A02990:179
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
Chapter 8: The people may lawfully be present at those prayers which are put up unto God in a stin…
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.
Bring this answer to the light,1 and it yieldeth the cause as fully as can be desired. For if the Jews had or used a stinted Liturgy in their synagogues and celebration of the passover, devised ⟨p. 130⟩by others, when the faithful did lawfully resort to the synagogues, and observe the passover administered according to that form; then the faithful may and ought to join in prayer or participation of Divine ordinances, though administered in a stinted Liturgy devised by others. It is to no purpose to allege that that form was not set apart for public use, nor they necessarily tied unto it, when the simple use of such a stinted form devised by others is condemned as unlawful in respect of minister and people, the imposer and user. Plain dealing is a jewel. Moreover (to take away the ambiguity of the word) a stinted form may be set apart for public use two ways: Either as sanctified to be the immediate and infallible rule of prayer, a substantial or proper means of worship, holy by institution and necessary in conscience, in respect of Divine commandment: and in this no public Liturgy is or ought to be set apart, because none is prescribed of God, none such can be devised or appointed of men: Or it may be set apart,2 where no one being determined by God, one is freely chosen and agreed upon for public use, as consonant to the general rules of ⟨p. 131⟩scripture for orders sake, to testify consent in matters of faith, and for the help of them that may stand in need, not as the immediate and infallible rule of prayer, nor as a proper means of worship, nor as holy above others, nor necessary in point of conscience: and in this sense a Liturgy or stinted form may be set apart; and it cannot well be conceived how it should generally be used unless it be set apart, that is, unless one be chosen amongst many and agreed upon, to testify consent. In a stinted form or Liturgy two things are to be considered: the matter it self; which, if holy and good, is of God, as in conceived prayer: and the external method, order and phrase of speech; which is not determined by God, as, whether it shall be in these and these words, suddenly conceived or more solemnly composed, devised by others or invented by our selves. And seeing neither of these is determined, it is the devise of man to place opinion of worship, holiness, or necessity in either of them simply considered.