A02990:34
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.
And if we may sing psalms with the spirit and with understanding,1 with feeling and joy of heart,2 as it is commanded, 3in a form of words stinted and prescribed,4 it cannot be thought a thing impossible, to pray with affection in a stinted and prescribed form. The differences which some put between Praising God with a psalm and Calling upon Gods name are little to the purpose, do not at all touch the force of the argument. For thus the reason standeth; In singing psalms penned by the prophet David or other holy men of God, the eye doth lead the heart no less then it doth in a stinted form of prayer, and yet they may be sung after an holy manner with grace in the heart: therefore a stinted form of prayer may be read or said without book with that affection of heart which God requireth in prayer. And let the differences be as broad as they will in other things; in this they do agree. This reason may be drawn into another form, thus; Whatsoever hath the true matter and form of prayer, that is truly and properly a prayer. For where the true matter and form of a thing is found, there follow ⟨p. 15⟩all necessary requisites to the true and complete being thereof:5 But a prescript from of prayer, sound and fit for matter, grave for the manner of penning, and read or uttered as our prayer with knowledge, faith, reverence, and fervency of affection, hath the true matter and form of prayer. For the matter of our prayers are, those common blessings and special good things which according to the will and pleasure of God we are to beg of him for our selves and others. The true form of prayer (I speak of prayer uttered with the voice) is the outward disposition and frame of words, and the inward elevation and lifting up of the heart to God by the holy Ghost. Will any man say, that all these things cannot be observed in a stinted form of prayer? common experience will confute him. Who knoweth not the matter of many prescript forms of prayer to be good and necessary for all men? All our wants and particular occasions are not mentioned or laid open in the prayers conceived by the minister or governor of the family; and yet no man judgeth them for that cause unlawful, though imperfect. It is not then prejudicial to the lawful use of a prescript form, that many particulars which we stand in need of are not therein mentioned.