A30189:168
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.
But many things in the worship of God are not commanded or determined by God, but left to the liberty of Christians; many things were unprofitable, and needless to be determined particularly by divine authority, as being easily discernible by the light of nature, and common reason: and many things could not be determined, because one order in them could not fit all ages, times and places in the world. The divisions of the Chapters and verses, as they are in our Bibles, and the Sections of the Law, as among the Jews, are of men: and so is the phrase of speech and method used in Prayer, Preaching, Administration of the Sacraments, and the very words of Translations, wherein the Scriptures are read, and cannot be one and the same in all societies. And so are the circumstances, how oft, ⟨p. 48⟩at what hour, on what day, in what place, the Pastor shall preach, which are particular determinations of the Church, and variable. If you say, these things are prescribed in general and by consequence, because they are done according to the rules of direction given in Scripture: Of necessity you must confess the proposition is ambiguous: for sometimes prescribed, shall import, as much as determined, instituted, commanded, sanctified; if not appropriated: and sometimes it shall note no more, but left at liberty, or indetermined. Neither will that sense stand in the proposition, 1for then it should be lawful to place opinion of necessity, holiness, or worship in those things which are undetermined, or not commanded of God, which is contrary to the whole scope and drift of Scripture, and the judgement of all Orthodox and sound Divines, new and old.
But many things in the worship of God are not commanded or determined by God, but left to the libertie of Christians; many things were unprofitable, and needlesse to be determined particularly by divine authoritie, as being easily discernable by the light of nature, and common reason: and many things could not be determined, because one order in them could not fit all ages, times and places in the world. The divisions of the Chapters and verses, as they are in our Bibles, and the Sections of the Law, as among the Jewes, are of men: and so is the phrase of speech and method used in Prayer, Preaching, Administration of the Sacraments, and the very words of Translations, wherein the Scriptures are read, and cannot be one and the same in all societies. And so are the circumstances, how oft,