hr The PREFA.0 E. this principally, has he prevail'd againft Revivals of Religion, that have been in our Nation Pnce the Reformation. By this he prevail'd a- gainft New - England, to quench the Love, and fpoil the Joy of her Efpoufals, about an hundred Years ago. And I think, I have had Opportunity enough to fee plainly that by this, the Devil has pre- vail'd againft the late, great Revival of Religion in New- England, fo happy and promifing in its Beginning : Here moft evidently has been the main Advantage Satan has had againft us ; by this he has foil'd us ; 'tis by this Means, that the Daughter of Zion in this Land, now lies on the Ground, in fuch piteous Circumftances, as we now behold her ; with her Garments rent, her Face disfigur'd, her Nakednefs expos'd, her Limbs broken, and`weitring in the Blood of her own 'Wounds, and in no wife able toarife ; and this, fo quickly after her late great Joys and Hopes : Lam. i. 17. Zion fpreadeth forth her Bands, and there is none to comfort her : The Lordbath commanded con- cerningJacob,that hisildverfaries+al2all be round about him : Jerufalem is as amenfiruousWomananiòngthem. ° I have obferv'd theDevil prevail the fame Way, againft two great Revivings of Religion in this Country. --Satan goes on with Mankind, as he began with them : He pre- vail'd againft our firft Parents, and caft'em out of Paradife, and fud- denly brought all their Happinefs and Glory to an End, by appearing to be a Friend to their happy Paradifàic State, and pretending to ad- vance it to higher Degrees. So the fame cunning Serpent, that be- guiled Eve thro' his Subtilty, by perverting us from the Simplicity that is in Chrift, hath fuddenly prevail'd to deprive us of that fair Profped, we had a little while ago, of a Kind of paradifaic State of the Church of God in New- England. AfterReligion has revived in theChurch of Gad, &Enemies appear, People that are engaged to defend it's Caufe, are commonly moft ex- pofed,where they are leàft fenfibleof Danger. While they are whol- ly intent upon theOppofition that appears openly before 'ern, to make Head againft that, and do neglea carefully to look all round 'em, the Devil comes behind 'em, and gives a fatal Stab unfeen ; and has Op- portunity to give a more home Stroke, and wound the deeper, be- caufe he ftrikes at his Leifure, and according to his Pleafure, being olftruted by no Guard or Refiftance. And fo it is likely ever to be in the Church, whenever Religion re- vives remarkably, 'till we have learned well to diftinguifh between true and falfe Religion, between Paving Affections and Experiences, and thofe manifold fair Shews, and glittering Appearances, by which they are counterfeited ; the Confequences of which, when they are not diftinguifhed, are often inexpreflibly dreadful. By this Means, the Devil gratifies himfelf, by bringing it to pals, that That fhould be of- fered
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