A30189:306
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 6 › CAN. Necess. of Separation, Pag. 37. › 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.
And hereof the grounds and reasons are evident. For on the one side it appeareth, the Ancient Church did not hold her Constitutions to be absolutely essential to the calling of a Minister or to the semper esse thereof, as if the omission or nonobservation thereof did make them no Ministers. Bishops by the Ancient Constitutions of the Church were to be ordained by three other Bishops near adjoining: But instances there be manifest, that the Church hath dispensed with these Canons. Pelagius the first (as Anastasius writeth in vitâ Pelagij) was consecrated of two Bishops only. Johannes de Perusio, & Bomu de Ferentino, & Anareas Presbyter de Ostio, Evagrius Bishop was consecrated of Paulinus only. Moses refusing to be ordained of Lucius was created Bishop of them who were banished into the mountains. The Bishops of France only Dionysius ordained. It is an humane constitution, saith Johannes Major, that a Bishop should be ordained of three, invented for solemnity, not as absolutely necessary. Presbyters or Elders were ordained by the Bishop. The rest of the Presbyters then present laying on their hands. But seeing Bishops were greater than Presbyters, rather by the Custom of the Church, than by divine institution, this was not simply required to the essence of ordination; but according to the Custom and Ecclesiastical Ordinances. The Chorepiscopi also who were nothing but Presbyters, were allowed to ordain by the leave of the Bishop.
And hereof the grounds and reasons are evident. For on the one side it appeareth, the Ancient Church did not hold her Constitutions to be absolutely essentiall to the calling of a Minister or to the semper esse thereof, as if the omission or nonobservation thereof did make them no Ministers. Bishops by the Ancient Constitutions of the Church were to be ordained by three other Bishops neere adjoyning: But instances there be manefest, that the Church hath dispensed with these Canons. Pelagius the first (as Anastasius writeth in vitâ Pelagij) was consecrated of two Bishops only. Iohannes de Perusio, & Bomu de Ferentino, & Anareas Presbyter de Ostio, Evagrius Bishop was consecrated of Paulinus onely. Moses refusing to bee ordained of Lucius was created Bishop of them who were banished into the mountaines. The Bishops of France only Dionysius ordained. It is an humane constitution, saith Iohannes Major, that a Bishop should be ordayned of three, invented for solemnity, not as absolutely necessary. Presbyters or Elders were ordained by the Bishop. The rest of the Presbyters then present laying on their hands. But seeing Bishops were greater than Presbyters, rather by the Custome of the Church, than by divine institution, this was not simply required to the essence of ordination; but according to the Custome and Ecclesiasticall Ordinances. The Chorepiscopi also who were nothing but Presbyters, were allowed to ordaine by the leave of the Bishop.