A30189:478
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.
To read or repeat a prayer by heart, as if the bare rehearsal thereof in so many words and syllables, and none other, was a part of Gods worship, is a transgression of his commandment, whether it be prescribed by others or devised of our selves, or set down in Scripture. And the same may be said of the preaching of the Word, to place opinion of worship in the mere act done in such words or method, is will-worship or superstition. And we may say of both these exercises so used, 1as the Admonition doth, we cannot account them praying or preaching, but only reading or rehearsing or saying of a Sermon or prayer; even as a child that learneth a prayer or Sermon without book; if he rehearse what ⟨p. 17⟩he hath learned, he rehearseth a prayer or Sermon, but he doth not pray or preach. But this is only the sin of him that useth not these prayers as he ought, it argueth not the prayers themselves to be evil, nor the use of a stinted form public or private in them that use it, or them that join to be disallowed. If it be not praying as it is used ignorantly for custom, without affection, it is praying when used aright with understanding, faith, feeling, and such like affections required in holy prayer.
To reade or repeate a prayer by heart, as if the bare rehearsall thereof in so many words and syllables, and none other, was a part of Gods worship, is a transgression of his commandement, whether it be prescribed by others or devised of our selves, or set downe in Scripture. And the same may be said of the preaching of the Word, to place opinion of worship in the meere act done in such words or methode, is will-worship or superstition. And we may say of both these exercises so used, 1as the Admonition doth, wee cannot account them praying or preaching, but onely reading or rehearsing or saying of a Sermon or prayer; even as a childe that learneth a prayer or Sermon without booke; if he rehearse what ⟨p. 17⟩he hath learned, he rehearseth a prayer or Sermon, but he doth not pray or preach. But this is onely the sinne of him that useth not these prayers as he ought, it argueth not the prayers themselves to be evill, nor the use of a stinted forme publique or private in them that use it, or them that joyne to be disallowed. If it be not praying as it is used ignorantly for custome, without affection, it is praying when used aright with understanding, faith, feeling, and such like affections required in holy prayer.