A30189:46
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.
Such as lay down rules (saith the author of the Stay) to find out the truth by, write thus; What the Fathers all with one consent have held and written, is a necessary token to know the truth by. And whatsoever hath been holden at all times and in all places by all ⟨image 10⟩Christians, that have not been noted for novelty, singularity and division, is to be received as the undoubted truth of God. If these assertions be true, then is this condemnatory sentence most unjust and untrue. For not only all old writers generally, but the most learned of later times; yea and all sects and sorts of people professing Christianity (themselves excepted) are against it.
Such as lay downe rules (saith the author of the Stay) to find out the truth by, write thus; What the Fathers all with one consent have held and written, is a necessarie token to know the truth by. And whatsoever hath been holden at all times and in all places by all ⟨image 10⟩Christians, that have not beene noted for noveltie, singularitie and division, is to bee received as the undoubted truth of God. If these assertions be true, then is this condemnatorie sentence most unjust and untrue. For not only all old writers generally, but the most learned of later times; yea and all sects and sorts of people professing Christianitie (themselves excepted) are against it.
Therefore did they consider the terror of the Lord, 1and that great day in which the Lord Jesus shall appear in the brightness of his Father, to avenge the quarrel of his least Commandment, and to judge the wrongs, 2injuries and reproaches, which are cast upon his Church and Saints, ordinances and worship, they would not speak evil of what they know not, revile his heritage, despise his worship, condemn the righteous, vilify the ordinances of grace, abuse Scriptures, misallege Authors, cause divisions and schisms, in the Churches of God, distract the minds of some, obstinate others, and expose religion it self to contempt. Let me speak to them as the great est zealot in that cause at this day, speaketh to his opposite in a cause of less importance. When God ariseth up what will they answer him? what will they say, when he shall not only charge them, that they have made a rent in the Church, brought an evil report upon his ordinances, spoken contemptuously of that which he approved, yea commanded, and perverted his word for that end and purpose: But also that they have laboured with might and main to draw others into the same transgression, by means whereof his name is blasphemed, the weak scandalized, the godly made sad, and that which was halting quite turned aside?