A30189:172
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.
Whatsoever I command you, that shall ye observe to do, Thou ⟨p. 49⟩shalt not add thereto, neither shalt thou take ought from it. To what might they not add? From what might they not diminish? Is it not from the whole Law of God, which teacheth the whole duty of Man, both towards God, and towards Man for the Lords sake? Hereby the Lord establisheth his Word, and his only, and his whole word, to be the entire rule of Faith and manners. Hereby God appointeth his own Word and Law, to be the only rule of his Service, without imitating the customs of others, or devising any thing of their own, saith Master Ainsworth. But if by the Service of God, he understand the positive Worship of God only, or the immediate only, he straiteneth the meaning of the Text overmuch: 1For it speaketh plainly of the whole Law, and is fitly alleged to prove the perfection of the Scripture in all matters necessary to salvation, and not concerning the Worship of God only. Israel might not add either to the Statutes or Judgements of the Lord: and if by Statutes be meant Decrees for Religion, or the Worship of God only, (which cannot be proved by the use of the Word) by judgements, they cannot be understood likewise. By this saith Master Ainsworth, God forbiddeth all inventions of men. Eccl. 7.29. the works of their own hands. Jer. 25.6. and the Statutes of the Kings of Israel, which they after made without the Commandment of the Lord. But the inventions of men respect the Commandments of God in general, and not the Ceremonial Ordinances only, nor yet the immediate worship of God alone. He shall do good service to the Papists, that shall limit the Texts in that manner: for by such like distinctions, they seek to elude them, when they are produced to prove the perfection of the written Word of God, in all things necessary to salvation.
Whatsoever I command you, that shall yee observe to doe, Thou ⟨p. 49⟩shalt not adde thereto, neither shalt thou take ought from it. To what might they not adde? From what might they not diminish? Is it not from the whole Law of God, which teacheth the whole duty of Man, both towards God, and towards Man for the Lords sake? Hereby the Lord establisheth his Word, and his only, and his whole word, to be the intire rule of Faith and manners. Hereby God appointeth his owne Word and Law, to be the only rule of his Service, without imitating the customes of others, or devising any thing of their owne, saith Master Ainsworth. But if by the Service of God, he understand the positive Worship of God only, or the immediate only, he straitneth the meaning of the Text overmuch: