A30189:162
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 the meaning of your proposition be, That no positive worship, or substantial means of worship is lawful, but what is in special appointed, or instituted of God, and that no duties of Religion be necessary to salvation, but what are taught in Scripture, then we grant it is true, and confirmed by the course of Scripture, though many passages cited by you, will not reach unto it. For the law of nature commandeth all men, who have any sense of a Godhead, to receive, and not give rules of Religion and Worship. The holy care of the Patriarchs was to reverence and obey that which they had received, and to attend upon further direction, but of themselves not to appoint or undertake any thing as necessary to salvation. Divine institution of legal and Evangelical obedience, and worship, is equally full and complete in all things necessary, which ⟨p. 46⟩it seemed good to divine Wisdom to determine, not leaving any thing of this nature more undetermined in time of the Gospel, than it was in time of the Law. As the Jews had a commandment, neither to add ought unto, nor take ought from the law, 1which the Lord gave unto them: so the Apostles received a charge, to teach whatsoever the Lord commanded them: Whence it is truly observed, 2that men may not teach their own doctrine, but whatsoever Christ hath taught them: for he reserveth this authority to himself, to be the only Teacher and Author of the doctrine, 3The King of the Church is her only Lawgiver at all times.
If the meaning of your proposition bee, That no positive worship, or substantiall means of worship is lawfull, but what is in speciall appointed, or instituted of God, and that no duties of Religion be necessary to salvation, but what are taught in Scripture, then we grant it is true, and confirmed by the course of Scripture, though many passages cited by you, will not reach unto it. For the law of nature commandeth all men, who have any sense of a Godhead, to receive, and not give rules of Religion and Worship. The holy care of the Patriarchs was to reverence and obey that which they had received, and to attend upon further direction, but of themselves not to appoint or undertake any thing as necessary to salvation. Divine institution of legall and Evangelicall obedience, and worship, is equally full and complete in all things necessary, which