A93091:305
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.
1▪ Not the first, for then as was said, any one Apostle may make a representative Catholic church, having the whole power, as much as all of them together; for though they would meet oft to consult and assist one another; yet not for defect of power in any one; and we think our brethren here will not say it was in respect of the Apostles alone, supposing here they acted rather ⟨p. 91⟩as Elders with the rest, then out of their Apostolical power.
1▪ Not the first, for then as was said, any one Apostle may make a representative Catholick church, having the whole power, as much as all of them together; for though they would meet oft to consult and assist one another; yet not for defect of power in any one; and we think our brethren here will not say it was in respect of the Apostles alone, supposing here they acted rather ⟨p. 91⟩as Elders with the rest, then out of their Apostolicall power.
2 Not in respect of the whole Assembly, for then that assembly must consist of the messengers of all the particular Churches, and the decrees should have been directed to all the Churches; but neither of these can appear; For, first, we read of no other messengers but those from Antioch, and how to evince more then the Scriptures reveal, is hard. Secondly, if we look back and consider how far the Gospel was spread before this assembly, it will appear very strange and absurd to suppose such a thing; for Paul had been in Arabia before ever he came to Jerusalem, Gal. 1. 17. and when he and Barnabas were sent out from Antioch, Acts 13. they went to several Islands and Countries, as Cyprus, Paphos, Salamis, &c. besides what other places scattered Christians and Apostles had preached in: now there is no probability of messengers sent from all these places.