Arrow Against the Separationists, Discourse · Chapter 12 · Section 5
Section. 5.
Hen. Ainſ.VNtoUnto the Scriptures Act 17 & 19. by vsus alledged: you ſay as before, that thoſe things were of no neceſsary vſe. Wherto I anſwer, that as ther is no neceſſary vſe of this your reaſon, ſo were it ſtronger then it is, yet would it not break the force of our argument, which is in regard that they are nouriſhments of ſuperſtition, and therfore to be aboliſhed. For wil you for your own proffit and vſe, nouriſh ſuperſtition and Idolatrie? Have you no otherweiſe learned the Law of God? How vnlike are you herein to Marcus Biſhop of Arethuſia, Sozom. l. 5. Theodoret l. 3.who having at the Commandement of Conſtantine pulled down a temple of Idols, and being after accuſed by the Arethuſians to Iulian for a traytor: he was miſerably tortured, to inforce him eyther to build the temple againe, or to pay for the building: which he refuſing, they promiſed to forgive him half. After that, denying but a ſmall ſumm, he ſayd, It is great wickednes to give a half peny in caſe of impietie, as if a man ſhould beſtow the whole. He for this is regiſtred with honour in your own aActs & Monumēts p. 89. edit. Ao. 1610.book of Martyrs. How much better then you, did the Emperour Theodoſius, who when Conſtantine had ſhut vp certaine Idol temples, but deſtroyed them not: and after, Iulian opened and restored them: & others after him, ſhut them vp: and others againe opened them: Theodoſius coming to the crown btheodoret l. 5. c. 20. & 37.deſtroyed them vtterly, that no footſteps of the ancient errour might appeare to poſteritie. And had you minded the ſcripture which we cite, you might ſee how th' Apoſtle calleth them their Devotions (Sebaſmata) Act. 17.23. which word being vſed by him elſwhere c2 theſ. 2.4in his Propheſie of the Pope ſhould teach vsus to abhorre his temples, Altars, images, &c. which are his Sebaſmata or Devotions in like manner, & not onelyonly vnneceſſary, but hurtfull to the world. And could not the Christians which burned their books of curious arts, dAct. 19.19whoſe price was 50000. peices of Silver, have put them to ſome other neceſsary vſe then for the fyre? Although there were many evil things in them, yet doe you not think there were ſome good things alſo? wherof (when the other were put out) much profit, and ſome good vſe might have been made. Our generation is wiſer, that can refine the Popes Maſs book, and make therof a Communion book, not for civil vſe onelyonly, but for the higheſt ſpiritual vſe, to worſhip God therby: and ſo having ſom what purged his temples, they put them to two of the 4. religious vſes which Antichriſt made them for: ſo greatly doe they eſteme of his Devotions.
Anſwer.
Ioh. Pa.HEre in the firſt place to ſhew that there is no proffit of this diſtinction of neceſsary vſe, you aſke whether we will for our owne proffit and vſe, nouriſh ſuperſtition and Idolatry; whether we have no otherwiſe learned the law of God, &c. I anſwer, 1. VVe do not for our owne proffit breake the law of God; but God for our proffit hath changed his owne law: And they that do deny this, do deny the proffit which comes by the death of Chriſt, and diſhonour his merit. The benefit of Chriſt vouch ſafed vsus herein is exceeding great & vnſpeakable: Through his death we come more fully to enioy the fullnes of the earth: The meates which before were aLevit. 11.vncleane, are now b1. Tim. 4.4.ſanctifyed for our vſe: and millions of treaſure are gained yearely hereby: Againe, the cleane beaſts & meates, which were of old in cNumb. 28 1. Kin. 3.4 & 8.5.great abundance conſumed in ſacrifice, by thouſands at once ſome time, are now given wholly vntounto vsus: and the benefit redounding hence every yeare is not to be reckoned: The vnſpeakable coſt of travelling from all places vntounto the temple of the Lord is now dIoh. 4.21.taken away, &c. Yea beſides this, the liberty of enjoying things abuſed vntounto idolatry and defiled by Idolaters is now granted vntounto vsus; as the eDeut. 13.cities, houſes, cattell and goods of Idolatrous apoſtates: the meates ſacrificed vntounto Idols: & conſequently in like maner the holy places and temples of Idolaters, which before were vnlawful are now grāted vntounto vsus: for he that hath now given vsus his owne Sonne to dy for vsus, fRō. 8.32.how ſhall he not with him give vsus all things alſo: now g1. Cor. 3.21.22.23.all things are ours; & h1. Tim. 4 4.nothing to be denyed vsus, or refuſed by vsus. Thoſe that with the Iewes do oppugne this truth and count it a carnall doctrine are ſuch as vnderunder pretext of mainteyning the law, do pervert the Goſpell in a ſpeciall poynt thereof. Among all the ſnares and entiſements drawing vntounto ſuperſtition and Idolatry and nouriſhing the ſame, there were none more ſtrong and effectuall, then the iDeut. 7.3.4. 1. Kin. 11.4.having of Idolatrous wives and huſbands in ſo much that God commanded the kEzra. 10.3putting away of ſuch even after mariage: whereas now ſince the death of Chriſt, for the benefit and commoditie of Chriſtian families, God l1. Cor. 7.12.13. &c.doth not require ſuch mariages to be diſſolved being once made: And this is an evident proofe that God hath now otherwiſe determined and declared his meaning touching the occaſions of ſuperſtition in caſe of neceſſary vſe, then he had vnderunder the law. 2. Even your Maimony, whoſe expoſitions you do ſo often commend vntounto vsus, whom you note to be ſo preciſe in avoyding things polluted with Idolatry, is not yet ſo preciſe in denying this exception of neceſsary vſe, as you yourſelf are. For he having firſt “Maim. in Miſn. in Abodah zarah cap. 11. ſec. 1.ſhewed that it is vnlawfull to follow the heathens in wearing their kinde of apparel and in cutting the haire after their maner, doth yet thus interpret himſelf: “ibid. ſec. 3An Iſraelite that is a courtier and hath neceſsitie of ſitting before the Kings of the gentiles; if it be a diſhonour vntounto him that he is not like vntounto them: behold, it is then lawfull for him to put on their apparell, and to be ſhaved according to the maner that they vſe. Are not you more then Iewiſhly ceremonious in this poynt, vvhichwhich deny that liberty vntounto Chriſtians, which the Iewes permit? 3. But you do elſwhere contradict yourſelves herein, for vvhereas you grant it to be mInquiry of Th. wh. p. 56. 57.lawfull to pray and preach in Idol-temples, as there might be occaſion, if they were made priſons and you committed thither: it follovves herevpon, that either you muſt confeſſe the commandement in Deut. 12.2. as it is expounded by you againſt the worſhip of God in Idol-temples, to be a ceremoniall commandement, in that you will have it give place vntounto that neceſſity which the priſon brings with it, and ſo yeeld the praying, preaching and worſhiping of God to be lavvfull in that place, vvhichwhich othervviſe you condemne; or els you muſt graunt that the morall lavv itſelf (if that commandement of aboliſhing Idol-temples be ſuch) doth alſo give place vntounto neceſsitie; and conſequently that if you were in priſon, it ſhould alſo be lawfull for you in ſuch a ſtrait and neceſſitie to ſweare, forſweare, lye, ſteale, kill and vſe treachery, or break any other commandement of the morall Law, as well as this of worſhipping God in Idol-temples. Either therfore confeſſe your fault in denying this commandement to be ceremoniall, or els ſhew vsus your diſpenſation to break one commandement of the morall law rather then an other, when you come into priſon. In the meane time we hold that he which for his commodity, or neceſſity nIam. 2.10. Mat. 5.19.breakes one of the leaſt of the morall commandements and teacheth men ſo, is guilty of all, and ſhalbe called leaſt in the Kingdome of heaven.
In the next place you alledge the example of Marcus Biſhop of Arethuſa who endured great torture rather then to give one half peny towards the building of an Idol-temple: who for this is regiſtred with honour in our owne book of Martyrs; & you aſk, how vnlike I am to him. I anſwer, 1. It is not recordedthat he refuſed to worſhip God in ſuch a place purged from Idolatry; but that he would not help forward the building of ſuch a place, when he knew it ſhould be employed to the ſervice of Idols: neither am I herein vnlike vntounto him, for I hold it to be the duety of a Chriſtian man rather to dy then to give any thing for the furtherance of Idolatry, though it were but a half peny. 2, if the example of this one Martyr be worthy to be regarded, how much more the reſt, which in ſo great a number like a cloude of witneſſes or Martyrs, are regiſtred in our book of Martyrs, al bearing witneſſe againſt you touching the vſe of temples formerly abuſed vntounto Idolatry in England and other places? How vnlike are you vntounto them all? do they not all condemne your ſchiſming from the churches of Chriſt vponupon ſuch pretences? do they not all ſhew the meaning of Gods law to be written in their hearts otherwiſe then in yours? 3, for yourſelf in ſpeciall, I may rather aſk you and ſay: how vnlike are you vntounto this conſtant and patient Martyr, he enduring ſo much for his religion, and you ſo often changing your religiō, and ſtayning your ſelf ſo many times with apoſtaſy, as hath bene opag. 91ſhewed before. Yet you tell vsus, pPreface to confeſſ. of faith edit. Ao. 1596.you truſt, that God will one day rayſe vp an other Iohn fox to gather and compile the Acts & monuments of his later martyrs, for the vew of poſterity, &c. vvhen this your owne booke of martyrs ſhalbe compiled and publiſhed, what place or memoriall can you expect therein (if things be faithfully regiſtred) but ſuch as D. Perne hath in our book of Martyrs for his often turning of his coate?
Moreover, whereas you do againe repeate the example of Theodoſius, wherevnto I have already given anſwer in the former ſection; I do yet further anſwer, that your allegation that he vtterly destroyed the Idol-temples, is contradicted and refuted even by the other examples cited by your ſelf: for if after this, the Idol temples at Gaza, at Carthage and in Phaenicia were deſtroyed vnderunder the reigne of Arcadius and Honorius which ſucceeded and followed Theodoſius in the empire, then were they not vtterly deſtroyed by that Theodoſius of whom Theodoret ſpeakes, in the places by you alledged. As it is a ſure argument that all the high places were not vtterly deſtroyed in the dayes of Aſa, becauſe Iehoſaphat, which came after him, deſtroyed q2. Chron. 17.6.ſome, that remayned vntounto his time: even ſo it is a ſure token that all the Idol temples were not vtterly deſtroyed in the dayes of Theodoſius, whiles according to your owne example others were deſtroyed in the times ſucceeding by Iovius and Gaudentius, by Porphyrie and by Chryſoſtome with his monkes.
Further, to prove our temples vnneceſſary, you plead that the Apoſtle calleth them their devotions (Sebaſmata) Act. 17.23. which word being elſwhere vſed by him in his Propheſie of the Pope ſhould teach vsus to abhorre his temples, &c. Anſwer. 1, though Paul mention the Devotions or Sebaſmata of the Athenians Act. 17. yet doth it not follow that he ſpeakes of their temples, themſelves, for he might ſee their devotions though he ſaw not their temples: the rIer. 11.13maner of Idolaters being to have their Altars and images in ſtreetes, and market places, and by the way-ſides and this many times without any houſes or temples built over them. If the open places where ſuch devotions were publiquely performed, ſhould be aboliſhed as vnneceſſary, then not onelyonly houſes and temples but ſtreets and market places were in like manner alſo to be deſtroyed and made deſolate, for as much as they alſo had bene places to nouriſh ſuperſtition 2, as for the word Sebaſma vſed againe 2. Theſ. 2.4. in a propheſie of the Pope, that may well be expounded of the Maieſty and honourable eſtate of Kings and Emperours, above whom the Pope exalteth himſelf and thereby is knowne to be Antichriſt; the ſSebaſtos & Sebaſte. Act. 25.21 25. &. 27.1like words being elſwhere againe vſed to expreſs the ſame dignity: yet doth not the attributing of this word vntounto Princes prove them to be of no neceſſary vſe. If your reaſoning were ſound, the Anabaptiſts by the like argument might aboliſh & condemne the eſtate of emperours and Kings becauſe of theſe titles given vntounto them.
Laſtly, you reaſon thus; could not the Chriſtians which burned their books of curious arts, whoſe tAct. 19.19price was 50000. pieces of ſilver, have put them to ſome other neceſsary vſe then for the fire? Although there were many evill things in them, yet do you not think, that there were ſome good things alſo? whereof (when the other were put out) much proffit, and ſome good vſe might have bene made, &c. Anſwer. 1, what you or I may think and coniecture touching ſome good things being in thoſe bookes that were burned at Epheſus, it ſkilles not much: If you could prove that ſuch good things were in them, your obiection or inſtance might then have had the greater colour to deceave a ſimple reader. 2, ſuppoſe there were ſome good things in them, whereof much proffit and ſome good vſe might have bene made, then I ſay that the evill things being put out, (which you alſo admit by ſuppoſitiō) we are not abſolutely bound at al times to aboliſh ſuch bookes but may keep them for that good vſe which may be reaped thereby: neither doth that example Act. 19.19 binde vsus to the cōtrary; for if Bellarm. repēting of his Idolatrous ſtudies, & you of your ſchiſmatical ſtudies, ſhould in a u2. Cor. 7.11.holy revēge & deteſtatiō of your errours freely burne your deceitful bookes for a ſacrifice vntounto the Lord as vv2. Sā. 23.16.17.David powred out the water vntounto the Lord which he had longed for: yet this hinders not but that others might lawfuly reteine the ſame bookes of yours for the cō victiō of ſuch as had not repēted of your errours. The bookes of Bellarmine of Becanus, of Vorſtius have bene of late juſtly burned by divers Chriſtian Princes, and yet ſome bookes of the ſame kinde are juſtly reteyned by others for ſome good vſe that may be made of them. 3, if Idolatrous bookes & ſuch as are of curious arts may not be reteyned for ſome good vſe of them, when the evill things are put out: then how guilty are you that reteyne ſuch bookes and that for religious vſe even whiles the evill things are not put out of them: This your vſe of ſuch bookes appeares in the manifold teſtimonies which you bring and alledge out of them. 4, by this your reteyning and reading of Idolatrous bookes you do plainely condemne and overthrow yourſelf in this queſtion of temples: for ſeing Idolatrous bookes are ſtrong nouriſhments of Idolatry vntounto many, yeafar more effectuall therevnto then are any ſhapes of Idolatrous buildings; if you can ſtill allow the keeping and vſing of ſuch bookes, while the evill things are not put out, how partiall are you that will not allow the keeping of temples abuſed vntounto Idolatry, even when the images, Altars and Idolatrous worſhip are put out of them? And you do yet further condemne yourſelf herein, becauſe in expounding the decalogue you make xAnnot. on Exo. 20.5.the reading of Idolatrous bookes to be a breach of the ſecond cōmandemēt as well as building of temples vntounto Idols. Now the breach of the ſecond commandement is ſimply a ſin: and the building of a temple vntounto Idols is an heynous ſin though the reteyning of them when they are converted to the true worſhip of God be not ſo. Thus by your practiſe contrary to your doctrine, you ſtreyne out a Gnat and ſwallow a Camel, in diſpenſing with the vſe of Idolatrous bookes, while you condemne the vſe of our temples. How can you blame the Magiſtrates for not vſing their power to aboliſh our temples; whiles yourſelf having power to aboliſh ſome Idolatrous bookes, do yet keep them for your vſe and refuſe to burne them? That which you ſay of a communion book is be ſide the preſent queſtion: your vnreverent ſpeeches and blaſphemies touching the ſame, notwithſtanding any faults therein, may be ſhewed in due time.