Chap.12. An Expofation upon the Book ofJOB.VerC i 6. roundlyand clearly. TOfa} ( faith he) that God doth onlyper- mit men to deceive, .and tobedeceived, is aeery coldexpreffion, and fpeak. little , yea it is a derogation to the honour of God ; for the Lord in infinite wifdom and holinefs , difpofethof the errors of men, and of thofe that leadthem into error. There are four things, in which the providence ofGod moves to theordering of this diforderly work ofman. a. He orders the perlons, who fhalldeceive;and who (halt be deceived; Hence it is Paid (Mar24..) that the falle prophets, and the falleChrifls, arifing in the later times, filmic' (if it were pofble) deceive the very elec`l. Then the elect are perfons ex- empt ; deceivers may diftemper them, bút they f ìall never poy- Ion them. 2. When or whattime any (hall deceive or be deceived,is al- _fo ordered by God. We read that fatanwas bound fora thou- fandyears, that he fhouldnot deceive the nations (Rev.2o.) It was God that boundhim , fatan mutt be in a chain ofdivine provi- dence a thoufandyears , and after that he mufl- be loofed a little feafen. He that boundhim loofed him, and as he bound him that he Ihouldnot deceive , fo he loofed him to deceive the Nations. But ho*doth fatan deceive ? Not immediatly by himfelf; the devil doth not come above-board (as wefpeak) he Both not walk in his own likenefs, andappear as he is, that wouldterrifie men , rather then deceive them ; but he as by transforming himfelf into an angel of light. He flirreth up the fpirits of men, to deceive,as he flirreth them up tovex and perfecute thofewho will not be deceived : as the Devil is faid to raft thofewitneffes of the truth into prifon, who are imprifoned bymen at his infti- gation (Rev.2.1o.) fo he is faid to deceive and lead thofe into error, who are milled by men at his inftigation. It was the De- vil who filled the heart of dinaeias,tovent a verbal lye; and the Devil fills the hearts ofdeceivers to vent and maintaindoctrinal lies. The timesof thefe deceiversare in thehandof God ; he bathlet down the term when they [hail begin , and how long they (hail continue their enfnaring Trade. 3. God orders how far any man Ihall deceive, or towhat de- gree his deceit (hall prevail. Hence the Apoftle fpeaking of de- ceivers , men of corrupt mindes , reprobate contenting thefaith, concludes , but they (hallproceed nofurther (2 Tim.3.9.) as the tatalicioufnefs , fo the deceivablenefs of men would know no L 12 hounds 259
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