A93091:224
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. Sixthly, we have credibly heard, that you hold fellowship with professed rigid separatists, without acknowledging of their error, and receive them as members, or communicate with them in the privileges of the Church, though you profess you approve not their opinion or practice: and if in godly wisdom you can see grounds to join with them, we marvel you should be so timorous in this particular.
Reply. Sixthly, we have credibly heard, that you hold fellowship with professed rigid separatists, without acknowledging of their error, and receive them as members, or communicate with them in the priviledges of the Church, though you professe you approve not their opinion or practice: and if in godly wisdome you can see grounds to joyn with them, we marvail you should be so timerous in this particular.
Answ. Although in many of our Churches we know not that there be any such professed rigid Separatists, that reject the Churches of England, as no Churches; and their Ministers, as no true Ministers; yet we deny not but some such there may be in some of the Churches. Whence we grant it may follow that we can have communion in Gods Worship with men of several judgments, yet we may be justly timorous of joining or approving others to join in any part of a corrupt Worship, in case of scandal, &c. we think these things have not the same face or show of reason in them; and therefore so long as they live peaceably with us, we can well have fellowship with them, as we have also with other, that think (it may be) better of the Churches and ways of it, then there is cause, in regard of the corruptions thereof; so we be not bound to approve their opinions, nor conform to any of their corrupt practises.
Answ. Although in many of our Churches we know not that there be any such professed rigid Separatists, that reject the Churches of England, as no Churches; and their Ministers, as no true Ministers; yet we deny not but some such there may bee in some of the Churches. Whence we grant it may follow that we can have communion in Gods Worship with men of severall judgments, yet we may be justly timerous of joyning or approving others to joyn in any part of a corrupt Worship, in case of scandall, &c. we think these things have not the same face or shew of reason in them; and therefore so long as they live peaceably with us, we can well have fellowship with them, as we have also with other, that think (it may be) better of the Churches and wayes of it, then there is cause, in regard of the corruptions thereof; so we be not bound to approve their opinions, nor conform to any of their corrupt practises.