_Among others which then sprung up, with but too much advantage in the third Century, the_ Maniche[72] _did spread his Pestiferous sentiments, and taught the Existence of two Beings, or Causes of all things, viz. a good and a bad: but these were soon silenced by the more Orthodox Doctors, and Anathematized by General Councels. And at this day the American Indians, another sort of_ Maniche, _entertaining (thus far) the same belief, hold it their prudence and interest to please that evil Being, as well by perpetrating other Murders, as by their Bloody Sacrifices, that so he may not harm them. The Iron teeth of time have now almost devoured the name of the former, and as to the latter, it is to be hoped that as Christianity prevails among them, they will abhor such abominable belief_.[73] _And as those primitive times, were not priviledged against the spreading of dangerous Heresie, so neither can any now pretend to any such Immunity, tho' professing the enjoyment of a primitive purity._ _Might a Judgment be made from the Books of the modern learned Divines, or from the practice of Courts, or from the Faith of many, who call themselves Christians, it might be modestly, tho' sadly concluded, that the Doctrine of the_ Maniche, _at least great part of it, is so far from being forgotten that 'tis almost every where profest. We in these ends of the Earth need not seek far for Instances, in each respect to demonstrate this. The Books here Printed, and recommended not only by the respective Authors, but by many of their Brethren, do set forth that the Devil inflicts Plagues_,⒜ Wars,⒝ Diseases,⒞ Tempests⒟ and can render the most solid things invisible,⒠ and can do things above and against the course of Nature, and all natural causes. [49] _Are these the Expressions of Orthodox believers? or are they not rather expressions becoming a_ Maniche, _or a_ Heathen, _as agreeing far better with these than with the sacred Oracles our only rule; the whole current whereof is so Diametrically opposite thereto, that it were almost endless to mention all the Divine cautions against such abominable belief; he that runs may read_, Psal. lxii. 11, _and_ cxxxvi. 4. Lam. iii. 37. Amos iii. 6. Jer. iv. 22. Psal. lxxviii. 26, _and_ clxviii. 6. 8. Job xxxviii. 22. to the 34 v. _These places with a multitude more, do abundantly testifie that the Assertors of such power to be in the evil Being, do speak in a dialect different from the scriptures, (laying a firm foundation for the Indians adorations, which agrees well with what_ A. Ross[74] _sets forth, in his Mistag. Poetic_, p. 116, _that their ancients did Usurp the furies and their God_ Averinci, _that they might forbear to hurt them_.)