A02990:240
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.
When corruption and external communion be so involved that it is simply impossible to leave the corruptions unless we leave the external communion of the church, a necessity of separation from that external communion then lieth upon us:1 But though errors or corruptions of some kind be not only tolerated but established,2 maintained, and pressed, yet if we can hold communion without approbation of the said errors or corruptions, Separation in that case is unjust, rash and unadvised, because the ⟨p. 183⟩Lord therein doth not go before us. The sin of Separation, if unjust, is so great and heinous, the ill consequences and mischiefs, so many and fearful, that all Christians should be well advised neither to lay stumbling-blocks before the feet of others, which might occasion their turning aside, nor to seek or catch occasions of departure, but rather to wait and tarry till they be assured that the Lord goeth before them.3 For the first, when the Anabaptists in Helvetia opposed humane inventions as unlawful, they were by public authority and with common consent abolished. And that of Irenaeus is well known, Variety of ceremonies commend the unity of faith. For the other part, the faithful have ever tolerated weaknesses and infirmities in each other, and abuses in the church, so long as the foundation was held, and they agreed in the main. In the primitive church not only some persons but whole congregations have doubted of many books of scripture, and yet lost not their dignity of true churches of Christ. How long did the faithful wait and bear before they departed, or rather were driven by excommunication, sword, and sire out of Babylon? This hath been the judgement of the godly learned in all ages of the church.4 They that for trifling and small causes, saith Irenaeus, divide the body of Christ, &c. these can make no reformation of such importance as to countervail the danger of a division. 5When good men tolerate bad men, saith Augustine, which can do them no spiritual hurt, to the intent they may not be separated from those who are spiritually