N02341:160
Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…
Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in the churches of New-England. : With interspersed and instructive reflections on the discipline of the primitive churches. : [Seven lines from Ezekiel]
Boston: printed for S. Gerrish, 1726
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
He raises and leads the Hearts of the Assembly, in another manner than the most Composed, or best Studied Form of set Words can ever do; and the Pray we's who serve up all their Sermons with the same Garnishing, would look like so many Statues, or ⟨p. 48⟩Men of Straw, in the Pulpit, compared with those, who speak with such a powerful Zeal, that Men are tempted at the Moment to believe, Heaven it self has dictated their Words unto them. Certainly good Sense dictated these Words unto that English Nobleman!
He raises and leads the Hearts of the Assembly, in another manner than the most Composed, or best Studied Form of set Words can ever do; and the Pray wee's who serve up all their Sermons with the same Garnishing, would look like so many Statues, or ⟨p. 48⟩Men of Straw, in the Pulpit, compared with those, who speak with such a powerful Zeal, that Men are tempted at the Moment to believe, Heaven it self has dictared their Words unto them. Certainly good Sense dictated these Words unto that English Nobleman!
The Churches count it good Sense and very Reasonable, That the Ministers of the Gospel who submit their Capacities and Abilities to a due Trial, should enjoy the Liberty, which was confessedly left us by our Saviour, and His Apostles; who never provided any Prayer Book but the Bible for us. They believe, that our Saviour and His Apostles knew the Necessities of His Churches; and they are afraid of any Inventions, that may carry in them the least Reproach upon His Infinite Wisdom. They believe, That our Enthroned JESUS, has promised unto ordinary Officers in His Churches, until the End of the World, a Continuance of sufficient Gifts, to discharge their Offices. They believe, That if there be found a Decay of Gifts in the Churches, the Remedy must be for Christians to return unto Him, who has chastised their Slothfulness, their Carnality, their Apostasy, with a withdraw of His Holy Spirit from them; and not by finding out an unhappy Expedient, that should rather confirm them in the lamentable Condition, into which they are fallen. Reader, This is the New English Puritanism! And as far as they can learn, they have the Practice of the Primitive Churches to countenance them in it. If a Service Book had not been a thing utterly unused in the Primitive