A30189:245
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.
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.
You say, the Martyrs first and last would not receive this distinction, lest to save their lives, they should lose their soules, and you reckon up many, who, as you write, would rather give their bodies to the fire, than heare 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 ambiguitie of the phrase. The Martyrs laid downe their lives, rather than they would defile themselves with idolatry, bee present at the Masse, or joyne themselves as members of that Antichristian Synagogue: in all which they did, as becommeth the faithfull servants of Jesus Christ. But you cannot produce one Martyr of your opinion, who denyed, that any thing of God was to be found in those Assemblies, or that refused to joyne in the pure ordinances of God, with Societies separated from spirituall Babylon, because of some defect or may me in their Church constitution.
In the whole Catalogue of Martyrs, try if you can bring forth one, who in these things was of your mind. And what a vain thing is it to pretend the example of all the Martyrs, when there is not one among them that doth approve your cause. If the example of the Martyrs be of any weight with you, as here you bear the Reader in hand: 1