A02990:364
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.
then an ignorant, idol, profane, idle ministry, which despiseth knowledge, opposeth godliness, profaneth the holy things of God, corrupteth the law, polluteth his worship, strengtheneth the hands of the wicked, leadeth the blind out of the way, may be a true and lawful ministry. If false; then to communicate in a false ministry is not a breach of the second commandment: For the true prophets forbade not the people to hear the priests, nor our Saviour his followers to communicate with the scribes and Pharisees in the worship of God. He charged them to beware of their leaven, to let them alone, because they were the blind leaders of the ⟨p. 311⟩blind: but he never laid his commandment upon the faithful, not to communicate with them in the worship of God. And therefore to communicate with ministers no better then Pharisees in the true worship of God, is neither a vain worship, nor an abetting of the party in his sin, nor to rebel against the Lord, nor to commit spiritual whoredom: but on the contrary, it is to worship God aright, to reverence his ordinances, to rely upon his grace, to hearken unto his voice, and submit unto his good pleasure. If their ministry was true in some respects and false in others, then the ministry is not absolutely false which in some respect is not pure as it ought and is to be desired; then also it is no sin to communicate in a false ministry in some respect, so far, to wit, as it hath truth in it, and doth carry the stamp of God. The priests, scribes and Pharisees, were of the tribe of Levi, which was set apart for the ministry, 1yet might they be strangers, thieves, robbers, murderers, which the sheep of Christ will not hear, that is, follow or be led by them. For the ministers whom our Saviour chargeth as thieves and murderers, were of continual succession of Levi and Aaron especially: and it is to be understood of them who teach false doctrine, and not of them who enter without a lawful outward calling. And to enter by Christ the door, teaching him alone to be the only Saviour and Mediator, is the note of a good shepherd. To hear them, is not simply to communicate with them in the ordinances of ⟨p. 312⟩God, which the godly and faithful among the Jews might not refuse to do with the Scribes and Pharisees, who were thieves and robbers;