A02990:199
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.
A stinted Liturgy is so to be moderated that1 ⟨p. 142⟩[…] ordinance of God may have its fit sea•••, and the length give place to edification. For what ordinances God hath conjoined,2 they must not be rent asunder; nor one so advanced, as others be neglected. Without controversy their profaneness is to be condemned, who out of a loathing of the holy things of God distaste the length of a Liturgy, and cry out of tiredness, when indeed all holy ordinances are distasteful. Let us therefore consider a little what time the churches of God have taken and allowed for their public service, and what exercises have been there performed, that we may truly judge, whether the length of a Liturgy is justly to be taxed, or the blame of tiredness to be laid upon our security and carelessness. Upon extraordinary occasion on the day of a solemn fast the Levites read in the book of the law one fourth part of the day,3 and another fourth part of the day they confessed and worshipped. Their ordinary assemblies for public worship continued for the space of three hours,4 sc. from the third hour until mid-day, and from the ninth hour until the evening.5 It was not ordinary to begin their assembly in the morning, but not to break up until mid-day was ordinary. Herein, with prayer and exhortation, they had their lectures or sections of the law and prophets so large,6 that to read them distinctly (as without question they were) would take up a good space of time.7 And if that very service of God in the Jewish synagogues,8 which our Saviour did approve with the presence of his own