A DISCOURSE UPON THE Firſt EPISTLE General OF St. JOHN, Chap. 2. and part of the 18th Verſe. Even now there are many Antichriſts.

THERE have been ſeveral wild and extravagant Ex⯑plications, or rather Appli⯑cations of Antichriſt, by thoſe who have had a mind to fix it upon ſome parti⯑cular Perſon, as upon the Pope, or Mahomet, or ſome other ſpiritual or ſecular Tyrants, according as they who apply'd it were corrupted or miſguided by Intereſt, or Malice, or Paſſion, or Fanatick Enthuſi⯑aſm; but by Antichriſt, in the genuine [2] Signification of the Word, may be meant every one who is thoroughly and entirely oppoſed to the Lord's Anointed, i. e. to Chriſt: But becauſe there are no Creatures ſo oppos'd, and ſo contrary to him, as the Devil and his Angels, they are moſt pro⯑perly the Antichriſts of whom the Apoſtle ſpeaks, who appear in ſundry Shapes upon this Earthly Globe, and make uſe of hu⯑mane Inſtruments and humane Organs to accompliſh their infernal Deſigns. And as we may find, by the Words of our Text, that many of them appeared in the World, even in the moſt pure and primitive Times, who is ſo eaſy as to believe that they are not more numerous in our Days? In order then to the deſcribing and diſtinguiſhing them, ſo that they may be clearly known and diſcover'd, we intend in the enſuing Diſcourſe to handle theſe three Points.

• Firſt, We ſhall give the general Marks of this thorough and entire Oppoſition of Antichriſt to Chriſt.
• Secondly, We ſhall conſider the Deſigns, the Doctrines, the Examples, and the In⯑fluences of one and the other, according to thoſe general Marks of Oppoſition.
• Thirdly, We ſhall reduce all theſe Marks to one grand Characteriſtical Mark; and when we have done this, it will be eaſy [3] for you (Brethren) to make the Applica⯑tion your ſelves, and to point out theſe to one another; of whom it may be ſaid, in the Words of the Text, viz. Even now there are many Antichriſts.

Firſt then, As our Saviour was a Prieſt, and the beſt and holieſt of Prieſts; Anti⯑chriſt muſt be likewiſe a Prieſt, acting by the Suggeſtion of the Devil; for no one can be thoroughly and entirely oppoſed to the beſt and the holieſt, but the moſt pro⯑fligate and the vileſt of Prieſts.

Secondly, As Chriſt is a King who is perfectly good and gracious; Antichriſt muſt be the worſt and moſt inſupportable of Tyrants.

Thirdly, As our Saviour was a Prophet, and an infallible Prophet, becauſe he could not but foretel the Events which he him⯑ſelf had decreed; Antichriſt, in Oppoſition to him, muſt be a Prophet, and for this reaſon a falſe and deluding Prophet, be⯑cauſe he has neither himſelf any Power over the Future, nor is influenc'd and en⯑lighten'd by him who has. But now we come,

Secondly, To conſider the Deſigns, the Doctrines, the Examples, and the Influen⯑ces of Chriſt and Antichriſt in their Prieſt⯑hood, their Prophecies, and their Empire.

[4] Firſt, We ſhall begin with their Empire, becauſe Chriſt was a Prophet, and a Prieſt, only to advance his Kingdom; and Anti⯑chriſt too is a Prophet, and a Prieſt, only to promote his Tyranny. Let us now ſee what ſort of Kingdom the one, and what ſort of Tyranny the other, came into the World to eſtabliſh.

Since then the Kingdom of Chriſt, or of the Meſſiah, is a Spiritual Kingdom, or the Kingdom of Heaven, the Tyranny of An⯑tichriſt muſt be a Spiritual Tyranny, or the Tyranny of the Prince of Darkneſs.

Let us now enquire what this Kingdom of Heaven is, and in what it conſiſts; how it began and flouriſh'd; how it came to be impair'd, and how far our Saviour came to reſtore it; and we ſhall ſee, by making this Enquiry, what ſort of Tyranny the Tyranny of the Devil is; how it began, how it increaſed, how it came to be im⯑pair'd; and how far Antichriſt has a deſign to reſtore it.

The Kingdom of Heaven then, is a Kingdom whoſe King propoſes the Hap⯑pineſs of his Subjects, as the ultimate End of his Reigning over them; for God is perfectly happy in himſelf, and wants not our Obedience, nor our Service. A King⯑dom whoſe King propoſes to make his Sub⯑jects eaſy and happy here, to prepare them [5] for eternal Happineſs hereafter. Matt. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. His Empire then muſt be an Empire of Rea⯑ſon and Law, and, by Conſequence, an Empire of Liberty. St. James 1. 5. But whoſo looketh into the perfect law of liberty, that man ſhall be bleſſed in his deed. 'Tis this Law of Liberty which eſtabliſhes the Rule of Reaſon, to reſtore the Kingdom of God, his Empire over the Soul and Conſcience, and frees Man from the Slavery into which he was brought by his Paſſions, which is the Empire and Tyranny of the Devil, and of Antichriſt his Son.

For this Tyranny of Antichriſt, being in every thing oppoſite to the Kingdom of Chriſt, muſt deſign both the Temporal and Eternal Miſery of his Subjects; muſt deſign to make them unhappy here, in order to the making them eternally miſe⯑rable hereafter, and muſt not be a Rule of Reaſon and Law, but an Empire of Paſſion and Will; and muſt tend in every thing to ſubvert the Empire which Chriſt hath eſtabliſhed upon Earth, and to reſtore the Tyranny of the Devil, whoſe Kingdom, as it began at firſt, ſo it hath ever ſince conti⯑nued, in Oppoſition to, the Kingdom of Heaven. And as our Saviour teaches his Diſciples to renounce the World, the Fleſh, [6] and the Devil, in order to advance his Kingdom upon Earth, Antichriſt obliges his to make uſe of all three, to promote his ſpiritual Tyranny.

The Kingdom of Heaven began with the Creation of Angels. God reign'd over thoſe bleſſed Spirits, who are entirely hap⯑py in their Obedience; and their great and comprehenſible Law was Love, the Love of God and their Fellow Creatures. They loved God, becauſe they ſaw him as he is, all Beauty and all Attraction; and they lo⯑ved their Fellow Creatures, becauſe they ſaw them the Objects of their Creator's Love. Goſp. of St. John, Ch. 15. Ver. 12. This is my commandment, That ye love one a⯑nother, as I have loved you. 1 Epiſt. of St. John, Ch. 4. Ver. 11. If God ſo loved us, we ought alſo to love one another. And this Love was at once their Duty and their Happi⯑neſs; a Love attended with perfect Plea⯑ſure, and with Joy unſpeakable

But when afterwards the impious Aſpi⯑rer, Lucifer, drew off his Love from his Creator and his Fellow Creatures, and placed it upon himſelf, that Self-love was immediately attended with Pride, and Rage, and Envy, and Hatred, and Malice; Paſſions till then unknown in Heaven, as being inconſiſtent with perfect Happineſs.

[7] Thus fell Lucifer; but alone he fell not; Millions of immortal Spirits he drew after him into Perdition. By his Lies he ſedu⯑ced their Souls, defaced in their Minds the Love of their Creator, and of their Fellow Creatures for their Creator's ſake, and planted the Love of themſelves there. With Divine Love away went all their Happineſs. Self-love was immediately fol⯑lowed in them, as in their Seducer before, by Pride, and Rage, and Envy, and Ha⯑tred and Malice; and they who while they were united to God by Love, were Angels, divided from him by Pride and Hate, became immediately Devils; and from the moſt glorious, moſt happy, moſt beautiful part of the Creation, became all on a ſudden the moſt execrable and the moſt horrible: And as before they fell, that Divine Love by which they were united to God, was at one and the ſame time their ſovereign Law, and their ſupreme Felicity; ſo when by Pride and Hatred, and the reſt of their Diabolical Paſſions, they broke that Divine Union, their Pride, their Hatred, and the reſt of their tormenting Paſſions, became at once their Tranſgreſſion and their Hell.

'Twas after this that God created Man, to ſupply the Room of the fallen Angels, and to plant the ſame Kingdom upon Earth which remained among the bleſſed [8] Spirits in Heaven. He created them little lower than the Angels; enlightned, inno⯑cent, happy, immortal. The Empire of his Maker was the ſame in him, that it was in thoſe bleſſed Spirits, an Empire of Reaſon and Law; and the ſame Law was given to him which made the Angels hap⯑py. That great and comprehenſive Law was Love; the Love of his Maker and of his Fellow Creatures, for his Creator's ſake; which (as the Apoſtle of the Gentiles tells us) is the fulfilling of all Law; and which our Saviour had told us before, Goſp. of St. John, Chap 14. Ver. 23. If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. And as long as this charming Law remained in the Heart of Man inviolated, it was always attended with Peace, and Joy, and inexpreſſible Happineſs.

But Satan, who in every thing by Di⯑vine Permiſſion oppoſes the Deſigns of God, attempted to deſtroy that Kingdom upon Earth, which he had before impair'd in Heaven. And what Wonder if the Sedu⯑cer of Angels ſucceeded in his Attempts upon Man; if he extinguiſh'd Divine Love in his Heart, and inflam'd it with Self⯑love; if he diſſolved that Union which Man had with God, and overturn'd his [9] Dependance on him; deſtroy'd the Em⯑pire which Heaven had ſet up in his Soul, which was an Empire of Reaſon and Law, and eſtabliſh'd his own Tyranny there; an Empire of Will and Paſſion, of Pride, and Rage, and Hatred, and Malice, and all thoſe accurſed and damnable Paſſions, by which the Tormentor is himſelf tormen⯑ted, to which the Tyrant is himſelf a Slave?

Thus Satan brought Sin, and Miſery, and Death upon Mankind; who was cre⯑ated innocent, happy, immortal: And the Kingdom which he eſtabliſhed here upon Earth, in oppoſition to the Kingdom of Heaven, encreas'd ſo faſt, and extended ſo wide, that Charity, which is the Love of God and our Neighbour, was almoſt ex⯑tinguiſh'd upon Earth; that Men were miſerably divided from God, and from one another; and that all Mankind, to the reſerve of a ſmall Remnant, were become abandoned Slaves to the Devil, and to De⯑villiſh Paſſions, when Jeſus Chriſt came into the World to reſtore the Kingdom of his Father, and to deſtroy the Tyranny of the Devil.

For this Purpoſe the Son of God was manifeſted, That he might deſtroy the works of the Devil, 1 Epiſt. of St. John, Chap. 3. Ver. 8.

[10] When the Son of God came into the World to deſtroy the Tyranny of the De⯑vil; and to reſtore his own and his Father's Kingdom; that Kingdom of Love, and Peace, and Joy, which was by the Divine Permiſſion impair'd upon Earth by the Devil, at the Fall of Man, and under which the bleſſed Spirits are for ever happy in Heaven; in order to reſtore that King⯑dom, he aſſumed the Prieſthood. Not only becauſe there was a Neceſſity for a Prieſt, who could make a propitiatory and ſatiſ⯑factory Sacrifice for the Sins of the World; but becauſe alſo there was a Neceſſity for a Doctrine, which might incline and recti⯑fie the Wills of Men, by enlight'ning and convincing their Underſtandings; that as Man fell from Perfection freely and of his own choice, he might likewiſe be reſtor'd freely and of his own choice; ſince if the Change in him ſhould be wrought wholly by Grace, his Converſion would proceed from a Force as it were upon his Mind, and would not be the Action of a free Agent.

The Kingdom then that our Saviour came to reſtore, was the Empire of Cha⯑rity, the Love of God, and of our Neigh⯑bour for the ſake of God. For where-ever that Divine Love reigns, there is the King⯑dom of Heaven; and where-ever that Love [11] is wanting, is Hell and outer Darkneſs▪ Beloved, (ſays St. John) Let us love one ano⯑ther. Every one that loveth is born of God' and knoweth God. He that loveth not, know⯑eth not God: for God is love, St. John's firſt Epiſt. Chap. 4. Ver. 7, 8. But here, by the way, we are to take notice, that this Love of our Neighbour is to be extended to all Mankind, even to our moſt cruel Enemies: But it ought to be more intenſe or remiſs, according to the different Re⯑lations in which Men ſtand to each other. We ought to love Chriſtians more than Infidels; our Parents and Kindred more than our Acquaintance; our Acquaintance more than Strangers, and our Country Men more than Foreigners.

As the Law of Divine Love, in the Obſervation of which lay the Happineſs of the firſt Man, and the Perfection of his Nature, was ſubverted by Self-love, upon the Suggeſtion of the Devil; our Saviour, that he might re-eſtabliſh that Divine Love, endeavour'd to root out the Love of one's Self, by a Doctrine that was beſt adapted to the reaſonable Nature of corrupted Man. He attack'd it therefore in all the ſeveral Branches of it, Pride, Avarice and Luxury; or in the Words of St. John, The laſt of the fleſh, the laſt of the eye, and the pride of life: to which he oppoſed a pro⯑found [12] Humility, a rigid Mortification, and a ſincere Diſintereſtedneſs. Not that fanta⯑ſtick Scorn of the World, which proceeds from a Stoical Pride; but that which is foun⯑ded upon the moſt ſolid Foundation, the Intereſt that one has in God: For he to himſelf being ſelf-ſufficient, he who has him, has all Things.

But as Pride is the moſt dangerous of the three foremention'd Sins, (for that is the continual Feaver of the Mind; whereas the other attack it but by irregular Ac⯑ceſſes, Pride inſolently intruding at the very Altar, where the others never dare to approach,) there is no Vertue that our Saviour recommends more throughout the whole Goſpel, than Humility: nay, almoſt every Vertue which he recommends to his Diſciples, appears to be founded on that; as Poorneſs of Spirit, Meekneſs, Gentleneſs, Patience, Forbearance, Peace-making, Long⯑ſuffering, Mercy, Forgiveneſs: for nothing is more uſual than for the Proud to be ſwoln and drunk with Vanity; to be pro⯑voking, diſdainful, inſolent, fiery, impa⯑tient, intractable, cruel, revengeful, im⯑placable. That Sorrow and Remorſe which is neceſſary to Repentance, implies a ſevere Mortification, upon a View of the Turpitude of Sin, and the Vileneſs of our own Natures. Even the three Cardinal [13] Vertues of the Chriſtian Religion are founded upon Humility. Not only Cha⯑rity, to which the other two are ſubor⯑dinate; for as Pride is the Effect of Self⯑love, Self-love is augmented by Pride: but Faith, which is an Aſſent to Truths above our Underſtanding, becauſe they are re⯑vealed by God to us, is an owning of the Weakneſs and Blindneſs of our Reaſon, as the Hope of Salvation by the Merits of Chriſt is a manifeſt Confeſſion of the De⯑pravity, and Corruption, and Impotence of our Wills.

As true Humility is the ſolid Founda⯑tion of every Chriſtian Vertue; a Founda⯑tion which extending as low as Hell, is the Baſis of a Fabrick which reaches to the very Heaven of Heavens; our Saviour's Doctrine attack'd Pride in all its numerous Offsprings, Anger, Envy, Hatred, Malice, and in all their unrighteous Effects, viz. bitter and barbarous Invectives, preſum⯑ptuous and damnable Judgments, Debate, Contention, Strife, Revenge, and Murder; and oppoſed to them the contrary Vertues, Gentleneſs, Meekneſs, Patience, Forbear⯑ance, Peace-making, Mercy, Longſuffering, and Forgiveneſs; nay more, real and un⯑feigned Love to our moſt cruel Enemies. Thoſe who had the foremention'd Graces, our Saviour pronounced Bleſſed, and left [14] it to be demonſtrated by Experience, how much accurſed they were, who were tor⯑mented by the Paſſions and the Sins.

Thus our Saviour taught the Will of his Father, which deſcended from Heaven to Earth with him; and being for ever an High Prieſt after the Order of Melchizedec, the Prince of Peace, an Order which is in⯑finitely ſuperiour to the Aaronical Order, infuſed into the Hearts of his Diſciples, not a windy, contentious Zeal, for the Obſer⯑vation of Forms and Ceremonies, and the Political Government of an Eſtabliſh'd Church; but Vertues and Graces which no Philoſophy, and no Religion had ever taught before; to wit, a profound Humi⯑lity, and a Love Divine.

But tho' this Doctrine was never ſo conformable to the reaſonable Nature of corrupted Man, and tho' it was confirm'd by Signs and Wonders, that manifeſted a Power which commanded Nature, and which made the very Devils obey; it would never have prevailed over the Minds of Men, which are influenc'd ſo forcibly and conſtantly by their Senſes, if it had not been enforced by the Example of him who taught it. His Life and his Doctrine were all of a Piece: And as the Deſign of his coming down from Heaven was, by the means of Humility, to reſtore Charity, [15] to re-unite Mankind to God, and to one a⯑nother; his Life and his Death, his In⯑carnation, his Birth, his Baptiſm, his Choice of the moſt abject of Men for his Diſciples, and his Submiſſion to the Death of the Croſs, were each of them ſo many eternal Leſſons of Humility, are all of them ſo many amazing Miracles of unparallell'd Condeſcenſion, and of Love Divine.

His very Miracles were of a Piece with the reſt of his Life, and were ſo many Ex⯑amples to that Doctrine of Charity which they confirm'd by their Power; as different in this from thoſe which were wrought by Moſes, as their Deſigns were different. For as the Deſign of Moſes was to ſeparate and diſtinguiſh one Nation from another, and to eſtabliſh one by the Extirpation of many; the Wonders which he wrought were anſwerable to that Deſign, attended by Terrour, and followed by Deſtruction, wrought in favour of a few, comparative⯑ly ſpeaking, to the Plague, and Miſery, and Deſtruction of many.

But as the Deſign of our Saviour's de⯑ſcending from Heaven was to remove all Separation, and all Diſtinction, and to heal all Diviſions amongſt Men; as his Doctrine was adapted to all Nations, and to all Men, contrary in that to the Rites and Cere⯑monies of the Judaick Law; as it was [16] framed to comprehend all, to unite all, and to make all its Followers eaſie here, and eternally happy hereafter: So like⯑wiſe his Miracles, without Partiality and without Diſtinction, brought Help and Comfort to all. The Roman and the Sama⯑ritan, as well as the Jew, had nothing of Terrour, had nothing of Deſtruction in them; but were peaceful and gentle all of them, as the Dove that deſcended from Heaven upon him who wrought them.

If Men were hungry in deſart Places, he was at the Expence of a New Creation to feed them; if they were languiſhing under Diſeaſes, by a ſupernatural Power he healed them: he healed them by that gentle and peaceful Power which calm'd the Winds and Seas that were about to deſtroy them; that Power that controul'd and rebuk'd the Devils that were buſied in tormenting them.

As our Saviour's Miracles were all of a Piece with his Doctrine, his Delivery of that Doctrine was worthy of them both. It was with Power that penetrated to the inmoſt Souls, and aſtoniſh'd and confound⯑ed his moſt obdurate Hearers. St. Luke Chap. 4. Ver. 32. And they were aſtoniſhed at his doctrine; for his word was with power. And St. Matth. Chap. 7. Ver. 29. For he taught them as one having authority, and not [17] as the Scribes. His Delivery of his divine Doctrine, was not like that of the cold, unconcern'd and flegmatick Teachers of the Law: No, there was no leſs than God in his Voice, in his Mien, and in his eve⯑ry Action.

As Religion ſo far reſembles Civil Go⯑vernment, that it muſt be carried on by the ſame Methods by which it firſt began; the Apoſtles, after our Saviour's Aſcenſion, con⯑tinued to preach the very ſame Doctrine that he had taught before, confirm'd it by Miracles of the ſame Kind, enforc'd it by an Imitation of their Maſter's Life, and by their own wonderful Delivery of it. When the Apoſtle of the Gentiles preached to the Grecians, his manner of ſpeaking appear'd as new to them as the Doctrine he taught: And as he ſpoke of Things to them, which neither Eye had ſeen, nor Ear had heard, nor had it entred into their Hearts to con⯑ceive; ſo he ſpoke to them in ſuch a man⯑ner, as never Man had ſpoke to them. And there was ſomething in his Delivery, as far above the Thunder of their Pericles and their Demoſthenes, as the Things which he had ſaid to them, were of infinitely more Importance, and more Concern to his Hearers. And he, who when he ſpoke of the Things of this World, was ſo very cold, and ſo unconcerned, that his Bodily [18] Preſence was weak, and his Speech con⯑temptible; even this cold and unconcern'd Apoſtle, when he diſcours'd of Righteouſ⯑neſs, of Temperance, and of Judgment to come, was ſo ſtrangely animated, ſo won⯑derfully penetrated with the Heavenly Truths which he utter'd, that the very Tyrant who came to Judge him and to Condemn him, trembled at what his Pri⯑ſoner ſpoke. Acts 24. 25.

Which naturally brings me to the Effect and Influence, which ſo Divine a Doctrine, thus enforced, and thus delivered, had up⯑on the Minds of its Hearers. Which is as much greater than the Impreſſions which the Diſcourſes of the Grecian Orators had upon their Aſſemblies, as Heaven is great⯑er and higher than Earth. And whereas thoſe Orators thought they effected a migh⯑ty matter, if they changed the Opinions of their Aſſemblies, in relation to their own, their Friends, or their Countries Reputa⯑tion and Intereſts; our Saviour and his Apoſtles prevailed upon thoſe who heard them, to contemn all earthly Reputation and Intereſts; to deſpiſe Riches, and Pow⯑er, and Glory, and even Life it ſelf. And the working this Change in the Heart of corrupted Man, was a greater Miracle, than the changing the Elements, the heal⯑ing Diſeaſes, or the driving out Devils. [19] Behold Thouſands of Souls flaming with Charity, and loving their Creator with all their Might, and their Neighbours as them⯑ſelves. Behold them parting with all they have, and willing and contented to ſuffer Want, to relieve the Neceſſities of others. Acts, Chap. 4. Ver. 31. to the end. Be⯑hold Thouſands of Souls gladly chooſing, and joyfully embracing Poverty, and Infa⯑my, and Sorrow, and Pain, and Death, to render themſelves acceptable to him whom they love. So much was the Kingdom of God reſtored, and the Tyranny of the Devil impaired, in the Hearts of Men.

Such were the Effects of our Saviour's Doctrine, ſuch was the Influence which it had on the Minds of Men; at which Sa⯑tan, alarm'd, contriv'd by a Maſter-piece of infernal Malice, to make this very Re⯑ligion, by which Chriſt deſign'd to unite Men to God and to one another, the Occa⯑ſion of introducing a more dangerous and deſperate Diviſion between them, than e⯑ver had appear'd upon any worldly Ac⯑count; of making Self-love to take a deep⯑er Root, and ſpread with more luxuriant Branches; of kindling in Mens Hearts a ſpiritual Pride, more fierce and more fiery than had ever appear'd before; a Pride attended with a more implacable Anger, a more inveterate Malice, and a more ir⯑reconcilable [20] Hatred. And in order to ſuc⯑ceed in this Deviliſh Deſign, he who knows by himſelf, who ruines Man by ſoothing and by pleaſing him, that there is no Ene⯑my like the Traytor-Friend, and that ſo Divine a Doctrine could not be reſiſted effectually, if it were oppoſed openly; at⯑tempts to deſtroy it, by a Pretence to pro⯑pagate it; delegates his ſpiritual Tyranny to ſome Chriſtian Prieſts, and prevails up⯑on them, in order to extend it and eſtabliſh it, to divide, and weaken, and ruine the Church, by a pretended, impudent, obſtre⯑perous Zeal for its Unity; to teach his Will for the Will of the Moſt High, and by a Height of Wickedneſs, which would be incredible if we had not ſo often ſeen it, to prove the Doctrine of the Devil by the Word of God, miſerably wreſted to the Perdition of the perfidious Teachers, and the credulous Hearers. 1 Tim. 4. 1. Now the Spirit ſpeaketh expreſly, That in the latter times ſome ſhall depart from the faith, giving heed to ſeducing Spirits, and to doctrines of Devils.

Theſe are the Antichriſts mention'd in the Text; who to promote their own and the Devil's ſpiritual Tyranny, preach not the Doctrine of Jeſus Chriſt, but the De⯑vil's and their own. 'Tis not their Buſineſs to preach up Charity, or to teach Humili⯑ty, [21] or any of the Vertues that produce or maintain Charity, as Gentleneſs, Meekneſs, Patience, Forbearance, Peace making, Mer⯑cy, Long ſuffering, and Forgiveneſs. If at any time they take Notice of the Doctrine of Chriſt, in order to mingle it with their own, and make the latter paſs unſuſpected, they do it after ſuch a manner, as ſhews very plainly, that it is not that they e⯑ſpouſe; as ſhall be further obſerved in its proper Place. Their Buſineſs is to preach Diviſion and Diſſention, a Spirit of Party and of Faction, and to incite and inflame thoſe Paſſions that create or nouriſh Divi⯑ſion; as Anger, Envy, Hatred, Malice, evil Speaking, evil Surmizings, impudent and opprobrious Invectives, preſumptuous and damnable Judgments, pretended Di⯑ſtruſts and ungrounded Jealouſies, audaci⯑ous and provoking Threatnings, Debate, Contention, Strife, Revenge, Confuſion, Riot, Murder. 'Tis their Buſineſs to in⯑cenſe and exaſperate their Diſciples againſt all who contradict their Opinions; not what they pretend to believe as to the Cre⯑denda of Chriſtianity, but the Faith they profeſs as to their own Traditions, and the Doctrines of Devils. And therefore 'tis their Buſineſs to inflame their Diſciples, not againſt Infidels (whether Jews or Turks,) or againſt Pagans, but againſt [22] thoſe of the Chriſtian Faith; nor againſt thoſe, who while they have only the Name of Chriſtians, are either Deiſts or down⯑right Atheiſts by an open avowed Profeſ⯑ſion, or are thought to be ſuch at leaſt in their Hearts, by the horrible Sins in which they live impenitent; but againſt true and ſincere Believers; againſt thoſe who are under the Fear of God, and the ſacred Power of Conſcience. Theſe they account their mortal Enemies, againſt whom they exaſperate and inflame their Diſciples, ex⯑horting them both by Voice and Example, ſometimes to laugh, ſometimes to rail with unmanner'd frontleſs Invectives, at all the moſt venerable Chriſtian Vertues which ſhine ſo bright in the others, as Humility, Meekneſs, Moderation, Union, Charity; to hate them with an irreconcilable Ha⯑tred, to keep no Faith with them, to hold no Truſt inviolable, to be bound by nei⯑ther Vows nor Oaths, but as often as they find Opportunity, to purſue them to the Deſtruction of their Reputation, Liberty, Goods, and Life it ſelf; and to break thro' all Bonds, both Divine and Humane, to oppreſs them and deſtroy them.

And as the Power of this World is ne⯑ceſſary for the ſupporting their ſpiritual Tyranny, they never fail to inſinuate into their Diſciples, that 'tis their Duty to throw [23] as much of into their Hands, as they are able to graſp; to perſuade them, that they are bound to eſpouſe the Cauſe of thoſe temporal Tyrants, with whom They their Paſtors have made an implicit Contract for the mutual enſlaving of Mankind. And the more theſe temporal Tyrants are the Devil's Vicegerents, the more they tram⯑ple upon Law, and Reaſon, and Equity, which are Bonds of Peace and Union to Mankind; that 'tis ſtill more their Duty to extol them, to obey them, to ſerve them, and to adore them. And if theſe Tyrants are the Rulers of the native Countries of theſe Antichriſts and their Diſciples, theſe Teachers induſtriouſly inform their Hear⯑ers, that they are abſolutely and indiſpen⯑ſably bound to obey them, whatever exor⯑bitant Things they enjoin, or to ſuffer whatever they are graciouſly pleaſed to in⯑flict; and this, contrary to Nature's origi⯑nal Law, (the firſt and ſtrongeſt Precept of which is Self-preſervation, and in order to it Self-defence,) that Law which our Saviour came to reſtore and to fulfil, and which none but the Devil and his Diſci⯑ples can ever come to deſtroy. And to induce them to this blind and impious O⯑bedience, they endeavour to prove, that theſe Tyrants are their Lords by Virtue of Fatherhood, and their Sovereign by Right [24] Divine; tho' as good, as wiſe, and as for⯑cible Arguments may be brought to prove, that the Devil is a Lord by Virtue of Fa⯑therhood, and a Monarch by Right Di⯑vine, and conſequently, that he ought al⯑ways to be obeyed, and never to be re⯑ſiſted.

And as theſe Antichriſts teach their Di⯑ſciples to hate and perſecute thoſe Chriſti⯑ans moſt, who are under the Fear of God, and the Power of Conſcience; of all their Country Men and Fellow Subjects, they inſtruct them to hate and malign them moſt, who are the moſt Zealous for the Maintenance of their native Rights, and the Validity and Power of Law.

But if the foremention'd ſecular Tyrants are the Rulers of foreign Nations, and are mortal Enemies to the native Countries of theſe Antichriſtian Teachers, and of their Diſciples; they are ſo far from being diſ⯑couraged by this, that they are animated and encouraged the more to prevail upon their Hearers to eſpouſe them and to aſſiſt them, to rejoice at their Succeſſes, and to mourn at their Calamities, and to declare themſelves Enemies to their native Coun⯑try, and their native Rights, and Traytors to their lawful Prince, and to their very God, in ſpight of the moſt ſacred and bind⯑ing Oaths which they have taken to the [25] contrary. Nay, they exhort and prevail upon thoſe Diſciples, to take the moſt ſo⯑lemn and binding Oaths to be true to their Prince, their Country, their Religion, and their Liberty, only that they may oppreſs them with the greater Security, and betray them more effectually.

Nor is the Doctrine of Antichriſt more remov'd from Charity, than his Life, which is the moſt contrary to it that poſſibly can be imagined. He divides from his Bre⯑thren of the Prieſthood, as ſoon as he finds that they are obliged to profeſs peaceful and Chriſtian Vertues, and that he cannot with them compaſs his ſpiritual Tyranny. And St. John, in the Words of the Context, makes this very Diviſion one diſtinguiſhing Mark of Antichriſt. 1 Epiſt. of St. John, Chap. 2. Ver. 18, 19. Little children, it is the laſt time: and as ye have heard that Anti⯑chriſt ſhall come, even now are there many An⯑tichriſts; whereby ye may know that it is the laſt time. Ver. 19. They went out from us, but [...]hey were not of us: for if they had been of us, [...]hey would no doubt have continued with us: [...]ut they went out that they might be made ma⯑nifeſt, that they were not at all of us. He lives, [...]onverſes with none, preaches to none, but ſuch as profeſs Diviſions; divides from all who are under the Power of the Goſpel, [...] the Power of Law; is a Foe, not [26] only to good Subjects, but to good Princes, and a Friend to Tyrants alone: A Tray⯑tor not only to his Prince, but to his Coun⯑try, whoſe Conſtitution he attacks by his enſlaving Doctrines, and his more wretch⯑ed abject Politicks of abſolute Non-reſiſt⯑ance, unconditional Obedience, the moſt inſufferable kind of High Treaſon. For if he ſo juſtly ſuffers Death, who only at⯑tempts the Executive Power, what may he not deſerve, who audaciouſly attacks, not only all the Legiſlative (which includes the Executive,) but the very Law? He not on⯑ly hates both Princes and Subjects, who govern by, and declare for Law, but hates them with a more envenom'd Hatred, a more felonious Rancour, than ever has been known, upon a mere ſecular Account: Re⯑viles, reproaches, miſrepreſents, calumni⯑ates them, and, as far as lies in his Power, oppreſſes, ruines, curſes, kills, and damns them.

Inſtead of a profound and a Chriſtian Hu⯑mility, he manifeſts a more than Humane Pride; exalts himſelf above all that the World calls Great, with his independent Power, his uninterrupted Succeſſion, his indelible Character, and his Right Divine. And that Pride is attended, againſt all who oppoſe it, with a Rage, an Envy, a Ha⯑tred, a Malice Inhuman and Diabolical. [27] But above all, a diſdainful, ridiculous Fury, and an unheard of Cruelty; a Cruelty that ſpares no Age, no Sex, and no Degree; that has deſtroy'd entire Nations, the People and their Kings together.

Inſtead of the abject contemptible Con⯑dition of our Saviour and his Diſciples, be⯑hold his Oppoſite with pompous Titles, and pompous Equipages, and an Ambition ſtill unſatiable. Inſtead of their Poverty, and their Diſintereſtedneſs, behold him loaded with Benefices, Sinecures, Pluralities, Dig⯑nities; flowing with Wealth, yet pining ſtill with Avarice. Inſtead of their rigid Mortifications, behold him indulging him⯑ſelf in Faſts, more luxurious than the Feaſts of others; behold him meditating a lazy, a refined, and a temperate Luxury, that pampers and indulges Nature inſtead of oppreſſing her; that keeps all her Appe⯑tites ſharp and keen, and raiſes all her Luſts and Paſſions high.

As his Doctrine is confirmed by his Ex⯑ample, it is extremely enforced by his man⯑ner of Delivering it. But becauſe he is oblig'd to mix the Doctrine of the Goſpel with his own, in order to make the latter paſs by virtue of the former, let us diſtin⯑guiſh what he preaches into. Firſt, The Doctrine of Chriſt; Secondly, Humane Tra⯑ditions, [28] and Humane Inventions; and, Thirdly, The Doctrines of Devils.

Firſt then, He is obliged to preach the Doctrine of our Saviour in order to make his own paſs. And that Doctrine com⯑prehends, Firſt, the Duties, and, Secondly, the Myſteries of Chriſtianity. Theſe Duties likewiſe are either, Firſt, purely Moral, or, Secondly, Chriſtian. For thoſe that are purely Moral, he preaches them coldly, enforces them feebly, dehorts from the con⯑trary Vices faintly; ſcarce ever mentions thoſe which are moſt raging and moſt epi⯑demical; or if at any time he does mention them, he has nothing in his Air, in his Tone, in his Action, that ſhews an ardent Concern for the Glory of God, for the Pro⯑ſperity of the State that he lives in, or for the Salvation of the Souls of Men.

For the Chriſtian Vertues, and eſpeci⯑ally thoſe of Charity and Humility, his Hearers can never have any Notion of 'em from him. Charity, in his Mouth, dwin⯑dles to mere giving of Alms, which is but a poor and inconſiderable Branch of that Divine Vertue. He ſeems to be afraid to let his Diſciples ſo much as hear of the Love of God, and of all Mankind for the ſake of God; or if he does at at any time mention it, even that ardent Vertue grows cold in his Mouth, and expires upon his Antichri⯑ſtian [29] Tongue, ſcarce ever reaching the Ears of his Hearers, much leſs piercing their Hearts. His Soul is an utter Stranger to theſe Heavenly Emotions, thoſe Divine Raptures that inflame the Hearts of the ra⯑viſh'd Hearers with Seraphick Love. He never ſo much as preaches one Sermon, never ſo much as writes one Treatiſe of that attractive Vertue Humility, the ſoft and tender Nurſe of Charity. He either ſays nothing of Patience, Submiſſion, For⯑bearance, Long-ſuffering, or he preaches them after ſuch a manner, that in his Mouth they produce Tumult, Fury, Faction, Ri⯑ot, and Rebellion, and all thoſe Diabolical Paſſions and Diabolical Vices, which are ſo deſtructive to the Temporal and Eternal Happineſs of Men.

And all theſe Duties, both Moral and Chrſtian, are but feebly and faintly enfor⯑ced by the Myſteries, even thoſe ſtupen⯑dous Myſteries, that are capable of ſupply⯑ing him with the moſt moving and ſubli⯑meſt Eloquence, with a more than humane Force and Fire, and with a Vehemence ir⯑reſiſtable; thoſe Myſteries ſo wonderfully important to himſelf and to his Hearers, which no Man can believe and ſpeak of as he ought to do, but he muſt alarm and alter Na⯑ture in the Hearts of all who liſten to him; raiſe the moſt tranſporting Joy on the one [30] ſide, or the moſt dreadful Aſtoniſhment, the moſt amazing Horrour on the other; thoſe very Myſteries are ſpoke of by him after ſo cold and languiſhing a Manner, as cauſes Unbelievers to turn Scorners, and Believers to become Apoſtates. How does the Deiſt ſmile, and the Atheiſt laugh, to ſee this Preacher diſcourſe of Death and Judgment, of Heaven and Hell, calmly and without Emotion, who the Moment after⯑wards, falls into a Flame upon an empty Diſpute, of turning to the Eaſt, or bowing to an inſenſate Altar!

But he who is ſo unconcerned for the Salvation of the Souls of Men, for the Ho⯑nour of God, and the Intereſt of Religion, comes immediately to be warm and eager, when his own Reputation and his own Intereſt are never ſo little concern'd. And he who daily with Phlegm and Temper hears the Name of his Maker profan'd, his Myſteries revil'd, his Threatnings defy'd, his Protection renounc'd, nay, and his very Being deny'd, contends warmly and eager⯑ly for Humane Traditions and Humane In⯑ventions; for Forms, and Rites, and Ha⯑bits, and Ceremonies, and whatever ſerves to nouriſh his ſpiritual Pride, and indulge his Luſt of Power.

[31] But when in order to extinguiſh Chari⯑ty, to divide Mankind, and to increaſe his own and his Father's ſpiritual Tyranny, he preaches the Doctrine of Devils, preach⯑es Rage, and Hatred, and Envy, and Ma⯑lice, then is his Delivery becoming of his Doctrine; then you may behold him burn⯑ing with Fury, and diſtorted with Con⯑vulſions, and both Body and Soul entirely poſſeſs'd with the ſame infernal Paſſions, which he would excite in his Hearers.

Let us now conſider the Influence which ſuch Doctrines, ſuch Examples, and ſuch a Delivery has upon the Minds of Men. We have already hinted, that the Deſign of the Devil by Antichriſt, is, to take Oc⯑caſion from the Chriſtian Religion, by which our Saviour deſign'd to unite Mens Affections to himſelf and to one another, to introduce a more dangerous and deſpe⯑rate Diviſion among them, than ever had been known before: And now we ſhall ſhew, that he ſo far obtain'd his Deſign, that there was a more general Vertue a⯑mong Men in the groſſeſt Times of Paga⯑niſm, than there has been ſince our Savi⯑our came into the World, excepting the firſt and moſt primitive Times of Chriſtia⯑nity; that is, thoſe Times when the Supreme Magiſtrate was not as yet Chriſtian, and Chriſtian Prieſts were yet undebauch'd by [32] worldly Power and Greatneſs; and Second⯑ly, that there is at this time a more gene⯑ral Vertue in other Places, than there is in the Chriſtian World; and Thirdly, that this Deficiency, and theſe Corruptions a⯑mong Chriſtians, have proceeded, and do proceed, from the Antichriſtian Lives and Doctrines of ſeveral among their Clergy.

Firſt, There was a more general Vertue in the Times of Paganiſm, than ever there has been ſince our Saviour came into the World. In thoſe Times of Idolatry, there were more free Nations in the World, than ever there have been ſince the Eſtabliſh⯑ment of the Chriſtian Religion. And ſince there was more Liberty then, there was more Union, more Juſtice, more Fortitude, more Publick Spirit. For Antichriſt, in order to extinguiſh Charity, and to raiſe Diviſions among Men, makes it his Buſi⯑neſs, with all his Might, every where to eſtabliſh Tyranny. For as Civil Liberty is founded upon Vertue, and Reaſon, and Law; Tyranny is eſtabliſh'd upon Will, and Paſſion, and Vice: And as Mankind is united by Reaſon, and Vertue, and Law, they are divided by Humour, and Paſſion, and Vice. Among thoſe free States that flouriſhed in the Times of Paganiſm, there were two more illuſtrious than the reſt, who before Corruption crept in amongſt [33] them, had the Moral Vertues in ſo high a Degree, as no Chriſtian Nation has ever been able to boaſt of. There was a ſucceſ⯑ſive Race of Heroes among them, who had not only a Temperance and Juſtice, a Va⯑lour, but even a Diſintereſtedneſs, and Mag⯑nanimity, and an Height of Heroic Forti⯑tude, which made them as much ſuperiour to other Men, as other Men are to Beaſts. Nay, without being taught Charity by Divine Revelation, or ſuſtained in it by the Greatneſs of the Chriſtian Hope, they practiſed a very good Degree of it, either by the Force of Reaſon and Nature, or by ſome ſecret Inſpiration. For they had a Publick Vertue and Publick Spirit, which the Chriſtian World has thought more pro⯑per for its Wonder, than Imitation. They loved Liberty and their Country more than Life, hated Slavery more than Death, look⯑ed upon all who favour'd Tyrants, as ſo many Monſters and Parricides, and purſu⯑ed Tyranny with extreme Vengeance, even in their neareſt Friends and their deareſt Relations. They laid down their Lives with the greateſt Alacrity, for their Coun⯑try and the Publick Liberty, and never uſed their Valour againſt either. They never had any Faction or Diviſion upon a Religious Account, had but few Civil Wars among them, and not one Religious, ex⯑cept [34] the Egyptians, who had degenerated into ſo Beſtial a Fanaticiſm, as made them contemptible to the reſt of the World, which eaſily underſtood by the Force of Reaſon, that Religion was deſign'd to u⯑nite and compoſe, and not to divide and embroil the World.

If from ancient Rome or Athens we turn our Eyes upon our own Nation, and upon our own Times, where ſhall we find the leaſt Footſteps of their general publick, or private Vertue? That we have not ſo much as the Shadow of their general pub⯑lick Vertues, is plain, even to Senſe; for we ſee Thouſands among us diſclaiming all Pretence to it. We ſee Thouſands that ſpeak and act with Impunity againſt their Sovereign, their Country, their Liberty, and their Laws; Perſons againſt whom thoſe Laws have made no Proviſion, be⯑cauſe that our Anceſtors never believed that there could be ſuch Monſters and Parricides in Nature. We ſee Thouſands openly threatning Deſtruction to their Country, their Friends, their Relations, and to every thing that ought to be moſt dear to them; and contriving Succeſs to the Mortal Enemy, of all that ought to be valuable, of all that ought to be ſacred to to them. Since then we have not the ge⯑neral publick Vertue, nor publick Spirit, [35] whieh rendred thoſe ancient States ſo illu⯑ſtrious; it follows, that we have not their general private Vertues. For publick Spi⯑rit is founded upon private Vertue, and is the neceſſary Reſult of that; ſo that thro' whatever Nation publick Spirit is ſpread, through that Nation private Vertue muſt be generally diffuſed. And therefore, if we daily ſee ſo many attempting the Ruine of their Country, 'tis becauſe their Pride, their Avarice, their Neceſſity, and their Luxu⯑ry, have made their preſent Condition in⯑ſupportable, and any Change deſirable. But if any one thinks thoſe ancient States ow'd their general Vertue to the Forms of their Government, which were both Republicks, to him we anſwer, that no modern Re⯑publick either hath, or has had, the Vertue which thoſe ancient States had: Beſides, that Rome was vertuous under its Kings, and ſo was Sparta and Macedon among the Grecians, as likewiſe Perſia in the Times of its firſt Monarchs.

But Secondly, If we conſider only our own Times we ſhall find a more general Vertue, both publick and private, in any Civiliz'd Nation upon the Globe, than in thoſe of the Chriſtian World. Caſt your Eyes, for Example, among the Mahometans, you ſhall find among them leſs Ambition, leſs Avarice, leſs Luxury, leſs Fraud, leſs [36] Injuſtice, leſs Perjury, leſs Perfidiouſneſs, than you ſhall meet with among Chriſti⯑ans. You ſhall find, that while every Chri⯑ſtian State is at preſent engaged againſt ſome other Chriſtian Nation, in a deſperate bloody Contention, that theſe Infidels at the ſame time have no Wars with thoſe of their own Religion; but that Mahometans with Mahometans, the Ottoman with the Perſian, the Perſian with the Mogul, living in Friendſhip and a profound Peace, liſten with aſtoniſh'd Ears to the numberleſs, endleſs Quarrels of the Sons of Charity. What Opinion muſt they conceive of our Religion, when they find, that the only Perſons who profeſs the Practice of Chari⯑ty, are they who live in endleſs Wars with thoſe of their own Faith? That they are not only eternally engaged in Civil Wars, which are ſo rare among themſelves, but even in Wars unheard of among the Infi⯑dels, and which they cannot think of with⯑out Horrour, I mean in Wars of Religion? What Opinion muſt they conceive of the Chriſtian Religion, and of the Faith of thoſe who pretend to teach others Charity, when they find that our very Prieſts, thoſe Dove-like Meſſengers of the Prince of Peace, have been the Cauſes, the Abettors, and the Incendiaries of all thoſe Eoreign, and Domeſtick, and Religious Wars a⯑mong [37] Chriſtians? When they hear that it was a Prieſt who firſt laid the Plan of the French Univerſal Monarchy, which has been the Cauſe of ſhedding ſo much Blood, and of ſuch horrible Devaſtations in theſe Weſtern Parts of Europe? That it was a Prieſt who firſt began the Deſign of the French Succeſſion to the Spaniſh Monarchy, and that it was another Prieſt who finiſh'd it, which has let out another Deluge of Blood to overflow the Chriſtian World? That it was a Prieſt who put our firſt King Charles upon thoſe violent Meaſures, that occaſion'd the Civil Wars of England? That it was a Prieſt that involved Poland in all that Miſery and Devaſtation in which it now lies waſte? That they were Prieſts who gave up the Liberties of France, and afterwards that of Denmark? That they are Prieſts who are at preſent doing their utmoſt Endeavour to deliver up our own? What muſt they think of the Chriſtian Faith, when the very vileſt Prieſts, even of all the vile ones which we have men⯑tioned above, thoſe Prieſts who put a late unfortunate Prince upon breaking through thoſe Bonds Divine and Human, Bonds which united him to his Subjects; thoſe Incendiaries of Souls, thoſe perſidious Peſts of Societies, and common Diſturbers of the Chriſtian World, are called by the [38] Name of the bleſſed Founder of our Reli⯑gion, as the moſt profligate Lay Man that ever was upon the Earth is entituled the moſt Chriſtian.

But Thirdly, if we conſider only our own Nation, and our own Times, compared with thoſe of our Anceſtors, we ſhall find that there was among them a more general publick and private Vertue, than we our ſelves can boaſt of; and that Prieſtcraft and Atheiſm, Eccleſiaſtical Hypocriſy and Laical Deiſm, Right Divine and Socinia⯑niſm, Non-Reſiſtance and Publick Treaſon, Paſſive Obedience and unnatural prodigi⯑ous Luxury, have grown up and increas'd together.

Since then there neither is, nor has been, among Chriſtians, the general publick and private Vertue, that there was in the groſ⯑ſeſt Times of Paganiſm; nor is there now in the Chriſtian World the ſame degree of Vertue that is to be found in ſome other Parts of the Globe; nor have we, in our own Nation, as much general publick and private Vertue as our Anceſtors formerly had; and we yet profeſs a Religion more pure than our Anceſtors formerly knew; a Religion that teaches a more perfect and exalted Vertue, than the Religion, or the Philoſophy of the Graecians and Romans taught, or than is taught by any Reli⯑gion [39] that is at preſent eſtabliſh'd out of the Chriſtian World: It follows, that the want of general Vertue among Modern Chriſtians, muſt proceed from the Hear⯑ers, or the Teachers, of Chriſtianity. But from the Hearers it cannot proceed; for Men are by Nature the ſame that they were formerly; have the ſame Force of Underſtanding; the ſame paſſionate and ardent Deſire to be rightly inſtructed, and to be truly happy; and are the more a⯑dapted and prepared for Inſtruction and for Happineſs by a greater Light of Know⯑ledge, and a greater Experience of Things.

The Fault being neither in the Doctrine, nor in the Hearers, it follows, that the want of general Vertue muſt proceed from ſome of the Teachers, who contaminate the Doctrine of Chriſt by their own In⯑ventions, and the Doctrines of Devils. But that the want of general Vertue among us, and our deplorable Corruption of Manners, does principally proceed from the foreſaid Cauſe, is evident from that which follows.

A general Vertue depends upon Reli⯑gion; for all Vertue proceeds from good Senſe, or is the Reſult of Religion: But not one Man in fifty having good Senſe, a general Vertue muſt be the Reſult of Re⯑ligion; which is likewiſe proved by Ex⯑perience: For all States thro' which a ge⯑neral [40] Vertue has been ſpread, have been at the ſame time Religious.

But here we ought to obſerve, that the Religion upon which a general Vertue de⯑pends, muſt be a revealed Religion: For natural Religion ſpeaks to cultivate Rea⯑ſon, which is ſo rarely found among us; but Revelation ſpeaks to Senſe, which is common to all Men.

But of all Revelations, the Chriſtian Religion is moſt proper, even without the help of ſupernatural Aſſiſtance, to eſtabliſh a general (both publick and private) Ver⯑tue: The publick, becauſe 'tis the only Religion that teaches Charity; which Di⯑vine Vertue is the very Height and Perfe⯑ction of publick Spirit: The private, be⯑cauſe every Vertue is comprehended in Charity, and becauſe the Chriſtian Reli⯑gion has provided the moſt effectual Re⯑medies for the three chief Cauſes of the Corruption of Manners; which are, in the Words of the Apoſtle, the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eye, and the pride of life.

Now every Religion, like every Go⯑vernment, is, humanly ſpeaking, main⯑tain'd by the very ſame Methods by which that particular Religion was at firſt eſta⯑bliſh'd; as that of Mahomet, which began by the Sword, was maintained and carried on by the Sword; and the Modern Roman [41] Religion is maintain'd by the ſame Force and the ſame Fraud to which it owed its Origin. And every Religion loſes its Force by the contrary Methods to theſe which at firſt eſtabliſhed it.

As then the Chriſtian Religion was at firſt eſtabliſh'd by the Doctrine of Charity, and by the great Examples of Charity, which our Saviour and his Apoſtles gave through the whole courſe of their Lives, as it was maintain'd by the ſame Metho [...]s; So Chriſtian Piety cannot only decay, by the Antichriſtian Lives, and Antichri⯑ſtian Doctrines, of thoſe who pretend to teach it.

Since then a general Vertue in every Nation depends upon the Revelation eſta⯑bliſh'd there, whether true or pretended; and the Revelation eſtabliſhed in every Nation is maintained by the ſame Methods to which it owed its Origin, and loſes its Force by the contrary Methods as far as it can humanly loſe it: And ſince the Chriſtian Revelation owes its Eſtabliſh⯑ment to the Doctrine and Examples of Cha⯑rity, which ſhone in its firſt Teachers; it follows, that the want of a general Vertue, and that deplorable Corruption of Man⯑ners that reigns among us, are owing to the uncharitable Doctrines and Examples [42] of ſome of the Modern Teachers of Chri⯑ſtianity.

Thus we have done our Endeavour to ſhew how Antichriſt ſtands oppoſed to Chriſt in his Prieſthood, and in his Ty⯑ranny. We ſhall only ſay one Word of his Oppoſition to him as a Prophet. And becauſe we have reaſon to fear that we have been already tedious, we ſhall paſs by the other Prophetical Functions, which are ſo nearly ally'd to thoſe of the Prieſthood, and only juſt ſay ſomething of his Predi⯑ctions. Our Saviour foretold the Deſtru⯑ction of Jeruſalem, and of the Second Tem⯑ple, to confirm the Faith of Chriſtians, and to augment their Charity, by ſhewing how little Dependance is to be had upon the Pomp and Glories of this World, and up⯑on outward and appearing Sanctity. An⯑tichriſt foretells the Fall of the Third Tem⯑ple, which our Saviour has aſſur'd us ſhall never fall, only that he may divide and embroil the World, and extinguiſh Cha⯑rity. For the Danger of the Church has now for ſome time been the general Out⯑cry. But may we not have Leave to ask thoſe many Antichriſts, when they ſay the Church is in Danger, What they mean by the Church, and of whom it is com⯑pos'd? What the Danger is with which it is threatned? Or, from whom or whence [43] it muſt come? May we not have Leave to ask them one plain Queſtion? Are the Souls of Men to whom they preach in dan⯑ger? If they are not, why do they preach to them? But if they are, is that the Dan⯑ger they ſpeak of when they ſay the Church is in Danger? Or, is it another Danger? If they ſay 'tis another Danger, can any thing be more ridiculous? Can any thing be more abſurd, when the grand Concern, nay, the only Concern, the very All of thoſe to whom they ſpeak lies at Stake, to allarm them with Trifles? For what com⯑par'd to that is not a Trifle? There is not one of them that preaches to a very nu⯑merous Congregation, but every Sermon which he preaches is the laſt to ſome of them, to one of them at leaſt. And who knows when they are aſſembled, who that one may be? Who knows how near he himſelf is to Death and final Judgment? How near to a Danger horrible even to conceive? And can this fooliſh, this tri⯑fling, this impudent Preacher pretend to allarm them with another Danger, a Peril of ſomething more remote, a Peril perhaps in Fancy or in Fiction only; a Danger, be it what it will, that is not worth a Mo⯑ment's Thought, compared to this ſtupen⯑dious Danger? Is not this like putting a Man in mind, who is about to periſh in a [44] Storm, a thouſand Leagues off from Shore, juſt in the Moment that the Ocean opens her dreadful Abyſs to ſwallow him, of put⯑ting him in mind of ſome trifling Loſs that he is like to ſuſtain on Shore? Would not this be a barbarous, would not this be a monſtrous mocking of him, juſt in the terrible Moment that he is about to pe⯑riſh? Would it not be, by ſo much the more barbarous, by ſo much the more mon⯑ſtrous, in that it ſhould come from one who muſt be about to periſh with him?

But if by this Danger, he means the Danger of Damnation, which the Souls are in to whom he preaches; from what or whence is this Danger fear'd? Is it from the actual and habitual Sins of his Hearers? Or, have they ſo few of both, that they are at leiſure to apprehend Dam⯑nation from ſomething more foreign and more remote? If 'tis from their actual and habitual Sins, and that extream Corrup⯑tion which reigns in the Congregation to which he preaches; for in what Congre⯑gations at preſent does not extream Cor⯑ruption reign? Is not this a fooliſh, is not this an impudent inſulting of them? Have ſome certain Preachers brought them into this Danger? And is it in their Power to help them out of it? And are they con⯑tented with barely threatning it? Has it [45] not been made clear and moſt perſpicuous, that the extream Corruption of the Laity, proceeds from the Antichriſtian Doctrines, proceeds from the Antichriſtian Practices of ſome certain Preachers? Let but thoſe Preachers reform their Doctrines, and re⯑form their Practices, and I'll engage that the wretched Laity ſhall reform immedi⯑ately.

But alas! the Danger that thoſe Preach⯑ers threaten, is not from the Sins of the People to whom they preach; is not from the extream Corruption of Manners that reigns in their Congregations. For when have theſe Prophets ever inveighed againſt their moſt predominant Vices? By what Sermons have they ever ſignaliz'd them⯑ſelves againſt their Ambition, againſt their Avarice, againſt their Oppreſſions, their publick and private Rapines, againſt their new, their unheard of, their unnatural Luxuries? Did they ever threaten them with Danger from theſe? Are they really in no Danger from theſe? Are they not in a thouſand times more Danger from theſe, than they can be from any thing elſe in the World? if they are, why are they not told ſo? if they are not, from what wonderful, what unconceivable thing is it from which they are more in Danger?

[46] From what has been ſaid, 'tis plain that by the Danger of the Church, theſe Preach⯑ers mean not the Danger of Damnation which their Hearers are in from their nu⯑merous and crying Sins. It follows then, that they mean ſomething that is of no Con⯑cern to their Hearers: for if they would ſpeak of things that are of any Concern to them, why not their main, their whole, their tremendous Concern? Why do they omit that, and threaten them with Trifles? Why do they either not mention it, or while they mention, ſpeak of it ſo very coldly; they who while they ſpeak of the Danger of the Church, declaim ſo very warmly? Is it not ſhrewdly to be ſuſpe⯑cted, that by the Church they mean them⯑ſelves, mean their own Intereſts and their own Power? O fooliſh and miſerable Lai⯑ty! to be ſo much allarm'd, and deluded, and divided by theſe, who are ſo cool, ſo unconcern'd for you; ſo very warm, and ſo very much concern'd for themſelves! who not only neglect your real Dangers, but by falſly allarming you with imaginary ones, bring you into the only real, the only dreadful Danger. For let me ask you once more, What is this pretended Dan⯑ger of the Church? Is it the Danger of the Catholick Church, againſt the which our Saviour has told us, that the gates of [47] Hell ſhall not prevail? Is not this Aſſurance enough, that it ſhall not fall? Or are ſome Prieſts more dangerous than the Devil? Or, by the Danger of the Church, do they mean the Diſcipline and the Government of ſome particular Church? As for Exam⯑ple, the Diſcipline and the Government of the National Church of England? Are theſe in Danger to be alter'd? Suppoſing they were: Theſe are Things, by the Confeſſion of all, of no Neceſſity to Salvation; and Things, by the Confeſſion of all but them⯑ſelves, at liberty to be alter'd in every Na⯑tion, at the Will of their Legiſlators. And conſequently, if this Danger were real, it would be of no Significancy to their Hear⯑ers. But this Danger is not real; and no Shadow of Proof has been brought to ſhew, that the Diſcipline and Government of the Church are in any manner of Perils; nay, unanſwerable Arguments have been brought to prove, that they are not in Danger. O fooliſh and wretched People! to be thus in⯑cenſed and exaſperated againſt each other, by the vain fear of a fictitious Danger; which, were in true, would be Ten thou⯑ſand times leſs than the Danger into which it brings you; a Danger, which, by the Confeſſion of all, is the moſt real, and moſt horrible of all Dangers; the Danger of Eter⯑nal Damnation from your want of Charity.

[48] The exacteſt Diſcipline of the moſt Per⯑fect Church is only in order to the ſaving of Souls. The Deſign of our Saviour's coming into the World, was to ſave Souls, and not to eſtabliſh Diſcipline: For where is the Diſcipline which our Saviour eſta⯑bliſh'd? Can any thinking Man believe, that our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, who came to pull down the Partition Wall that was between the Jews and the Gentiles, by a⯑boliſhing the Ceremonial Law, and the Eccleſiaſtick Diſcipline of the Jewiſh Na⯑tion, could ever deſign another certain Diſ⯑cipline, and other certain Ceremonies, which he could not but foreſee would create a Diviſion among his future Diſci⯑ples? But Antichriſt deſigns, by deſtroying Charity, to damn Souls, that he may pre⯑ſerve Diſcipline. 'Tis the Danger that Ec⯑cleſiaſtical Diſcipline is in, at which he is conſtantly allarm'd. O vain and impudent Pretence! For ſuppoſe the Danger true, as it is certainly moſt falſe, how very fooliſh muſt that Preacher be, who pretends to be allarm'd at any thing more, than the Dan⯑ger of thoſe Souls which alone he prea⯑ches to ſave, than the Danger of thoſe Souls for which alone our Saviour di⯑ed? How many of thoſe miſerable Souls have been for ever loſt, while they have been hearkning to the Danger of the [49] Church, and dying impenitent in Hatred and in deviliſh Malice, by the Inſtigation of theſe their Paſtors againſt their innocent Brethren; have, to their Everlaſting Con⯑fuſion, found in Hell that the Church is not in Danger!

Thirdly, Thus I have given you the Marks by which Antichriſt ſtands oppos'd to Jeſus Chriſt, as a King, a Prieſt, and a Prophet. I ſhall now ſum up all thoſe Marks in one grand Characteriſtical Mark, that as we have ſhewn above that Anti⯑chriſt is a Prieſt, ſo it may be plain to the meaneſt Capacity who theſe Prieſts are of whom it may be ſaid, in the Words of the Text, Even now there are many Anti⯑chriſts.

Every Prieſt then, who, when he prea⯑ches, does apparently and maliciouſly wreſt the Goſpel, or the Epiſtles which explain the Goſpel, to ſay ſomething that is quite contrary to the great Deſign of our Savi⯑viour, that Prieſt is Antichriſt. Now the great Deſign of our Saviour in preaching the Goſpel of his Kingdom, was to do principally two Things; Firſt, to reſtore the Law of Nature; and Secondly, to re⯑vive and reſtore Charity.

Firſt, The great Deſign of our Saviour's coming into the World, was to reſtore and fulfil the Law of Nature. Matt. 5. v. 17. [50] Think not that I came to deſtroy the Law and the Prophets, I am not come to deſtroy but to fulfil. And Ver. 18. For verily I ſay unto you, till heaven and earth paſs, one jot or one tittle ſhall in no wiſe paſs from the law, till all be fulfilled. Now, what was the Law that our Saviour came to fulfil? Not the Ceremonial Law; for that he came to diſannul. Epiſt. to the Hebrews, Chap. 6. Ver. 18. For there is verily a diſannulling of the commandment going before for the weak⯑neſs and unprofitableneſs thereof. Ver. 19. For the law made nothing perfect. And what Law is it which our Saviour ſays muſt re⯑main to the End of the World? Not the Ceremonial Law, for that is already abo⯑liſh'd. Heb. 10. Ver. 8, 9. Above, when he ſaid, ſacrifice and offering, and burnt-offering, thou wouldſt not, neither hadſt pleaſure therein, which are offered by the law. Then he ſaid, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the firſt, that he may eſtabliſh the ſecond. Now, what is this Second Law which our Saviour came to eſtabliſh? What but the Law of Nature, or the Moral Law; as ap⯑pears by the foremention'd Chapter, Ver. 16. This is the covenant that I will make with them, after thoſe days, faith the Lord, I will put my Laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them. Since then the great Deſign of our Saviour's Doctrine was [51] to reſtore the Law of Nature, every Prieſt who wreſts the Goſpel, or the Epiſtles which explain the Goſpel, to ſay any thing which offends againſt the Law of Nature, that Prieſt is Antichriſt. Now the eldeſt of Nature's Laws, and that which Man is the hardeſt brought to violate, by the una⯑nimous Confeſſion of all who have treated of it, is Self-Preſervation. But this is moſt evident, that without Self-Defence the Law of Self-Preſervation cannot be kept invio⯑lated; and that without Reſiſtance there can be no Self-Defence. Whatever Prieſt then pretends to make the Scripture ſay any thing againſt any manner of Reſiſt⯑ance of unjuſt Violence, that is neceſſary to Self-Preſervation, the eldeſt Law of Na⯑ture, this Law which God has put in our Hearts, and has writ in our Minds, and which only the Devil and his Diſciples can ever deſign to deface; that Prieſt is as much oppoſed to our Saviour, as any thing poſſibly can be oppoſed; and is therefore one of the many of whom we may ſay in the Words of the Text, Even now there are many Antichriſts.

But Secondly, The other great Deſign of our Saviour's Doctrine was to reſtore Cha⯑rity. Goſp. of St John, Chap. 15. Ver. 12. This is my commandment, that ye love one another. And this great Deſign compre⯑hends [52] the other, viz. the reſtoring of the Law of Nature, Gal. 4. Ver. 15. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf. And Rom. 13. Ver. 8, 9, 10. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth ano⯑ther hath fulfilled the law. v. 9. For this, thou ſhalt not commit adultery, thou ſhalt not kill, thou ſhalt not ſteal, thou ſhalt not bear falſe wit⯑neſs, thou ſhalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this ſaying, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf. v. 10. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Thus Charity includes the Law of Nature. But it likewiſe includes a great deal more. For by the Law of Nature, as it ſtands now, is meant only that which can be gathered by the Light of Reaſon: but the Law of Charity includes more than what can be gather'd from the Light of corrupted Reaſon, and is the firſt Law of Nature which was given to Adam in his State of Perfection, 1 Epiſt. of St. John, Chap. 3. verſ. 11. For this is the meſſage that ye have heard from the beginning, that we ſhould love one another. Charity is the great⯑eſt of all the Chriſtian Vertues; by which alone our Saviour tells us, Matt. 25. that men will be ſaved at the laſt day; and for want of which alone he tells us, they will be damned; [53] than which nothing can be more reaſonable and more juſt: For all other Vertues are but in order to, and as it were the ſcaffolding of that; and are included in that. When that is perfect, the reſt ſhall ceaſe to be; and all ſhall at laſt be ſwallow'd up in Charity: which ſhall make the Felicity of the Bleſ⯑ſed Ten thouſand Ages, after Temperance, Prudence, and Fortitude, nay, after Faith and Hope themſelves ſhall have been no more. Now Charity being the only Vertue that reigns in Heaven, he who has not been habituated to it on Earth, would go thi⯑ther like a Stranger to a remote Country, whoſe Language and Cuſtoms are both unknown to him, and entirely different from his own; and where, by Conſequence, he could neither keep any Company, nor find any Pleaſure. The Advancement of Charity then was the great Deſign of our Saviour's coming into the World; for the Advancement of Charity is the Salvation of Souls: And therefore, that Prieſt who wreſts the Scripture to ſay any thing de⯑ſtructive of that, is emphatically Anti⯑chriſt.

St. Paul, by what he has ſaid of Cha⯑rity in the 13th Chapter of the 1ſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, has ſet before us ſeveral Marks to know when the Scripture is [54] wreſted to the Deſtruction of that Divine Vertue.

Charity, ſays he, Ver. 4. ſuffereth long, and is kind; Charity envieth not; Charity vaunteth not it ſelf, is not puffed up, v. 5. Doth not behave it ſelf unſeemly; ſeeketh not her own; is not eaſily provoked; thinketh no evil; v. 6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; v. 7. Beareth all things, belie⯑veth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. From which it is plain, that what⯑ever Prieſt makes uſe of the Scripture to ſtir up Diviſion amongſt Men, to nouriſh their Malice, their Envy, their Pride; to raiſe groundleſs Fears and Jealouſies among them, and to deſtroy the Confidence which Members of Societies mutually have in each other, and to compaſs all this by impudent ill manner'd Invectives, and a ſort of Ec⯑cleſiaſtical Billingſgate; that Prieſt wreſts the Scripture to ſay ſomething that is ve⯑ry deſtructive of Charity, and is empha⯑tically Antichriſt.

Nothing can be more ſeaſonable, than here to conſider, what the Apoſtle St. James ſays of the Tongues of ſuch Men, and themſelves, Jam. 3. ver. 6. The tongue is a fire; a world of iniquity: So is the tongue among the members, that it defileth the whole body, and ſetteth on fire the courſe of nature, and is ſet on fire of hell. v. 7. For [55] every kind of beaſts, and of birds, and of ſer⯑pents, and of things in the ſea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind. v. 8. But the tongue can no man tame: it is abundantly evil: full of deadly poiſon. v. 9. Therewith bleſs we God, even the Father, and therewith curſe we men, which are made after the ſimilitude of God. v. 10. Out of the ſame mouth proceedeth bleſſing and curſing. My brethren, theſe things ought not ſo to be. v. 11. Doth a fountain ſend forth at the ſame time ſweet water and bitter. v. 12. Can the Fig-tree, my brethren, bear Olive-berries? either a Vine Figs? So can no fountain yield both ſalt water and freſh. And the Apoſtle declares in the following Verſes, that theſe Church-Incendiaries who make it their Buſineſs to curſe, when 'tis their Duty to bleſs, who are agitated with Rage, and Envy, and Malice, have a Spirit in them that is directly contrary to the Spirit of the Goſpel; ver. 13. Who is a wiſe man, and endued with knowledge among you? Let him ſhew, out of a good converſation, his works, with meekneſs of wiſdom. v. 14. But if ye have bitter envying and ſtrife in your hearts, glory not, and lye not againſt the truth. v. 15. This wiſdom deſcendeth not from above, but is earthly, ſenſual, deviliſh. v. 16. For where envying and ſtrife is, there is confuſion, and every evil work. After that the Apoſtle has, in ſeveral of the foreſaid Verſes, ſhewn [56] you the Spirit of Antichriſt; in the fol⯑lowing Verſes he deſcribes the Spirit of the Goſpel, ver. 17. But the wiſdom that is from above, is firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle and eaſie to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocriſie. And in the next Verſe he tells us the Effects of it; v. 18. And the fruit of Righteouſneſs is ſown in peace of them that make peace. But alas! how little is there of this Wiſdom, this Spirit, and this Fruit among ſome Modern Preachers!

Thus St. James declares Railing to be con⯑trary to the Spirit of Charity, and conſe⯑quently of Chriſtianity. And this is the una⯑nimous Senſe both of the Apoſtles, and of the Evangeliſts: and that it is never to be al⯑low'd of againſt any Perſon or Perſons, upon any Pretence or Occaſion whatever, let the Crime be never ſo great, or ſo horrible. The greateſt Crime that ever was committed, was the firſt; the Apo⯑ſtacy of Lucifer from his Creator; the greateſt of Sins, excepting the Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, and equal even to that: like that ſo great, that it was never to be attoned for by any Repentance, and never to be forgiven. Yet Michael the Archan⯑gel, when contending with the Devil, he diſputed about the Body of Moſes, durſt not bring againſt him a railing Accuſa⯑tion, [57] but ſaid, the Lord rebuke thee. The great⯑eſt Crime next to theſe, was the murdering of the Lord of Life: And yet we find not in any of the Apoſtles, or in any one of the Evangeliſts, the leaſt Invective, or the leaſt Bitterneſs, againſt Judas who betray'd him, or the High Prieſt who condemn'd him, or Pilate who deliver d him to the Soldiers, or the Soldiers who mock'd and ſcourg'd and crucify'd him. And will our Mo⯑dern Antichriſts after this pretend to take Occa⯑ſion from the Goſpel of Peace to rail? Will they yet further defend their Railing, by wreſting the Scriptures ſtill more to their own Deſtruction, and the Deſtruction of their credulous Hearers? Shall the 4th Chapter of St. Paul's Epiſtle to Ti⯑tus be brought to juſtifie this Spirit of Antichriſt: I charge thee therefore before God (ſays St. Paul to Ti⯑tus, Chap. 4. Ver. 1.) and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing, and his kingdom, ver. 2. Preach the word, be inſtant in ſeaſon, out of ſeaſon; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-ſuffering and doctrine. To what is it that the Apoſtle in this Chapter exhorts Titus? Why to preach the Word in Seaſon and out of Seaſon, that is, to preach the Son of God, and the Do⯑ctrine of Charity. And ſhall this be made uſe of to juſtifie preaching up Diviſion, Diſſention, Sedition, and the Doctrines of Devils? Shall the Apoſtle's Exhortation to reprove, and to rebuke, be made uſe of to vindicate want of Manners, and ſuch Rudeneſs as better becomes a drunken Bully than a ſober Divine, and a midnight Tavern [58] than a Pulpit? eſpecially when St. Jude in the 9th Verſe of his Epiſtle mention'd above, has as it were oppos'd Rebuking to Railing, telling us, that the Archangel Michael durſt not bring a rail⯑ing Accuſation againſt the Devil, but only ſaid, The Lord rebuke thee. And St. Paul tells Titus in this very Verſe, that his rebuking, and reproving, and exhorting, muſt be with all long-ſuffering, and with doctrine, that is, with Charity. The true Chriſti⯑an is certainly the beſt well-manner'd Man in the World, if that be the trueſt good Breeding, which makes a Man moſt eaſie, both to himſelf and o⯑thers: and no Man who calls himſelf a Chriſti⯑an ever wanted Manners, but that Man at the ſame time wanted both Faith and Charity. But if no manner of Railing, in order to excite Envy and Hatred, and Rage, and Malice, is allow'd of by the Chriſtian Religion, then certainly the moſt Criminal of all Railings muſt be that which is pretended to be drawn from this very Religion, which by its principal Commands, a Command comprehenſive of all its Commands, obliges us to hare no Man, and to rail at no Man. But as the Railing of our Modern Preachers can by no means be juſtified by St. Paul's exhorting, rebuking and reproving; can the grievous Sufferings of that A⯑poſtle for the ſake of Righteouſneſs, and the preaching of the Goſpel of Chriſt, be compared to a juſt and a moderate Puniſhment inflicted by an offended Legiſlature, for the preaching Diviſion and Sedition, and the Doctrine of Devils? eſpe⯑cially when this very Apoſtle has told us, 1 Cor. [59] 13. ver. 3. Tho' I give my body to be burned, and have not Charity, it profitteth me nothing. From which we may conclude, that many a Martyr has gone to Hell, and paſs'd from one Flame to another. Is there no difference between a light Suffering and a heavy one, a nominal one and a real one, a juſt one and an unjuſt one? Is there no difference be⯑tween doing the Work of Chriſt, and the Work of the Devil and his Angels? With whom I will not ſay, according to their own charitable Chri⯑ſtian way of dealing, that I will leave theſe well⯑natur'd Preachers, tho' 'tis with the Company they have always kept, as, I believe, has been made pretty plain; but I humbly pray to Al⯑mighty God to deliver them out of the Hands of their old Acquaintance, who firſt ſeduced them and debauched them, and whom, as is manifeſt by their Works, they ſtill frequent continually; and of whoſe Houſe and Family they may moſt properly be ſaid to be; 1 John 3. ver. 10. In this the children of God are manifeſted, and the children of the devil: whoſoever doth not righteouſneſs is not of God, nor be who loveth not his brother. We pray to God to deliver them from theſe wicked Spirits by a ſincere Repentance, for all the Miſchief which they have done themſelves, and for all which they have been the Occaſion of in others▪ for all the Antichriſtian Hatred, that is, for all the Murder of which they have been guilty them⯑ [...] and of which ſo many Thouſands have [...] guilty by the Suggeſtion of them and the Devil. For St. John tells us in the 15th Verſe of [60] the foremention'd Chapter, Whoſo hateth his bro⯑ther is a murderer. The Reaſon is plain, becauſe whoever hates another would kill him, if he were not reſtrain'd by the fear of Corporal Puniſhment. For this is evident, that he is not reſtrain'd by the Law of Nature, nor by the poſitive Law of God; not by the Law of Nature, becauſe that obliges him not to hate him, by its great and comprehen⯑ſive Rule of doing as one would be done by; for no Man is willing to be hated by another: nor is he reſtrained by the poſitive Law of God, becauſe that obliges him not to hate him. It follows then, that he is only aw'd by the fear of Corporal Pu⯑niſhment. And how often has this Religious Ha⯑tred, this Hatred excited by Antichriſt and the Devil, broke out in Wars, in Murders, in Burn⯑ings, and in Maſſacres? How near did it come to theſe Confuſions and theſe Horrours lately! How ſoon would it yet come to them, if it were not re⯑ſtrain'd by the Wiſdom of our Legiſlators. We humbly beſeech Almighty God, to cleanſe the Hearts of all theſe Antichriſts by a ſevere Repen⯑tance, for the numberleſs Murders of which they have certainly contracted the malicious Guilt, and for perfidiouſly ſapping, at the ſame time, the Foundations of our Conſtitution, and the Funda⯑mentals of Chriſtianity. We humbly beſeech thee, O God, to pour into their Hearts thy Spirit of Peace, of Meekneſs, and of Charity, that they may be deliver'd from every evil Work, and preſerv [...]d unto thine own Kingdom. To whom be Glory for Ever and Ever. Amen.