this limitation is needless. For the number of two or three we contend not, but such Churches as the Apostles gathered were particular Congregations, and therefore the right is in such, be they more or fewer. When Bellarmine saith, that our Ministers intruded themselves into Churches; no, saith Dr. Field, for the people elected them, which they might lawfully do and separate from wicked Ministers, which he proves by the testimony of Cyprian, writing to the Bishops of Spain not to communicate with Basilides and Martialis, who fell to Idolatry in times of persecution, Quando ipsa plebs potestatem habet, &c. Also from Ocham, who saith, Si Papa & maxim celebres Episcopi incidunt in haeresin, ad Catholicos devoluta est potestas omnis judicandi: to which he adds this reason, either they must separate from them, and choose others, or consent to their impieties. Field lib. 3. cap. 39. What followeth in this place being little to this point, and for the most part not scrupled by us: and what is not acknowledged by us, we shall have a fitter occasion to speak to it, therefore here we pass it over.