The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 53
Meditation LIII. VponUpon a Counterfeit piece of Coyne.
VVHit Phyſicians ſay of ſome Diſeaſes, Illi morbi ſunt peric…loſiſsimi qui ſanitatem Imitantur; That they are moſt dangerous dangerous which ſeem to imitate and come neareſt unto health, may be applyed fitly to adulterous and ſpurious Coynes, that the greater reſemblance and likeneſs they have to the true and genuine, the more pernicious and deſtructive they are to the Publick; waſting though inſenſibly not onelyonly private Eſtates, but the common Treaſure and Riches of a Nation. And therefore the falſifying of Coyn, which beares the Image or Armes of the Prince, as the general Warrant to ratifie the goodneſs of it, hath been made a Crime of the ſame Complexion, with the higheſt attempt or act done againſt his Perſon, the ſame Capital Puniſhment being inflicted upon him that is found guilty of the one, as is upon him that is guilty of the other. What can be done more to deter any from ſuch Practiſes, then the loſs of Name, Eſtate, Life, in a gaſtly and ignominious death? and yet theſe ſeverities, which ſhould be as the Boundaries at the foot of the Mountain, to keep all from offending, are inſufficient to reſtrain many whom the love of gain, and the hope of ſecrecy do embolden to run a ſad hazard, that they may enjoy the ſweet. Secrecy in ſinning, though in ſome reſpect it ex…enuates a ſin, as making it leſs ſcandalous, and leſs contagious, yet it is a powerfull attractive to incline to the Commiſſion of a ſin. Joſ…phs Miſtriſs was moſt vehement in her ſolliciting of him to folly, when none of the Men of the houſe were within. The Harlot in the Proverbs makes that as her Plea to the Young Man to hearken unto her, That the good Man is not at home, he is gone a long journey, he hath taken a bag of Money with him, and will come at the day appointed. It was that which put an edge upon the Covetouſneſs of Achan, to take the goodly Babyloniſh Garment, the two hundred ſhekels of Silver, and the wedge of Gold, that he could do it without the privity of any, ſo that none could charge him with the breach of that ſtrict Command which God had given, of not taking the accurſed thing, leaſt they make themſelves accurſed, and the Camp of Iſrael accurſed, and trouble it. Uſually when ſhame and puniſhment are the ſole Motives to deter from ſin; the ſecrecy of doing it, by which both may be declined, ſwayes prevailingly to the commiſſion of it. But how far more preſumptuous are they, who adulterate not the Coynes of Princes, but the Truths of God, and ſtamp his Name upon their Inventions, to give a Credit and value unto them? Have ſuch workers of iniquity any darkneſs and ſhadow of death where they may hide themſelves? Do they think, that though Kings cannot diſcover thoſe oft times that violate the Dignities of their Crown, that they alſo can eſcape the knowledge of the moſt High? or is not he as jealous of his Word, which he hath magnified above all his Name, as they are of every piece that carries their Image and Inſcription upon it? hath he not declared himſelf to be againſt thoſe that Propheſie the deceits of their own heart, and uſe their Tongues, and ſay, the Lord ſaith? Ye…, hath he not denounced the moſt dreadful of Curſes againſt all Embaſers, or Clippers of his Heavenly Coyn? To the one he threatens all the Plagues that are written in the Word of Truth; and for the other, he ſhall take away his part out of the Book of Life, out of the holy City, and from the things that are written in the Book of God. Who can read ſuch a Sentence and not tremble at the thoughts of it? And yet though God be (as Bernard ſpeakes) Sapiens Numm…larius qui non accipiet nummum fractum vel fictum. A wiſe Exchanger that will not take Money that is broken, or falſe, though we cannot mock him, as one Man mocketh another, how many do take a liberty to mint Doctrines and Tenents that have onelyonly the Semblance, but not the Purity and ſubſtance of Divine Truth? and upon theſe they ſet the Name of God, that they may the more eaſily deceive the incautious? As Pompey built a Theater Cum Titulo Templi, with the Title of a Temple: and Apollinar is the Heretick a School Cum Titulo Orthodoxi, with the Title of Orthodox: What prevalency ſuch Arts in this kinde have had, I would the defections of many Particular Perſons, yea of Churches did not abundantly witneſs; Was not the whole Church of Galatia ſoon removed from him that had called them into the Grace of Chriſt unto another Goſpel? by their falſe Teachers blending the neceſſity of Circumciſion with the Goſpel? and of Workes with Faith. And did not the Corinthians comply more readily with the falſe Apoſtles then with Paul? Ye ſuffer, if a Man bring you into bondage, if a Man devour you, if a Man take of you, if a Man exalt himſelf, if a Man do ſmite you on the face. It is the temper and diſpoſition of moſt to be far more circumſpect and jealous in the concernments of their Eſtates, then of their Faith; and to uſe both the ſcale and the teſt to finde out falſe and light Coynes, when in matters of Faith, the queſtion is ſeldom made, whoſe Image and Superſcription do they bear? It is enough if they pleaſe Fancy, or elſe have the allowance of ſuch whom they have in admiration. Can I then do leſs then bemoan the ſlightneſs and indifferency of Chriſtians about Truth, which is the onelyonly depoſite that God hath Concredited to the Saints? and awaken both my ſelf and others to buy the Truth at any Rate, but …o ſell it or debaſe it at no Rate. Rob but God once of his Truth, and what Riches of Glory do you leave him? Is not he the God of Truth, and are not ye witneſſes, Choſen by himſelf, to give Teſtimony unto it? And can you diſhonour him more, then to make him like the Father of Lies, while you either ſpread the infection of Errou… to others, or receive it from others into your own Boſome? Bethink therefore your ſelves, you who Deliver the Oracles of God, that you be not as the Lying Vanities of the Heathen, which deceived thoſe that repaired unto them: What comfort can you ever have in departing from the Form of ſound Words, and in Speaking Affected and Swelling words? which are one of Satans Lures to ſeduce into Errors? Who can ever underſtand Behmens greeming of the inward Root? or the Canting of the Familists, of being Godded with God, and Chriſted with Chriſt? And be you wiſe, O Chriſtians, in the differencing of ſuch impure Gibberiſh from the Holy Dialect of the Spirit. Let not ſuch Arts, which ſerve onelyonly as the light of the Fowler in the night, firſt to amaze the Birds, and then to bring them into the Net, enſnare and captivate you; Keep untainted from Errours, the doctrines of Faith that you profeſs, which will be your glory; and the Duties that you performe to God from hypocriſie, which will be your Comfort. Let not your intercourſe with Heaven be in ſuch Services that are guilded onelyonly with words of Piety, which make them ſpecious to Men, and wholly deſtitu…e of ſincerity, which can alone commend them to God. Would it not be a piece of inexcuſable folly, for any to heap up a Maſs of Counterfeit Coyn, and then to value himſelf to be worth thouſands? And is it not far greater for Men to think that they have laid up much Treaſure in Heaven, and are rich towards God, by the Prayers that they have made, and other Services that they have done, which will all be ſound at the laſt day droſs, and not gold? and will produce no other return, then the increaſe of a ſore Conde…nation? O the thoughts of it are dreadfull, to think, how many will be found poor miſerable, and naked Laodiceans, who confidently preſume, that they are rich, and increaſed with goods, and have need of nothing. I cannot thereſore but Pray, Lord help me to buy of thee Gold tried in the fire; and to get ſuch truth of Grace into my heart, that I may never be amongſt the number of thoſe who are juſtly hated by Men for hypocrites in this World, and condemned by God for hypocrites in the other World.