A63200:233
A trial of the new-church way in New-England and in old ... by that…A tryall of the nevv-church vvay in New-England and in old ... by that…
A trial of the new-church way in New-England and in old ... by that learned and godly minister of Christ, John Ball of Whitmore ; penned a little before his death and sent over to the New England ministers, anno 1637, as a reply to an answer of theirs in justification of the said positions ... ; now published ... by William Rathband and Simeon Ash.A tryall of the nevv-church vvay in New-England and in old ... by that learned and godly minister of Christ, John Ball of Whitmore ; penned a little before his death and sent over to the New England ministers, anno 1637, as a reply to an answer of theirs in justification of the said positions ... ; now published ... by William Rathband and Simeon Ash.
London: printed by T. Paine and M. Simmons for Thomas Underhill, 1644
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.
The fourth, That all those who desire to partake in the Seals, are bound to join themselves together in Church-state, that so they may call a Minister to dispense the Seals unto them, will not follow from the former rightly understood. We deny not but Christians are bound to join themselves together in holy fellowship, if God give them opportunity: but they must partake in the Seals before they can join themselves together in Church-state. And such as for lack of means and opportunity cannot join themselves into such an estate, or be dispersed by persecution, or be destitute of Pastors and Teachers, may for a time desire and seek to have the seals dispensed unto them by the Pastors and Teachers of other Societies, with whom they hold communion in the faith. The people also who are deprived of right and liberty to choose their Pastor, may desire and seek to have the Seals dispensed unto them by him who is set over them. If a company of Infidels should be converted to the faith, they must desire to partake in the ordinances of grace before they could join together in a Church-way to call a Minister of their own, who might administer the Sacraments unto ⟨p. 55⟩them. To make Disciples and baptize are joined together. And if these Propositions be allowed for current,1 a nation or people plunged into Idolatry or Infidelity,2 or otherwise dischurched, cannot by ordinary means recover into a Church-estate, wherein they may lawfully and according to Gods appointment desire or expect that the Seals of the Covenant should be dispensed to them.
The fourth, That all those who desire to partake in the Seales, are bound to joyne themselves together in Church-state, that so they may call a Minister to dispence the Seales unto them, will not follow from the former rightly understood. We deny not but Christians are bound to joyne themselves together in holy fellowship, if God give them opportunitie: but they must partake in the Seales before they can joyne themselves together in Church-state. And such as for lack of meanes and opportunitie cannot joyne themselves into such an estate, or be dispersed by persecution, or be destitute of Pastors and Teachers, may for a time desire and seek to have the seales dispenced unto them by the Pastors and Teachers of other Societies, with whom they hold communion in the faith. The people also who are deprived of right and libertie to choose their Pastor, may desire and seek to have the Seales dispenced unto them by him who is set over them. If a company of Infidells should be converted to the faith, they must desire to partake in the ordinances of grace before they could joyne together in a Church-way to call a Minister of their own, who might administer the Sacraments unto