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…

Parsons, Vicars, Stipendiaries, Parish Priests, Chaplains are but various Titles given to the same kind of Ministry in divers persons, which is Evangelical, instituted of Christ, and to be exercised and maintained in the Church, until the coming of Christ to judgment. You affirm with great confidence, that the Non-conformists condemn both their names and offices as wholly from that Roman Antichrist. These be your words. If you will know (say the Non-conformists) whence all these came, we can easily answer you, that they came from the Pope, as out of the Trojan horses belly, to the destruction of Gods kingdom. It is certain that their name and office is wholly from that Roman Antichrist, never instituted either by Christ or his Apostles. For the Church of God never knew them, neither doth any reformed Church in the world know them. These are clouds without rain, trees without fruit, painted Sepulchres full of dead bones, fatted in all abundance of iniquity, such as seek not the Lord Jesus, but their own bellies. Again touching their Parsons. Vicars, Stipendiaries Chaplains, &c. we have proved from their writings, that these names and offices came wholly from the Devil and Antichrist: and therefore his pleading for Baal is altogether here unuseful, as to say, All is one kind of Ministry, and in this respect they are Parsons, and in that respect Vicars, &c. For as ⟨p. 143⟩much may a Papist say, of their Parsons, Vicars, &c. ¹and as true too, If therefore he would have justified those men, he should first have manifested that his Brethren have notoriously slandered their ministry, and so have quite taken away their reasons better, by showing better, &c. But we have learned to try before we trust. To contend about the bare names and Titles of Parson, is vain and frivolous; but if we speak of their office and ministry as it is exercised by the godly, learned and painful Ministers in the Church of England, for the substance thereof, it is instituted of Christ, acknowledged by all true Churches in the world, ever since the first plantation of the Christian Church, known by all reformed Churches, at this day blessed of God abundantly, and so maintained by the Non-conformists. Against the Name (it may be) some have taken exception, and against the pride, idleness, covetousness, &c.

Parsons, Vicars, Stipendaries, Parish Priests, Chapleines are but various Titles given to the same kinde of Ministerie in divers persons, which is Evangelicall, instituted of Christ, and to be exercised and maintained in the Church, untill the comming of Christ to judgment. You affirm with great confidence, that the Non-conformists condemn both their names and offices as wholly from that Roman Antichrist. These be your words. If you will know (say the Non-conformists) whence all these came, wee can easily answer you, that they came from the Pope, as out of the Trojan horses belly, to the destruction of Gods kingdome. It is certaine that their name and office is wholly from that Roman Antichrist, never instituted either by Christ or his Apostles. For the Church of God never knew them, neither doth any reformed Church in the world know them. These are cloudes without raine, trees without fruit, painted Sepulchers full of dead bones, fatted in all abundance of iniquity, such as seeke not the Lord Iesus, but their owne bellies. Againe touching their Parsons. Vicars, Stipendaries Chapleines, &c. we have proved from their writings, that these names and offices came wholly from the Divell and Antichrist: and therefore his pleading for Baal is altogether here unusefull, as to say, All is one kinde of Ministerie, and in this respect they are Parsons, and in that respect Vicars, &c. For as