An Answer to Two Treatises of John Can, Title page – Publishers note
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. Very ſeaſonable for the preſent times.
By the late learned, laborious and faithfull ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt, JOHN BALL.
He that is firſt in his owne cauſe ſeemeth just, but his neighbour commeth and ſearcheth him, Prov. 18.17.
Prove all things, hold fast that which is good, 1 Theſ. 5.21.
LONDON, Printed by R. B. and are to be ſold by John Burroughes, at his Shop at the ſigne of the Golden Dragon neere the Inner Temple gate, in Fleetstreet. 1642.
TO The Chriſtian READER, Sound Knowledge and love of the Truth, together with inward peace and Spirituall joy, through Communion with Chriſt, in the Ordinances of the Goſpell.
Chriſtian READER,
THis enſuing diſcourſe was prepared for the Preſſe by the Reverend Author, and committed to one of us, that it might be made publike: of which we will ſay nothing, but ſhall freely venture it to ſtand or fall by the award of an impartiall judgement. Neither ſhall wee preſent thee with the Authors deſerved praiſes, ſeeing his rare pietie and great learning were ſufficiently knowne to very many of various rankes, who were well acquainted with him, and his workes already Printed have given a competent proofe hereof unto all others who have … them without prejudice and partialitie.
Only by occaſion of publiſhing this piece, wee …we leave to cleare him from ſuch aſperſions, as by … have cauſleſly beene caſt upon him, and by others too much and too eaſily believed againſt him, (a thing incident to men moſt eminent, and innocent, as inſtances in all Ages will evince) not only to the blemiſhing of his juſt eſtimation, but alſo (as we conceive) to the prejudice of the truth it ſelfe, and in favour of many ſpreading errours and exorbitances.
Thoſe aſperſions which wee ſhall endeavour to take off are two, which though they openly contradict each other, yet they unhappily agree to defame our worthy friend, whoſe credit wee judge our ſelves many wayes bound to vindicate and preſerve.
The one, intimating ſome degree of declining from his former inconformitie, in deſerting the Nonconformiſts cauſe and grounds, being too much inclined to favour the times in our Ceremonies and Service book.
The other, expreſſing his advancing beyond the wonted limets of a Nonconformiſt towards the cauſe and courſe of ſeparation.
Two things are pretended to confirme the former. 1. A paſſage in the Preface of his Book called, A friendly tryall of the grounds tending to ſeparation, &c. pag. 3. his words are theſe. Many are the objections which are made againſt ſet formes of Prayer, and particularly against our booke of Common Prayer; All which I have endeavoured to anſwer ſeverally, not becauſe they are of ſo great weight; but becauſe I deſired fully to ſatisfie every doubt, &c. Secondly, that in the whole frame of the ſame booke he ſpeakes more covertly and coldly againſt the corruptions of our Church than became a man who continued ſtedfaſt in the wayes of Nonconformity.
For Anſwer whereunto, we affirme in the Generall, That upon our knowledge he lived and dyed a ſtrict forbearer and firme oppoſer of all ſuch corruptions as the Nonconformiſts (heretofore ſo uſually called) had commonly by their publike writings diſallowed. Nor have wee knowne any man in that kinde more preciſe, uniforme, and conſtant to his opinion in diſcourſe, prayers, and practices, yet alwayes carried on with Chriſtian moderation and meekeneſſe; which graces are of ſingular uſe in controverſies of this nature: yea ſome of us can witneſſe his purpoſe, (if God had lent him longer life) by a ſet Treatiſe to have ſhewed himſelfe a plaintiffe for the Nonconformiſts againſt the corruptions in our Church, as in this hee appeares their defendant againſt the Calumnies of Maſter Can. Theſe teſtimonies may ſatisfie the ſober minded, that he continued cordial to their cauſe; whereunto more might be added, but wee deſire not to revive the remembrance of theſe differences among deare brethren: Becauſe wee pray and hope that through Gods mercy; by meanes of our Gracious Sovereigne, and of the preſent Parliament, they will in ſuch ſort be buried, that they ſhall ariſe no more to our diſturbance and diſcomfort.
More particularly to the paſſage objected out of the forecited Preface, we Anſwer, That the words themſelvs doe not neceſſarily imply any ſuch ſenſe; but they may admit, yea they will carry a better conſtruction, if the Reader will be candid and well adviſed. For he ſaith not, that he hath anſwered the objections, as ſuggeſting little or nothing blameworthy in our Liturgie, but becauſe they are not of ſo great weight as to inforce the unlawfulneſſe of thoſe ſet formes, or warrant a ſeparation from our Churches, and publike worſhip in regard thereof. All which both the title of the Booke, and the tenour of the whole diſcourſe therein, together with this Treatiſe exhibited will ſufficiently cleare unto the indifferent and attentive Reader. And that this was his meaning, ſome of us can teſtifie from his owne mouth, which alſo he would have manifeſted to the world (if God had lengthened his life) either in an Epiſtle annexed to this worke, now brought into the open light, or ſome other way, as might have been judged moſt convenient.
But you will ſay. Object. The other ground of this imputation is more pregnant, for why did he not ſpeake out againſt the corruptions of the times as others did? Nay, why did he ſeek to clea… the book of Common Prayer of ſome things charged upon it?
Two things we conceive may fully take off the ſtrength of this objection. Anſw. 1. Becauſe it was impertinent here to aggravate or multiply corruptions objected, but rather to ſhew, that as in ſome things the booke by them was overcharged, ſo notwithſtanding all that could be alledged againſt it, yet ſeparation from our worſhip could not be lawfull, much leſſe neceſſarie.
2 The ſtate of thoſe times wherein this piece was penned would not brooke more plainneſſe in that and ſuch like points; this we could (if it were expedient) aboundantly evidence, by declaring with what difficultie it paſſed the Preſſe, what exceptions were taken at ſome harmeleſſe expreſſions, and what amendments were exacted in ſome phraſes, which ſeemed ſomewhat openly to hint the Authors heart-workings towards that Reformation which in theſe times is much deſired and endeavoured.
The ſecond imputation remaines to be removed (viz.) that though our Reverend Author had both reaſoned and written againſt the opinions and practice of ſeparation in the time of his health, yet on his death bed he did retract, and with griefe repent what in that kinde he had done.
This is commonly reported, confidently believed, and gladly embraced, not only here at home, but alſo in forreigne parts, even in America, as by divers letters and other wayes ſome of us have beene informed.
It is high time therefore to give open check unto theſe groundles rumours, leſt the cauſe here maintained ſhould thereby ſuffer prejudice, either in the mindes of them who are friends, or of thoſe who be adverſaries thereunto. And for this end we intreat the Reader firſt to conſider that this imputation being directly contrary to the former, either they muſt confute each other, or elſe argue the man ſtrangely light in wheeling from one extreame unto another, or guilty of a fowler fault, in writing one thing and thinking another: from both which charges we aſſure our ſelves his great ſoliditie in judgement, and pietie in practice will fully abſolve him in the conſciences of all ſuch who were acquainted with him.
And as for others, we hope they may bee aboundantly ſatisfied by the enſuing evidence.
Firſt, in that foure or five dayes before his death he expreſſed to ſome of us his willingneſſe to have this Treatiſe preſented to publike view, which hee had compoſed ſince the former.
Secondly, ſo ſoone as he had finiſhed this book, he undertooke a large Treatiſe of the Church, wherein he intended to diſcover the nature of Schiſme, and to deale in the main controverſies touching the eſſence and government of the viſible Church.
Concerning theſe matters, we have almoſt fifty ſheets of Paper written with his owne hand, wherein many paſſages expreſle his continued diſlike of the ſeparations, both then and now in practice. And theſe writings, together with his other papers, he on his death bed committed to the care of ſome of us, to be diſpoſed of for private or publike uſe, as we ſhould judge expedient.
Had there beene any griefe upon his Spirit, or alteration in his judgement, in reference to what he had ſpoken or printed againſt the ſeparation, we know none ſo likely to have beene acquainted therewith as our ſelves. For one of us dwelling neare unto him, was for many years his boſome companion, and in his laſt ſickneſſe ſeldome from him. Another (being requeſted during, his weakneſſe, to ſupply his place) ſo journing in the ſame towne, was daily with him.
The other three of us (being his familiar friends) did all viſit him, within one, two or three dayes before his end. We are all of us, as we hope (though moſt unworthy) the Miniſters of Ieſus Chriſt, who deſire to be faithful. And we doe each for our ſelves ſeriouſly proteſt in the preſence of Almighty God, that we never heard any ſyllable from him ſounding that way.
Yea, there is one thing more to be added, which may for ever ſilence all gaineſayers (viz.) That one of us through Gods good providence, ſuſpecting what hath ſince fallen out, and being deſirous to prevent ſuch falſe rumours, within leſſe than two dayes before his death, and not many houres before he was ſpeechleſſe, asked him to this effect, Whether he had any remorſe or diſquiet in his minde for any thing hee had written in oppoſition to the way of Separation, whereto he thus anſwered, I thanke God I have not any, but I rather take comfort in what I have done, and could have deſired (if it had beene the will of God) to have lived a while longer to have given further aſsiſtance in that worke. And this queſtion was propounded to him, and the Anſwer returned by him, not only in the audience of ſome other of us, but alſo of ſundry other godly friends, who can atteſt the truth of this relation.
Laſtly, We boldly challenge any perſon to come forth, and to make proofe either by word, or writing, that this our Reverend Brother either repented his paines, or changed his judgement againſt the way of ſeparation; which if he ſhall accordingly doe, then will we be content to undergoe the ſevereſt cenſures, that are due unto unjuſt ſuppreſſors of the truth. But if any failing herein, ſhall hereafter perſiſt to promote either by ſcattering or crediting the forenamed reports, wee leave them to the judgement of all indifferent men, whether they deſerve not to be accounted defamers of the dead, and lyars againſt the truth, if not ſubtile promoters of their owne cauſe and courſe, by pretending falſly the Patronage of their Adverſary, when they could not ſtand before his Arguments.
But in probabilitie ſome will thus reply to our Apologie, That if your friend did not retract, the more was his ſin, and the leſſe his honour. Unto whom we returne this anſwer, That this cenſure ſtrongly preſumes his former diſcourſe in the maine matter to be erroneous and unjuſtifiable, whereas that is the thing ſtill in queſtion, and (as we verily believe) cannot be ſolidly proved. And though our Reverend Brother be dead, (whom God had extraordinarily fitted for diſputes of this nature) yet we doubt not but the living Lord wil raiſe up for himſelf ſome other inſtruments to maintain the truth which he had undertaken.
There is one thing more (Chriſtian Reader) which we deſire thee to take notice of, viz. That whereas it is often reported, that this Authors former booke was fully anſwered, before it paſſed the Preſſe, and that therefore further anſwer there…o cannot bee expected, wee ſhall relate the truth for thy ſatisfaction in that particular.
Our worthy Brother, having by Conference (as ſome of us, and others know) with unſhaken ſtrength defended the lawfulnes of ſet formes of Prayer, he was afterwards by a Le…ter, ſent from a worthy Gentleman, M. Richard Knightly, requeſted to ſtate that queſtion, then much in agitation, and to give in ſome arguments for his perſonall ſetling. Hereupon in the ſpace of one day (the Meſſenger ſtaying for an anſwer to the letter) he did ſet down his judgment, with ſome grounds thereof, and ſent them unto his much honoured friend: from whom a copie being procured and conveyed into New England, it ſeems an Anſwer was undertaken by a reverend brother there. In the meane time, the number of them increaſing who withdrew themſelves from our Church Aſſemblies, becauſe of the Liturgie there uſed, he was importuned both by Miniſters and others from divers parts of this Kingdome, to take ſome further paines in that Controverſie. This occaſioned the peruſall of his former papers, and the examining of thoſe Arguments which he met withall, either in Printed bookes, Manuſcrip s, or the Rela ion on of friends, againſt the uſe of ſet forms of prayer in generall, and of our Common prayer booke particularly. And thus the Embrio biggened, and being ready to be brought forth into the light, an anſwer unto the firſt conceptions came to the Authors hand, wherein was nothing materiall (as he conceived) but what was anſwered in the book…, then about to be licenced: yet by reaſon of ſome exceptions in another frame ſuggeſted, he judged it ſufcient to annex a few marginall notes unto his booke, as thou mayeſt obſerve, page 13.15.24.33. &c. being unwilling in a more open way to reply upon the private anſwer of him, whom he highly prized, and intending (if God had ſpared life) to have returned more large and particular animadverſions to himſelfe in private.
The Almighty ſpeedily caſt out of his Church all cauſes of offence, cleare up doubtfull truths unto the hearts of his people, Compound all differences amongſt Brethren, make us all of one minde, heart, and way in his worſhip, that our diviſions may no longer diſhonour the Goſpell, diſtract the weak conſcience, diſinable us to do that good we deſire, or put weapons into the hands of then, who oppoſe that reformation, the perfecting whereof our ſoules long for, through JESUS CHRIST.
THOMAS LANGLEY.
WILLIAM RATHBAND.
SIMEON ASH.
FRANCIS WOODCOCK.
GEORGE CROSSE.
An Advertiſement to the READER.
THis Booke was divided and ſent unto ſeverall Preſſes, that it might the ſooner come abroad, yet by reaſon of the multitude of Pamphlets which it met with daily, it hath beene thruſting through the throng for the ſpace of halfe a yeare at leaſt, before it could ſee the light. In which regard alſo, it pleades excuſe, if in the printing it be not found every way ſo punctuall, as might be deſired.
Farewell.