A30189:378
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
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.
But if we take these words (Antichristian Ministers, and false Prophets, in your sense, for you use them in a peculiar dialect) then it is not only lawful but necessary to hear such as you call Antichristian Ministers. For it is commanded in the word, and acceptable service unto God, the means to build up the Church: It is to hold communion with God, to reverence his name, to lay hold upon Christ and lodge him in our bosom: It showeth that a man is one of Christs sheep, because he heareth his voice, and a member of his sheepfold, the servant of the most high God: it manifesteth love and zeal to God, and is ordinarily blessed to the soul and conscience of the dutiful hearer. And in that which you allege to the contrary, you misallege Scripture, speak evil of the truth, revile the heritage of the Lord, and grievously wound your own conscience.
But if we take these words (Antichristian Ministers, and false Prophets, in your sense, for you use them in a peculiar dialect) then it is not only lawfull but necessary to heare such as you call Antichristian Ministers. For it is commanded in the word, and acceptable service unto God, the meanes to build up the Church: It is to hold communion with God, to reverence his name, to lay hold upon Christ and lodge him in our bosome: It sheweth that a man is one of Christs sheep, because hee heareth his voice, and a member of his sheepfold, the servant of the most high God: it manifesteth love and zeale to God, and is ordinarily blessed to the soul and conscience of the dutifull hearer. And in that which you alledge to the contrary, you misalledge Scripture, speak evill of the truth, revile the heritage of the Lord, and grievously wound your owne conscience.
The religion professed, and worship performed in our assemblies is true, not only in respect of the object, but of nature, use and end, and whatsoever circumstances are necessarily required to lawful worship. And the false Prophets mentioned in Scripture are of one sort, yours of an other, even the true Ministers of Jesus Christ.
The religion professed, and worship performed in our assemblies is true, not only in respect of the object, but of nature, use and end, and whatsoever circumstances are necessarilie required to lawfull worship. And the false Prophets mentioned in Scripture are of one sort, yours of an other, even the true Ministers of Jesus Christ.