A34599:241
A conference Mr. John Cotton held at Boston with the elders of New-England 1.…
A conference Mr. John Cotton held at Boston with the elders of New-England 1. concerning gracious conditions in the soul before faith, 2. evidencing justification by sanctification, 3. touching the active power of faith : twelve reasons against stinted forms of prayer and praise : together with the difference between the Christian and antichristian church / written by Francis Cornwall ...A conference Mr. John Cotton held at Boston with the elders of New-England 1. concerning gracious conditions in the soule before faith, 2. evidencing justification by sanctification, 3. touching the active power of faith : twelve reasons against stinted forms of prayer and praise : together with the difference between the Christian and antichristian church / written by Francis Cornwell ...
London: printed by J. Dawson, 1646
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.
If we frequent devised forms of Worship in prayer or praise, we shall lay a stumbling block before a weak brother, and cause him to fall. Woe be to them that follow the way of Balaam, who taught Balackto cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, Revel. 2. 14. Jud. v. 11. Now offences must come, but woe unto the men by whom they come: It were better for me, that a millstone were hanged about my neck, and that I were cast into the sea, then that I should offend one of these little ones, Luk. 17. 1, 2.
If wee frequent devised formes of Worship in prayer or praise, we shall lay a stumbling block before a weak brother, and cause him to fall. Woe be to them that follow the way of Balaam, who taught Balackto cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, Revel. 2. 14. Jud. v. 11. Now offences must come, but woe unto the men by whom they come: It were better for me, that a milstone were hanged about my neck, and that I were cast into the sea, then that I should offend one of these little ones, Luk. 17. 1, 2.
If we frequent devised forms of Worship in prayer or praise, we shall offend our consciences; (even so many of us as are Saints enlightened, to behold the beauty of his ⟨p. 56⟩spiritual Worship, performed, or offered in his spiritual house, the Congregation of the faithful united;) Now if our consciences condemn us, God is greater then our consciences, and he will condemn us also, 1 Joh. 3. 19. for he knoweth all things. Therefore I say to you (who blame us for not frequenting devised forms of Worship in prayer and praises) as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did to King Nebuchadnezzar, We are not careful to answer you in this matter; Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of your hand: But if he will not, be it known to you, we will not serve your gods; nor worship our God in that devised way that men set up,