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…

The Conformists (you say) keep much better to their grounds than the other do, ¹for they confess down right that their Ministry is from the Church of Rome. It seemeth, you did neither much care, nor enquire what they profess, else you might have seen, they say and profess in this point as the others do. The Conformists (I use that word because you are pleased so to speak) maintain against the Papists, that the first Bishops who laboured reformation in this kingdom, did receive their ordination from Romish Bishops, and had such calling as was to be found in that Church. But do they only acknowledge so much? was not this evermore received for a truth in the ancient Church, that ordination received from heretics, not erring in the main fundamental truths directly, was true and effectual? Do not all reformed Churches which have separated from the abominations of Rome profess that the first reformers amongst them received some ordinary calling in the Church of Rome, which remained in that time of the visible Church corrupted? For some of them were Bishops, some Priests and Doctors approved of the Universities, and ordinary Churches: many of them preached, the Gospel and administered the Sacraments before excommunication or persecution raised by the Adversaries, in that they were sent unto, or set over several Churches or congregations, in which they ought to execute their office or ministration, therein they received commandment to preach the Gospel. If men that sent them did mix anything else to their calling, they must be obedient to divine institution, not to humane addition. So being after an ordinary manner sent of God singularly, they were extraordinarily stirred up of him to promote and set forward his kingdom. ²Thus Luther, Hus Wycliffe and others were called both ordinarily and extraordinarily: an ordinary calling they received in a corrupt Church, and extraordinarily they were stirred up to fulfil the Ministry they had received, according to the commandment of God, and not after the traditions of men.

The Conformists (you say) keepe much better to their grounds than the other doe, ¹for they consesse down right that their Ministerie is from the Church of Rome. It seemeth, you did neither much care, nor enquire what they professe, else you might have seene, they say and professe in this point as the others doe. The Conformists (I use that word because you are pleased so to speake) maintaine against the Papists, that the first Bishops who laboured reformation in this kingdome, did receive their ordination from Romish Bishops, and had such calling as was to be found in that Church. But doe they only acknowledge so much? was not this evermore received for a truth in the ancient Church, that ordination received from heretikes, not erring in the maine fundamentall truths directly, was true and effectuall? Doe not all reformed Churches which have separated from the abominations of Rome professe that the first reformers amongst them received some ordinary calling in the Church of Rome, which remained in that time of the visible Church corrupted? For some of them were Bishops, some Priests and Doctors approved of the Vniversities, and ordinarie Churches: many of them preached, the Gospell and administred the Sacraments before excommunication or persecution raised by the Adverfaries, in that they were sent unto, or set over severall Churches or congregations, in which they ought to execute their office or ministration, therein they received commandement to preach the Gospel. If men that sent them did mix anything else to their calling, they must be obedient to divine institution, not to humane addition. So being after an ordinary manner sent of God singularly, they were extraordinarily stirred up of him to promote and set forward his kingdome.