A30189:105
An answer to two treatises of Mr. John Can, the leader of the English…An answer to two treatises of Mr. Iohn Can, the leader of the English…
An answer to two treatises of Mr. John Can, the leader of the English Brownists in Amsterdam the former called, A necessity of separation from the Church of England, proved by the Nonconformists principles : the other, A stay against straying : wherein in opposition to M. John Robinson, he undertakes to prove the unlawfulness of hearing the ministers of the Church of England ... / by the late learned, laborious and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, John Ball.An answer to two treatises of Mr. Iohn Can, the leader of the English Brownists in Amsterdam the former called, A necessitie of separation from the Church of England, proved by the Nonconformists principles : the other, A stay against straying : wherein in opposition to M. Iohn Robinson, he undertakes to prove the unlawfulnesse of hearing the ministers of the Church of England ... / by the late learned, laborious and faithfull servant of Jesus Christ, John Ball.
London: printed by R.B., 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.
If some things of man be mixed with that which is of God, as humane superiority with divine Ministry, the pure wheat with some chase, the holy Sacraments with rites savouring of superstition, a found Christian is not to cast away what is of God, as a nullity, fruitless, defiled, Antichristian, Idolatrous, because somewhat humane is annexed unto them, nor in defence of the good to be charged or condemned, as going cross to that which he taught against the evil. 1If an unmeet Minister be set in office, by whomsoever the election is made, he is of men, or humane: but forthwith there followeth not a nullity of his Ministry. If a fit Minister be chosen disorderly, in that choice there is somewhat humane, but the Office or Ministry is of God. In the body we can distinguish between the substance and the sickness which cleaveth unto it; betwixt the substance of some member, and a bunch or swelling, which is a deformity, but destroyeth not the nature, taketh not away the use of that part or member.
If some things of man be mixed with that which is of God, as humane superioritie with divine Ministerie, the pure wheat with some chasse, the holy Sacraments with rites savouring of superstition, a found Christian is not to cast away what is of God, as a nullitie, fruitlesse, defiled, Antichristian, Idolatrous, because somewhat humane is annexed unto them, nor in defence of the good to be charged or condemned, as going crosse to that which he taught against the evill. 1If an unmeet Minister be set in office, by whomsoever the election is made, he is of men, or humane: but forthwith there followeth not a nullitie of his Ministerie. If a fit Minister be chosen disorderly, in that choice there is somewhat humane, but the Office or Ministerie is of God. In the body we can distinguish between the substance and the sicknesse which cleaveth unto it; betwixt the substance of some member, and a bunch or swelling, which is a deformitie, but destroyeth not the nature, taketh not away the use of that part or member.
- 1Aug. de fid. & bon. oper. tom. 4.4. Nos vero ad piam doctrinam pertinere arbitramur, ut & canes in ecclesia propter pacem ecclesiae toleremus. Jun. animad. in Bell. contr 5. l. 1 ca. 3. l. 1. ca. 3. not. 24. Speaking of Popish ordination, saith, A parte ad totum non procedit argumentatio: In ordinatione aliquid nihil: facunt, ergo nihili faciunt ordinationem. Quod Dei, quod ecclesiae in ea est, permagni facimus; quod a malo est facimus nihilt. Calvinus autem eo in loo agit de rutibus adventitiis solum, non de ordinatione tota simpliciter. Imposition of hands, whereby the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit were given unto Believers, was peculiar to the Apostles.