But to make this mope evident to you, let us consider what the kingdom of Christ is. The gospel kingdom is a kingdom of light, life, and love. Opposite to light is ignorance and error ; to lite, a religion that consists of shows, dead rites, and empty ceremonies ; to love, uncharitableness, malice, and especially Jiatred of the ])ower of godliness. Now where these prevail eminently, there is an ojiposite kingdom set up to the kingdom of Christ ; certainly a falling otf from his kingdom : that is to say, where, in opposition to light, error is taught, and ignorance is counted the mother of devotion, and jieople are restrained from the means of knowledge, as if the height of Chris- tian faith and obedience did consist in an implicit believing what the church believeth ; and where, instead of life, men place their whole religion in superficial rites and ceremonies, and some trifling acts of seeming devotion and exterior mortifications ; and instead of love to God and souls, all things are sacrificed to private ambition ; and forcing consciences with the highest penalties and ])ersecutions to sub- mit to their corruptions — there is a manifest subversion of the interests of Christ's kingdom. In short, God's witnesses were 'slain in that city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, and where our Lord was crucified,' liev. xi. 8 ; that city which aiiswcreth to Sodom for im- purity, to Egypt for idolatry, and to Jerusalem for persecution of the saints ; there may you find the great apostasy.
5. This apostasy from our Lord's authority and the interests of his kingdom is some notable and discernible apostasy, and the head patron thereof is Antichrist. The defection is not of one, or a few, or many in divers churches ; there have always been backsliders from the faith : 1 John ii. V.i, ' They went out from us, but they were not of us ; ' and the 62)irit of Antichrist wrought in the apostles' days : 1 John ii. 18, ' As you
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have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now there are many Antichrists ; ' and again, 1 John iv. 3, we are told of the spirit of Antichrist : ' And this is that spirit of Antichrist, whereof you have . heard that it should come, and even now already is it in the world ; ' then described to be afterwards (ver. 5) a worldly spirit : ' They are of the world, and speak of the world, and the world heareth them.' Though they profess Christianity, carnal, worldly h}'pocrites, which never conquered the fleshly mind and interest, have the spirit of Antichrist ; these obscure the light, and obstruct the life and love of the gospel — they that wholly atiect a life of pomp and ease in the church. Now, this hath always been in all the ages. The false Christians forget tlieir hopes are built upon a crucified Christ, and are to be derived to them from a glorified Christ in the other world — crucified in this world and glorified in the next, — which indeed are the two considerations that keep Christianity pure and lively ; that all was purchased by a crucified Christ, and all is dispensed by a glorified Christ ; and I wish you would oftener think of it. But the great apostasy is eminently found in some external visible church, where these corruptions are generally received and defended. For the head of that church is Antichrist, where doctrine is corrupted, and the wor- ship mingled with idolatry, and the government a usurpation, and bent against the holy seed that desire to worship God in spirit and in truth ; there is this manifest revolt from and rebellion against God and Christ, though they push with the horns of the lamb.
That the Papists are a corrupt sect of Christians is beyond dispute to any that will try their religion by the scriptures ; and that they are far more corrupt than the Protestants or Pieformed Churches, will also soon appear by the comparison, or a view of both churches. But whether they are so corrupt as to become the seat of Antichrist, is the matter under debate. Therefore, let any one consider where the eminent apostasy is to be found. Who are they that invade Christ's authority by setting up a universal head over all Christians? Who are they that establish the doctrine of demons, or revive the wor- ship of a middle sort of powers between God and mortal men ? 1 Tim. iv. 1. Who through hypocrisy invent so many lies to maintain it, and when Christians should keep themselves from idols, 1 John v. 21, yet, in defiance of this, worship angels and other creatures : Col. ii. 18, ' Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary humility, and worshipping of angels,' &c. ; and erect the images of saints, com- manding and compelling men to adore them, and pray to them ? Who are they that are not contented with the one only Mediator: 1 Tim. ii. 5, ' For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ ; ' 1 Cor. viii. 5, ' For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth (as there be gods many, and lords many), but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and v^q in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him,' — but set up other mediators of intercession ? Who are they that plead for indulgences and the supererogatory satisfactions of the saints, as gathered into the treasury of the church, and so profitable for the remission of sins, and con- demn them who think' the contrary ? Who are they that keep