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…

For the right understanding of the Conformists propositions (I• speak in your phrase) against the Church of Rome, we must note, That the Romanists hold the Church of Rome to be the catholic Church of Christ here on earth, under the Pope the Head; in which sense their propositions are to be understood: For the true catholic militant Church is a faithful people, a communion of Saints, the flock of Christ, that heareth his voice, keepeth the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, without addition or alteration, and worshippeth God truly according to his will: And there is truly and properly no member of the militant Church catholic, which doth not this sincerely in truth and measure. But they never thought nor taught, that every member in a sort, of the visible Churches, were holy and sincere, the true sheep of Christ faithful, and effectually called: much less, that it was no Church of Christ, wherein abuses were to be found, or ungodly profane men were tolerated. The ^qChurch militant and triumphant, are not two Kingdoms, but two degrees of one ⟨p. 79⟩Kingdom. The Church visible and invisible are not two Churches, but distinct considerations of the same Church. If then we speak of true, sound, living, chief, principle members of the militant Church, such as partake in all the royalties and privileges of members, every member of the Church militant is a true branch in the Vine, knit firmly unto Christ, quickened by the Spirit, and shall be an inheriter of eternal glory. But if we speak of members in a sort of visible societies, so hypocrites may be members, and ungodly men, as they are tolerated in the society, when the better part cannot reform or amend them.

For the right understanding of the Conformists propositions (I• speake in your phrase) against the Church of Rome, we must note, That the Romanists hold the Church of Rome to be the catholique Church of Christ here on earth, under the Pope the Head; in which sense their propositions are to be understood: For the true catholique militant Church is a faithfull people, a communion of Saints, the flocke of Christ, that heareth his voyce, keepeth the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, without addition or alteration, and worshippeth God truly according to his will: And there is truly and properly no member of the militant Church catholique, which doth not this sincerely in truth and measure. But they never thought nor taught, that every member in a sort, of the visible Churches, were holy and sincere, the true sheepe of Christ faithfull, and effectually called: much lesse, that it was no Church of Christ, wherein abuses were to be found, or ungodly prophane men were tolerated. The