A93091:383
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.
Again, it is such a Society, to the making up of which is required something more then faith, Acts 5. 14. Believers were added to the Lord, or to his Church; so that they were first believers, before they were added to the Church; for there may be a number of believers converted at one Sermon, and immediately scattered into many Towns or Countries: Now, if faith professed alone, makes not a Church, but somewhat more is required, what can that be but federal combination?
Again, it is such a Society, to the making up of which is required something more then faith, Acts 5. 14. Beleevers were added to the Lord, or to his Church; so that they were first beleevers, before they were added to the Church; for there may be a number of beleevers converted at one Sermon, and immediately scattered into many Towns or Countreys: Now, if faith professed alone, makes not a Church, but somewhat more is required, what can that be but foederall combination?
Lastly, that, the dissolution whereof doth unchurch a people, doth constitute a Church: but breaking the combination dissolves the Church, whether by consent, schism, or when God himself removes the candlestick: Ergo.
4 Though a Church be such by combining, and so subjecting themselves to the power of others, yet it must not be herein illimited, but according to the form and mould expressed in the Word; for if they have this power to combine as many, and as largely as they will, then a Diocese, Province, Nation, may combine, and so put themselves under the power of a Diocesan, Provincial, National society, which is unlawful; for the Church must be such a form as a man may ordinarily bring offences unto it, according to