There is much talk of a plot and conspiracy to destroy the Pro- testant religion, and introduce Popery again amongst us. They may do well to take care thereof who are concerned in public affairs : but as unto the event, there is but one conspiracy that is greatly to lie feared in this matter; and that is, between Satan and the lusts of men. If they can prevail to deprive the generality of men of an experience in their own minds of the power and efficacy of the truth,
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with the spiritual advantage which they may have thereby, they will give them up to be an easy prey unto the other designers. And there are two engines that are applied unto this purpose ; — the one is igno- ra7ice, the other is 2:>rofaneness, or sensuality of life. Whenever either of these prevails, the experience intended must necessarily be lost and excluded ; and the means of their prevailing are, tvaiit of due instruc- tion by those who are the leaders of the people, and the encourage- ment of sensuality by impunity and great examples. This is the only formidable consphacy against the profession of the truth in this nation; without whose aid all power and force will be frustrate in the issue. And as there is a great appearance of divine permission of such a state of things at present amongst us, so, if they be managed by counsel also, and that those Avays of ignorance and sensuality are countenanced and promoted for this very end, that, the power of truth being lost, the profession of it may be given up on easy terms, — there is nothing but sovereign grace that can prevent the design. For the principle which we have laid down is uncontrollable in rea- son and experience, — namely, that the loss of an experience of the power of religion will issue, one way or other, in the loss of the truth of religion and the profession of it. Whence is it that so many cor- rupt opinions have made such an inroad on the Protestant religion and the profession of it? Is it not from hence, that many have lost an experience of the power and efficacy of the truth, and so have parted with it ? Whence is it that profaneness and sensuality of life, with all manner of coriaipt lusts of the flesh, have grown up, unto the shame of profession? Is it not from the same cause as the apostle expressly declares it comes by? 2 Tim. iv. 2-5. One way or other, the loss of experience of the power of truth Avill end in the loss of the profession of it.
But I proceed unto the instance which I do design in the Church of Rome; for the religion of it, at this day, is nothing but a dead image of the gospel, erected in the loss of an experience of its spi- ritual power, overthrowing its use, with all its ends, being suited to the taste of men, carnal, ignorant, and superstitious. This I shall make evident by all sorts of instances in things relating to, — I. The 2}erson and offices of Christ; 11. The state, order, and ivorshij) of the church; tuith. III. The graces and duties of obedience required in the gospel. And in all my principal design is, to demonstrate what is the only way and means of securing our own souls, — any church or nation, — from being ensnared with, or prevailed agamst, by Popery.
I. Section l. It is a general notion of tnith, that the Lord Christ, in his person and grace, is to be proposed and represented unto men as the princijKd object of their faith and love.
He himself, in his Divine Person, is absohitely invisible unto us;
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and, as unto his human nature, absent from us; for the heaven must receive him " until the times of restitution of all things." There must, therefore, an image or representation of liim be made unto our minds, or he cannot be the proper object of our faith, trust, love, and delight. This is done in the gospel, and the preaching of it; for therein he is " evidently set forth " before our eyes, as " cmcified amongst us," Gal. iii. 1. So, also, are all the other concerns of his person and offices therein clearly proposed unto us; yea, this is the principal end of the gospel, — namely, to make a due representation of the person, offices, grace, and glory of Christ unto the souls of men, that they may believe in him, and " believing, have eternal life," John XX. 31. Upon this representation made of Christ and his glory in the gospel, and the preaching of it, believers have an experience of the power and efficacy of the divine truth contained therein, in the way before mentioned, as the apostle declares, 2 Cor. iii. 18, for " we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Having a spiritual light to discern and behold the glory of Christ, as represented in the glass of the gospel, they have experience of its transforming power and efficacy, changing them into the likeness of the image represented unto them, — that is, of Christ himself; which is the saving effect of gospel power. But this sjnritual light was lost among men, through the efficacy of their darkness and unbelief; they were not able to discover the glory of Christ, as revealed and proposed in the gospel, so as to make him the present object of their faith and love. And this light being lost, they could have no experience of the power of divine truth concerning him changing them into his image. They could make no affecting discovery of him in the Scripture. All things therein were dark and confused, or at least seemed an inaccessible myster}^, Avhich they could not reduce to practice. Hence, those who had got the public conduct of religion drove the people from reading the Scripture, as that which was of no use, but rather dangerous unto them. What shall these men, then, betake themselves unto? Shall they reject the notion in general, that there ought to be such a representation made of Christ unto the minds of men, as to inflame their devotion, to excite their faith, and stir up their affection to him? This cannot be done without an open renunciation of him, and of the gospel as a fable. Wherefore they will find out another way for it,— another means unto the same end ; — and this is, by making images of him of wood and stone, or gold and silver, or painting on them. Hereby they supposed he would be made present unto his worshippers ; — that he Avould be so represented unto them, as that they should be imme- diately stuTcd up unto the embraces of faith and love. And herein