A93091:175
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.
Thirdly, there are many things done of others through humane ⟨p. 57⟩frailty, that is, ignorantly and in some measure perversely, yet such frailties, though they are to be very long tolerated in the man, yet every humane frailty is not so to be tolerated, as to be communicated with; for the grossest Idolatry in Popery may in this sense, if ignorantly done, be accounted humane frailty. It is true, we may be freed from communicating in another's sin two ways. 1. By bearing witness against his sin, or 2ly by withdrawing from the person committing it. There were times wherein the Lord raised up witnesses against the growing abominations of Antichrist for many years; and there are times (as Cameron well observes) wherein the Lord commands his people not only to bear witness, but to come out of Babylon. The case may be so put as that we may quit our hands from communicating with other men, in their sinful worship, by bearing witness only against the sin, yet communicating with them in the rest; & è contra the circumstances may be such, as that we best free our selves from sin, by withdrawing from them in such acts. And we freely confess we know not how to acquit others that communicate in the whole Liturgy, without the one or the other.
Thirdly, there are many things done of others through humane ⟨p. 57⟩frailtie, that is, ignorantly and in some measure perversely, yet such frailties, though they are to bee very long tolerated in the man, yet every humane frailtie is not so to bee tolerated, as to bee communicated with; for the grossest Idolatry in Popery may in this sense, if ignorantly done, be accounted humane frailtie. It is true, wee may bee freed from communicating in anothers sinne two wayes. 1. By bearing witnesse against his sinne, or 2ly by withdrawing from the person committing it. There were times wherein the Lord raised up witnesses against the growing abominations of Antichrist for many yeeres; and there are times (as Cameron well observes) wherein the Lord commands his people not onely to beare witnesse, but to come out of Babylon. The case may be so put as that wee may quit our hands from communicating with other men, in their sinfull worship, by bearing witnesse onely against the sinne, yet communicating with them in the rest; & è contra the circumstances may bee such, as that wee best free our selves from sinne, by withdrawing from them in such acts. And wee freely confesse wee know not how to acquit others that communicate in the whole Liturgie, without the one or the other.