A02990:344
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 13: An examination of sundry positions laid down by Mr Jacob in his Exposition of the secon…
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.
This is obscure and doubtful.1 If the meaning be, that all instituted or positive worship of God which carrieth the Lords stamp and approbation must be referred to this commandment, and that all worship devised by men, for nature, use and end one with the worship instituted of God, is a breach of the second commandment, it will be granted freely, and might have been delivered plainly. But if the meaning be, that all free and ⟨p. 286⟩voluntary institutions whatsoever must be referred to the second commandment, if of God, as just and allowable, if of men, as sinful, it hath no ground of truth or probability. For many free institutions cannot be referred to the second commandment: and concerning the instituted worship of God, God hath left many things undetermined, wherein the church may take order and give direction without sin, unto what commandment soever in general the things may be referred. The Lord forbidding to bow down unto or serve an image, doth therein forbid all approbation, liking or reverence, though never so small, showed towards any institutions and inventions of men, set up in the room of or matched with the Lords own instituted worship: But an invention for nature and use one with the true worship of God, and an institution in the exercise of religion are not one and the same.
This is obscure and doubtfull.1 If the meaning be, that all instituted or positive worship of God which carrieth the Lords stamp and approbation must be referred to this commandment, and that all worship devised by men, for nature, use and end one with the worship instituted of God, is a breach of the second commandment, it will be granted freely, and might have been delivered plainly. But if the meaning be, that all free and ⟨p. 286⟩voluntary institutions whatsoever must be referred to the second commandment, if of God, as just and allowable, if of men, as sinfull, it hath no ground of truth or probability. For many free institutions cannot be referred to the second commandment: and concerning the instituted worship of God, God hath left many things undetermined, wherein the church may take order and give direction without sinne, unto what commandment soever in generall the things may be referred. The Lord forbidding to bow down unto or serve an image, doth therein forbid all approbation, liking or reverence, though never so small, shewed towards any institutions and inventions of men, set up in the room of or matched with the Lords own instituted worship: But an invention for nature and use one with the true worship of God, and an institution in the exercise of religion are not one and the same.