A93091:282
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.
There is one thing more we meet withal that here we shall remove, viz. when it is objected that the Catholic visible Church cannot be one, because it cannot convent together in one Society; it is answered usually, that such coming together in one society is not needful, because as a Kingdom may be one, though all parts of it never meet together, having the same King, Laws, &c. And as an Army may be one, having the same General, the same Laws of Discipline, the same cause, &c. though the several Brigades should never be drawn up into one body: So the Catholic Church having the same King, Laws, Cause, Enemies, is but one though it never meet.
There is one thing more we meet withall that here we shall remove, viz. when it is objected that the Catholick visible Church cannot be one, because it cannot convent together in one Society; it is answered usually, that such comming together in one society is not needfull, because as a Kingdom may be one, though all parts of it never meet together, having the same King, Laws, &c. And as an Army may be one, having the same Generall, the same Laws of Discipline, the same cause, &c. though the severall Brigades should never be drawn up into one body: So the Catholick Church having the same King, Laws, Cause, Enemies, is but one though it never meet.
To this we shall here Reply so far as it lies in our way: 1 As all union is for communion, and all communion flows from union; so look of what nature the union is, such, and no other is the communion; and look of what nature the communion ought to be, of like nature ought the union to be, else it will not reach the end. And therefore here as the mystical spiritual union of the Catholic Church to Christ the head by faith, and to one another by love, is sufficient to afford spiritual communion with the same: So unto Political communion there must be a Political union into one policy. And as the nature of Political communion is, such must the nature of the union be, that it may reach the end.
To this we shall here Reply so far as it lyes in our way: 1 As all union is for communion, and all communion flows from union; so look of what nature the union is, such, and no other is the communion; and look of what nature the communion ought to be, of like nature ought the union to be, else it will not reach the end. And therefore here as the mysticall spirituall union of the Catholick Church to Christ the head by faith, and to one another by love, is sufficient to afford spirituall communion with the same: So unto Politicall communion there must bee a Politicall union into one policy. And as the nature of Politicall communion is, such must the nature of the union be, that it may reach the end.