A93091:803
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. The Creed is honoured by the Ancients with glorious titles, as the rule of faith, &c. by which they understood that rule of faith given by Christ, when he was about to ascend, and commanded his Disciples, saying, Go teach all Nations. In after times some Articles were added for explanation, to meet with the heresies of those times, but for substance, the Church never required other acknowledgement, &c.
Reply. The Creed is honored by the Ancients with glorious titles, as the rule of faith, &c. by which they understood that rule of faith given by Christ, when hee was about to ascend, and commanded his Disciples, saying, Goe teach al Nations. In after times some Articles were added for explanation, to meet with the heresies of those times, but for substance, the Church never required other acknowledgement, &c.
Answ. If you mean that which is called the Apostles Creed, it is justly doubted whether it be so ancient, however, the times which followed the Scripture patterns, are both obscure to us, and no infallible pattern, yet many Churches used great strictness, as is showed, in receiving and restoring fallen members, and if afterward heresies gave just occasion to require further professions of the doctrine of faith, and to add more articles for explanation, why may not the Churches require a more explicate confession of the work of faith and repentance, the formality and mere outside profession of so many Civilists, Formalists, and Atheists requiring the same?
Answ. If you meane that which is called the Apostles Creed, it is justly doubted whether it bee so ancient, however, the times which followed the Scripture patterns, are both obscure to us, and no infallible pattern, yet many Churches used great strictnesse, as is shewed, in receiving and restoring fallen members, and if afterward heresies gave just occasion to require further professions of the doctrine of faith, and to add more articles for explanation, why may not the Churches require a more explicate confession of the work of faith and repentance, the formality and meere outside profession of so many Civilists, Formalists, and Atheists requiring the same?