A93091:95
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.
2 If by set Forms of Catechisms and Confessions, be meant (according to the terms of the Question) stinted Forms, like stinted Liturgies, i. e. beyond, or short of which, Ministers may not teach, or Christians believe and profess, then we should say the same of these as we do of stinted Forms of Prayer; we confess there is danger in casting by all Forms of Confessions and Catechisms, lest through the instability of ungrounded and heady men, pretending new light, or searching after further light, the Churches adhere to nothing: and their Faith (as the learned Leiden Professors term it) become fides h•raria, or ⟨p. 36⟩menstrua, The faith of an hour or month, and then cast it off the next. And on the other side there is danger, that by imposing such Confessions too far, that which is indeed further light be supperest; we therefore think it useful and needful to pave out such high ways of Catechisms and Confessions, so as the subjects of Christ Jesus our King and Law-giver may walk therein without shackles, reserving liberty for further future light, in points less clear, yet standing in a readiness always to confess and hold fast the present truth which appears most clear.
2 If by set Forms of Catechismes and Confessions, bee meant (according to the termes of the Question) stinted Formes, like stinted Liturgies, i. e. beyond, or short of which, Ministers may not teach, or Christians beleeve and professe, then wee should say the same of these as wee doe of stinted Formes of Prayer; wee confesse there is danger in casting by all Formes of Confessions and Catechismes, lest through the instability of ungrounded and heady men, pretending new light, or searching after further light, the Churches adhere to nothing: and their Faith (as the learned Leyden Professors terme it) become fides h•raria, or ⟨p. 36⟩menstrua, The faith of an houre or moneth, and then cast it off the next. And on the other side there is danger, that by imposing such Confessions too far, that which is indeed further light be supprest; wee therefore thinke it usefull and needfull to pave out such high wayes of Catechismes and Confessions, so as the subjects of Christ Jesus our King and Law-giver may walke therein without shackles, reserving liberty for further future light, in points lesse cleare, yet standing in a readinesse alwayes to confesse and hold fast the present truth which appeares most cleare.