neither divert the Understanding, nor engage it to close with Er: rour: yet, often do they discover, how powerfully they can byas the Mind, in that these prevail with Men, to modifie and mold a Truth according to the bent, or form of their inclinations. As a Bowl which is skilfully aimed at a Mark, goes nevertheless by a Com pafs which its byas forceth it unto, according to the rifings or fallings of the ground it meets with in the way. Men may arrive at real Truth in the main, and yet may shape it according to their bumours. For inftance, let us confider the different modes or forms, in which the fame Truth is représented under the workings of different tempers. A Melancholy Perfon conceives of all things under fuch reflections, as Fear and Sadnefs do ufually give; if he confider God he looks upon him in the notion of greatest feverity and justice: if upon the ways of Duty, he colours them all in black, and can fcarce account any thing Piety, which is not accompanied with fadnefs and mourning; if he calls his Soul to a reckoning, his conclufions concerning himself are fad, doleful, or at beft fufpi cious. On the contrary, an bilarous cheerful temper, cenfures all fadness for fullennefs, and is apt to accufe thofe that go mourn ing in their way, for unthankful Murmurers, and unbelieving Com plainers; it interprets God's favourable condefentions to the weak, in the greateft latitude, and is cafily perfwaded to thofe things that are upon the utmost brink of Liberty: to which, others of a more timerous difpofition dare not approach, for fear of offending. This puts an higher excellency upon the duties of Praife, as the other upon Fafting and Mourning. Thofe Men that are morofe and fevere, they are apt to think, that God is fuch an one as themfelves and though they acknowledg there is fuch a grace as Charity, yet under a pretence of ftri&tnefs, they cannot believe they are bound to exercife it towards any that are under any failing, of which they judge themfelves to be free; and therefore fuch Men are ufually very difficult, in all cafes wherein Condefcenti'on is to be used; they are hard to be reconciled, and after the mifcarriage of any perfon,are not eafily Satisfied of their Repentance: and in cafes of Diffent from their way and practice of Religion, they are commonly cenforious,and conclude the worst. They again that are naturally mild and gentle, under a pretence of Charity and Meeknefs, are apt to become remifs in their Carriages towards any Brothers, and because Charity thinks not evil, they model their acknowledged Duty into the form of their own difpofition, and

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Divinum eft

fcire quamplurima.

fo think they must fee, and yet not perceive; and instead of covering the infirmities of a Brother, they have a Mantle to caft over every tranfgreffion. At the fame rate alfo do they frame their conceptions of God, as if he was fo merciful, that he would scarce reckon, any Abomination to be above the height of an ordinary infirmity: thefe are apt to think, that the mercies of God (fo much praised in Scripture) fignifie little less than an indulgence in Tranf greffion, far above what Precifians are apt to imagine: and that it is as eafe to obtain forgiveness from God for any offence, as it is to fay, The Lord be merciful to me a Sinner. Thofe that accustom themselves to the delights of the fenfes, are apt to bend the way of their Religion to that bumour and think,that nothing can be fo lemu in Worship, that is not fet out with garnishings that may pleafe the Eye, or Ear. Nay, 'tis obfervable enough, That Religion borrows fome taint or shape, from the various Studies and Sciences of Men; in fome, (as in many of the Fathers) we may fee Religion dipt in Platonism, or Peripateticifm. Some introduce the diftinctions and definitions of Philofophy; others compel all Scriptures to fubmit to the Laws of frict logical Analyfis. Thus, according to the various Mediums that Men look through, are Truths difcoloured, and dreffed up in feveral fhapes: 'tis cafie from these inftances to imagine, that Satan must have a great advantage against us in point of Errour, from the byas of the Mind.

Fourthly, Adventurous Curiofities is another general advantage by which he works. This arifeth partly from a defire of Knowledge, and partly from Pride; and both these make way for his Defign,

A defire after Knowledg is Natural, and withal very bewitch ing. To know hath fomething in it more than ordinary. This is noted in Job 11, 12, Vain Man would be wife, though Man beborn like a wild Affe s-colt: though he be foolish, yet he affects Wif domes and the very delight of Knowing, doth engage Men to rious prying Searches, though with much labour and hazard... Of this Temper were the Athenians, Act. 17. 21. They spent their time in nothing elfe, but either to tell, or to bear fome new thing: not barely in telling News, but in inquiries after new Notions and Difcoveries: and this made them willing to hear Paul, as afetter forth of strange Gods, and a new Doctrine.

When this defire after Knowledg is animated with Pride,

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(as oft it is, for Knowledg puffeth up) then 'tis more dangerous; when Men are upon a Defign, to feem higher than others, to be fingular, to fee more, than what all Men fee, to be admired, to out-talk their Neighbours, what adventures will they not make? How fair do they lye open to any conceit that may ferve this end?

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Ecclefiarum.

That Satan labours to improve this curiofity, is without doubt; he carefully affords fuel to this burning, and diligently blows it up into a Hame. The firft temptation had that ingredient in it, Te shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil. And we fee it was a great enticement to Eve, That which would make one wife, was therefore defirable. The blame of Ifraels firft Idolatry, feems to be laid at this door, Deut. 32. 17. They facrificed to Gods whom they knew not, to new Gods that came newly up: implying, That they were drawn afide from their old established way of Worship, by a curiofity, to try the new ways of the Heathens. And fo great an hand hath this, generally, in Errours; That Paul, 2 Tim. 4.3. makes this itch after Novelty the great ground of that defection from Truth, which he forefaw was coming, They Pruritos auri hall heap to themselves Teachers, having itching ears. This itch of rum eft fcabies the Ear, is the ufual fore-runner of a Scab in the Church, because it doth difpofe Men to receive any kind of Teacher. God indeed doth fometimes take the advantage of our natural curiofity for our good: by this means many of Johns Hearers, who went out into the Wilderness to him, as to a ftrange fight (as thofe words imply, What went ye out into the Wilderness to fee?) were Converted. By this means, the Gospel afterwards made a large Progrefs, as we fee commonly new Teachers affect most at first, for when Men grow acquainted with their Gifts, their admiration decays, and the fuccefs of their Labours is not fo great many times. The Devil also observing, the prevalency of Curiofity; and that Men are more pleased with new Notions, than with old Truths; he endeavours alfo to Plow with this Heifer, and oft makes a great Harveft by it. There is yet another advantage more that he sometimes ufeth: and that is,

Fifthly, Atheistical Debauchery, when Men by long cuftome in Sinning, have arrived to habitual Carelefnefs and Prefumption, then they become Practical Atheists; their Vitious Habits work upon their understandings, to obliterate all Principles: when Men are gone fo far, they are fit Engineers for Satan'; for while

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they dif-believe all things, they can (to ferve a Defign, or to head a Party) take up any Opinion, and pretend the greatest ferioufnefs in the propagating it; though in the mean time, they fe cretly laugh at the credulity of the Vulgar.

Thefe Men let out themselves, and all their parts to the Devil, and he knows how to make ufe of them, to bring on the delufion, and deception of others. Many Ages have given Examples of fuch thofe Seducers mentioned in the new Teftament, were (fome of them) of this rank, and therefore called deceitful Workers. Such as were not really under thofe Perfwafions, which they thought to fix upon others; but upon defign, transformed themselves into the Apostles of Chrift; fuch as ferved not our Lord Jefus Chrift, but their own bellies: and yet by good words and fair freeches, deceived the hearts of the fimple, Rom. 16. 18. Who, through Covetousness, with feigned words, made Merchandize of Men, 2 Pet. 2. 3. Balaam was fuch, and the Woman Jezabel that called her felf a Prophetess, Rev. 2. 20. Such was the Arch-bishop of Spalato, who for advantage could at pleasure take up, and lay See the Narra- down his Religion. Such an one was the false Jew (not fo long Tion called The fince) difcovered in this place, who (being a Romish Emiffary) falle Jew. pretended to be a Few Converted; and feeking a pure Church, under that vizor, defigning to overthrow (by private infinuations,) the Faith of the fimple, uncautious Admirers! by fuch Inftruments Satan works, where he hath opportunity.

CHA P.

CHA P. III

Of Satan's improving thefe Advantages for Errour. 1. By deluding the Understanding directly: which he doth (1.) by countenancing Errour from Scripture. Of his cunning therein. (2) By Specious pretences of Myfteries and what these are. Of perfonal flatteries, (3.) By affected Expreffions. Reason of their prevalency. (4) By bold Affertions. The Reasons of that Policy (5) By the excellency of the Perfons appearing for it, either for Gifts or Holiness. His method if managing that defign. (6.) By pretended Infpiration. (7) By pretended Miracles. His cunning herein. (8) By peace and profperity in ways of Errour. (9) By lyes against Truth, and the Profeffors of it.

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Hat are the general Advantages which Satan hath to forward his defign of Errour we have féen. It now remains, that we take an account of the various ways, by which he improves thofe Advantages, and thofe may be referred to two Heads. (1) They are fuch Stratagems, as more diredly work upon the Understanding to delude and blind it. Or (2) they are fuch as indirectly by the power of the Will and Affections do influence it.

Firft, Thofe Stratagems, that more immediatly concern the Underftanding, are the ufe of fuch Arguments, which carry in thema probability to confirm an Errour; though indeed they are but Fallacies, Sophifms,or Paralogifms: of which the Apostle fpeaks, Col. 2.4. Left any beguile you, that is, left they impofe upon you, by falfe Reafonings. His ufual way of proceeding in this cafe is,

Firft, When he hath to do with Men that are brought up with profeffion