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…

But if you know not how it fared with this distressed Gentleman, thus it was: He shut up himself and his children in his house, and would come at no man, nor suffer any man to ⟨p. 138⟩come at him, lest he should communicate with them in their sin. Sustenance for himself and his Children was brought unto them, and put in at some hole or window, but he suffered no man to come in to minister unto them, no not when his children and he himself lay sick in great misery. When by order his house was broken open (for the Justices of peace in consideration of his case were constrained thereunto) two of his children were found dead in the house, and one had lien so long unburied, that the body was corrupted and did annoy the room. The Gentleman himself sick on his bed, in woeful plight. His Bible he had gone thorough, and cut out the contents, titles and every thing, but the very Text it self. This I have received from credible hands, and it is a matter known through that country where he lived. And if you mark it wisely, you may see the original of his sorrow and heaviness, was not from the hearing of the Word in our assemblies, but from your principles, which he had too deeply drunk in, and out of a desire to keep and observe, made himself desolate. It is very likely he thought with himself, that if by hearing the doctrine of grace he did communicate with men in their sins, much more was guilt contracted by civill conversings. And if you will try it in right reason, I cannot see how that consequence from your principles can be avoided. Now he desirous to stick to what he had learned, and not to delude himself with vain distinctions, as too many of the separation do, fell first into deep perplexity, and then at last came unto that desperate conclusion, to shut up himself and his children. It is one of your principles, That all humane devices whatsoever in the worship of God are idolatrous: and therefore conceiving the contents of the Chapters, and titles of the books to be of men, he cut them out. And further it is likely he would have gone, if his thoughts had reached further in this matter. It was your great sin to persuade him to separation;

But if you know not how it fared with this distressed Gentleman, thus it was: He shut up himselfe and his children in his house, and would come at no man, nor suffer any man to ⟨p. 138⟩come at him, lest hee should communicate with them in their sin. Sustenance for himselfe and his Children was brought unto them, and put in at some hole or window, but hee suffered no man to come in to minister unto them, no not when his children and he himselfe lay sick in great misery. When by order his house was broken open (for the Justices of peace in consideration of his case were constrained thereunto) two of his children were found dead in the house, and one had lyen so long unburied, that the body was corrupted and did annoy the roome. The Gentleman himselfe sick on his bed, in wofull plight. His Bible he had gone thorough, and cut out the contents, titles and every thing, but the very Text it selfe. This I have received from credible hands, and it is a matter known through that countrie where he lived. And if you marke it wisely, you may see the originall of his sorrow and heavinesse, was not from the hearing of the Word in our assemblies, but from your principles, which he had too deeply drunk in, and out of a desire to keepe and observe, made himselfe desolate. It is very likely he thought with himselfe, that if by hearing the doctring of grace hee did communicate with men in their sins, much more was guilt contracted by civill conversings. And if you will try it in right reason, I cannot see how that consequence from your principles can be avoided. Now he desirous to stick to what he had learned, and not to delude himself with vaine distinctions, as too many of the separation doe, fel first into deepe perplexitie, and then at last came unto that desperate conclusion, to shut up himselfe and his children. It is one of your principles, That all humane devices whatsoever in the worship of God are idolatrous: and therefore conceiving the contents of the Chapters, and titles of the bookes to be of men, hee cut them out. And further it is likely he would have gone, if his thoughts had reached further in this matter. It was your great sinne to perswade him to separation;