A93091:648
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.
First, If where the holy Ghost is given and received, and faith professed according to Gods Ordinance, there none may hinder from being baptized (soil▪ by such as have power to baptize them,) then either such are members of the Church, or baptism is not a privilege of the Church; then it is not essential to baptism in the first institution that it should be dispensed to none but members of a Congregational assembly.
First, If where the holy Ghost is given and received, and faith professed according to Gods Ordinance, there none may hinder from being baptized (soil▪ by such as have power to baptize them,) then either such are members of the Church, or baptisme is not a priviledge of the Church; then it is not essentiall to baptisme in the first institution that it should bee dispensed to none but members of a Congregationall assembly.
Answ. It is freely granted, First, That baptism is a privilege of the ⟨p. 164⟩Church. Secondly, that such as profess the faith, and have received the Holy Ghost, are members of the Church, (if by Church be meant the Church mystical considered as visible, though not always political) Thirdly, that these may receive baptism by such as have power to baptize them; but immediately to baptize them, none had power but by an extraordinary call of God so to do, as hath bin formerly showed. But it will not hence follow, that ordinary officers have such a power, (wanting such extraordinary call) because the members of the Church Catholic having right unto the seals; yet the immediate fruition of them, they must have by ordinary officers in a political body, the only subject according to order of all such institutions: otherwise we must admit private baptisms, if the extraordinary examples of the Apostles be pressed for our pattern.
Answ. It is freely granted, First, That baptisme is a priviledge of the ⟨p. 164⟩