A02990:154
A friendly trial of the grounds tending to separation in a plain and modest…A friendly triall of the grounds tending to separation in a plain and modest…
A friendly trial of the grounds tending to separation in a plain and modest dispute touching the lawfulness of a stinted liturgy and set form of prayer, Communion in mixed assemblies, and the primitive subject and first receptacle of the power of the Keys: tending to satisfy the doubtful, recall the wandering, and to strengthen the weak: by John Ball.A friendly triall of the grounds tending to separation in a plain and modest dispute touching the lawfulnesse of a stinted liturgie and set form of prayer, Communion in mixed assemblies, and the primitive subject and first receptacle of the power of the Keyes: tending to satisfie the doubtfull, recall the wandering, and to strengthen the weak: by John Ball.
Cambridge: printed by Roger Daniel printer to the University of Cambridge for Edward Brewster, 1640Cambridge: printed by Roger Daniel printer to the Universitie of Cambridge for Edward Brewster, 1640
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.
We freely confess it to be no ordinance of Christ by special institution,1 nor part of his worship: It sufficeth, that it is allowable in the worship, and consonant to the general rules given in scripture, but not of absolute necessity. Whether any stinted forms of prayer were in use in the apostolic churches, is more then can be affirmed certainly or denied. That the apostles prescribed none as necessary, that is easily believed, because no mention of it: That none was in use, our Divines will neither peremptorily affirm nor deny. But if that be granted, it is no prejudice to a stinted Liturgy, nor to the churches apostolic, who are to be our patterns.2 For it is more then probable, that many assemblies had not the scriptures read in a known tongue at their first planting: it is more then can be showed by precedent or example, that they were read in any Christian congregation. Some churches converted by the preaching of the Gospel had neither books nor letters. It may be others received the book of the Old Testament from the apostles at their first conversion: but suddenly they could not be translated into every language; and till they were translated they could not be read in the congregation ⟨p. 112⟩unto edifying. The books of the New Testament could not be delivered until they were written: but they were not written all at once: and when they were all written, being sent to several churches, it must be some time before they could be gathered together and translated. And if nothing be allowable in the church but what was found in the primitive churches planted by the apostles by record of scripture, I fear the reading of the scriptures in a known tongue must be cast out of the congregations. I go not about to equalize stinted Liturgies with set translations of the holy scriptures:3 but I would entreat such as oppose a stinted Liturgy by these reasons, to consider whether they do not put weapons into the adversaries hands to fight against the scriptures.4 Again, set forms of catechisms public or private, composed by the minister or devised by others, used with liberty to add or alter as occasion requireth, are no more commanded of God then set forms of prayer, nor no more in use in the apostolic churches: Christ our Saviour, the Prophets or Apostles have no more appointed the one then the other: