A30189:572
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
Chapter 4 › Section 2 › ANSWER.Chapter 4 › Section 2 › ANSVVER.
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.
But to come to the last reformation which was made of Religion in this Land, and it was not the conversion of England from infidelity to the profession of the Gospel, but the restoring of it from a corrupt state or profession to a more pure; from Christianity polluted, to Christianity unpolluted. Christians they were who inhabited this Land, baptized into the true faith of Jesus Christ, but Christians defiled with manifold superstitions, led aside into manifold errors, which errors and superstitions removed, they become sound and true Christians indeed. The true hChurch lay hid in Popery, as a little oar in a great lump of dross, not refined, not purified, not coined, but true gold for substance, yea, that very same for substance which being purified and stamped, is currant coin. When the invocation of Saints, worshipping of Images, the Latin Service, and fabulous Legends, the sacrifice of the Mass, and adoration of the Sacrament, with such like abominations, were taken away; and in the room thereof, the true worship of one true God in the mediation of Jesus Christ, and the right administration of the Sacraments, and the reading of the holy Scriptures in a known tongue established; ⟨p. 64⟩when the omnipotency of the Pope is abandoned, with all corrupt superstitions, which did undermine the foundation it self: and in stead thereof the entire faith of the Lord Jesus, in all points necessary to salvation, taught, professed, and received; then is the Church refined and separated from that dross. To bring Infidels from the state of infidelity to the faith, it is necessary that instruction go before, either by reading, exhortation, preaching, or report of Christian faith, for faith cometh by hearing. But where men profess Christianity, abuses may be reformed by the Edict of the Magistrate, without such particular instruction going before, as in the former case is requisite. Many times *heresy departeth from the Church, or Heretics go out from the Church: and sometimes the Church is compelled to go out from heresy, the heresy still remaining. *Come out of her my people, saith the Lord: the godly then departing from Babylon, according to Gods commandment, & gathering themselves into Christian societies, the religious Magistrate, by his Edict or Proclamation going before them, are the true churches of Christ.