A02990:322
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.
It will easily be credited that the number of believers was great in Ephesus,1 if we call to mind, that when Paul had been there but two years all they which dwelt in Asia had heard the word of the Lord,2 both Jews and Graecians, those that had used curious arts came and burned their books in the sight of all men,3 (which could not be done without great danger unto the church, unless a great part of the city had believed) the art of making shrines and Diana's temple was in danger to be set at nothing, 4and that a great door and effectual was opened unto the Apostle at Ephesus.5 And that the multitude of believers was great in all proper, settled, political societies, appeareth in this, that the Apostles appointed divers overseers,6 elders and deacons to teach and govern the people and take care of the poor:7 which they would not have8 ⟨p. 264⟩done,9 nor could the church have born the charge thereof,10 if the number had not been large. Two or three making Peters confession cannot be the church in this passage of scripture: for the party complained of is one member, and the complainant another; and he is to take with him one or two, if he be not heard, before he bring the matter unto the church: and how then shall any two or three separated from the world and consenting together in an holy covenant be the church in this place. If any two or three consenting in an holy covenant serve to make up this community or church, what hindereth but it may consist of women and children only? and so the spiritual authority of teaching, exhorting, binding & loosing, remitting & retaining sins, shall originally & executivè agree unto a community of believing women whereof every member is regularly uncapable. For the Apostle teacheth plainly,