A30189:147
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.
The sinews of this Argument are cut already in the first Section, if ever it had any, and therefore a few words may now suffice. In this reason you take for granted, that which is most false, little less than blasphemy; to wit, that all Ministers in the Church of England be Antichristian. For they are in respect of the substance of their office, the Ministers of Jesus Christ, set apart to preach the Gospel, dispense the Sacraments, and administer the Discipline of the Lord Christ: and many of them the approved servants of Christ, furnished with gifts from above, sent forth by authority to preach the Gospel of God, and dispense his Sacraments, which they faithfully execute, according to commission received from their Lord and Master, the King of the Church, who worketh by them, and blesseth their labours, if ever ordinary Ministers had cause to speak of, and rejoice in the blessing of God, to the praise of his name.
THe sinewes of this Argument are cut already in the first Section, if ever it had any, and therefore a few words may now suffice. In this reason you take for granted, that which is most false, little lesse than blasphemie; to wit, that all Ministers in the Church of England be Antichristian. For they are in respect of the substance of their office, the Ministers of Jesus Christ, set apart to preach the Gospel, dispense the Sacraments, and administer the Discipline of the Lord Christ: and many of them the approved servants of Christ, furnished with gifts from above, sent forth by authoritie to preach the Gospel of God, and dispense his Sacraments, which they faithfully execute, according to commission received from their Lord and Master, the King of the Church, who worketh by them, and blesseth their labours, if ever ordinary Ministers had cause to speake of, and rejoyce in the blessing of God, to the praise of his name.
But to let that pass, Antichristian Teachers (if I must speak in your own language) be of divers sorts:
But to let that passe, Antichristian Teachers (if I must speak in your owne language) be of divers sorts: