A93091:137
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. If in respect of the Minister, then it is not lawful to join with such an one in any Ordinance of God. For if the Minister make it unlawful, then all communion in any part of Gods Worship with such Ministers is unlawful: and so the Churches in all ages of the world, the Prophets, our Saviour Christ, the Apostles, and the faithful in the Primitive Church, sinned in holding communion with such, when the Priests were dumb dogs, &c. but we never read that the Prophets, our Saviour Christ, the Apostles did ever forbear themselves, or warn the faithful not to communicate with such in the ordinances of Worship. Our Saviour charged the Disciples to beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees, but never forbade them to communicate with them in the ordinances of God.
Reply. If in respect of the Minister, then it is not lawfull to joyn with such an one in any Ordinanee of God. For if the Minister make it unlawfull, then all communion in any part of Gods Worship with such Ministers is unlawfull: and so the Churches in all ages of the world, the Prophets, our Saviour Christ, the Apostles, and the faithfull in the Primitive Church, sinned in holding communion with such, when the Priests were dumbe dogs, &c. but we never read that the Prophets, our Saviour Christ, the Apostles did ever forbeare themselves, or warne the faithfull not to communicate with such in the ordinances of Worship. Our Saviour charged the Disciples to beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees, but never forbad them to communicate with them in the ordinances of God.
Answ. To this we answer; First, that if you speak to the case in hand of those unable and ungodly Ministers of England, Readers (as they are called) of the Common-service, we grant it is not lawful to communicate in a stated way with them, in any ordinance of Worship properly Ministerial; in any act that private persons may perform, we may communicate with them, but not in Ministerial work, as Sacraments; for although being imposed on any Church as Ministers, and so received by them, their Ministerial acts are not a nullity; yet if we speak of the lawfulness of such their act of receiving them, then the Church sinneth in choosing them, or being imposed, in receiving them, and submitting to their Ministry, being such as are utterly contrary to the rule of Christ, and rejected of him. And by the like reason the godly sin in receiving Sacraments, &c. from them, as Ministers of Christ, knowing they intrude into that office, and have no authority by the rule of Christ so to do. We may hear a private gifted Christian prophecy, but if he intrude without a lawful calling into the Ministry, we may not receive him, nor approve of him therein.