A30189:81
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.
If Prophets in the Old Testament had an ordinary outward calling, the false Prophets might have a lawful external calling, as well as the true, and then God saith, He sent them not, because they preached the vision of their own heart, lying and deceitful words, to strengthen the hands of the wicked, and not the words of Truth, to turn men from sin. They were not called of God, because the work they went about, was not the Lords, but their own. But this reacheth not to godly Ministers, who preach the Faith of Christ entirely, and labour to draw men unto God; nor yet unto them, who in some sort are called of God, according to his Will (but not in favour, or because he is pleased with their Administration) to do his work, though they be neither qualified as he requires, nor dispense the holy things of God sincerely and purely as they ought. When you tell us we must beware of false Prophets, you speak the words of Scripture: but in your application of it to the Ministers of the Gospel, and Congregations in England, you rob and spoil the sense of Scripture, which is not the least degree of theft.
If Prophets in the Old Testament had an ordinary outward calling, the false Prophets might have a lawfull externall calling, as well as the true, and then God saith, He sent them not, because they preached the vision of their own heart, lying and deceitfull words, to strengthen the hands of the wicked, and not the words of Truth, to turne men from sinne. They were not called of God, because the work they went about, was not the Lords, but their owne. But this reacheth not to godly Ministers, who preach the Faith of Christ intirely, and labour to draw men unto God; nor yet unto them, who in some sort are called of God, according to his Will (but not in favour, or because he is pleased with their Administration) to doe his worke, though they be neither qualified as hee requires, nor dispence the holy things of God sincerely and purely as they ought. When you tell us we must beware of false Prophets, you speake the words of Scripture: but in your application of it to the Ministers of the Gospel, and Congregations in England, you robbe and spoile the sense of Scripture, which is not the least degree of theft.
The Priests many times, were no better than the false Prophets: ut the people is never forbidden to communicate with the in the ordinances of prescribed Worship, though they