A30189:277
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. 15. pag 133. › 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.
So that of the first fifteen ages of the Church of the New Testament, that cannot be denied which Carolus Lotharingus the Cardinal uttered in Porsiacâ responsione; That the first was golden, but the rest, the further they departed, the worse, and more corrupt they were. Whiles the Apostles lived the Church remained a Virgin, pure and uncorrupt: but within the three first ages from the rising of the Gospel, her health was crazed by errors in doctrine, superstitious abuses crept into the worship of God, breach of comely order in Government, and offences in life, whereof we find the Pastors to make large complaint. It cannot be denied but that they that succeeded the Apostles did excel in Piety and Godliness, but withal it is most certain they did neither attain the virtue of them that went before them, nor teach so purely and truly as their masters and instructors, as Nicephorus observeth; And what is said of Hunger in another matter is not unfitly applied to this purpose, few Children are like to their Parents.
So that of the first fifteene ages of the Church of the New Testament, that cannot be denyed which Carolus Lotharingus the Cardinall uttered in Porsiacâ responsione; That the first was golden, but the rest, the further they departed, the worse, and more corrupt they were. Whiles the Apostles lived the Church remained a Virgin, pure and uncorrupt: but within the three first ages from the rising of the Gospell, her health was crased by errors in doctrine, superstitious abuses crept into the worship of God, breach of comely order in Government, and offences in life, whereof we finde the Pastors to make large complaint. It cannot be denyed but that they that succeeded the Apostles did excell in Piety and Godlinesse, but withall it is most certaine they did neither attaine the vertue of them that went before them, nor teach so purely and truely as their masters and instructors, as Nicephorus observeth; And what is said of Hon•er in another matter is not unfitly applyed to this purpose, few Children are like to their Parents.
The liberty of mans will and dignity of works was too much advanced: Many thought the souls of the just should not see God until the day of judgement. The Sacrament of the Supper was ministered to infants, which abuse is reformed