A93091:50
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 If these things being obtained and agreed, all godly Ministers and Christians, which are the salt of the earth, and might by the blessing of God season the Congregations wherein they live, they would not cast them off, or withdraw from them, till first by public and private admonitions and exhortations they had convinced them of sin, and sought by all good means their reformation.
3 If these things being obtained and agreed, all godly Ministers and Christians, which are the salt of the earth, and might by the blessing of God season the Congregations wherein they live, they would not cast them off, or withdraw from them, till first by publike and private admonitions and exhortations they had convinced them of sin, and sought by all good meanes their reformation.
Whereby some no doubt might be gained, and what a blessed work were that? And as for others that prove obstinate and impenitent, there would be just cause of rejecting them from the ordinances and society of the Church; or if this part of the kingdom of Christ would not be born in Congregations, with how much peace and satisfaction to their own souls, and to the consciences of all, should such godly Ministers and people withdraw themselves from them, to a nearer communion one with another?
Whereby some no doubt might be gained, and what a blessed worke were that? And as for others that prove obstinate and impenitent, there would bee just cause of rejecting them from the ordinances and society of the Church; or if this part of the kingdom of Christ would not be born in Congregations, with how much peace and satisfaction to their owne soules, and to the consciences of all, should such godly Ministers and people withdraw themselves from them, to a nearer communion one with another?
And shall we not hope that England is capable of such a Reformation as this, if Gods faithful Ministers would with one heart and mind endeavour the same? Far, far be it from our dear Country, after all those notable steps unto Reformation, that it should stick in this, which is the life of all the rest. But if it should be so, that either the great ones should be too big to stoop down to the Lord Jesus in the ways of his wholesome Discipline; or the multitude so carnal, worldly, wilful, profane, impenitent, as not to reform themselves, families, and so their congregations,