A02990:292
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.
For no power agreeth to the multitude of the faithful,1 virtual or formal, but that which is given them of the Lord by his positive law.2 The whole spiritual power for the gathering and government of his church is given to Christ as Mediator,3 and hath Christ our Lord,4 the King of Saints,5 Saviour of Zion,6 the head of all principality and power,7 the sole author,8 which he received not of the church,9 but from the Father.10 And if the power of the church be derived from and communicated by Christ unto his church,11 of necessity it must draw its original from Divine positive law,12 and can agree to none but as it is communicated. For although the light of nature teach that God is to be worshipped, yet in substantial things reason teacheth not how this worship of God is to be administered, nor the house of God to be governed, but in all this we must depend upon the mind and pleasure of Christ, the King of his church, and Saviour of his body. The Apostles had none other authority but what was given them from Christ, and the church is to derive all her authority from the same fountain from which the Apostles received theirs.13