Deceivers Deceived, Sermon

Deceivers Deceived · Sermon

p. 1Deceivers Deceived: OR, The Miſtakes of Wickedneſs.

PROV. XIV. the latter part of the 8^th Verſe.

—But the folly of Fools is Deceit.

THis particle [But] being diſcretive and ſo conjunctive, might occaſion me to take ſome notice of the connection; but, becauſe that is not very uſual in the Proverbs, and the words themſelves will afford us matter enough for our preſent Exerciſe, I ſhall therefore conſider them only abſolutely without relation, The folly of Fools is Deceit.

p. 2Folly and Fools are denominatives re & voce, the name and quality of the one, deriv'd from the other; every fool ſo call'd by his folly, and all folly the quality of fools, and the meaning of this quality, wickedneſs; the Wiſemans fool here is a wicked man; he that knows not this, may very well be both. So 'twas in his Father David's language too, Pſa. 14. 1. The fool that ſaid in his heart, There was no God, is preſently expreſt by corrupt and abominable works. And in St. Paul's likewiſe, Tit. 3. 3. the diſobedient and ſlaves to luſt and malicious, &c. are all prefac't by [fools]; We our ſelves were alſo fooliſh and diſobedient, &c.

Now if folly be ſin, and fools ſinners, the words afford us theſe two parts, a Suppoſition, and a Propoſition.

Firſt, A Suppoſition in the denomination of the ſubject, Sin is folly, and ſinners are fools.

Secondly, A Propoſition, by an attribution of a praedicate to this ſubject, that is, Deceit; Sin or folly is deceit.

The Suppoſition, that ſin is folly, and ſinners fools, would afford us ample meditation for this time: but becauſe Deceit is a cauſal attribute unto ſin, and antecedent to folly; our firſt Parents being firſt deceiv'd themſelves, before they became fools or ſinners, and convey'd that appellation to poſterity; Deceit therefore ſhall firſt ſtep forth, leading Sin in her hand: Sin is deceit, and ſinners are deceiv'd, that's our Obſervation.

Sin is deceit, and ſinners are deceiv'd.

p. 3So ſpeaks Divine Wiſdom here, and 'tis ſeconded with Humane: Wiſd. 4. 11. Leſt wickedneſs ſhould alier his underſtanding, and deceit beguile his ſoul. Wickedneſs and Deceit are ſo intrinſecal and complicate one with another, as they ſerve mutually to expreſs each other: or, if you would rather that the Divine voice ſhould eccho to its ſelf again, ye may have it in the fore-mentioned of Titus 3. 3. where the fooliſh and diſobedient are rendred alſo deceived; We our ſelves were ſometimes fooliſh and diſobedient, deceived, ſerving divers luſts, &c. the ſervice of luſts ſet off with deceit.

I ſhall proceed upon it for this preſent occaſion only in two ſteps or degrees of method.

1. In the manner of ſins acting.

2. In the principles or reaſonings of ſin, whereby the ſlaves or ſervants thereof are deceiv'd.

Firſt, that in the manner of ſins acting, it is deceit. foreign, ſaid Clemens Alexandrinus, The ſhadow or likeneſs is one thing, the reality and ſubſtance is another. Now ſin takes the ſhadow for the ſubſtance, the likeneſs for the reality, and ſo commits her deceit.

Mendaci que diu pietatis imagine fallor, Said the wanton Siſter in the Poet. She complained that ſhe was deceived a long time under the lying likeneſs of Piety. Thus doth the Prodigal deceive himſelf under the ſhew of Liberality, and the Covetous man of Thrift, and the Intemperate in the free uſe of the Creature, and the Proud man under p. 4a colour of Magnanimity, and the fooliſh Dueller in a miſtake of Valour: and thus through this nearneſs of likeneſs in appearance betwixt good and evill, Chriſtian Liberty is turn'd into Licentiouſneſs; Chriſtian Affability and Courteſie, into baſe proſtitute Flattery; Laudable Ceremony, into Superſtition; Love into Luſt, Recreation into Voluptuouſneſs, Feaſting into Luxury, Decency of Apparel into Gaudery, Dominion into Tyranny, Subjection into Slavery, Faith into Phanſie, Hope into Preſumption, Zeal into Fury, Godly ſorrow into worldly, and neceſſary Humility into voluntary; thus ſaith Clemens again, foreign, ſpeaking of Virtue and Goodneſs; They are depriv'd, ſaith he, (meaning Erronious ſinners) thereof, being robb'd, or gull'd, and cheated, as if bewitched, and ſo deceived. If I have walked with vanity, or my feet have haſted after deceit, Job 31. 5. Deceit and Vanity ſo near together, that the ſame Stride gathers them both. And ſo much for the manner of the deceit of ſin.

Secondly, Sin is deceit in the Principles, or Reaſonings, or Imaginations in the hearts of ſinners, which the power of the ſpiritual Militia caſteth down, 2 Cor. 10. 5. That ſuch deceitful reaſonings were alwayes in the thoughts and communications of the ſons of men, appears not only by the Prophet Jeremiah, Chap. 17. 9. The heart of man is deceitful above all things: but, by the many caveats St. Paul gives in ſundry places, Be not deceived; and particularly in the 2^d Chap. of the p. 5Coloſsians, ver. 4. Let no man beguile you with enticing words, which is expreſt, ver. 8. by Philoſophy or vatn deceit. Philoſophy, you know, is a form of reaſoning; but, whereas 'tis expreſt by deceit, we are not to underſtand thereby (by the way) thoſe good habits of the minde, which ſerve as Handmaids to dreſs up their Miſtres Divinity, and ſet her off with a more comely aad affecting beauty, but as Clemens again, foreign, foreign, &c. The Apoſtle, ſaith he, means not all Philoſophy, in that place, but only the Epicurean, that deſtroy'd Providence, and deifyed Pleaſure, making that a God; denying the Reſurrection, and any future ſtate of Being, &c. Which divination of the Fathers, I am the more inclinable unto, as moſt probable, by comparing with 1 Cor. 15. 32, 33. ver. where giving the ſame Caveat, Be not deceived, he preſently infers, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we ſhall die; which being a Principle once brought to communication, was evill and deceitful, and corrupted good manners. But this Principle being not, as I hope, familiar in the thoughts and practiſes of men of our times, I ſhall not inſiſt upon, nor yet others leading unto ſin more generally; my whole buſineſs therefore ſhall be at this time, to evince the deceit of ſuch Principles or Reaſonings only as have deceived the Fooliſh and Diſobedient of our late diſmal Times, when as wickedneſs broke out like fire, in the Prophet Iſaiahs phraſe, Ch. 9. 18. and devoured not only the ſhrubs and Cedars of our Lebanon, but even the Royal Oak himſelf. For prevention of which, and the like miſchiefs hereafter, occaſionable p. 6poſſibly by the ſame deceitfulneſſe of mens thoughts through ſuch dangerous Principles, which are ſhrewdly ſuſpected to lye latent in the hearts of diſcontented parties, as may ſeem by the daily jealouſies of plotts and rumours of plotts: how true though I leave to Authority to find out, yet not knowing how to conceal my fears, have made it my work for the remainder of my hour to retexe the fallacies, or miſtakes of moſt of their deſtructive reaſonings, leſt wickedneſs ſhould afreſh conceive, and pregnate, and break forth, and bring forth more ſwords, and fire-brands amongſt us. Wherein, howbeit, I cannot but preface this ſerious proteſtation that I mean not any upbraidment or inſulting over mens weakneſſes, or ignorances; but to convince their Conſciences and tender the good of their Souls, as well as the ſafety of our dear and precious King and Nation. To proceed then,

1. The firſt falſe poſition, or principle of deceit whereby Wickedneſſe hath been much heightned, and improv'd, and may be again, is good Meanings, or good Intentions, as you may remember that ſcandall of the Law, who prepared for the Kings TryalCook. and Murder: ſaid at his Execution, he had good Intentions; And ſo may we believe of thoſe laſt vile, ignorant, and publick Murtherers, who pretended that their buſineſſe was to prepare the way for the coming of Chriſt in his Kingdome; Thus if men have caught but a good Meaning by the end, as, for the Glory of God, the reformation of Religion and Laws, the ſuppreſſion of Vice and Tyranny, or the like, they think that then their actions are lawful and righteous p. 7though never ſo croſs to the Laws both of God and Man.

But ſuch men I deſire to take notice of that good meaning, John 16. 2. Where Chriſt foretold, That ſome ſhould murther his Apoſtles with a thought of doing God ſervice. See what a fair meaning here was in a moſt ugly helliſh Sin! Could that meaning think you excuſe them? Let them obſerve alſo the meaning of St. Peter, Matth. 16. 22. Where ye may read, That Peter would by no means conſent that his Maſter ſhould dye: this was ſeemingly as fair a good meaning as can be imagin'd, for an honeſt loving Servant to wiſh the life, and well-being of his dear good Maſter; But, mark ye, the Devil himſelf could not have wiſht us a greater miſchief than that Chriſt ſhould not have dyed, for then we and all the World beſides had been damn'd in Hell. What a monſtrous wicked good meaning was this; Chriſt calling his chief Diſciple Devil-for't? And let them conſider one good Meaning more, to wit, of the Jews, who crucified the Lord of Life, under a good meaning of zeal for the Law of Moſes, and their antient cuſtomes, Sub zelo legis odium latebat Legiſlatoris, Here was the greateſt wickedneſſe that ever was acted in the World, carryed on, under a good meaning for the Law.

Now this being well remarked, I would aſke of all thoſe who were guilty of the late Defection, or rather Rebellion indeed (for howſoever policy covers it with a term of indulgence, and calls it only inconvenience, yet the Pulpit may not ſo, we are bid Cry aloud and ſpare not, and lift up our voices p. 8like Trumpets, aud tell the Houſe of Juda their tranſgreſsions, and Iſrael their ſins: Which we cannot do unleſſe we call every thing by it's own diſtinctive name, a spade a spade, Rebellion Rebellion, a Rebell a Rebell; except thoſe in whom the Grace of Repentance is viſible by their contrary actings and retractations (for all whom there is both joy in Heaven, and that, and honour alſo upon earth): but as for others who retain their old guilt before God, having never repented their abominations, but nouriſh their old principles of impiety under phanſied good meaning ſo as to be ready to act over the ſame wickedneſſe again; of thoſe I ſay I would demand; Suppoſe they had liv'd in the time of the Jews, and had concurr'd with them to the murthering of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles with the ſame good meanings alſo that the Jews had, whether they could think themſelves any whit excuſable by thoſe good meanings more then the Jews? if not (as we are ſure, they can not, they having equally concurr'd in the ſinne, by the ſuppoſition, and therefore are equally lyable in guilt, for which the Jews are puniſht in their poſterity to this day) the queſtion then will be, How; or why, they ſhould conceive themſelves excuſable, or juſtifiable by their good meanings now, in or after the commiſſion of ſuch horrible iniquities as Heaven and Earth bluſh at, being in their whole latitude of circumſtantial aggravations of as great, or rather greater criminableneſs than the crucifixion of Chriſt himſelf (ſetting aſide the diſproportion of the Object as Chriſt was God, and therein infinite) and more intenſely, and accumulately wronged? What? p. 9Can it enter the heart of any knowing Chriſtian to believe, that ſo ſleight a thing as good meanings ſhould juſtifie ſuch abominations, as all the Miſeries and Impieties of a voluntary; unnatural, and rebellious War, which ſwept away Myriads of innocent Chriſtians, and good Subjects, and afterwards One, like David, worth ten or a 100000 thouſand of them, the dear and precious anointed of the Lord himſelf?

No, beloved, good meanings avail nothing, in ſuch prodigious Wickedneſs at leaſt: Though a bad meaning may make a good action bad; yet, good meanings can never make a bad action, good Quid, furemur divitibus ut demus pauperibus? ſaith St. Auguſtine, Shall we ſteal from the Rich to give unto the Poor? There's a Meaning good enough, but a Means every whit as bad. St. Bernard therefore teacheth us better, As there muſt be Charitas in intentione; ſo there muſt be Veritas in electione, ſaith he, A choice of true and proper means, for every true and genuine end. Becauſe we creatures are not immediate and complicate with our end, as God is, who himſelf is his own End; but we are at a diſtance from our end, and therefore muſt conſult and deliberate upon the choice of our means in order thereunto, which are moſt proper, ſuitable, and lawful for attainment: He that thinks, in the uſe of unlawful means or actions, with them to attain the ſcope of righteouſneſs, and happineſs therewith, is like one, as a late Writer wittily ſimilizeth, That rowles himſelf upon a bed of thorns to ſleep eaſily; or, that ſets his face to the Eaſt to p. 10go to bed with the Sun in the Weſt; which are meer impoſſibilities and repugnances. Beloved, Good works will be in heaven, to the eternal glory of their Author; when as evill works, for all their good meanings, will be in hell, without Repentance, to the eternal ſhame of their Actors. To conclude this, as he cannot well be thought to mean ill, who doeth well; ſo, nor he likely ſo much as to mean well, who reſolves and continues to do ill.

And therefore, my brethren, ſince good meanings are ſo ſleight an excuſe for wicked actions, no better than the ignorance of the Law, whence they proceed, and juſtifies no man; let all thoſe that have followed the ſin of Jeroboam the ſon of Nebat, who made Iſrael to ſin, not only in the calves of Bethel, but alſo in dividing from the Crown of Juda; let them all ſeriouſly bethink themſelves, and repent betwixt God and their ſouls, and ſtrive to become pricked in their hearts with remorſe, as were the Jews, notwithſtanding all their good meanings, leſt, under the ſecurity they have by the indemnity temporal of their Lives and Eſtates, they hazzard the ſalvation of their ſouls, being no power temporary can indemnifie a ſoul.

And let all ſuch beware further, who are ſtill feeding upon the old leaven of Malice and Wickedneſs, whereby they nouriſh unto themſelves diſcontents and murmurings in their Tents againſt Moſes and Aaron becauſe they are whipt a little while longer with the rods of their own making, and ſtung with the tails of thoſe Scorpions hatcht by their own Cockatrice Eggs: Let them, I ſay, beware how they adventure p. 11upon ſuch odious and perilous actions again, under a conceit of doing lawfully by their good Meanings; for, believe it, they will prove no better then that in Daniel, Mene mene tekel upharzin: being weighed, they'l be found too light, when the handwriting of judgement is upon the wall againſt them.

A ſecond deceitful Principle is, Following a godly party; whereof I take occaſion to ſpeak, from a paſſage of mine own experience; for being conſulted once in point of conſcience, by a perſon of a conſiderable quality, a little after the beginning of the late Miſeries, Whether he might lawfully and with a ſafe conſcience, take one of the Rebellious Oaths or Proteſtations? And I having anſwered him in the Negative, that he might not do it with a ſafe conſcience; He replyed, That he would hold with the godly and praying Party; and ſo took it. And indeed this was the vulgar Error of England, at that time, to follow thoſe who had the moſt plauſible ſhews of godlineſs in outward appearance beyond others, and by advantage thereof, gave the Conduct and Clarigation to the fatal War.

Now to this I ſhall diſcourſe, that however Religion be indeed the beſt practiſe in the world, and to follow a Godly or Religious party, be the beſt alſo for a mans imitation, caeteris paribus, all things equally conſidered, Be ye followers of me, as I am of Chriſt, ſaith St. Paul; but nevertheleſs, without much heedfulneſs and circumſpection, there may be great deceit in it.

For firſt, I would know of ſuch people, who 1are apt to be taken with this reaſoning, What p. 12Godly party it is they would fain follow? If they mean, by the Godly party, ſuch as place their Religion in Whimzies, and Humors, and Singularities, and Curioſities, and Phanſies, and Affectarions, in Mimick mouths, and Antick faces, in Canting phraſes, and Affected Graces, in Twinckling of the eyes, and Ronching of the noſe, in long Prayer, and ſhort hair, which ye know was the guiſe before the Troubles; though now, tis but the character of a Quaker, or ſcarſe that; in flaſhes of Zeal, and mazes of the Spirit, in length and quantity, rather than in quality and perfection of Duty, in rude anhelous pantings, and interrupt breathings at Devotion, in paſſionate interjections, and extempore imperfections, and as many Ah Lord's, as the Papiſts have Ah Lady's at their Ave Maries; in outſide auſterity and abſtinence from Indifferencies; as, from the Lot in Recreation, and from Ceremony in Religion; in taking down a ſtone-baſon, and ſetting up a pewter-baſon; or, taking it from the Church door, and ſetting it at the Miniſters Pew door; in taking down a Saint-holyday, and ſetting up a Parliament-holyday; in ceaſing to feaſt for the Birth of Chriſt, and feaſting rather for the dea h of Chriſtians, and many ſuch like. If ſuch be the Godly Party, whom any people would follow, we all know that this is the Party who have deceived this poor Church and Nation, into all the miſchief and ruine it hath ſuffered: this is a Godly Party with an amuſement, enough to make Religion and Godlineſs it ſelf ridiculous and contemptible, in the obſervation of p. 13wiſe and indifferent men, even Pagans themſelves; and therefore, to follow ſuch a Godly Party muſt needs be deceit.

Secondly, Put caſe the Godly Party, to be followed, 2were the moſt wiſe and regular Church-Society; yet, to follow them ſo, as to make a total reſignation unto them of our Faith and Reaſon, Conſciences and Affections, as the Community of the people did unto the Long-Parliament, this alſo muſt needs be a deceit; becauſe the ſpirit of Error is apt to inſinuate and creep into the beſt Societies of men in the World. Fas ergo eſt aliquà, Coeleſtia pectora fatli. There was folly found in the Angels, and chaffe in the firſt floor Chriſt ever lay'd, which if he with his fan inhis hand, had not purged out of their hearts, Satan himſelf would have winowed them as wheat. So ſhall you ſee the cleereſt ſtreams, ſtained with a vein of puddle; the pureſt pupil moated; the moſt radiant Stars dimmed with the ſteams of Terrene vapors; ſo the moſt eminent in place of action found of Error; the very Pillars of the Church ſometimes chinckt in with ſome ſtones of offence. Errare p…ſſum, ſaith St. Auguſtine, he might Err, he confeſt; only would not be an Heretick. The High-Prieſt may have the Urim and Thummim on his breaſt, but neither the one in his head, nor the other in his heart. I know no promiſe of Infallibility univerſal, except to the Churchuniverſal, as comprehending all Perſons, Times, and Places, as Chillingworth gives it; or, unleſs to the Apoſtles themſelves, and that too, as they acted their Supream Apoſtolick Commiſſion, not otherwiſe; p. 14for St. Peter and St. Paul were at a contradiction, and both parties could not have the right; and Paul and Barnabas were at a contention. The Spirit of truth ſhall guide you into all truth, was the Promiſe of Chriſt; He that ſaid it, is as true as his Word, but well underſtood, not in the whole circumference of the Terms, but in the limitation of the Senſe; All truths fundamental, the eſſential conſtituents of a Church, the Spirit of Chriſt hath promiſed to lead his Church into. And ſo he doth, for the Church is the Pillar of Truth, and the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure; but as for other truth's of analogie, inference and remote conſequence, that like backer houſes, ſhew not at firſt ſight, in the building of faith; into ſuch truth's as theſe, the Spirit of Truth, hath not promiſed to lead us: but ſometimes leaves us to the ſpirit of Error, who does his beſt to do his worſt, and deceive thoſe that believe. Inſtance whereof you may take in the moſt glorious Church of Chriſtendom, this of England, whom the old Dragon, according to his uſe of perſecuting the Woman into the Wilderneſs, hath endeavoured to bring (in our late dayes of Tribulation) into contempt and diſgrace, in the view of the whole World; and to that end had inſinuated ſuch miſchievous Deluſions, into the two chief Parties of her moſt conſiderable intereſt, after once divided, as the moſt remarkable in their own thoughts, and their Diſciples admiration; for ſtrictneſs and ſeverity of life, were groſly miſled into the fouleſt miſcarriage imaginable, as to their Politicks in the caſe of Subjection & Government. On the other ſide, p. 15they which were moſt regular and beſt principled in underſtanding of Government and Learning, were not altogether, ſome of them, in mens obſervation, ſo perfect in their Morals as they ſhould have been; and therefore, to conclude, in both reſpects aforeſaid, to follow a Godly Party may be deceitful, although caeteris paribas, all things equally conſidered, A Godly party, eſpecially truly godly, is beſt imitable with Wiſdom and Circumſpection, but not ſimply and abſolutely. So much for the ſecond deceitful Reaſoning whereby Wickedneſs hath been much improved.

A third Principle of deceit, whereby wickedneſs 3doth much impregnate, is a reaſoning from contraries; as in caſe ſome perſon or perſons do act wickedly in their way, that therefore others acting the quite contrary, ſhall be allowed and warranted as righteous in what they do, becauſe contrary. Which ſeems indeed to carry ſome reaſonableneſs and probability with it, it being backt with a ſhew of Logick, Contrariorum contraria ſunt conſequentia, Of contraries there are contrary conſequences. And ſo in Phyſick, Contraria contrariis curantur, Evils in mens bodies are remedied by their contraries. And in Philoſophy likewiſe, Contraria mutuò ſe pellunt, Contraries expel one the other. But nevertheleſs, this kind of Reaſoning is moſt deceitfull without wary diſtinguiſhing.

To which purpoſe we muſt diſtinguiſh; there is a contrariety natural, and contrariety moral.

The contrariety natural, is firſt betwixt the Elements, as Fire and Water, which are mutually deſtructive p. 16one of the other; and much like are the extreams of Virtue, as Avarice and Prodigality, to inſtance in no more, which are as inconſiſtent and expellent of each other, as Fire and Water, and therefore I call them Contraries natural; for though as they ſtand in oppoſition to the mean which is Virtue, they are morally contrary; yet as in contra-diſtinction of one to the other, they are but natural Contraries.

There is alſo another contrariety called moral, as before; that is, betwixt the Extreams and the Mean, alias Virtue, which I call Contraries being oppoſite, as Good and Evill moral, they differing as much as Wiſdom and Folly, which we all know to be contrary; the mean, which is Virtue, being acted by Wiſdom, according to Ariſtotle in his his Ethicks, foreign, and the extream by Folly.

Now to apply this Diſtinction.

If men ſhall reaſon the lawfulneſs of their actions, by practiſing the ſenſe of Contraries natural or exteme, or running from one extreme to another, they are foully deceiv'd.

In vitium ducit culpae fuga, ſi caret Arte:

(ſaith the Poet) The declining of one Vice incurs another, if done without Prudence, which governs all virtuous actions; howbeit to decline one Contrariy in a moral ſenſe, and turn to the other; that is, from Vice to Virture, from Evill to Good, from Sin to Righteouſneſs, is a rational p. 17and wiſe practiſe, otherwiſe falſe and deceitfull; As for inſtance: ſome men are lewd and vitious in their lives and converſations, breaking all the rules of virtue; others therefore preſuming to themſelves ſafety and lawfulneſſe in their actions by running into an extream diſtance from them, deſire to avoid them in whatſoever they do, although they are as good politically as to the government and laws of a Nation (according to Ariſtotle that Malus vir, may be Bonus Civis, an evill man in manners may be a good Subject o his Prince) as they are bad morally; whence follows ſeparations, diviſions, and contentions betwixt them, and thereupon occaſionally civill diſſentions and warr too even againſt the Prince himſelf, becauſe the contrary in vice is for the Prince in Loyalty, Sic vitant ſtulti vitia; This is the contrariety of fools, and practiſers of extreams.

The Church of Rome maintaines good works as cauſall and meritorious in the point of Juſtification, others therefore French, and Germane Divines, thinking truth on their ſide, by a quite contrary judgment, have gon ſo farre from them into the extream, as not to allow any good work at all before Juſtification, albeit ſo confeſſedly neceſſary for the qualification of Faith itſelf, in her exiſtence and operation. Sic vitant ſtulti vitia. This is the contrariety of extreams.

The Church of Rome ſetts forth ſo many Ceremonies, as amount to Superſtition: ſome therefore of our ſide, to avoid that, would have no Ceremony at all; and ſo diſ-robe the Church of all her externall decentials, and badges of Antiquity. p. 18Sic vitant Stulti vitia; This is the contrariety of Fools.

The Church of Rome eſtabliſhes as many Holydaies almoſt as daies, and therefore our wiſe Aſſemblers and Religioniſts of late would have no Holydaies beſides the Sabbath at all; not ſo much as for the Celebration of the Nativity of Chriſt himſelf. Sic vitant ſtulti vitia. This is the contrariety of Fools.

The Church of Rome patter over their forms, of Pater Noſter, and Ave-Maries, and ſo many empty ſlight Collects, as a wiſe Chriſtian can ſenſe it no better then meer ſuperfluity: others therefore would have no form of Prayer at all, no not ſo much as the Common Prayer it ſelf, though it be the very Characteriſtick of our Church of England, to diſtinguiſh it from other Proteſtant Churches. Sic vitant ſtul…i vitia; This is the contrariety of Extreams.

Some practiſe the Sabbath as not keeping it at all, without any obſervation of duty all the day long; others therefore would be ſeem in declining this extremity to keep it without any intermiſſion of duty from morning, until deep at night: as if the Lords day which by the practiſe of all the Churches is a feſtival, a day of joy, & to be called our delight, ſaith the prophet Iſai, c. 58. 13. Exod. 31. 17. and a refreſhment ſaith Moſes, explayning reſt as if ſuch a day ſhould be more onerous or burthenſome then a Faſt, or as if the perfection of holineſs ſhould conſiſt in length, and quantity, which is a known property of imperfection; or as if purity of reformation (whereof this of the ſabbath they moſt oſtentate) ſhould be ſeen chiefly in p. 19a likeneſſe unto Jews in their Devotion, as they were too much like them in the late Kings, The Lords anointed, decollation, Sic vitant ſtulti vitia; This is the contrariety of extreams. Which together with the premiſes ſhews, the Principle of reaſoning from contraries, to be fooliſh, and deceitful.

A fourth deceitful Principle of wickedneſs, whence 4vain workers of iniquity reaſon to themſelves the lawfulneſſe of their vileſt practices, is, Succeſſe in them. Becauſe their actions though never ſo monſtrous, and abominable, do nevertheleſſe proſper, and take effect according to their deſires; they conclude therefore, 'Twas Gods will and pleaſure ſo to have them come to paſſe, and thereby they warrant and applaud themſelves as inſtruments of effecting Gods purpoſes, and giving iſſue to his providential Decrees forſooth, as the only ſervants of the moſt High. Whereupon it follows in the Poets phraſe, That Proſperum Scelus Virtus Vocetur. Wickedneſſe muſt be new Chriſtened, and called a Virtue; As the late Rebellion was called the Good old Cauſe; nay God himſelf was invited to be the Godfather to't and 'twas called the Cauſe of God: for the promotion whereof, Religion it ſelf deform'd by policy was fain to play the Hypocrite and mockt God with Thanksgivings for his bleſſing upon the Enterpriſe, and his wonderfull mercy in the Succeſſe; and Prayer, and Faſting too, did take their turn to implore divine aſſiſtance for the further carrying on, and maintenance of the Prodigie. God himſelf being thus entitled both Father & Author thereof. The deceitfulneſs of which reaſoning appears ſufficiently in this, That p. 20the very Turks themſelves from the ſame Argument may plead the cauſe of Mahomet, and juſtify their Tyranny, and Uſurpation over half the World almoſt; and ſo ye know had Popery ſpread over all Chriſtendome for many hundred years, and is yet ſucceſsfull over a great part thereof: Yea ſin it ſelf after it had once entred, prevailed over al the World; which I hope no man will be ſo wretched as to impute to God as the Author thereof, howbeit it had ſucceſſe enough as to it ſelf as well as Mahometiſm and Popery. He that rates the righteouſneſſe and lawfulneſſe of actions by their coming to effect, or their ſucceſſe by mens proſpering in them, may very well allow the Atheiſts Argument in Martial, Calius byname, who would prove there was neither God, nor Heaven, Quòd ſe videt, dum negat haec, beatum, because he proſpered in that opinion. But what virtue ſoever there might ſuppoſedly have been in this Argument of ſucceſſe during the time of Wickedneſſe, what ſtrength hath it, now that Monſter of Iniquity, which gave being to ſo much fatal ſucceſſe is quite cut off, Branch, and Root, head and tayl, Carkaſſe and Rump, and thoſe Vermine that crawled out from her poyſonons bowels are left to rot in their own ſtanch and contagion? The memory of the wicked ſhall rot, ſaith Solomon; I and their members too, ſay I. And may they rot and repent in miſery, and ſhame if they could the impudence, and ignorance of ſuch lewd reaſoning, as from the Event and a little temporary Succeſſe to juſtifie the greateſt abominations that ever were done (one only excepted) upon the face of the earth: the Poet's p. 21curſe therefore is now upon them; Careat ſucceſſibus opto, Quiſquis ab eventu fact… notanda putet, For arguing ſo wickedly, and deceitfully from ſucceſſe, never to have ſucceſſe more; for what ſucceſſe do they deſerve who make voyd the Law of God, which ſhould be the rule of all actions, and meaſure them by events or effects, as reſults of Gods Will in Decree, in the bringing whereof to paſs, their hands and counſels chiefly being inſtrumental, they think they have done well, and are the only Servants of the Almighty; not conſidering that men ſlighting the revealed Will of God in his written Word, which they are only bound to obſerve; for, Vivendum ſecundum Precepta, non ſecundum decreta; The will of Gods Commandements muſt be our rule, not of his Decrees, which are unknown, Things revealed belong to us and our children, that we may do all the wards of the Law, Deut. 29. ult. whereas ſecret things belong unto the Lord only, verſe the ſame; not conſidering this, I ſay, but preſuming into the ſecrets of the Almighty, to unravel and meaſure out the myſteries of his Decrees, and reſolve them by their own phanſies, they little think, that whereas good men do the known will of God to their Salvation, wicked men, ſuch as themſelves, may perform the ſecret will of God to their Damnation, as the wretched Jews crucified the Lord of Life to their everlaſting confuſion, albeit he was delivered by the determinate counſel and fore-knowledge of God, Act 2. 23. And as the Aſſyrian was the Rod of Gods indignation to puniſh a hypocritical p. 22Nation, but afterwards thrown into fire, Iſa. 10. And Pharaoh's obſtinacy ſerved for the magnification of Gods Name and Power over all the Earth, Rom. 9. 17. whiles himſelf was therefore drowned in the Red-Sea, and became a Type of Reprobates in Hell: Let no man therefore hereafter deceive himſelf with this falſe imagination of lawfulneſs in his action, becauſe eventually 'tis or may be ſucceſsful, and being brought to paſs, may ſeem to anſwer unto the Purpoſe and Decree of God, that God would ſo have it. For there is no more warrant of lawfulneſs from ſuch a plea, than for a Sons wiſhing his Fathers death, becauſe, it ſo falling out, his wiſh concurr'd with the ſecret will of God who had determined the Fathers dayes.

So much for diſcovery of the fourth Deceit.

5A fifth deceit in the practiſe of ſin, is a Plea of Neceſſity: Some ugly ſin or ſins being once palliated and allowed, and the poor Conſcience baffled with ſome pretext of the lawfulneſs thereof, gives allowance afterward to any thing that ſhall appear neceſſary for the maintenance or carrying on of the former; as a Thief aſſaulting a Traveller for his Purſe, in caſe of being ſtoutly reſiſted, even to the hazard of captivation, or life; will think it lawful, becauſe neceſſary, rather to kill the Defendant if he can, than to be kill'd himſelf, or taken Priſoner; which neceſſity was only of his own making. So the Patriarchs having ſold their Brother Joſeph into Egypt, brought upon themſelves a neceſſity of concealing their wickedneſs from Jacob, with the p. 23ſhift of a lye; the like did Gehezi to his Maſter Eliſha; ſo when the conſpiracy of Achitophel and Abſolom had broken out into open rebellion, their counſel found it no leſs than neceſſary to make ſhort work on't, and murder good King David; and not long afterwards, Jeroboam to make good the defection of the ten Tribes of Juda, ſaw a neceſſity of changing the true Worſhip of God into Idolatry, ſetting up a new mode of Worſhip and Prieſthood at Bethel for the Peoples reſort thereunto, leſt holding the ſame uniformity of Religion, they might return again to the ſame unity of Government and affection at their anniverſary meetings in their Royal City Jeruſalem: Such was that Doctrine of Devils taught by our Engliſh Regicides, who conſcious to themſelves of that inexpiable wrong they had done unto their good King, and that his diſpleaſure therefore might be implacable, diſpairing alſo leaſt every one of his friends where they met them ſhould fall upon and kill them, concluded to make a ſhort work of it, with the Mode neceſſe to cut off his head, and for their better ſecurity in this diſmal wickedneſs, they found it further neceſſary to deſtroy the very foundations of the Righteous, turning all things topſie turvie, and trampling under foot all Laws both of God and Man, and changeing the whole Fabrick of Government both Eccleſiaſtick and Civil.

But now what a pitiful and wretched deception is this, as if there were any neceſſity of ſinning; belike then according to the Modal Aequipollence in Logick, Quod neceſſe eſt eſſe, impoſsibile eſt non eſſe, p. 24If it be neceſſary to ſin, by conſequence 'tis impoſſible not to ſin; and ſo God ſhould command his creatures impoſſibilities in commanding them to abſtain from ſin, which groſsly impoſeth upon his infinite Wiſdom, Juſtice, and Holineſs; for we all know, and are well aſſured of, a neceſſity of repentance in caſe of ſin committed; Go thy wayes, ſin no more, leſt a worſe thing happen unto thee, was the counſel of Chriſt himſelf: and David's likewiſe, God ſhall wound the hairy ſcalp of ſuch as go on ſtill in their wickedneſs, as he hath wounded the hairy ſcalp of many of them to your knowledge already, and mounted them aloft to be ſpectacles ofhis indignation to the world, notwithſtanding their pretended neceſſities for what they ſo impiouſly acted; and therefore whoſoever hereafter being warn'd by ſuch examples, ſhall embolden themſelves under the ſame conceit or confidence of neceſſitatelawfulneſs in their wicked proceedings, I ſhall leave them under the Apoſtles curſe, 2 Tim. 3. 13. They ſhall wax worſe and worſe, deceiving and being deceived, from one degree of vileneſs they ſhall grow to another, ſin being of a progreſſive and propagating nature, till at laſt they come to induration and occaecation, their hearts will be hardned through the deceitfulneſs of ſin, Heb. 3. 13. and ſo after their hardneſs and impenitency of hearts treaſure up unto themſelves wrath againſt the day of wrath, Rom. 2. 5. And therefore again, Let not the man of violence that hath oppreſſed and taken away a houſe which he builded not, Job 20. 19. deceive his ſoul with a pretence of lawfulneſs, under conceited p. 25neceſſity of keeping what he hath extortingly gotten for his neceſſary maintenance; for, in ſuch a caſe, Non minus eſt vitium, quám quaerere, parta tueri, he ſins as much in keeping, as in getting unjuſtly, or rather more: Zachaeus his practice would better become him, to reſtore four-fold; or elſe for his covetouſneſs he may gain Gehezi's advantage to boot, a Leproſie both upon Body and Soul: and what a ſad cozenage and deceit doth he therein put upon himſelf in gaining the World to loſe his Soul?

A Sixth deceitful principle or erroneous reaſoning and vain imagination of wicked men is a perſwaſion grounded only upon a conceipt of being led forth and forward in their actions by the Spirit, which they phanſy betwixt a good meaning perhaps and a pang ofblind zeal, and an abhorrence alſo of ſome external vices, and a ſhew of outward auſterity, and a devotion of their own way, that looks much like holineſſe it ſelf, and whereby they conceit themſelves to be the only beloved, accepted, and acquainted with God, and conſequently all the ſtirrings and imaginations of their vain deceitfull hearts, to be the very motions and impulſes of Gods holy Spirit himſelf, the conduct whereof they do and will follow, not only without the warrant but contrary unto the expreſſe letter of Scripture, and ſo commit the greateſt enormities in the World, Murder, Treaſon, Perjury, Sacriledg, Perſecution of the Lords anointed, his Princes and Nobles, his Prieſts and Prophets, and the moſt wiſe and righteous of his people; and juſtifie themſelves therein, as doing God ſervice, and p. 26furthering his Glory, by ſeeonding the ſecret movings and impulſes of his Spirit; Counting it alſo their Calling extraordinary, as the wretched Murderers reaſoned for their fearfull execution of our late Lord and King, deceiving their perverſe minds, by not diſtinguiſhing the motive and directive part of every morall and humane action; There is the directive part of the actions of man aswell as the motive and impulſive, otherwiſe meer motion and impulſe might ſerve the turn, but not as direction is alſo required; Now for the direction of a man in any action of his life to be accounted for, there is no other Rule but the Word of God, Pſal▪ 119. 195. Thy Word is as a Lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my pathes, and verſe 130. The entrance of thy Word giveth light, and Pſal. 19. 8. The Commandements of the Lord are pure, enlightening the eies, and by them is thy Servant warned, verſe 11. So Iſa. 8. 20. To the Law and to the Teſtimony; if they ſpeak not according to this word, it is becauſe there is no light in them; no light, no direction, no inſtruction, no warrant, meaſure, or rule for what they do or ſpeak if done or ſaid contrary to this written Word, which is the abſtract or ſummary of the whole Law of God both naturall and reveald, and neceſſary for direction in all caſes of action morall, both naturall, and ſupernatural; either in terms, analogie, or inference: and therefore for any man to pretend an impulſe, or motion, from ſome ſpirit only, however fancied, or conceited to be of God himſelf, yet without allowance of this his word, he acts but by half a principle, to wit without the guiding and directive p. 27part, and ſo hath no help or conduct at all of the good Spirit; Who moves no man contrary to the rule of his own word, more then the Pen-man doth the hand of his Schollar contrary to his own Coppy, but altogether according, for elſe the Learner ſhal never write up to it. And no more can any man whatſoever anſwer the form of Righteouſneſſe, or Lawfulneſſe, in any of his actions that forſakes his coppy, or rule, he ſhould be guided by; That is, the written word of truth, which is the only tryall of every Spirit, and of every motion, and impulſe, whether of God or no. He that knoweth God heareth us, ſaith St. John, 1 Epiſt. 4. 6. And he that is not of God heareth not us; and hereby know we the Spirit of truth, and the Spirit of error; That is, by their agreement, or diſagreement unto the words preached by St. John and the reſt of the Apoſtles, which were ſpoken and written for our inſtructions, and delivered down unto us, and now with the other books of Holy Oracle are called Scripture or the written Word of God; The light and guidance whereof whoſoever refuſeth, to follow the conduct of ſome pretended Spirit only diverſe or contrary to it; Inſtead of being led by the Spirit of God, doubtleſſe he is led by the Spirit of the Devill, as I make no queſtion thoſe late wretched publick Murtherers were (whom the Right Honourable the preſent Lord Maior had the Lot under Gods grace and providence to ſuppreſſe, to his monumental honor; the trophie whereof be his unto all poſterity), I ſay, they were not led by the Spirit of God, but by the Spirit of the Devill, as indeed ſome ſaid, They fought like p. 28Divells, Men had as good follow thoſe ſpirits the Prophet Iſa. ſpeaks of in the forementioned Chapter, oppoſitely unto the Law, and the Teſtimonie: Spirits that peep and mutter, that is, ſpirits of witches, and wizards, with whom it may be doubted that theſe ſpirit-people are too familiar. I ſhall ſuperadd to this particular but one plain Similie of a blind metled horſe let looſe, which by reaſon of his metall will be ever prauncing, and friſking up and down, till at length he getts upon the top of a ſteep bank or precipice, and from thence for want of his ſight, down he tumbles and breaks his neck; And ſuch verily will be the end of all blind zealots who ſhut their eies againſt the light, and direction of Gods word, and right Reaſon, to follow, in the heat and metal of their zeal, bare motions and impulſes as pretended from ſome Spirit; However in their conceits and imaginations divine, they will certainly, before they are aware, fall at laſt upon ſome lewd unreaſonable wicked practice or other, that will break the neck of all their reputation both in Chriſtianity, and Civility, and without mercy upon their repentance, throw them down headlong the precipice of Hell; St. Paul therefore ſhall conclude, Let no man hereafter deceive you neither by Word, nor Letter, nor Spirit, 2 Theſ. 2. 2.

Which two words of the Apoſtle [Letter and Spirit] minde me of the Appendix mentioned in the Dedication; Letter and Spirit having in the terms, a very fair connection with the literal and ſpiritual ſenſe of Scripture; whereby, notwithſtanding what hath been ſaid againſt the blinde motion and p. 29impulſe of a Spirit, ſome Miſtakers conceiving themſelves wiſer and more defenſible than the former, do warrant themſelves in their wicked actions, not only in Politicks, but Morals alſo, from the ſenſe and ſpiritual meaning of the Word of God itſelf; as if upon conviction, by the former Reaſoning, what they may not do by a bare impulſe or motion, they may nevertheleſs do in their thoughts by a ſpiritual meaning of the written Word, the rule whereof they ſeem not to refuſe. But this alſo, Beloved, is a very fallacious imagination, which I ſhall deſire to Diſcourſe by way of reducibleneſſe as an Appendix unto the great deceit of Conduct by the Spirit laſt confuted; and to that purpoſe do obſerve that a ſpiritual Meaning or ſenſe of Scripture oppoſite unto, or diverſe from, the ſenſe of the Letter, is very deſtructive, and deceptive of fooliſh ſinners, ſuch as St. Peter calls unſtable and unlearned, ſuch as are apt to wreſt the Scriptures, not only to their own, but others deſtruction alſo, even whole Churches, Nations, and Kingdoms, as well Kings as their People; may whereof there are, who taking upon them a boldneſs, through this perſwaſion, to wave the ſenſe of the Letter of the written Word, where the Commands of God agree not to their humours, engagements, and inclinations, they adventure to ſenſe the text only to their own thoughts and purpoſes, though never ſo contrary to the moſt righteous laws both of God and Man; and, in a policy of avoiding diſcovery herein (it ſounding harſh unto the moſt ingenuous ſort of Chriſtians, that the plain meaning of the World ſhould be ſlighted and baffled) p. 30they boaſt moſt of all in their Spiritual Light, of an eaſie and clear underſtanding, and thereafter expound it of the moſt myſterious hidden and intricate places of the whole book of God, as the Revelation, and other the dark Prophetical paſſages, which neither Time nor Learning hath yet ſufficiently unridled or unclaſped; and in theſe they oſtentate a familiar, though wonderful, Knowledge; becauſe they would be the readyer believed by fooliſh admirers in their abuſings and wreſtings of the plainer letter of other Scriptures.

Now, beloved, this fallacious Reaſoning grounds upon a miſtaken underſtanding of ſome texts of Scripture, where you ſhall read an oppoſition betwixt the Letter and the Spirit. As

Firſt, 2 Cor. 3. 6. Who hath made us able Miniſters, not of the Letter only, but alſo of the Spirit. Therefore ſay they, There is a Litteral and a Spiritual ſenſe of the New Teſtament. But how falſe that conſequence is, may appear by obſerving, that the word Senſe or Meaning, is not in the text read, nor in the whole context; but only Letter and Spirit in the Miniſtry or Miniſtration of the New Teſtament or Goſpel, there is the Letter or bare Word ſpoken, and the Spirit of Grace that quickneth or giveth life unto the Letter or Word ſpoken or written, making it fruitfull and effectual, opening the minde to receive it, and working the heart and affections to ſubmit unto it; which puts the great difference betwixt the Goſpel and the Law, the Law being only a bare or dead Letter engraven in ſtony tables, without any aſſiſtance of the Spirit of Grace to quicken it, and p. 31ſo the miniſtration thereof is of death and condemnation unto all mankind that hear it, there being no promiſe or concurrence of ſpirit with it to work it upon the heart unto obedience: man under the Covenant of the Law being left to his own ſelf, and ſtrength, which was become utter weakneſſe through the corruption of the fleſh, and unable to perform; whereas the Covenant of Grace, or the Goſpel hath the promiſe or aſſiſtance of the Holy Spirit, to work the Heavenly words of life upon the Soul or Spirit of the hearers unto Life and Righteouſneſſe; not by whiſpering or privately inſinuating, or inſufing any other ſenſe or meaning above or diverſe from the literal: but by ſeconding, & backing the ſame meaning of the words imported in the letter with power and efficacy, whereupon I inferr that by Spirit here as oppoſite to Letter is not meant an oppoſition of a Spiritual ſenſe in the Goſpell, or any other part of Gods word different or above the ſenſe of the Letter, but only a lively concurrence of the Spirit of Grace with the ordinance of Gods word, in the Letter of the words clauſes, and propoſitions of it, to make it effectual in the hearts of the hearers for their Salvation, without which work of the Spirit, the Goſpel it ſelf would be as dead and killing a letter as the very Law.

Secondly, Another oppoſition of Letter and Spirit is, Rom. 2. the three laſt verſes, about the Jew and one of his Marks, and Cognizances; viz. Circumſion which the Apoſtle diſtinguiſheth into outward and inward, or in the fleſh, or in the heart and ſpirit verſe the laſt, reſembling the outward circumciſion p. 32in oppoſition to circumciſion that is inward and ſpiritual, of the heart, by the terme or ſimily of a Letter which whether one or more in the compoſition of a word pronounced or written, is but the mere outſide of that word compared with its ſenſe and ſignification, and ſo it may well be put to reſemble the outward circumciſion of the fleſh, as contrary to the inward or ſpiritual circumciſion of the heart; or as the bare empty Letter of the Law is contrary to the quickning ſpirit of the Goſpel, as dead to living, or old to new. Rom. 7. 6. But from thence to reaſon a double and contrary ſenſe or ſignification, the one Literal the other ſpiritual, either of the words of inſtitution of Circumciſion it ſelf, which expreſſely declares both Myſtery and Ceremony, or outward and inward of that Ordinance, or of any other text of Scripture, is a moſt fallacious and pittiful non concludence; Circumciſion is outward and inward expreſt by the oppoſition of Letter and Spirit, therefore there are two different ſenſes in Scriptures, Literal, and Spiritual of the ſame words or ſentence, is a moſt abſurd conſequence.

The third Text, occaſioning this deception, is, John 6. 63. My words, ſaith Chriſt, are ſpirit, the words that I ſpeak they are Spirit, and they are life, therefore, ſay the miſtakers, Chriſts words muſt be underſtood ſpiritually, or in a ſpirituall ſenſe not litterall. Nay, but my Brethren what an inconſequence is this? For what were the words that Chriſt then ſpake, they were verſe 53, 54, 56. of eating his fleſh, and drinking his bloud in order to eternall life▪ the myſtery whereof they not underſtanding becauſe p. 33he ſpake in a figure, he explaines himſelf in the verſe mentioned by a diſtinction of fleſh and ſpirit, the fleſh profiteth nothing, ſaith he, but the ſpirit quickneth, and my words are ſpirit; as if he had ſaid, think not therefore, that I mean you ſhould eat my fleſh, and drink my bloud, after a carnal or corporal manner, for that would not profit you, The fleſh profiteth not; but feed upon me in communion with my ſpirit by faith, and ſo ſhall ye be quickened unto eternall life. 'Tis a ſpiritual eating of my fleſh that my words mean, my words are ſpirit. But nevertheleſſe beloved) not to be underſtood of a diverſe or contrary meaning from the Letter, for the Letter, as of all Scripture, ſo of this, is twofold, Proper and Tropical.

Firſt Proper, which expreſſeth the thing by a word ſignifying, a meaning plainly anſwering the nature of the thing.

Secondly Tropicall, which expreſſeth the thing by way of alluſion, or ſimilitude, or types and parables, converſively putting a word of ſimilitude or parable, for a word proper to the nature of the thing it ſelf; Now the eating Chriſt ſpeaks of here, is not proper of fleſhly eating, but in the Trope and Similitude, that is, ſpiritual eating; for as Corporal eating nourifheth the body unto life Natural, ſo doth Spiritual feeding upon Chriſt by faith, nouriſh and quicken the ſoul unto life eternall; and ſo though Chriſts words here are ſpirit, as he faith [my words are Spirit] that is, import a ſpiritual eating, yet the ſenſe of them is never the more ſpiritual, as if different from the Letter, for the Letter of this word [Spirit] p. 34gives the ſenſe of the Trope, denoting Spiritual eating; yet with the help of a little Logick too, the Abſtract put for the Concrete, Spirit for Spiritual; and in the Concretion, the adject Spiritual, connoting its ſubject Eating, is as much as Spiritual eating; and ſo the ſenſe being Tropical, is, in that reſpect, nevertheleſs, Literal; the ſenſe of Scripture, with this amongſt the reſt, being of two kinds, Proper and Tropical, as aforeſaid, and both Literal.

You will wonder, it may be, I ſhould ſay, There is no ſenſe of Scripture but only Literal; and thereupon Object, What Divines ſhould mean, by obſerving a diſtinction of the Letter from ſome other thing differing in the meaning of the words beſides it?

To which I anſwer, 'Tis true, as I ſaid at the firſt of this paſſage, many wiſe and good Chriſtians generally miſtaking theſe oppoſitions of Letter and Spirit; which I have but now opened, and are the only to that purpoſe, throughout the whole book of God, and all profeſſing a Literal ſenſe. That for want of a term contra-diſtinct unto Literal, have in that neceſſity allowed a ſenſe Spiritual; but, unſatisfied therewith, I conceive, upon further diſquiſition, have been found to underſtand themſelves only in a ſenſe of a Rhetoriſm or a Trope; which, not knowing what to oppoſe unto the Letter, under the ſaid miſtakes they have called Spiritual, though indeed it be in true underſtanding only Literal, according to the common manner of ſpeaking by Tropes and Figures, which bear their part in expreſſion of the mind in all Languages, and together p. 35with Grammar make up the whole buſineſs of Utterance, or the foreign, the word diſcovering the ſenſe of the minde, bearing a ſignification either plain and proper, and ſo hath been taken for the Letter; or Tropical, and more myſterious, and ſo hath been taken for Spiritual; but in true judgement, the literal word is common to both, Proper and Tropical: the Trope and Rhetoriſm both in word and ſenſe, being in the letter of the Scripture alſo, as well as the Proper, though not ſo frequent as the Proper and Grammatical; yet ſo, of a meaning literal as well as the other, and in that reſpect all ſenſes of words Typical, Parabolical, or otherwiſe Tropological (as I humbly conceive with ſubmiſſion to better judgements) can be thought no more then Literal, and the myſtery of them to be underſtood, by endeavouring to find the extent of the Letter only.

Away therefore with that deception of a Spiritual ſenſe of Scripture, whereby the ſafety of Divine Truths, hath been, and may be ſtill, much in hazzard. And let us conceive of Gods meaning in his Word, ſpeaking to us, as we ſpeak to one another, according to the uſe of ſenſing the words in the practice of Nations, without which we can never be ſuppoſed to underſtand him; and if we cannot yet teach the myſtery of every letter, let us be content till God in the ſeaſons of his Grace and Wiſdom, ſhall afford us helps of a further diſcovery, by his bleſſing upon the labours of Pious and Learned men, whom God hath ſet forth hitherto, and doubtleſs will hereafter, during the being of his Church upon Earth, as lights in his Candleſtick for the further p. 36manifeſtation of the hidden Truths of his Word every day; and let us beware of our own Phanatical conceipts of Spiritual meanings through Revelation and Infuſion, which will vary the rule and ſtandard of Truth, and make Gods own Word no better than a Leaden Rule and a Noſe of Wax.

A Seventh deceitful Principle, is, That of a mere Moral man in the Church of Chriſt, and allowed indeed by the profound miſtakes of wiſe and learned Chriſtians of many ages and profeſſions, eſpecially of late, but of a dangerous and deſtructive uſe in the practice thereof by the weaker ſort of deceivable and factious people; who acting the Annimal part of Religion, more than the Rational; Paſſion, Zeal, and Humor, more than Reaſon; and miſtaking Phariſaical niceneſs, for Godlineſs; and for Purity, Singularity and preciſeneſs▪ and for hatred of Evill, avoidance only of Indifferences both Civil and Religious; and true pious heavenly Affection, for Phanſie and Affectation; they preſume themſelves in their erroneous and proud conceits, to be the only true ſraelites of God, the only holy and ſeparate from the reſt of men in the love of Gods Election, the only pecultar, regenerate, and ſpiritual above all others, though of the ſame Church in Faith, Baptiſm, and Worſhip, accompting the reſt only mere Moral men, of no more intereſt in Chriſt and his Graces, than the mere civil Pagans, Greeks, and Barbarians, that denyed him as a point of fooliſhneſs: whereupon follows a proud contempt of all but thoſe of their own Society, and p. 37conſequently Separations, Schiſms, and Diviſions in the Church, and thereafter Seditions and Commotions in the State civil, even Rebellions againſt Kings and Princes; all Perſons whatſoever, in compariſon with the Sect, being ſlighted and undervalued as mere Moral men; like empty Chaff or fruitleſs trees, fit fuel for the fire of unruly furious Zeal; though in impartial and right underſtanding, the deſpiſed prove in plain terms, no other than the moſt wiſe, and regular, and righteous of a whole Church and Nation. This Divinity hath been a long time Oracular, both in Preſs and Pulpit, though ſo pernicious in the uſe of it, as an occaſion of ſo much evill, but yet moſt falſe and deceitful.

For either the perſon ſuppoſed for a mere Moral man in the Church, profeſſeth Chriſt in Communion of Faith and Worſhip with the reſt of the Church, or not; if not, then he is no Chriſtian, and no member of a Church; for no Church allows any ſuch as profeſs not Chriſt, and ſo no ſubject of the queſtion, which was of a mere Moral man in the Church: If he doth profeſs Chriſt with belief and duty, he goes beyond a mere Moral man; for a mere Moral man that practiſeth nothing but civil Virtue, as the wiſe Grecians that diſputed St. Paul againſt Chriſt, he goes not ſo far as to acknowledge him, but denyeth him, and ſo is of no Church, he's no Chriſtian, no ſubject of the queſtion. The enquiry would rather be, Whether the man profeſſing Chriſt, doth it really, inwardly from his heart, or not? if not, he is in right ſpeaking, a mere Formalliſt, a Hypocrite in his proper and diſtinctive denomination; p. 38not a mere Moral man properly, he's a Hypocrite, I ſay, whom God only can diſcover and pronounce abſolutely, not we, who ſee no further than by fruits and effects, which are Moral and Civil Virtues, duties only of the Second Table; thoſe of the Firſt Table being implyed by the ſuppoſition of the perſons profeſſion of Chriſt: whereupon the queſtion will further be, Whether the ſuppoſed mere Moral man profeſſing Chriſt doth practiſe theſe Vertues, or not? if he doth practiſe them, either he doth practiſe them in ſuch a degree as becomes a perfect ſound Chriſtian, and ſo he is no Moral man, nor ſubject of the queſtion; or elſe, not ſo perfectly, but with often recidivations and backſlidings, failings and weakneſſes, but not quite relinquiſhing his Profeſſion, and ſo he is not yet a mere Moral man, but only a weak Chriſtian, needing Church Diſcipline to reſtore and ſtrengthen him, and ſo yet, no ſubject of the queſtion. Or if he doth not practiſe the ſaid Virtues or Duties of the Second Table at all, but lives altogether lewdly, wickedly, and incorrigibly; ſo he's not ſo good as a Moral man, nor therefore a mere one, but a ſcandal, a leaven of Wickedneſs to be purged out, and not to be ſuffered in the Church, and ſo ſtill no ſubject of the queſtion, but a repugnance in the Adjection. Whereupon I conclude, that there is no mere Moral man in Chriſtian Society, but a groſs fallacy tending only to deceive you of your Peace, Order, Unity, and Charity, and to encourage diſtances and diſtinctions of ſome men, who conceit themſelves in their Spirituals more excellent than their Brethren, and thereupon proud oppoſitions p. 39and contentions in aſſertion of each Parties reſpective Excellencies above others, and conſequent'y Factions and Diviſions, Tumults and Seditions, and laſtly, Rebellion it ſelf.

Thus we have reaſoned ſo many fallacious Principles of ſin, whereby it deceiveth the fooliſh and ignorant into their wicked miſtakes: Let us now come to one word of Application, and ſo to an end.

If Sin and Deceit be ſo intrinſecal and complicate one with the other, we ſhould all then ſeriouſly conſider and examine, the great paſſages and chief moments of all the Actions of our lives, and by a true reflection and inquiry, if poſſible, make a diſcovery unto our ſelves, whether we have not in many things been very much deceived, and thereupon ſuſpect and jealous our ſelves, leſt we we have very much ſinned alſo, and conſequently to prepare for ſound Repentance.

That the greateſt part of our Iſrael have been pityfully deceived, and erred in the wayes of their own Inventions, may eaſily appear by obſerving the ſad Paſſages of our late troubleſome Times; Men looked for Judgement, but behold Oppreſsion; for Righteouſneſs, but behold a Cry: foreign, ſaith Oecumenius, 'Tis the very proper and genuine quality of deceit, that men looking for one thing ſhould find another; They looked for Judgement, but behold Oppreſsion; for Righteouſneſs, but behold a Cry; They looked for a bleſſed Reformation, but behold an ugly Deformation; they looked for a glorious King, but p. 40behold up ſtept a monſtrous Tyrant; they looked for a free priviledg'd Parliament, but behold a pack of inſolent Theives and Murderers, who turned the Sons of Juſtice out of her Temple, and ſhut her Gates againſt them; they looked for a pure Religion and undefiled, but behold the Widows and Fatherleſs devoured, the Levite deſpiſed, the Temples profaned, demolliſhed, ſome in part, ſome whole; Unity, Charity, Verity, exiled; the Sacraments by ſome ſuſpended, by others neglected, and by the generallity quite ſlighted; the Word of God wreſted, and baffled, the holy Law trampled, Order, Dec ney, Maintenance, Government, and every other property of a Regular Church, quite outed; and inſtead thereof, crept in Schiſm, Hereſie, Perjury, Blaſphemy, Sacriledge, Ataxy, and every other quality of Diſformity; in a word, our whole Church and Nation were ſo ſtrangely disfigured and metamorphos'd, as we became both a ſhame to our ſelves, and an obloquie to the world.

And thus have we found Deceit enough, and in all likelyhood as much Sin. What remains then, but that every man gulity as aforeſaid, ſhould betake himſelf to Repentance, and in Repentance to confeſs, there being no one act in the work of Repentance, doth ſo much glorifie God as Confeſſion; in regard that the Creature in aſſuming ſhame to himſelf, transfers all the glory to his Creator: accordingly St. John ſpeaks in 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive; and this was the counſel of Joſhua to Achan, Confeſs my ſon, and give glory to God; and this was the practice of the Penitentiaries p. 41in Ezra's time, who confeſt publickly the very particular ſin they were Nationally guilty of, their ſtrange wives▪ and St. Paul alſo comes to particulars, confeſſing, 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was a Perſecutor, a Blaſphemer, and Injurious; and ſo indeed ſhould all the offending and deceived Party in England, confeſs their ſins one unto another, and ſay, Oh my beloved Brother, or Brethren, it hath pleaſed God to give you his Grace of conduct in the wayes of Truth and Peace, and Loyalty; …ut we have ſadly erred and been deceived, Oh favour us with your Chriſtian Indulgence. But how long ſhall I endeavour to perſwade this, and obtain nothing; Diſloalty, as they ſay, being impudent and brazen fac'd as ever, and like the Whore in the Prophet Jeremy, refuſeth to be aſhamed: Inſtance not only in the caſe of the firſt and laſt executed, who inſtead of ſatisfying Juſtice by their bloud, for ſo much Innocent and Pretious Bloud ſhed by them, ſeem'd rather to juſtifie themſelves in what they had done, as if they would have ſealed to it with their bloud, and dyed Martyrs for wickedneſs; but alſo the ſurvivers of that Confederacy, who are ſtill chewing upon the Leeks and Garlick of Egypt, and their breath ſtinks ſo much thereof, as the very words they ſpeak, ſmell ſtrong of a Captain to conduct them thither again; and not only thoſe, but ſome of another Intereſt who led the Van of the late armed wickedneſs, and yet inſtead of Confeſſions, Deprecations, and Submiſſions, they ſeem to juſtifie themſelves in what they have done, by inſiſting their Covenant, that Engine of Wickedneſs, and ſo wipe their mouths, as if they p. 42had neither done nor ſpoke any thing amiſs, and fall to Expoſtulations and Complainings, and would fain inſimulate, as if very much wrong were done them, whileſt they detain other mens rights, (whom I ſpeak of with a reſerve, nevertheleſs, of Chriſtian reſpect unto thoſe of that Denomination in general, who we hope are better thew'd, for their own particular, as conſiderable worth hath manifeſted them by ſome contrary actions) which they defend and aſſert with much eagerneſs and mordacity, though they are no other than the wages of unrighteouſneſs, given them by the late Rebellious Power, as a reward of their faithfulneſs to the Good Old Gauſe; for which they might as well have periſhed in the gainſaying of Corah, as thoſe that did. Beloved, This is not the way to obtain Peace with God or Men; I could wiſh rather that I might hear them, and all others of their Engagement, ſay, with Saul to David, Behold I have play'd the Fool and erred exceedingly, but bleſſed be then my Son David; Behold my good Brother or Brethren, we have play'd the Fools and erred exceedingly againſt our King, Church and Laws, whereas you by the grace of God, have been led in Peace and Loyal Righteouſneſs, bleſſed be you therein, and impact the comfort thereof unto us alſo, by favouring us with your Chriſtian compaſſion; or that I might hear them ſay, with David himſelf, I have gone aſtray like a ſheep, O ſeek thy ſervant, for I do not forget thy Commandements; then ſhould we receive them p. 43into the Armes of our Chriſtian and Brotherly embraces, and pray for them in the Language of our holy Letany, That it may pleaſe thee, O Lord, to bring into the way of Truth, all ſuch as have erred and are deceived.

FINIS.

If, through haſte, any faults have happened, in letters or ſyllables of words, the Readers favour is deſired in excuſing them, as this one particular, World, pag. 29. line the laſt, for Word.