A30189:604
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 5 › ANSWER.Chapter 4 › Section 5 › 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 the Arguments in order.
First, The Church may be true though the Ministry be deficient in the order of calling, qualification of persons, and execution of their office: But that Church is false whose Ministry is altogether false for substance of their office, that is the doctrine which they teach, Sacraments which they administer, and functions whereunto they are set apart. Thus the Conformists and Inconformists both. Now if we speak of the Ministry of the Church of England, indefinitely, both Conformists and Inconformists will confess some things to be faulty both in the entrance and execution of their callings; as that some are ignorant, proud, covetous, careless, corrupt, not watching over the flock: But absolutely that their Ministry is false in respect of the substance of their office, that was never said by either of them, as you do or might well know. The knot to be unloosed now remaineth in your conscience, in that either you equivocate in your Major, or against knowledge, charge the Nonconformists in your Minor, with that which they never said.
First, The Church may be true though the Ministery be deficient in the order of calling, qualification of persons, and execution of their office: But that Church is false whose Ministery is altogether false for substance of their office, that is the doctrine which they teach, Sacraments which they administer, and functions whereunto they are set apart. Thus the Conformists and Inconformists both. Now if we speake of the Ministery of the Church of England, indefinitly, both Conformists and Inconformists will confesse some things to be faulty both in the entrance and execution of their callings; as that some are ignorant, proud, covetous, carelesse, corrupt, not watching over the flocke: But absolutely that their Ministery is false in respect of the substance of their office, that was never said by either of them, as you doe or might well know. The knot to be unloosed now remaineth in your conscience, in that either you aequivocate in your Major, or against knowledge, charge the Nonconformists in your Minor, with that which they never said.