A02990:68
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 that which was allowable in them, is not unlawful in us, upon the same grounds and considerations. So that we may sum up this reason thus; If public stinted forms of blessing, prayer, or praise, might be used ordinarily by the priests, Levites, and ministers of the Gospel without addition or alteration, then all stinted forms to be used ordinarily without addition or alteration be not a breach of the second commandment, in common nature one with an image devised for worship. But the priests and Levites in the time of the Law, and the ministers of the Gospel in the New Testament, might ordinarily use a stinted form without addition or alteration. Or thus it may be framed; If a public stinted form of prayer be unlawful, then either simply and absolutely all stinted forms to be used in public, or such only as are to be used ordinarily without alteration or addition, or such only as be corrupt and faulty: But a public stinted form is not simply and absolutely unlawful: for then ⟨p. 46⟩this exception, That it is to be used ordinarily and without alteration, is vain and superfluous; not only because it is ordinarily to be used without alteration or addition: for then that consideration taken away, a stinted form should be just and lawful; as also then it should be lawful at one time to use this or that phrase of speech, unlawful at another, when yet the same occasion requireth it. If only because corrupt and faulty, then a stinted form is not an humane invention, a breach of the second commandment, an idol-prayer, a superfluous devise to be condemned; then the fault and corruption removed, the form it self is lawful to be used without addition or variation.
and that which was allowable in them, is not unlawfull in us, upon the same grounds and considerations. So that we may summe up this reason thus; If publick stinted forms of blessing, prayer, or praise, might be used ordinarily by the priests, Levites, and ministers of the Gospel without addition or alteration, then all stinted forms to be used ordinarily without addition or alteration be not a breach of the second commandment, in common nature one with an image devised for worship. But the priests and Levites in the time of the Law, and the ministers of the Gospel in the New Testament, might ordinarily use a stinted form without addition or alteration. Or thus it may be framed; If a publick stinted form of prayer be unlawfull, then either simply and absolutely all stinted forms to be used in publick, or such onely as are to be used ordinarily without alteration or addition, or such onely as be corrupt and faulty: But a publick stinted form is not simply and absolutely unlawfull: for then