A93091:8
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.
The Preface to the Reader.
IT was the profession of the Lord Jesus before Pilate, when he questioned with him about his Kingdom, John 18. 37. That for this cause he was born and came into the world, to bear witness of the truth. Many truths about the spiritual Kingdom of Christ hath he imparted to us, if therefore we be born into the world, or sent into this Wilderness to bear witness to his truth, it is unto us reward sufficient, that we should be witnesses thereunto, even to the utmost parts of the Earth. We confess we have been too slow in this service of Christ, not having to this day set forth an unanimous Confession of that Form of wholesome words which is Preached, received, and professed in these Churches of the Lord Jesus; and which we are not unmindful of, though our distances, and other difficulties may delay the opportunity. But this in the mean time we profess in general, That (so far as we know) there is the same blessed Spirit of Truth breathing in the Ministry of the Country; the same Faith embraced and professed in the Churches, which is generally received as the Orthodox Doctrine of the Gospel, in the best reformed Churches, and particularly by our godly learned Brethren of England and Scotland. And though errors have sprung up among us, and some are gone out from us, that we fear were not of us, yet ⟨p. 2⟩we have borne witness against them, and by the blessing of God, by the breath of Christ in the mouths of his servants they have been blasted. Neither do we understand that these Churches are accused of any errors about the saving truths of the Gospel, and therefore we thought our selves not so much called of God to such a Confession at present, as to clear up to the world those Truths we profess about the kingdom and government of Christ in his Churches, which is the great work of this age, and of this nick of time. And yet here also we fear that we have been too slack; for though it be said, We are the Volunteers, such as cry up this way, &c. and so it seems we are apprehended to be one cause of these present differences: yet if things be well weighed, we may seem rather to be far behind in the duty that lies upon us.