A93091:730
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.
Reply. May you not hear from your own grounds, that herein you have devised an expedient or necessary rite or custom to prevent the dissolution of the body, which never came into he mind of the Lord Jesus the Saviour of his body, and in so doing (if your exposition hold good) you break the second Commandment; and so press customs only expedient for the time as standing rules necessary for all times and all persons, to put that authority into the hands▪ of men which God never put upon them, to oblige men to meddle in the affairs of men beyond warrant, to bind consciences under so heavy • penalty as that of Ananias and Sapphira, where God hath not bound them, to debar approved Christians from the seals, because they cannot promise as ceiled members to abide in the society, and yet charge them as men that against light refuse subjection to the Gospel, this is that which we cannot approve, which yet we suspect will follow from your judgement, and desire to be resolved in your practise.
Reply. May you not heare from your owne grounds, that herein you have devised an expedient or necessary rite or custome to prevent the dissolution of the body, which never came into he minde of the Lord Jesus the Saviour of his body, and in so doing (if your exposition hold good) you break the second Commandement; and so presse customes onely expedient for the time as standing rules necessary for all times and all persons, to put that authority into the hands▪ of men which God never put upon them, to obliege men to meddle in the affaires of men beyond warrant, to binde consciences under so heavy • penalty as that of Ananias and Saphira, where God hath not bound them, to debarre approved Christians from the seales, because they cannot promise as seiled members to abide in the society, and yet charge them as men that against light refuse subjection to the Gospel, this is that which wee cannot approve, which yet wee suspect will follow from your judgement, and desire to bee resolved in your practise.
Answ▪ Here is a greater heap of heavy criminations gathered together and cast upon us, upon very weak grounds, upon mistakes, suspicions, and (we fear) too much credulity given to some clamorous persons, returning to England, and too little credit given to our true relations and faithful professions: most of these have been cleared in the former passages where we met with them, and we marvel how they come in so twisted together here again; we shall here only clear our selves of the first, and refer the Reader to their proper places to see our answer to the others.