A63200:65
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.
Reply.
This position cannot bear that meaning which you give it, if you take it according, o our minds, and the plain construction of the words. We never questioned why you made not use of a stinted Liturgy, much less why you did not wholly and in every part tie your selves unto, and approve of that form in use amongst us. You might well think we had little to do to put forth such a demand, viz. whether you think it lawful to approve in others and practice your selves, what swerveth from the rule, and we think it strange you should give our words such a meaning.
THis position cannot beare that meaning which you give it, if you take it according, o our mindes, and the plain construction of the words. We never questioned why you made not use of a stinted Liturgy, much lesse why you did not wholly and in every part tye your selves unto, and approve of that forme in use amongst us. You might well thinke we had little to doe to put forth such a demand, viz. whether you thinke it lawfull to approve in others and practice your selves, what swerveth from the rule, and we thinke it strange you should give our words such a meaning.
The thing we craved resolution in was, whether in your judgements all stinted and set forms of prayer and Liturgies be unlawful. The reason hereof was because in writings from New-England, we had seen all set liturgies, and set forms of prayer condemned as devised worship which God would not accept, and partaking in the Sacraments of the Supper in our assemblies, therefore disallowed, because administered in a stinted Liturgy, which things were received with such liking among some brethren with us, and by them imparted and recommended to others, that they occasioned that rent and distraction whereof we complain.
The thing we craved resolution in was, whether in your judgements all stinted and set formes of prayer and Liturgies be unlawfull. The reason hereof was because in writings from New-England, we had seene all set liturgies, and set formes of prayer condemned as devised worship which God would not accept, and partaking in the Sacraments of the Supper in our assemblies, therefore disallowed, because administred in a stinted Liturgie, which things were received with such likeing among some brethren with us, and by them imparted and recommended to others, that they occasioned that rent and distraction whereof we complain.