268 Againy friritmalwickedneffe. their Epitiles labour to countermine Satan in this defign. Now §2,2 41,14 Satanhath a 404*delign in this his endeavour to corrupt the mindes ofmen, efpecially Profeffours,with errour. 1. 2, SE CT. I. Firft, he loth this in defpite to God, againfi whom he can- not vent his malice at a higher rate then by corrupting his truth, which God hath fo highly honoured, P 1 3 8. 2. Thou haft magnified thy Wordabove all thy NM°. Every crea- ture bears the Name of God, but in his Word and truth therein contained 'Cis writ at length, and therefore he is more choice of this, then of all his other works; he cares not much what be- comes of the world and all in it, fo he keeps his Word, and i laves his truth. Ere long we fhall fee the world on a light flame, the heavens and earth (hall paffe away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever. When God will, he can make more fuch worlds as this is,but he cannot make another truth, and there- fore he will not lofe one iota thereof. Satan knowing this, lets all his wits on work todeface this truth, and disfigure it by unfound doctrine. The Word is theglaffe inwhich we fee God, and feeing him are changed into his likenelfe by his Spirit. If this glaffe be crackt, then our conceptionswe have of God will mif-repr efent him unto qs,. whereas the Word in its native clear- nein Pets him out in all his glory unto our eye. Secondly, he endeavours to draw into this fpiritual fin of er- rout, as the moll fubtil and effectual means to weaken, if not deffroy the power of godlineffe in them, The Apoffle joynes the Spirit ofpower and a found minde together, z I im, I . 7. Indeed the power of holineffe in praelice depends much on the foundmffe of judgement. Godlineffe is the ankle of truth, and it mull be nut% if we will have it thrive with no other milk then of its own mother. Thereforewe are exhorted to elefire the (incere mildo f the Word, that we maygrow, c Pet.2.2. ii,P0P.opyd,Aot, if this milk be but a little doff*with errour it is not fo nutri- tive All errour, how innocent foever any may feem, (like the Ivy) draws away the ftrength of the fouls love from holineffe. Hafea tells ns, Whoredom and wine take away the heart ; now errour
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