A93091:372
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.
Object. 5. If there be Church communion between all Churches, then there is one Catholic Church: but there is Church communion of all Churches in hearing, receiving Sacraments, exhorting one another, praying one for another, &c. Ergo.
Object. 5. If there be Church communion between all Churches, then there is one Catholick Church: but there is Church communion of all Churches in hearing, receiving Sacraments, exhorting one another, praying one for another, &c. Ergo.
Answ. We deny the consequence; for there may be a fraternal, Ecclesiastical communion, not only internally, but externally, without such an union as makes one political combined Body, such as here we dispute of; as, two or three Congregations may have communion together, and yet not be one political Body: Twenty synagogues might have communion together in the Jewish policy, and yet were not one political Body: so the Churches of Galatia might have communion together, yet were distinct Churches, not one Church; as also, the Churches of New England have sweet and blessed communion, yet are distinct. And though the Churches of Galatia were called a whole lump, (as is objected) yet were they thus by political combination; or as Dr. Downam (to mould up a Diocesan Church) compares the ⟨p. 105⟩first Church to a great lump of dough, or batch of bread, out of which particular Churches were formed into many loaves; or not rather called a lump by spiritual union and relation, common profession, and fraternal communion, being all the same Country-men; so also the Apostles had Church communion, yet were not a political body. Kingdoms so may have civil communion and commerce, yet not be one Kingdom.
Answ. We deny the consequence; for there may be a fraternall, Ecclesiasticall communion, not onely internally, but externally, without such an union as makes one politicall combined Body, such as here we dispute of; as, two or three Congregations may have communion together, and yet not be one politicall Body: Twenty synagogues might have communion together in the Jewish policy, and yet were not one politicall Body: so the Churches of Galatia might have communion together, yet were distinct Churches, not one Church; as also, the Churches of New England have sweet and blessed communion, yet are distinct. And though the Churches of Galatia were called a whole lump, (as is objected) yet were they thus by politicall combination; or as Dr. Downam (to mould up a Diocesan Church) compares the