Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 90
His secōd Reason is grounded vponupon 2 Th. 2. 4. because Antichrist, II.that is, (sayth he) that head with his body sitteth, in the temple of God: which (he further tels vsus) must be vnderstood visibly in respect of the truthes Mr B.of God in doctrine, and ordinances of Christ held there, of which Gods people among them partake in his mercy, to their salvation, and others from tyme, to tyme, have mayntayned openly to the preservation of some fundamental poynts of the Apostolical constitution. Wherevpon he also concludes, that since the temple of God (typing out the Church) wherein he sitteth, hath a true constitution, Rome and that in respect of the tyme present, hath a true constitution, and is a true Church. He might also have added, and ever shal be a true Church, for Antichrist ever shal sit there til Christs second cōming. v. 8.
Many men have written much about the notes & marks of theAnsw. true Church, by which it is differenced, and discerned from all other assemblyes: and many others have sought for it, as Ioseph and Mary did for Christ, with heavy hearts Luk. 2. 48. that they might there rest vnderunder the shadow of the wings of the Almighty, enioying the promises of his presence, and power. But what needs all this a doe? Mr B▪ poynts vsus out with the finger a mark of the true Church, most evident, and conspicuous, and like a beacon vponupon an high hill, and that is, the exaltation of Antichrist. I had thought the Churches, and †Ex. 25. 8 2 Cor. 6. 16people of God should have been known by his dwelling among them, & walking there, and by Christs presence *Math. 11. 20.in the middest of them: but I now perceive Antichrists power, presence, and exaltation is a sure signe, by which the Churches of Christ must be discerned. If any therefore desire to plant his feet in the courts of the Lords house and there to abide for ever, let him be sure to chuse such aRev. 1. 13. Church to ioyn to, as wherein Antichrist sitteth; and so espeia…lly the Church of Rome, because he sits surest there? And it is very like this is one reason, why Mr B. is so much perswaded of the Church of England, as of a true Church, because he thinks Antichrist sitts there in a measure: and it is not impossible, but this may have been some part of the cause, why in former tymes he was so loath to leav that Church, and to ioyn to vsus, (when he thought we had the truth) because he perceived we wanted that prerogative of Antichrists seat, which England enioyes. But though this shew the absurdity of the opinion, yet doth it not answer the obiections. I do then answer the same in effect, which Mr B. makes his fourth Argumēt: namely, that, Popery, or Antichristianism begun not out of Christianity but in the Church of God: where it did also by steppes advance it selfe into the very throne of God, & of Christ: & there did in tyme, and by degrees so vniversally corrupt, and confound both persons and things, as that God could no longer be sayd to dwel there, by his visible presence, and promises, but Antichrist in his stead: having destroyed the temple of the Lord, the Church, and caryed captive his people, with the holy vessels into Babylon spirituall: as did the civil Babyloniās the material temple, carying captive with them into Babylon civil, the holy vessels, and other appurtenances thereof, together, with a remnant of the Lords people, of which more hereafter. OnelyOnly I doe in the mean whyle except against two particulars in this second Argument. The former is, that Antichrist sitting in the temple of God (viz so remayning) is that head, with his body. 2 Th. 2. Antichrist was not in the Apostles tyme, nor in a long tyme after, a perfit man, consisting of the head the Pope, and the body, the Hierarchy ecclesiastical, but was in the seed onelyonly, or as an embrie in the wombe, not perfectly framed, much lesse visibly brought forth, least of all grown to that height, as to iustle with Christ for his throne, yea to dispossesse him of it, as now he doth, and hath done a long season. Secondly it is not truely affirmed, that because there are some fundamental truthes of God in doctrine, and truthes in ordinances of Christ (as you Mr B. speak) held there, that therefore Rome is the true Church. How should Antichrist and the Divil in him, so effectually deceive with the delusion of vanity, and errour, if he did not countenance the same with some truthes? And do you not think it possible Mr B. that any malignant, and fal…e Churches, should vsurp some truthes and ordinances of Christ which apperteyn not vntounto them? If your argument be good, the Greek Churches, the Arians, Anabaptists, Vbiquitaries, yea and all the assemblyes of haeretiques and schismatiques in the world, are true Churches of Christ; for they all reteyn many mayn truthes, and ordinances of Christ.III.