Arrow Against the Separationists, Discourse · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. The ſeventh argument touching temples, examined.
Hen. Ainſ.OVr 7. reaſon againſt idolies, &c. is from the bleſsing promiſed to them that aboliſh them, and curſe threatned to the contrary, &c. Eſai. 30.22.23, &c. Exod. 20.5.6. 2 Chron. 17. c. and 31.20.21. with 2. Chron. 21.13.14. and 24.17.—25. and c. 28.
To this you ſay as before, that theſe ſcriptures are all to be vnderſtood partly according to the ſtate and condition of the old teſtament; and partly according to the equitie mentioned before with exception of neceſsary vſe: and therfore they reprove not the vſe of temples which you now have.
But both theſe your anſwers I have before refuted: ſhewing idolatrie and idols to be forbidden as wel in the new Teſtament as in the old, 1 Cor. 10. 1. Ioh. 5. Rev. 18. and that the deſtruction of Idols and idolies is a moral and perpetual precept, not figurative or temporarie. And your exception of neceſſarie vſe, I have diſproved: ſhewing that for deteſtation of idols, God commanded and his people performed the demoliſhing of them, Exod. 34. Deut. 7. Ezek. 23. Gen. 35. Both theſe are confirmed by the firſt ſcripture in our reaſon here alledged. For in Eſai 30.22, the coverings and ornaments of idols are propheſied to be cast away with deteſtation: yet who knoweth not that of them there might be a neceſsarie vſe to men? wherevpon a promiſe of bleſsing foloweth, v. 23, &c. And this propheſie reſpecteth the dayes of the Goſpel, and ſo not the old Teſtament onelyonly: for the rivers of waters vponupon every mountaine v. 25. the increaſe of the light of the Sun ſevenfold, v. 26. the promiſes that they ſhould weep no more, v. 19. nor want teachers v. 20. theſe and the like ſpeeches ſhew the propheſie to perteine vntounto the new Teſtament. So doth alſo the continuance of it, in Eſai. 31. where againe he foretelleth in v. 7. the caſting away of their idols: not becauſe they could not have no neceſsary vſe of them, but becauſe they were their Syn: (which was the reaſon alſo, why Moſes of old aboliſhed aDeut. 9.21the Calf of Iſrael:) and thervpon God promiſeth the ruine of their enemies, by the example of the Aſsyrians v. 8. & in ch. 32. he ſheweth by whom this ſhould be obteined, even by the King that ſhould reigne in righteouſnes, which is our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. So your exceptions are but pretexts: and our reaſons remaine in their force for the ruinating of all idolies, and ſo of Antichriſts as bad as any.
Anſwer.
Io. Pa.VVHatſoever you have before obiected againſt both my anſwers, is againe anſwered; and for ech of thoſe places which you againe repeat, viz 1. Cor. 10. 1. Ioh. 5. Rev. 18. Exo. 34. Deut. 7. Ezek. 23. Gen. 35. I have at large ſhewed how you have perverted every one of them, & have in vaine laboured to take away the diſtinction of temporary precepts; and the conſideration of neceſſary vſe. As for the ſcriptures alledged in this ſeventh argument, you leave them all without defence, one onelyonly excepted: let vsus examine your allegation thereof, and ſee whether that be not alſo perverted. You ſay, in Eſai. 30 22. the coverings and ornaments of idols are propheſied to be caſt away with deteſtation: yet who knoweth not, that of them there might be a neceſſarie vſe to men, &c. I anſwer, 1. The caſting away of the coverings there mentioned is expreſſely noted and declared in the text, to be as the casting away of a ſtained garment, which was caſt away, onelyonly during the ſtaine vponupon it, but being waſhed with water might lawfully be vſed againe; neither did God ever command otherwiſe in his law: And ſo this place is againſt your ſelf, ſhewing that our temples being purged may yet be reteyned. 2, what compariſon is there betwixt the clothing and covering of an Idol and our temples, but even ſuch as there is betwixt the tLev. 11.33 & 15.12.earthen and the woodden veſſel, whereof one was to be broken and caſt away, the other to be waſhed and reteyned for the proffit of Gods people? 3. The covering and ornamentof an Idol is of no neceſſarie vſe in the ſervice of God, but the circumſtance of place is neceſſarily required to meet in: and our temples ſerving conveniently for ſuch purpoſe may therfore be reteyned, rather then the ornamēts of Idols. 4. Though this propheſie do reſpect the dayes of the Goſpell as you ſhew from Eſa. 30.25.26, &c. Yet is it to be vnderſtood and expounded according to the determination of Chriſt and his Apoſtles in the new Teſtament, which ſhew vsus a lawfull vſe of every creature of God for the neceſſary help of his people. Otherwiſe without this caveat men might ſtill reteyne the whole ceremoniall law: ſeing there are ſo many prophecies reſpecting the dayes of the Goſpell, which yet tell vsus of uEſa. 19.19.21.Altars, of ſacrifice and oblation, of vvMal. 1.11incenſe, of xZach. 14.16.17.going vp to Ieruſalem to keep the feaſt of Tabernacles, of yEzek. 40. chap. &c.building a new temple with ceremoniall obſervations therein, &c. All theſe propheſies reſpect the new Teſtament, deſcribing a ſpirituall worſhip vnderunder carnall rites and ſhadowes of the law: ſo that though Eſay had ſpoken in this place more ceremonially in the deſcription of our eſtate, then he had done: yet the determinations which I have before ſhewed cut of the new Teſtament, muſt be our rule and guide to expound the ſame: and being ſo expounded your cauſe is not holpen thereby. 5, as for Eſay. 31.7. & Deut. 9.21. they ſpeak not of places abuſed vntounto Idolatry, but of Idols themſelves, ſuch as you cannot prove our temples to be: And beſides this, even Gods owne ordinances in the abuſe thereof are called zEſa. 1.13a ſyn or iniquitie: and therfore this phraſe proves not an vtter abolition of things ſo called, being attributed and given vntounto ſuch things as after the purging thereof may and ought to be reteyned. Againe as for the deſtruction of the Calfe in Deut. 9. it was extraordinary, neither were men bound ſtrictly to follow the ſame maner of ſhewing deteſtation againſt idols, no not vnderunder the law itſelf. Your boaſting in concluſion, that our exceptions are but pretexts, that your reaſons remaine in their force for the ruinating of all idolies, &c. is like vntounto a pleaſant dreame, wherein you fancie and imagine that which you fainewould have: but you may not ſit downe in the throne to judge of your owne diſpute: ſtand vp at the bar and let others judge whether all your ſhot and ordinance have bene able to batter downe our temples: and whether your ſchiſme rather be not neere vntounto ruine, which for ſuch pretexts of Idol-temples do ſeparate from all true Chriſtians.