dred Years, he gain'd
more Ground in the next Ages of the Church, and went farther towards
restoring his Power and Empire in the World, and towards overthrowing
that very Church which was so lately establish'd, than all he had done
by Fire and Blood before.

His Policy now seem'd to be edg'd with Resentment for the Mistakes he
had made; as if the Devil looking back with Anger at himself, to see
what a Fool he had been to expect to crush Religion by Persecution,
rejoyc'd for having discover'd that Liberty and Dominion was the only
way to ruin the Church, not Fire and Faggot; and that he had nothing to
do but to give the zealous People their utmost Liberty in Religion, only
sowing Error and Variety of Opinion among them, and they would bring
Fire and Faggot in fast enough among themselves.

It must be confess'd these were devilish Politicks; and so sure was the
Aim, and so certain was the _Devil_ to hit his Mark by them, that we
find he not only did not fail then, but the same hellish Methods have
prevail'd still, and will do so to the End of the World. Nor had the
Devil ever a better Game to play than this, for the Ruin of Religion, as
we shall have room to show in many Examples, besides that of the
Dissenters in _England_, who are evidently weaken'd by the late
Toleration: Whether the _Devil_ had any hand in baiting his Hook with an
A--- of Parliament or no, History is silent, but 'tis too evident he has
catch'd the Fish by it; and if the honest Church of _England_ does not
in Pity and Christian Charity to the Dissenters, straighten her Hand a
little, I cannot but fear the _Devil_ will gain his Point, and the
Dissenter will be undone by it.

Upon this new foot of Politicks the _Devil_ began with the Emperors
themselves: _Arius_, the Father of the Hereticks of that Age, having
broach'd his Opinions, and _Athanasius_ the orthodox Bishop of the East
opposing him, the _Devil_ no sooner saw the Door open to Strife and
Imposition, but he thrust himself in, and raising the Quarrel up to a
suited Degree of Rage and Spleen, he involv'd the good Emperor himself
in it first and _Athanasius_ was banish'd and recall'd, and banish'd
and recall'd again, several times, as Error ran high, and as the _Devil_
either got or lost Ground: After _Constantine_, the next Emperor was a
Child of his own, (_Arian_) and then the Court came all into the
Quarrel, as Courts often do, and then the _Arians_ and the _Orthodox_
persecuted one another a