Discourse of Mental Errors, Part · Section 25
Cause XII.
Having considered the several Causes of Errors, found in the evil dispositions of the seduced, as also the impulsive and instrumental Causes, namely Satan and false Teachers employed by him; I shall next proceed to discover some special, and most successful Methods frequently used by them, to draw the minds of Men from the Truth. Amongst which, that which comes first to consideration, is the great skill they have in representing the ABVSES of the Ordinances of God, and Duties of Religion, by wicked Men, to scare tender and weak Consciences from the due use of them, and all further attendance upon them.
The abuse of Christ's holy Appointments are so cunningly improved to serve this design, that the minds of many wellmeaning persons receive such deep disgust at them, that they are scarce ever to be reconciled to them again. A strong prejudice is apt to drive Men from one extream upon another, as thinking they can never get far enough off from that which hath been so scaringly represented to them. Thus making good the old Observation, Dum vitant stulti vitia, in contraria currunt; they run from the troublesome smoak of Superstition, into the Fire of an irreligious contempt of God's Ordinances, split themselves upon Charybdis to avoid Scylla. Ex. gra.
The Papists having deeply abused the Ordinance of Baptism, by their corruptive mixtures and additions of the superstitious Cross, Chrism, &c. part whereof is not sufficiently purged to this day by the Reformation; and finding also multitudes of carnal Protestants dangerously resting upon their supposed baptismal Regeneration, to the great hazard of their Salvation; which mistake is but too much countenanced by some of its Administrators: They take from hence such deep offence at the administration of it to any Infants at all (though the Seed of God's Covenanted People) that they think they can never be sharp enough in their invectives against it; nor have they patience to hear the most rational defences of that Practise.
So, for that Scriptural Heavenly Duty of Singing: What more commonly alledged against it, than the abuse and ill effects of that precious Ordinance? How often is the Nonsense and Error of the common Translation, the rudeness and dulness of the Metre of some Psalms, as Psal. 7. 13. as also the cold formality, with which that Ordinance is performed by many who do but Parrotize? I say, How often are these things buz'd into the ears of the people, to alienate their hearts from so sweet and beneficial a Duty?
And very often we find it urged to the same end, how unwarrantable and dangerous a thing it is for carnal and unregenerated persons to appropriate to themselves in Singing, those Praises and Experiences which are peculiar to the Saints; not understanding, or considering that the singing of Psalms is an Ordinance of Christ, appointed for teaching and admonition, as well as praising, Col. 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns, &c.*The Divinity of former ages (saith Mr. Saltmarsh) put but a Grain, or Drachm of Gospel, to a Pound of Law, in their Receipts for distempered Souls. Vide Saltmarsh of Free-grace, p. 40. Thus Antinomianism took, if not its rise, yet its encouragement from the too rigorous pressing of the Law upon convinced sinners.
If Satan can prevail first with wicked Men, to corrupt and abuse God's Ordinances by the superstitious mixtures and additions; and then with good Men, to renounce and slight them for the sake of those abuses; he fully obtains his design, and gives Christ a double wound at once; one by the hand of his avowed Enemies, the other by the hands of his Friends, no less grievous than the first. First, wicked Men corrupt Christ's Ordinances; and then good Men nauseate them.