A93091:123
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.
Answ. Here is a great colour of Novelty and singularity objected to be in the grounds and reasons of the Letter, used against conformity to the Liturgy: but it is easy to conceive that the same common grounds of all Reformers, may be justly carried on against such further corruptions, as they never saw: not attending their own principles in such particulars, as was said before of the first Reformers, that purged out salt, cream, oil, &c. not the cross, &c. and so here it may fall out, that as the Lord is pleased to let in more light in this or that particular corruption; so upon common grounds it is rejected, though yet but one or few apply those grounds to such a particular case. Neither here was the number so few as is pretended, when this Reply was drawn up, or else at least, it is much increased of late time, since the Assembly and Parliament in England have so openly in their Directory witnessed against such stinted Forms, and generally the Churches of Scotland renounced that Liturgy of yours, as a piece of Popery. Besides all the Orthodox Churches in New-England, and Holland, and many godly in England.
Answ. Here is a great colour of Novelty and singularity objected to be in the grounds and reasons of the Letter, used against conformity to the Liturgy: but it is easie to conceive that the same common grounds of all Reformers, may be justly carryed on against such further corruptions, as they never saw: not attending their owne principles in such particulars, as was said before of the first Reformers, that purged out salt, creame, oyle, &c. not the crosse, &c. and so here it may fall out, that as the Lord is pleased to let in more light in this or that particular corruption; so upon common grounds it is rejected, though yet but one or few apply those grounds to such a particular case. Neither here was the number so few as is pretended, when this Reply was drawn up, or else at least, it is much increased of late time, since the Assembly and Parliament in England have so openly in their Directory witnessed against such stinted Formes, and generally the Churches of Scotland renounced that Liturgy of yours, as a piece of Popery. Besides all the Orthodox Churches in New-England, and Holland, and many godly in England.
Reply. As yet we think most of them, that have separated are not so far gone, as to condemn all our Assemblies as no Churches of Christ.