A30189:435
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.
As for the particular point in hand, the authors alleged by you, speak nothing to your purpose. For men may run when they be not sent two ways. First, when they are outwardly called, but not inwardly qualified, as with knowledge, truth, holiness, or care to do the duties of their place, and these are lawful and unlawful Ministers both: lawful as Ministers of Gods providence, for the punishment of some, and the good of others, unlawful as not approved of God in their place and standing. Secondly, when they have no manner of calling, neither set apart by men in authority, nor received by the Church, nor qualified as they ought, and these are every way unlawful. Again false Prophets are of two sorts. I Such as spring up in the Church, teaching corrupt or perverse things, but either not discovered, or not convicted, or not cast out. These the faithful must not believe, though they may not forsake or cast off the Societies where such are tolerated. 2. Such as teach damnable doctrines, are not set apart to offices false and idolatrous, and either never were in the society of the true Church, or be lawfully convicted, and justly cast out, and with these the faithful must hold no communion,
As for the particular point in hand, the authors alledged by you, speake nothing to your purpose. For men may run when they bee not sent two wayes. First, when they are outwardly called, but not inwardly qualified, as with knowledge, truth, holinesse, or care to doe the duties of their place, and these are lawfull and unlawfull Ministers both: lawfull as Ministers of Gods providence, for the punishment of some, and the good of others, unlawfull as not approved of God in their place and standing. Secondly, when they have no manner of calling, neither set apart by men in authoritie, nor received by the Church, nor qualified as they ought, and these are every way unlawfull. Againe false Prophets are of two sorts. I Such as spring up in the Church, teaching corrupt or perverse things, but either not discovered, or not convicted, or not cast out. These the faithfull must not believe, though they may not forsake or cast off the Societies where such are tolerated. 2. Such as teach damnable doctrines, are not set apart to offices false and idolatrous, and either never were in the societie of the true Church, or bee lawfully convicted, and justly cast out, and with these the faithfull must hold no communion,