A93091:645
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.
Secondly, We deny not but such have a right to be in the particular Church, and so to baptism and all ordinances? but as by such profession they are not members of any particular Church, so neither have they immediate right to the privileges thereof without admittance into the same. Fit matter, such are for a particular visible Church that profess the entire faith, &c. But it doth not admit them actually thereunto: and your own expression secretly implieth as much, when you say baptism is a seal of our admission into the Church or flock of Christ; If baptism be the seal of our admission, then there is an admission thereunto before baptism: but who doth admit, and where, and when is any admitted to the Church, but in particular Congregations? Can any be admitted into a Church, that whole Church being ignorant thereof? but a man may profess the entire faith, and live accordingly amongst the Heathen, where neither any Church nor member of it take knowledge thereof; and therefore bare profession doth not admit men, but make them fit to be received and admitted into the visible Church.
Secondly, We deny not but such have a right to be in the particular Church, and so to baptisme and all ordinances? but as by such profession they are not members of any particular Church, so neither have they immediate right to the priviledges thereof without admittance into the same. Fit matter, such are for a particular visible Church that professe the intire faith, &c. But it doth not admit them actually thereunto: and your owne expression secretly implyeth as much, when you say baptisme is a seale of our admission into the Church or flocke of Christ; If baptisme bee the seale of our admission, then there is an admission thereunto before baptisme: but who doth admit, and where, and when is any admitted to the Church, but in particular Congregations? Can any bee admitted into a Church, that whole Church being ignorant thereof? but a man may professe the intire faith, and live accordingly amongst the Heathen, where neither any Church nor member of it take knowledge thereof; and therefore bare profession doth not admit men, but make them fit to bee received and admitted into the visible Church.
Your fourth Reason we have had twice before, and answered the same.