A02990:280
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.
most of them were puffed up in the case of the incestuous man, that it had been in vain for the better sort to seek his casting out if the Apostle had not sharply admonished them of their duty: And their disorder in coming to the Lords supper was general, so that the better sort might bewail but could not redress it. In the primitive church there was such contention oftentimes about the choice and election of ministers, the Pastors divided from the ⟨p. 223⟩people, and the people one from another, to the committing of many outrages, that if the godly must not hold any place in the church but where they could perform all offices enjoined in the text of scripture before alleged, they must wellnigh go out of the world. In this and such cases then what should the faithful do? Tell the church they cannot; for that is divided, and it may be the greatest part holdeth the worst cause: Depart they must not, for the Lord doth not go before them; and if they depart without him, they depart from the Lord himself. What remaineth then, but that with merciful affection they dislike, reprove, and correct as much as in them lieth what they find to be amiss; what they cannot amend, that they should patiently endure and suffer, and in loving sort bewail and lament, till God do either correct and amend it, or make way for their enlargement, as they may see the Lord to go before them. But in the mean space it will be said they do not their duty in telling the church: Nay rather, the Lord requireth not that particular duty at that time, because they have no opportunity or means to do it. The rule prescribed concerneth visible and particular churches, as a solemn ordinance of Christ, for the humbling and saving of an obstinate sinner: but a Christian may be a true member of a visible church when he is hindered and cannot do the thing that is there prescribed. For our Saviour speaketh of a brother that doth justly, truly, and according to equity reprehend, admonish, or complain; and of them who being ⟨p. 224⟩set in office do rightly and lawfully perform the office whereunto they are appointed of God; of the church who doeth what becometh her, keepeth herself within the bounds prescribed of God, and rightly executeth what is committed to her trust. But in the true church of God, which Christ is pleased to grace with the visible tokens of his presence, all things may fall out clean contrary;