A93091:208
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, because those words, Popery is a scab, &c. may be a seed of much evil, an Egg out of which a Serpent may be hatched, if men zealous of mouldy forms may but have time again to set upon it, if the wheel of these evil times, (through Gods judgement on this wantonage) turn the Prelates or other zealots for this Liturgy uppermost, we shall therefore crave liberty to examine this speech more narrowly. And because (as it is said) unumquodque ex suâ origine rectissime judicatur, we shall grace the steps of the first times and so downward, to see what ⟨p. 64⟩sound parts of Liturgy there was, on which this scab is supposed to grow.
Thirdly, because those words, Popery is a scab, &c. may bee a seed of much evill, an Egge out of which a Serpent may bee hatched, if men zealous of mouldy formes may but have time againe to set upon it, if the wheele of these evill times, (through Gods judgement on this wantonage) turne the Prelates or other zelotes for this Liturgie uppermost, wee shall therefore crave libertie to examine this speech more narrowly. And because (as it is said) unumquodque ex suâ origine rectissime judicatur, wee shall grace the steps of the first times and so downeward, to see what ⟨p. 64⟩sound parts of Liturgie there was, on which this scab is supposed to grow.
1. Our blessed Saviour taught his Disciples a blessed form, which though it may be lawfully and comfortably used, the rather, not being of mans, but the Lords composing: yet it is evident he never appointed his people to use it as their only form, and therefore the Apostles in the primitive Church, in that heavenly prayer, Acts 4. did not attend to the words and form of this prayer, though they might have this in their eye, as the common rule and direction how to pour out their prayers to God, for particular things, which may be an everlasting witness against their usurpations, that will limit the Churches to their forms which the Lord Christ would not do to his own.