A93091:694
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. It is usually objected that the Church cannot convey what she never had: but the people may elect their Pastor.
Whereunto the answer is direct and plain, nothing can give that it had not formally or virtually, unless it give it as an instrument ministering to one that hath it, but so it may give what it never had, nor is capable of. A Steward may give all the offices in his Masters house as ministerially executing his Masters pleasure.
Whereunto the answer is direct and plaine, nothing can give that it had not formally or vertually, unlesse it give it as an instrument ministring to one that hath it, but so it may give what it never had, nor is capable of. A Steward may give all the offices in his Masters house as ministerially executing his Masters pleasure.
Answ. This answer doth not satisfy, for we cannot put off our old principles of Reason, that every instrument ministering to the principal cause doth Conferre vim ad effectum: and so far, or in what sense it gives any thing to the effect in that sense, and so far it must needs have virtually or formally the same in itself. If a Conduit convey water ministerially from the fountain to the house, it hath water in such a sense, as it doth concur to the effect: and so the Church cannot give the Keys to the Officers as an instrument of Christ, but it must be granted she received them from Christ virtually to give them to the Officer. Secondly, for the instance; if it be meant of a Steward giving the offices to such persons as his Master hath named thereunto, and he instals them into the same, the case is not alike yet, here he must have some ⟨p. 175⟩power and authority so to do so that he hath these offices virtually in his hand, but if it be his Masters will, he shall choose what persons he sees fit according to rules given him, (which is the case here) then he hath this power virtually in his hand.