A30189:159
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.
ANSWER.
This is an old garment new turned, and the same answer which was made to the former, might suffice to this: wherein the thing to be proved, 1is fairly passed over with a brave flourish of words, and nothing else. If you meet with such company as will be ashamed not to see, because you cry out so vehemently, It is as clear as the Sun, it cannot be denied with any modest face, You may lead him blindfold. But if a man will build upon his own faith, and not be led by your fancies, he shall never see it proved by any evidence that you have, or can bring, That by communicating in our Assemblies in the ordinances of Religion, God is worshipped in any other way or manner than he hath prescribed. But seeing this reason is brought so often, and for so many purposes, I will examine it more particularly.
THis is an old garment new turned, and the same answer which was made to the former, might suffice to this: wherein the thing to be proved, 1is fairely passed over with a brave flourish of words, and nothing else. If you meet with such company as will be ashamed not to see, because you cry out so vehemently, It is as cleere as the Sun, it cannot be denied with any modest face, You may lead him blindfold. But if a man will build upon his owne faith, and not be led by your fansies, he shall never see it proved by any evidence that you have, or can bring, That by communicating in our Assemblies in the ordinances of Religion, God is worshipped in any other way or manner than he hath prescribed. But seeing this reason is brought so often, and for so many purposes, I will examine it more particularly.
- 1B•ls. Christ. subj. part 4 p. 345. God hath not charged us to be curious in searching his Essence, but to be careful in observing his Will. He neither takes, nor requires any thing at our hands, beside his Worship; That it we yield him according to his Will, we honour him as our God: if we alter that which he hath appointed for himself, or add any thing unto it, he rejecteth all our service, as done not unto him, but to the conceit of our hearts, which by nature is no God, &c. Grat. Cas. 11. Qu. 3. c. 101. Sats, qui praeest. Aug. de Conser. Evang. l. 1. c. 18. Socratis sententia est, Unumquemque Deum, sic coliopercere, quomodose ipse colendum esse praeceperit. Aug. in Qu. ex veteri Teslam. Qu. 43. Constat den stultam non solum minime prodesse, sed etiam obesse. Chry. in Matth. hom. 51. Disca us Coristum ex ipsius voluntate honorare. Nam qui honoratur, o maximè honore laetatur […] vuit, non quem nos optamus. Bills. dffer. betw. Christ. Subj. part 1 p. 7. Touching the Sacraments, I […] Baptism and the Lords Supper, &c. We swerve not a jot from the example of Christ and his Apostles; the Scriptures vvill not lie, let them be judges.