An exposition upon the Epistle to the Colossians Wherein, not only the text is…An exposition vpon the Epistle to the Colossians Wherein, not onely the text is…

4. The way by which men are in points of religion deceived,¹ is not by apparent falsehoods, but by probabilities of truth: the Apostle calls them paralogisms of pithanologie. Pithanalogie, which the Apostle condemns is a speech fitted of purpose, by the abuse of Rhetoric, to entice and by tickling the affections of men, to please and seduce; and herein properly lies the abuses of Logic or Rhetoric in matters of Divinity, when out of affection, & some subtle purpose to deceive, vain and false arguments are varnished and coloured over, and made probable to the minds of the simple▪ yea though the matter taught be sometimes truth, yet many minds are beguiled, from the power and profit of it, by placing their respects and affections, upon the wisdom of the words and the affected artificial frame: otherwise there is singular use both of Logic and Rhetoric, when they are applied to set out the wisdom of God in his word, upholding the hidden depths of the power of the word of God: the very preaching of the Gospel is exceeding effectual, when without affectation, men use their art, to express the native force and life of the words of the holy Ghost in scripture: but the chief thing in general, is for us hence to learn, that heresy and error, was never so unclothed, but it was presented to the world with great colours and probabilities; many simple people wonder that Papists or Brownists should be able to say so much for their idolatry or schism: but we must know, that any heretics that ever were, have brought great probabilities for there heresies as well as they. The devil were wonderful simple, if he should think, to bewitch men so far, as to believe with any confidence, things that had manifest appearance of falsehood, that cannot be. Thus in general.

4. The way by which men are in points of religion deceiued,¹ is not by apparant falshoods, but by probabilities of truth: the Apostle calls them paralogismes of pithanologie. Pithanalogie, which the Apostle condemns is a speech fitted of purpose, by the abuse of Rhetoricke, to intice and by tickling the affections of men, to please and seduce; and heerein properly lyes the abuses of Logick or Rhetorick in matters of Diuinitie, when out of affection, & some subtle purpose to deceiue, vaine and false arguments are varnished and coloured ouer, and made probable to the mindes of the simple yea though the matter taught be sometimes truth, yet many mindes are beguiled, from the power and profit of it, by placing their respects and affections, vpon the wisedome of the words and the affected artificiall frame: otherwise there is singular vse both of Logicke and Rhetoricke, when they are applied to set out the wisedome of God in his word, vpholding the hidden depths of the power of the word of God: the very preaching of the Gospell is exceeding effectuall, when without affectation, men vse their arte, to expresse the natiue force and life of the words of the holy Ghost in scripture: but the chiefe thing in generall, is for vs hence to learne, that heresie and error, was neuer so vnclothed, but it was presented to the world with greate colours and probabilities; many simple people wonder that Papists or Brownists should be able to say so much for their idolatrie or schisme: but we must know, that any heretikes that euer were, haue brought greate probabilities for there heresies as well as they. The deuill were wonderfull simple, if he should thinke, to bewitch men so far, as to beleeue with any confidence, things that had manifest apparance of falshood, that cannot be. Thus in generall.