A93091:470
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.
3 And lastly, we grant Ephesus might be a numerous Church; yet neither there, nor any thing that is said from Rev. 2. 7. (Hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches) can persuade us that it was any more then one Congregation; for that argues no more, that Ephesus was a compound of many Churches, then that it was compounded with all the other six Churches of Asia; yea, the Churches of all the world: for what the Spirit speaketh to one Church, is spoken for the use of all.
3 And lastly, we grant Ephesus might be a numerous Church; yet neither there, nor any thing that is said from Rev. 2. 7. (Hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches) can perswade us that it was any more then one Congregation; for that argues no more, that Ephesus was a compound of many Churches, then that it was compounded with all the other six Churches of Asia; yea, the Churches of all the world: for what the Spirit speaketh to one Church, is spoken for the use of all.
Reply. It is not essential to the Church to meet together in one place ordinarily, nor is the Society broken off by persecution, when their meeting together in one place be interrupted.
Reply. It is not essentiall to the Church to meet together in one place ordinarily, nor is the Society broken off by persecution, when their meeting together in one place be interrupted.
Answ. It is true; one Church or Society by persecution or otherwise, may meet in several companies; neither do we say, that place, or meeting in one place, is properly essential to the Church, yet it is necessary both necessitate praecepti & medii, to be able at least so to do: for though it be not necessary to the unity of the Society