A80626:65
A modest and clear answer to Mr. Ball's discourse of set forms of prayer.…A modest and cleer ansvver to Mr. Ball's discourse of set formes of prayer.…
A modest and clear answer to Mr. Ball's discourse of set forms of prayer. Written by the reverend and learned John Cotton, B.D. and teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston in New-England. Published for the benefit of those who desire satisfaction in that pointA modest and cleer ansvver to Mr. Ball's discourse of set formes of prayer. Written by the reverend and learned John Cotton, B.D. and teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston in New-England. Published for the benefit of those who desire satisfaction in that point
London: printed for H. Overton, 1642
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.
A distinction ungrounded upon the Word, & so no better that an unwritten tradition, and withal, both the parts imply a false-hood; for a prayer which a Minister deviseth for his own, and his peoples use, before the Sermon, is in nature and use the same with the true worship of God instituted by his highness; yet it is not unlawful because it is devised, for it is devised by him, who is called of God to devise and indite it, as David did, Psal. 45. v. 1. and all the rest, and that by help of the Spirit of prayer: again, on the other part, a prescribed Homily doth conserve the method, phrase of speech, outward manner of celebration, only as a mere circumstance; yet no Word of God ever allowed it to be read for the public preaching of the Word unto the people.
A distinction ungrounded upon the Word, & so no better that an unwritten tradition, and withall, both the parts imply a fals-hood; for a prayer which a Minister deviseth for his own, and his peoples use, before the Sermon, is in nature and use the same with the true worship of God instituted by his highnesse; yet it is not unlawfull because it is devised, for it is devised by him, who is called of God to devise and indite it, as David did, Psal. 45. v. 1. and all the rest, and that by help of the Spirit of prayer: again, on the other part, a prescribed Homilie doth conserve the method, phrase of speech, outward manner of celebration, only as a meer circumstance; yet no Word of God ever allowed it to be read for the publick preaching of the Word unto the people.
It is true which the Discourse speaketh of the Method of Sermons, devised or studied by such as Preach them, there may be some liberty, whether to preach by doctrine, reason and use, or some other way; the like may be said of forms ⟨p. 20⟩of Catechisms, Blessings, and Baptisms: But the reason of this liberty is because we find in Scripture several forms of all these, and therefore we limit or prescribe no set forms to any; Pauls Epistle to the Romans is carried along by Doctrine, reasons and uses, and so are sundry more of his Epistles. But Christs Sermon on the Mount, is carried in another Method: The Apostles Catechise is of one form,