A30189:343
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.
CAN. Ibid.
As Job saith, who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one. But the false office is unclean, as is acknowledged. And this further may be amplified by that passage of the Prophet, where it is showed, That holy things are polluted by touching things which are unclean.
As Iob saith, who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane? Not one. But the false office is uncleane, as is acknowledged. And this further may bee amplified by that passage of the Prophet, where it is shewed, That holy things are polluted by touching things which are uncleane.
ANSWER.
That which is unclean cannot causally, univocally, and ⟨p. 110⟩properly bring forth that which is clean, but instrumentally it may. A profane Minister may be the instrument of God to convert a sinner from the error of his way, and in dispensation of the Sacrament, seal to the worthy receiver the pardon of his sin, though he himself reap no profit or benefit thereby. For herein the good that is wrought is not effected by any virtue or power in the Minister, who is the Lords Officer or instrument, but by the power of Gods Spirit, and his free grace, who knoweth how to use and bless evil instruments for his own purpose. An unclean Officer or person pollutes the holy things of God to himself, but not to others, who use them in faith according to the Lords appointment. Why you should refer us to Junius annotations I see not, unless it be to show us your forwardness to quote Authors, which make nothing to your purpose. For all that Junius observeth is this, That the Jews being impure and polluted in heart, did receive no sanctity from the touch of Temple or Altar.