Bookll. SECT. XX. Ofttmpl.ltionJ, i;z rejpelii nfor<rfpiritreJl eftates. THe next kind of umptations, is in reference to our lpiritual eflates : And herein Satan confiders men either as weak Chrifiians, or as firong, for the former, he rcmpts them to errors, dclpairs, ditlidencc, blind zeal, &c. for the latter, he tempts them to privy pride, lecret hypocri(ie , folitary mufings on the tempt<ltions of Satan, mifinterprtting o' the Lords doin5s, turnin!~ the grace of God into wan. tonnefs, dillradious, and wandrings of heart in holy things, to boafling, and ex ,Jr. ing their llrengthof grace already received , c)·c. I cmnot enumerate a!~ much lefs can I inlnge upon all, only I flull (peak to one affaultof a weak Chr!lllan, and to another ofa ftrong Chrillian, and pafs by all the rdl. S E C T. XXI. OfS.Ji.JJtl a§aulu to bri.;g wc.zZ Cl/rifii.ms to errors. I F Chriffians 3fC but weak in knowledge , then Satan prelents then'! with i"ome dangcrou~crrour, ac; it it were fOme prLcious ~lorious truth of God. This Sataa doth for rhele cuds; As l· To feduce <he godly, and to draw therR into errour: 7"1 Jndced he cannot {(;duce th.em to damrub1c, yet he may feducc them to dangerous <rrour>, and if he can bm prevail in that, he cdunts it worth the while :Or 2. Ifhe cannot fcducc, yet he will endeavour to unfcttle weak Chril\ians in the truth already received, q. d. Jfthis be owt trmh, tbw ;,uyeft tl>ou qulljlion cverytbingfor truth, wbicb alre.dy tbJtt belitvtjl, "''d wlmc art thou thm? Or 3. If he cannot unfcttlc, yet will he bbuur to fhakc thLm in rhe truth received; all have not attained to the lame meafi1re of Jlt:df:lltoefs, Come are but weak, and bJbes in knowledge, though others are as grown mtn : Now v.uiery of errours, opinions, and difpmcs, are a fhaking of weak minds, which made the Apcllle lay, Him that is weal(, in faitb receive ye, . bt<t 1101 ttJttu tkutful difPrst"tiam. Or+ If he CJllnot fhake them, yet if he qn but Rom.r4.s. perplex them a11d trouble them, he hath his end. This hath been SatJJis greatddign in all l!\C> of the Cllllrch ol God, to rarle up fome 1mpof<ors, or llOtabk Seducers to perplex and to trouble the Church of God; he hath no comfort himfdf, and he envies comfort whLre-evn he f(CS ir : hence he hbours, if he c:~.nnor feducc us out of the way, yet to hed!\c up our way with thornes, to call blqck, in our way, to diilurbusin our cour(e towards heaven. Ot 5· He inay yet have :i further eBd, heprefcnts error, that if he can do no more, ye the may prejudice the entertainment o~ further truth. Satau knows lull well, that rowarJs the end of the world there will be a- Jra.rr. 9 • buodanc' ol truth revcalcd and made known?Tbe i(,nowledge oftbe LordJhall be af tbe 1 va Zach.r 2 .s, trrs tbJt cover tbe fe• : God bath fpoken glorious thin!;> of rhe later daies, Every cbild Dan.12.4-i (h.•U be aJ D>vid, and thtk.!towledge ofrbe Lordfl'"/1 be incre•fed. Now at this time Satan ·w,lJ vcut hiserrours, he willt:r vn foot mJny dangerous errours to prejudice the bearts of the people of God in the r<etivin~ and entertaining of truths tobe revealed: when God isfo":'ing Wheat, then is Sa_tan b•.di: to {ow hi; TJrcs; when God is d,[covcring truths, then 1s he bufic to commnmcatc l11s crroms;th~ devllts nevermore bnfte, then when Gods work go.:' belt en: he hopes in the heat ol the Mlrket to vent his o'wn wares he hopes in the thron!\ to put off one \vi rh another, and that men will not fo Jaretully obfervc it : lt lcalt ·f! men b: lhy to entertain the one, he hopes by this r.o lcffen the authority, and to prejudice the entc,rraining of the other. Thele are Satans tnds, and no wonder ifhe prevail with wcak\Chritlians, that a1 yet ue bab~s ia know; kdge, and k!low n~t how to rdifi. SECT. XX I!. Of»·reftli"g >c::itbS.11,w at to thir affim/J. BUt. that you may bo armed, and able o' overcmno Satan in this rclpcc1 o'>ferve rhefc particulars,- • ' 1. Be lure oi a ril.\ht knowledge in the p incipk•, anJ f,nd•rncnul trnths; tl efi: are
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