A30189:244
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
Chapter 1 › Section 5 › Can. Stay. Sect. 5. Pag 37.38. › ANSWER.
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 faithful and holy Ministers administer and receive the Sacraments with good profit, and benefit to themselves and others. The hypocritical, with benefit to others, not to themselves. The profane being not put from their places, do officiate with hurt to themselves, scandal to others, but to the everlasting comfort of them that partake worthily. The heretical and idolatrous administer the Sacraments, that are holy, and in their own nature, the means, pledges, and assurances of salvation, but without benefit to themselves and others, that continue in sin. Thus the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and faithful, have held communion in the Ordinances ⟨p. 73⟩of grace, with such whose calling and conversation was not approved of God.
The faithfull and holy Ministers administer and receive the Sacraments with good profit, and benefit to themselves and others. The hypocriticall, with benefit to others, not to themselves. The prophane being not put from their places, doe officiate with hurt to themselves, scandall to others, but to the everlasting comfort of them that partake worthily. The hereticall and idolatrous administer the Sacraments, that are holy, and in their owne nature, the meanes, pledges, and assurances of salvation, but without benefit to themselves and others, that continue in sin. Thus the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and faithfull, have held communion in the Ordinances ⟨p. 73⟩of grace, with such whose calling and conversation was not approved of God.
You say, the Martyrs first and last would not receive this distinction, lest to save their lives, they should lose their souls, and you reckon up many, who, as you write, would rather give their bodies to the fire, than hear or receive the Sacrament, in false Churches or Societies. But in this you lavish, as in every thing else, and hide the truth under the ambiguity of the phrase. The Martyrs laid down their lives, rather than they would defile themselves with idolatry, be present at the Mass, or join themselves as members of that Antichristian Synagogue: in all which they did, as becometh the faithful servants of Jesus Christ. But you cannot produce one Martyr of your opinion, who denied, that any thing of God was to be found in those Assemblies, or that refused to join in the pure ordinances of God, with Societies separated from spiritual Babylon, because of some defect or may me in their Church constitution.