A93091:159
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. First, this argument holds as strongly for conformity to the ceremonies as to the whole book of Common Prayers, as was said before.
Answ. First, this argument holds as strongly for conformitie to the ceremonies as to the whole booke of Common Prayers, as was said before.
Secondly, this is a dangerous kind of reasoning from the practise of the faithful in corrupt times of the Church, especially when they are declining, and growing clouds of darkness, and superstition overspread the Churches. It is no breach of charity to think that through the iniquity of the times, the godly lived in many evils through ignorance and weakness which after light is come into the Churches we ought to abandon wholly; these are times of light and of the consumption of Antichrist, and time for us to abolish his Liturgies and corrupt forms of worship as well as Images, ceremonies, &c. Who do not pity the weakness of godly Bilny and others that seeing some gross corruptions were yet so devoutly obedient to the Church (as they called it) in many gross superstitions? and the like may be said of those former times, and we see not but this reason will go far in justification of communion with many false worships of Antichrists that are not grossly idolatrous.
Secondly, this is a dangerous kind of reasoning from the practise of the faithfull in corrupt times of the Church, especially when they are declining, and growing clouds of darkenesse, and superstition overspread the Churches. It is no breach of charitie to thinke that through the iniquitie of the times, the godly lived in many evils through ignorance and weakenesse which after light is come into the Churches wee ought to abandon wholly; these are times of light and of the consumption of Antichrist, and time for us to abolish his Liturgies and corrupt formes of worship as well as Images, ceremonies, &c. Who doe not pitie the weaknesse of godly Bilny and others that seeing some grosse corruptions were yet so devoutly obedient to the Church (as they called it) in many grosse superstitions? and the like may bee said of those former times, and wee see not but this reason will goe farre in justification of communion with many false worships of Antichrists that are not grosly idolatrous.