A93091:26
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.
This day hath discovered what kind of people are to be found every where in the Parishes of England: Can light and darkness, Christ and Belial agree together? Popish episcopal enemies and haters of all godliness and reformation, cleave together in one Church of Christ, with the Saints of God?
This day hath discovered what kinde of people are to bee found every where in the Parishes of England: Can light and darknesse, Christ and Belial agree together? Popish episcopall enemies and haters of all godlinesse and reformation, cleave together in one Church of Christ, with the Saints of God?
Yet neither our Doctrine nor practise do prescribe and limit the way of attaining this reformation, whereby any should justly from our example stand off from concurring in such a public work.
Yet neither our Doctrine nor practise do prescribe and limit the way of attaining this reformation, whereby any should justly from our example stand off from concurring in such a publique worke.
It is true, where there is no Church relation, but a people are to begin a new constituting of Churches, reformation is to be sought in the first Constitution. This is our case. But where corrupted Churches, (such as we conceive the Congregations of England generally to be) are to be reformed, there we conceive that such Congregations should be called by able Ministers unto repentance for former evils, and confessing and bewailing their sins, renew a solemn Covenant with God to reform themselves, and to submit unto the discipline of Christ. By which means such as refuse so to do, exclude themselves, and others by the severity of Discipline should be purged out, if falling into sin they remain impenitent in the same.