A Christian Plea, Treatise 1 · Chapter 4 · Conclusion
The Concluſion.
HItherto of theſe things concerning the Church of Rome. Whereabout I hauehave vvritten the more largely, to help forvvard (what in me is) the better ſearching out, and more clearing of the truth, both againſt Poperie on the one hand, and Anabaptiſtrie on the other. For with the Papiſts, there is nothing more common, in pleading for the eſtate of that church, then thus to reaſon and aske, Seeing it is granted, that the church of Rome was the church of God in the Apoſtles times, when vvas it ſince that ſhe ceaſed ſo to be? In which of the Centuries after Chriſt? In what Popes dayes, &c. Whereunto ſome anſwer, about 300 yeres after Chriſt, vvhen at the Nicene Councell the primacie of that Sea vvas ſo and ſo acknovvledged; ſome think ſooner, ſtraight after the Apoſtles dayes; ſome later, about four hundred yeeres after Chriſt, others about fiue, & ſome about ſix hundred after Chriſt, &c. Hereupon the Papiſts inſult, and both harden themſelues, and trouble others very much hereabout.
On the other hand, the Anabaptiſts taking it for graunted, that the church of Rome is not the church of God, they caſt avvay the baptiſme there received, and profeſſe to begin all anevv, and therefore are againe baptized anevv, and ſo proceed on in their courſe, as beſt liketh themſelues: being therein more hardened by others, vvho alſo ſay, that the Church of Rome is not the church of God, neither their baptiſme true baptiſme, but an Idoll, and lying ſigne, a curſed and deteſtable Sacrament, &c. Thus errors and evils increaſe on all hands: whereas the way, both ſoundly to anſvver the Papiſts, and rightly to prevent the Anabaptiſts errors and evil courſes, is to anſvver, that the church of Rome, is yet ſtil the church of God, but in apoſtaſie; the temple of God, but wherein the Man of ſinne ſitteth, &c. And therefore as it is the church & Temple of God, to acknowledge it, to reteyn the baptiſme, and vvhatſoever ordinance or truth of God, they hauehave yet among them: but as it hath the man of ſinne ſet therein, as it is in apoſtaſie from the faith, vvorship, order and government, wherein at firſt it vvas ſet (as may ſufficiently appeare by comparing their preſent eſtate, with the Epiſtles vvritten by the Apoſtle to the Romanes, and the other Primitiue Churches, &c) ſo to leaue and vvitneſſe againſt all the apoſtaſie, iniquitie, mixtures and corruptions thereof: and to returne to the auncient and good vvay, vvherein the Church of Rome with the other Churches aforeſaid were firſt planted by the Apoſtles. Of vvhichwhich point, I shall (God willing) by other occaſion ſpeak more hereafter.
In the meane time (as I noted before) remember ſtil to diſtinguish betvveen the Temple of God, and the man of ſinne ſet therein, between the church it ſelf, and the apoſtaſie thereof: like as betvveene the Temple at Ieruſalem, and the idols of abomination that were ſet therein, betvveen the church of Iſraell, and the defection thereof. Which did not hinder, but that yet ſtill it vvas the Temple and church of God, though corrupted and defiled, ſo as none could lawfully in that eſtate eyther miniſter there, or bring their ſacrifices thither: but the godly choſe rather that Ieruſalem should be filled vvith their innocent blood, then that they vvould ſinne and defile themſelues vvith the worship and abomination there uſed and urged upon them. 2 King 21, 1 — 16. and 24, 4.
Remember alſo ſtill to apply unto Antichriſt, what the Scripture hath otherwhere of the Beaſt, of the Gentiles, of Sodome, Egypt, Babylon, &c. And refer what it hath of the temple of God, of the court of the temple, of the holy City, and the like, to the church of God, either more ſyncere, or more corrupt, in defection, or othervviſe. Conſider withall, if whereas the termes of a true or falſe Church are commonly uſed, and many times not rightly underſtood or applied, it would not be good and profitable for diſcerning of the different eſtate of Churches aright, to uſe the termes of ſyncere,Eſai. 1, 21. or corrupt; pure, or impure; intire, or apoſtate; faithfull, or adulterate, &c. And theſe alſo vvith degrees: as ſome more ſyncere, and ſome leſſe; ſome more corrupt, and ſome leſſe, &c. Which being vvell obſerved, vvould giuegive great light, for underſtanding and obſerving things aright, both for judgement and practiſe: to eſchevv the errors and evils into vvhichwhich ſo many fall, ſome on the right hand, and ſome on the left.
Finally, the due obſervation of theſe things, vvil shew us both vvhy and how to leaue the preſent eſtate and apoſtaſie of the church of Rome, & to returne to the auncient eſtate and integrity thereof: reteyning vvhatſoever they hauehave that is the Lords, according to his vvord; and renouncing vvhatſoever mixtures or corruptions they hauehave brought in of their own, vvhether concerning the faith, or the order of the church. This alſo (I truſt) may be a meanes, by the bleſſing of God, to ſtirre up both Papiſts, Anabaptiſts, and others that are any vvay ſo inclined, more carefully to conſider their vvaies and eſtate in their heart, and ſpeedily to turne their feet into the vvay and teſtimonies of the Lord. Pſal. 119, 59, 60. Which grace the Lord in mercy vouchſafe unto them. And thus much touching the church of Rome, and the matters aforeſaid perteyning thereunto.