A93091:699
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. Fourthly, if the Power of the Keys be given first and immediately to the community of the faithful, what reason can be alleged why in defect of Officers the Church might not rule, feed, bind, loose, preach, and administer Sacraments; or if any fail in Office, why she might not supply that want by her power, for the power of the Keys doth contain both authority and exercise, power being given that it may be exercised, as it is vouchsafed: but the Church cannot exercise these acts of rule. Ergo.
Reply. Fourthly, if the Power of the Keyes be given first and immediatly to the community of the faithfull, what reason can bee alleadged why in defect of Officers the Church might not rule, feed, bind, loose, preach, and administer Sacraments; or if any faile in Office, why shee might not supply that want by her power, for the power of the Keys doth containe both authority and exercise, power being given that it may bee exercised, as it is vouchsafed: but the Church cannot exercise these acts of rule. Ergo.
Answ. The reason is, because the Church hath not received some of the Keys formally but only virtually, and (as was said out of Parker) not as a gift absolute but conditional, that it might be communicated to the Officers. Such power as the body of the Church hath received formally she may and doth exercise, as a power of choosing Officers, a power of judging in censures, 1 Cor. 5. 12. and the like, the power of preaching properly so called & dispensing Sacraments, &c. being acts of authority, the Church hath them only virtually, and therefore must choose Officers, to whom Christ her Lord hath given authority in the Church. A Corporation that by Patent from the King hath many Privileges, the power is given to the Body incorporated, and so it is the first subject of it, yet many acts cannot be put forth, but by Officers duly chosen: and so here.
Answ. The reason is, because the Church hath not received some of the Keyes formally but onely vertually, and (as was said out of Parker) not as a gift absolute but conditionall, that it might bee communicated to the Officers. Such power as the body of the Church hath received formally shee may and doth exercise, as a power of choosing Officers, a power of judging in censures,