Next Mr B. reduceth to certayn heads such places of scripture, as* 1.1 forewarn Gods people to separate themselves, and that first vnder the law, as 1. from Idols of false Gods, as Israel from Aegyptian, Babylonish, or hea∣thenish Gods, and Idolaters dwelling about them. 2. From Idols of the true God, as Iudah from Israell in Ieroboams time, and after. 3. From persons ceremonially polluted. In the time of the gospell. 1. From Iewes not recei∣ving Christ, but rayling against him. 2. From Gentiles without Christ. 3. From Antichrist vnder the shew of Christ, persecuting Christians. 4. From familiarity private with men excommunicate, or of lewd life, &c. which places, you say, no way concern you at all, and so you give a very ample testimony of your selves, if we durst beleeve your words, a∣gainst our own knowledge.
Your first head I let passe, and in answer vnto your second, af∣firm* 1.2 thus much▪ that in your constitution, you are partly, as the Aegyptians, in respect of your bondage: partly, as the Babylonians, in respect of your confusion: and partly as Ieroboams Church, in respect of your Apostacy in your devised preisthood, sacrifices, and holy dayes: the Lord having appointed no such Ministery, as your preisthood, no such sacrifice as your service book, no such holy dayes, as your single, and double feasts: which you have forged of your own harts.
Touching separation from persons ceremonially polluted, it must be cō∣sidered, that ceremonies have their signification, and shadowes their substance. The ceremony then was, that, † 1.3 whosoever touched a dead person, or a person, or thing unclean, was vnclean: & whom, or what∣soever the vnclean persōtouched, that person, or thing was vnclean: so that a persō vnclean did not onely pollute the thing he touched to him∣self, as Mr B. vvould haue it, but to others also: whosoever tou∣ched the thing that he touched, was polluted by it. What is then the substance of these ceremonies? Who is now a leper, but he which hath the leprosy of sinne arysing in his forehead? Who hath an issue of blood vpon him, but he in whose soul, and body the issue of sinne runneth vnstopped? Who is the dead person now that may not be touched without pollution, but he that is dead in trespasses, and in sinnes? And who toucheth such an vnclean