_Also it is generally believed, that if any Man has strength, it is from God the Almighty Being: but these notions will tell us, that the Devil can make one Man as strong as many, which was one of the best proofs, as it was counted, against Mr._ Burroughs _the Minister; tho his contemporaries in the Schools during his Minority could have testified, that his strength was then as much superior to theirs as ever[10] (setting aside incredible Romances) it was discovered to be since. Thus rendering the power of God, and his providence of none Effect._ _These are some of the destructive notions of this Age, and however the asserters of them seem sometimes to value themselves much upon sheltring their Neighbors from Spectral Accusations. They may deserve as much thanks as that Tyrant, that having industriously obtained an unintelligible charge against his Subjects, in matters wherein it was impossible they should be Guilty, having thereby their lives in his power, yet suffers them of his meer Grace to live, and will be call'd gracious Lord._ _It were too_ Icarian[11] _a task for one unfurnish'd with necessary learning, and Library, to give any Just account, from whence so great delusions have sprung, and so long continued. Yet as an Essay from those scraps of reading that I have had opportunity of; it will be no great venture to say, that Signs and Lying Wonders have been one principal cause._ _It is written of_ Justin Martyr,[12] _who lived in the second Century, that he was before his conversion a great Philosopher; first in the way of the_ Stoicks, _and after, of the_ Peripateticks, _after that of the_ Pythagorean, _and after that of the_ Platonists _sects; and after all proved of Eminent use in the Church of Christ; yet a certain Author speaking of one_ Apollonius Tyaneus[13] _has these words_ [That the most Orthodox themselves began to deem him vested with power sufficient for a Deity; which occasioned that so strange a doubt from _Justin Martyr_, as cited by the learned _Gregory_, Fol. 37. Ει Θεοςζσι _&c._ If God be the creator and Lord of the World, how comes it to pass that _Apollonius_ his _Telisms_, have so much over-ruled the course of things! for we see that they also have stilled the Waves of the Sea; and the raging of the Winds, and prevailed against the Noisome Flies, and Incursions of wild Beasts,] _&c. If so Eminent and Early a Christian were by these false shews in such doubt, it is the less wonder in our depraved times, to meet with what is Equivalent thereto: Besides this a certain Author informs me, that_ [Julian _(afterwards called the Apostate) being instructed in the Philosophy and Disciplines of the Heathen, by_ Libarius _his Tutor, by this [5] means he came to love Philosophy better than the Gospel, and so by degrees turn'd from Christianity to Heathenism.]_