A02990:81
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 is vain to examine or allege these or such ⟨p. 56⟩like differences, because they make nothing to weaken the force of the argument. For be the differences never so many in these and other particulars, in this they agree, that they be parts of worship to be performed according to the will and commandment of God: and therefore if a stinted form of prayer be unlawful, because not commanded or ordained of God; a stinted form of psalms, not bearing the Lords stamp, must come under the same censure, unless they can plead special dispensation for it. And if a prescript form of psalms not commanded of God be allowable and may be used in Gods service, a stinted form of prayer is unjustly censured for that reason. It is a received rule,1 A Quatenus ad Omne valet argumentum. If stinted prayer be unwarrantable because it is not appointed of God; a stinted form of singing not commanded must not be used. If a prescript form of singing not commanded of God be approvable in his sight, for that cause a stinted form of prayer must not be disliked. One circumstance that putteth a material difference in the thing or person from whence the argument or reason of likeness is drawn, is sufficient to weaken its force: but twenty particular differences betwixt the branches of worship weaken not an argument drawn from the agreement of the branches in the common nature of worship: Of which sort this is. The Anabaptists may put many differences betwixt circumcision and baptism; and yet the argument is good against them, Infants of Christian parents ought to be baptized, because the ⟨p. 57⟩children of Jews in covenant were circumcised. For let the particular differences be never so many, in this they agree, That they are both sacraments of initiation, and so belong to them that be in covenant, sc. the faithful and their seed. The Papists put many differences betwixt circumcision and the sacraments of the new Testament; and yet this is a good & strong argument, Circumcision is a seal of the righteousness of faith, therefore the sacraments are seals of the covenant of grace. For however circumcision and baptism and the Lords supper differ in their particular natures, in the common author, nature and end of sacraments they agree.
It is vain to examine or alledge these or such