A Christian Plea, Treatise 1 · Chapter 4 · Testimonies 2
Teſtimonies of later Writers. &c.
Calvin ſaith, Paul placeth not Antichriſt any otherwhere, then in the verie Sanctuarie of God. 2 Theſ. 2, 4. Of which alſo ſee more here before, pag. 164.
Hemmingius ſaith, By theſe marks (ſpoken off 2 Theſ. 2, 4.) is ſignified, that Antichriſt is not any one properly out of the viſible church. Ibid in 2 Theſ. 2.
Iunius ſaith, That the papacie is in the church, as the order or eſtate of apoſtaſie in the houſe of and city of God, is as certaine, as that of the Apoſtle is certain, 2 Theſ. 2. that the man of ſinne, the ſonne of perdition ſitteth in the Temple of God, with his whole order or eſtate of apoſtates. Lib. ſingulari de Eccleſia contra Bellarm. cap. 17. In fol. pag. 1020. Of which poynt, and many other things concerning this matter, ſee more here before, pag. 183. &c.
Zanchius ſaith,] I agree not vvith them, that think the church of Rome hath ceaſed to be the church of Chriſt, aſwell as the eaſt churches, which afterward became Mahumetane. What church ever was more corrupt, then the church of the ten tribes? Yet by the Scriptures we hauehave learned, that it vvas the church of God. And how hath Paul cald the Church, wherein the ſaid Antichriſt should ſit, the Temple of God? Neyther is it Baptiſme that is adminiſtred out of the Church of Chriſt. Neyther doth a wife ceaſe to be a vvife, becauſe she is an adultereſſe: except she be manifeſtly divorced, being deprived of the ring, the pledge of the mariage covenant. The Church of Rome therefore is yet the church of Chriſt. But vvhat a church? So corrupt, ſo depraved, and oppreſſed with ſuch tyrannie, as vve neither can with good conſcience pertake of their holy things, nor ſafely dwell among them. In Praefat. librorum de Natura Dei.
Polanus ſaith,] A particular church is either pure, or impure. A pure church, is a companie of ſuch as hauehave the true religion uncorrupted. &c. It is very commonly called a true church, but by a Synecdoche. For everie pure church of God is alſo a true church: but everie true church is not alway pure: except that true and pure be taken for all one, as very often it is. Like as all pure gold is taken for true gold; but all true gold is not alway pure: for gold mixed with droſſe, is in deed true gold, but is not yet pure, till it be ſevered from the droſſe. A leprous man alſo is a true man, but not pure or cleane. So is the church of Rome as yet a Chriſtian church, but leprous and moſt impure. I will ſpeak it more plainly: A true Church is ſo called ambiguouſly: eyther as it is oppoſed to an impure church, or as it is oppoſed to a falſe church. If a church be ſaid to be a true one, as it is oppoſed to that which is impure, then it is al one as pure and orthodoxe. But if it be oppoſed to a falſe, and therefore no church, then it is not all one as pure. For at the time when Chriſt was borne and lived on the earth, the church of the Iewes vvas a true church of God, but it vvas not pure: becauſe it vvas corrupt both in the doctrine and diſcipline thereof. And except theſe things be diſtinguished, it will follow that there hath ben ſome time, when there was no true church of God in the world: vvhichwhich is moſt abſurd. Polani Syntag. in fol. tomb. 2. libr. 7. cap. 8. pag. 544. And a litle after again, An impure Church, is a company wherein religion is corrupt. And it is eyther leſſe impure, or more impure, or moſt impure of all. &c. The church of Rome at this day is yet the church of Chriſt (but moſt impure of all, but moſt corrupt of all, and almoſt giving up the ghoſt:) becauſe there is yet in it God calling, there are in it the called, and calling, which conſtitute a church; becauſe it reteyneth yet ſomewhat of the doctrine of Chriſt, though mixed with many errors, and becauſe it reteyneth Baptiſme the ſigne of Chriſtianitie, in the ſubſtantiall forme thereof, though defiled with many blemishes and corruptions: as alſo becauſe it reteyneth yet ſome invocation of Chriſt the mediatour: Otherwiſe they that are baptiſed in Poperie, should be baptiſed out of the church, and therefore not with the baptiſme of Chriſt. Briefly, the church of Rome at this day hath all things corrupted, but not altogether. As of old the church of Ieruſalem, ſo at this day the Church of Rome, is like unto a vineyard, which Chriſt fenced about with a wall, and gathered out the ſtones thereof, and planted it with the choiceſt vines, and built a tower in the midſt of it, and made a wine preſſe therein: but it brought not forth grapes, but wild grapes. Eſa. 5, 1. &c. For the church of Rome is to be diſtinguished from the Popes Church or faction of Antichriſt, which prevaileth in the church of Rome, and will not ſuffer them that profes Chriſt more purely, but labours to oppreſſe them, that it alone may hauehave al. &c. Seing therefore the church of Rome at this day is moſt impure, and the popes church is that ſpirituall Babylon, it is altogether to be forſaken, as the ſpirit of God commandeth Revel. 18, 4. Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her ſinnes, and that ye receiue not of her plagues. Ibid. pag. 549, 550. [More al ſo he hath hereabout, in his vvritings otherwhere. Of which, & of Keckermans teſtimonie vvithall, ſee here before, p. 178, and 208, and 209. & in the Advertiſm. pag. 113.
Paraeus ſaith,] The Ieſuites accuſe us, that we hauehave made a diviſion, departing from the church. But we hauehave not departed from the church, but from the Papacie: we came out of Babylon, at the Lords commandement, who ſaith, Come out of her my people. Paraeus in Rom. 16.18.
Piſcator ſaith,] The Temple of Salomon was a type of three things: Firſt, of the body of Chriſt, as appeareth by his words, Iohn 2, 19. and by Pauls words, Col. 2, 9. Secondly, of the Church, as appeareth by the words of Paul, 2 Theſ. 2, 4. alſo by the words of Peter, 1 Pet. 2, 5. and by the words of Iohn, Rev. 3, 12. Thirdly, of each of the faithful, as Pauls words shew, 1 Cor. 3, 16. & 6, 19. & 2 Cor. 6, 16. Piſcat. Obſer. in 1 Reg. 6. c. [Again he ſaith,] Paul deſcribeth Antichriſt, firſt by his wickednes, calling him a man of ſinne, that is, wholy giuen unto ſinne; ſecondly, by the punishment that shal come upon him according to the decree of God, calling him the ſonne of perdition, that is, appointed by God to perdition or eternall deſtruction; thirdly, by his intollerable impudencie and pride, that he shall oppoſe himſelf againſt Chriſt, and exalt himſelf aboue God himſelf; fourthly, by the place, where he shall rule & exerciſe his tyrannie, to wete, in the temple of God, that is, in the church. Piſcat. Analyſ, in 2 Theſ. 2, 3, 4.
M. Bradford, a faithfull martyr of our own countrey, diſputing with the Bishop of Chicheſter, ſaith,] That wicked man ſitteth in the Temple of God, that is, the church: for it cannot be underſtood of Mahomet, or any out of the church, but of ſuch as beare rule in the church. Act. and Monum. pag. 1616.
M. Brightman treating of Antichriſt, ſpeaketh very often of his ſitting and dominering in the church. As when he ſaith,] The Dragon is the open enemie, throughout this book, who were the Emperors of Rome, as long as they remayned heathens. The Turks play this part in theſe laſt ages. The Beaſt is a more cloſe and craftie enemie, who is Antichriſt that ſitteth in the Temple of God, Brightm. on Rev. 16, 13. In the English, pag. 552. [Againe,] To be extolled aboue all that is called God, or that is worshipped, is not to be extolled aboue that one God in heauen, but aboue everie God in earth, that is, aboue all magiſtrates; not onelyonly thoſe that be of the inferior ſort, but alſo aboue all that Majeſtie that is ſoveraigne amongſt men, the higheſt Emperors themſelues, who are called Auguſti in Latin, as they be Sebaſtoi in Greek, of the high reverence and worship that is done to them. Laſtly, as touching the true God, if Antichriſt should acknowledge no other God but himſelf, how should he ſit in the Temple of God, as the Apoſtle ſaith, he should ſit, 2 Theſ. 2, 4. M. Brightm. treatiſe of Antichriſt, againſt Bellar. on Rev. 17, ch. 1. pag. 628, 629. [And again,] He should not deny the Father openly, ſeing that by this meanes he should be openly known to be an Atheiſt: which is contrary to that which the Apoſtle teacheth, who ſaith, that he should ſit in the Temple of God. Ibid. p. 629, 630. [And again,] There is not one litle word left for you out of the Scriptures, which can teach that Antichriſt shalbe a certain or ſingular man, after the right manner of concluding: but we hauehave demonſtrated out of them moſt certainly, that he is that Apoſtaticall Sea of thoſe, that shal dominere in the church. Ibid. chap. 2, p. 642. And the like he hath often othervvhere.
M. Robbinſon alſo ſaith,] The conſtitution euen of Rome (as now it ſtands) is not ſimply falſe, but onelyonly in this and that reſpect. Iuſtif. of Separat. pag. 88.
And many moe I might alledge, of all ſorts of Writers and Witneſſes: but theſe may ſuffice. Yea it is ynough alone, that Gods Word doth ſo teach and confirme it, as before is manifeſted.