(2.) A pompous, ceremonious worship, which began to be intro-- duced by a pretence of outward solemnity, and ended in plain super- stition and idolatry. And hereby were the minds of men diverted and taken off from inquiring after that spiritual exercise of the graces and gifts of the Spirit, wherein alone the beauty of evangelical holi- ness doth consist.
(3.) In works of magnificence and bounty, wherewith the clergy were enriched, and the consciences of men pacified in a course of sin or an unholy life. When the world was once persuaded that in these things consisted the glory and beauty of religion, and found them all readily compliant with their lusts and darkness, that real holiness and obedience which is required in the gospel was every day more and more neglected and despised. Besides, it is not expressible what wicked, scandalous practices, in pride, ambition, divisions, and con-
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tentions among the leaders of the church, did spring from and ensue on these principles) Henceforward no small part of ecclesiastical story is taken up with fierce contentions and quarrels about the pre- eminence, dignities, privileges, and jurisdiction of the prelates. Those who were wise and sober among the heathen observed this evil among Christians, reporting it as that whereby their religion was debased and corrupted. Such is the account given by Ammianus Marcel- linus of that bloody and scandalous conflict between Damasus and - Ursicinus whether of them should be bishop of Rome, lib. xxvii. - Cap. 6.
VII. During these seasons, Satan (as he will never be) was not wanting unto his own occasions and advantages; and they are al- together ignorant of his devices who discern him not at work even at present unto the same end and purpose. Nor is it possible that in any age, time, or place, the glory of the gospel should be abated, and the principal endeavour therein not belong to him. He is the head and leader of every apostasy from God. Therein he began his _ work in this world, and in the promotion of it he will finish it. And as he engaged all his power and art against the Head of the church, 80 by his total defeat in that attempt, wherein he made the clearest discovery of his pride and malice against God that it is possible for him to do, he is not discouraged from pursuing the same design against the whole church itself. And the way now insisted on hath been the chiefest path that he hath beaten in his course; for from the very entrance of Christianity, he began to immix himself with all those lusts of men whereby a defection from its power and purity might be set on foot and effected. And he engaged against it in
both his capacities, as a ion and as a serpent. As a lion he stirred
up, acted, and animated all those bloody persecutions whereby the Jews and Pagan world attempted for three hundred years to exter- minate the Christian profession. But herein his success was answer- able to that of his attempt against the Head of the church, and ever will be so, by virtue of the victory the Lord Christ had over him in _ the same kind of conflict. The force of the devil and the world hav- ing been once fully broken and subdued by Christ, it shall never prevail in the issue against his followers. Satan, in a confederacy with the world, may as a lion, through rage and blood, make a great bluster, and scatter the churches of Christ for a season, but prevail unto the ruin of the church in this way he never did, nor shall. And if at any time, by national devastations, he do so far succeed as to expel the gospel from any place or country for a season, it shall be - evident unto all that it shall turn greatly unto its advantage in general and in other places. Let not, then, any fear his bloody fury as to the interest of Christ and the gospel in the world. As sure as
O12 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY. ©
he was conquered and triumphed over in the cross of Christ, he shall finally be so in all such attempts. Happy and blessed are they, and shall they be, by whose blood and temporal ruin his power at any time is or shall be broken. So I say it fell out in his first attempt in this way against Christian religion; for through the efficacy of the grace of Christ, and by virtue of the victory obtained against him in
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his own person, he was overcome by the blood and constancy of in- —
numerable holy souls, until he was cast out of the havens of the world, and an end was put unto his rage. But, in the meantime, whilst this sworn enemy of the church made all this bluster as a lion, and raised all these storms of persecution, which the minds of all the professors of Christianity were intent upon, and generally much for- tified against, he was secretly at work as a serpent also. Herein he secretly and gradually infected the minds of many with ambition, worldliness, superstition, and a neglect of the power and simplicity of the gospel. That this is his work as a serpent our apostle declares, 2 Cor. xi. 2, 3. And herein sometimes “ he transformed himself into an angel of light,” as he speaks in that place, verses 14, 15; for he not only poisoned and inflamed the lusts of men, but drew them aside from the gospel by suggestions and pretences of more piety and devo- tion, or at least of other outward modes and means of their expres- sion, than it did require. So did the “ mystery of iniquity” work in the days of the apostles themselves, 2 Thess. i. 7. He was at work secretly, by ways and means not easy to be discovered, to draw off the minds of men from evangelical truth and holiness, by sowing the seeds of that ambition and superstition which afterward spread them- selves over the face of the whole visible church. So was he the spirit which animated the apostasy which by various and insensible degrees prevailed in the following ages. Those who acted in it and promoted.