A02990:276
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 11: Of holding communion with that assembly in the worship of God, where we cannot perform…
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.
The brief and plain meaning of this objection is,1 That every Christian is bound to perform all those offices mentioned to every delinquent brother in society or communion; and that it is not lawful to abide in society or communion where a man cannot perform all those duties without defiling or undoing himself. And therein is implied, that seeing the Jews had no such order for excommunication ⟨p. 217⟩established amongst them, therefore they might hold communion not withstanding the corruptions that were found amongst them. To try the strength of this argument, let it be granted, that our Saviour speaketh not of private managing of civil affairs and private injuries, whereby we might recover what we lost by the injury of our brother, (for that is an indulgence or benefit, no commandment of rule and duty; yea sometimes it is a fault not to suffer wrong) but of church-admonitions and censures,2 and that order which he hath set for the winning or punishment of offenders. But then by a delinquent brother we must not understand only one of the same particular society or fellowship, but any one, of what country or condition soever, with whom we have religious fellowship:3 If thy brother, If any man that is called a brother; thy brother, that is, a Christian. For our Lord hath appointed no such course to be taken with them that are out of the church.4 Suppose Christians of distinct societies living remote one from another do trespass one against the other, is not the innocent party bound to hold the course here prescribed with the delinquent brother? The rule of our Saviour is not, That one brother offended should admonish any member of the same church whereof he is a member (that is an addition which the text will not acknowledge) but, If thy brother trespass against thee. 5Christ speaketh here unto his Apostles, but not unto them simply as Apostles, but as disciples, ⟨p. 218⟩