117 to6 That ye may be able tofland counfel and deep plots, thefe are for his turne. Awicked caufe needs a fmooth Oratour, bad ware a pleafing Chapman, as in patticular, his inftruments he ufeth to feduce and corrupt the mindes of are commonly fubtile-gated men, fuch, that if it were poi' ible fhoulddeceive the very elea This made the Apofile fo jealous of the Corinthians, whom he had efpoufed to Chrift, left as Eve by the Serpent, fo their minds fhouldbe corruptedfrom thefimplicity that is in Chrip. He mull be a cunning devil in- deed, that can dra w off the Spoufes love from her beloved, yet there is fuch a witchery in Satans inflruments, that many have been brought to flie on the face of thofe truths and ordinances, yea, Chrift himfelfto whom they have feemed efpoufed formerly. Now in three particulars this fort of Satans infiruments thew their Matters fubtilty. Firft, in afperfing the good nameof the fincere meffengers of Chrift,Satans old trick to raife his credit upon the ruined reputa. tionofChrifts faithful fervants.Thus he taught Corah,Datban and Abiram, to charge /140/es and Aaron, Ye take too much upon you, Peeing all the Congregation is holy; they would make the people believe, that it was the pride of their heart, toclaim a monopoly Numb. i6 to themfelves, as if none but Aaron and his fraternity were holy enough tooffer incenfe, and by this fubtile practice they feduced 3'T9 (for a while) in a manner, the wholeCongregation to their fide. So the lying Prophets (that were Satans Knights of the poll to Ahab,) fell foul on good Micaiah. Our Saviourhimfelf was no better handled by the Pharifees and their Confederates, and Paul the chiefofthe Apoftles,his Miniftery undermined, and his reputation blafted by falfe teachers, as ifhe had been fome weak Cdr, 1o forty 10. Preacher, His bodily pretence is weak, fay they,andhis fpeeeb contemptible ; and is this yOur admired man? 2 Secondly, in covering their impoftures and errours with choice notions and excellent truthes. Arriu himfelf, and other dangerous inftruments of Satan were too wife to fluffe their difcourfes with nothing but heterodoxe matter, precious truths dropt from them with which they fprinkled their corrupt princi- ples,yet with fuch Art as fhouldnot eafily be difcerned. This (as ore obfervs)our Saviour warns his difciples of,when he bids them betVare of the leaven ofthe Pharifees, (that is, of their errours.) But why leaven ? for the ferret mixture of it with thewholefom bread.
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