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souls of men.* Jer. xxiii. 13. Mic. iii. 5. They seduce them, and carry them out of the right way into bye-paths, and lead them into error. Beware of false prophets,' Mat. vii. 14, 15. These draw out the very blood of souls. Phil. iii. 2. These kiss and kill; they cry, peace, peace, till precious souls fall into everlasting flames, &c.-You may know them by the following characters:

1. They are men-pleasers: they preach more to please the ear, than to mend the heart. Is. xxx. 10. Jer. v. 30, 31. They handle holy things rather wittily, than with fear and reverence. False teachers are soul destroyers, they are like an unskilful surgeon, who skins over the wound, but never heals it. Flattery undid Ahab and Herod, Nero and Alexander. teachers are hell's greatest contributors. bitter, but flattering words do all the mischief,' said Valerian, the Roman emperor.

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2. False teachers are notable in casting dirt, scorn, and reproach upon the persons, names, and credit of Christ's most faithful ambassadors. Thus Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, charged Moses and Aaron that they took too much upon

*Acts xx. 28-30. 2 Cor. xi. 13, 15. Eph. iv. 14. 2 Tim. iii. 4-6. Tit. i. 11, 12. 2 Pet. ii. 18, 19.

† But so are not true teachers. Gal. i. 10. 1 Thess. ii. 1-4.

them, seeing all the congregation was holy. Num. xvi. 3, 9. And so Ahab's false prophets fell foul on good Micaiah, paying him with blows for want of better reasons. 1 Kings xxii. 26. Yea Paul, the great apostle of the Gentiles, had his ministry undermined, and his reputation blasted by false teachers. 2 Cor. v. 10. They rather contemn him, than admire him; they look upon him as a dunce rather than a doctor. And the same hard measure had our Lord Jesus from the Scribes and Pharisees, who laboured as for life, to build their own credit upon the ruin of his reputation. I suppose false teachers mind not that saying of Austin, He that willingly takes from my good name, unwillingly adds to my reward.'

3. They are inventers of the devices and vi sions of their own heads and hearts. Mat. xxiv. 4, 5, 11, 14. Tit. i. 10. Jer. xiv. 14. chap. xxiii. 16. They are Satan's great benefactors, and such as Divine justice will reward with punishment in hell as the greatest malefactors, if the Physician of souls do not prevent it, &c.

4. They easily pass over the great and weighty things both of law and gospel, and stand most upon those things that are of least moment and concern to the souls of men. 1 Tim. i. 5—7. Mat. xxiii. 23. False teachers are particular in the less things of the law, and as negligent in the greater. 1 Tim. vi. 3-5. If such teachers are not the veriest hypocrites, I know no

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thing. Rom. ii. 22. The earth groans to bear them, and hell is prepared for them. Mat. xxiv. ult.

5. False teachers cover and colour their dangerous principles and foul impostures, with very fair speeches, and plausible pretences; with high notions, and golden expressions. They know sugared poison goes down sweetly: they wrap up their most pernicious (soul-killing) pills in gold.

In the days of Adrian the emperor, there was one Bencosby gathered a multitude of Jews together, and called himself Be-cocuba, the son of a star, applying that promise to himself, Num. xxiii. 17. But he proved Barchosaba, the son of a lie. And so will all false teachers; for all their flourishes will prove at last but flowery

lies.

6. False teachers strive more to win over men to their opinions, than to better them in their conversations.* Mat. xxiii. 15. They busy themselves most about men's heads; their work is not to better their hearts, and mend their lives: and in this they are very much like their father the devil.

7. False teachers make merchandise of their followers. 2 Pet. ii. 1-3. They eye your

* "For shame, (says Epictetus to his Stoics) either live as Stoics, or leave off the name of Stoics." The applica tion is easy.

goods more than your edification; and mind more the serving of themselves, than the saving of your souls: so they may have your substance, they care not if Satan have your souls, Rev. xviii. 11-13. False teachers are the great worshippers of the golden calf. Jer. vi. 13.

Now by these characters you may know them, and so shun them, and deliver your souls out of their dangerous snares: which that you may, my prayers shall meet yours at the throne of grace.

And now to prevent objections, I shall lay down some Propositions or conclusions concerning Satan and his devices, and then give you the reasons of the point, and so come to make some use and application of the whole to ourselves.

PROPOSITIONS

CONCERNING

SATAN AND HIS DEVICES.

CHAPTER I.

Proposition 1. Though Satan hath his devices to draw souls to sin, yet we must be careful that we do not lay all our temptations upon Satan, and so wrong the devil, fathering that upon him, that belongs to our own evil hearts. I think oftentimes men charge that upon the devil, that should be charged upon themselves.' Gen. iii. 13. Sin and shifting came into the world together. Such is the baseness of our hearts, that they will be naught, very naught, and then will father that naughtiness upon Satan.' Mat. v. 19. The whole constitution of man is out of frame, the understanding is dark, the will cross, the memory treacherous, the affections warped, the conscience corrupted, the tongue

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