The spiritual chymist, or, Six decads of divine meditations on several subjects by William Spurstow ...

Meditation LIII. Vpon a Counterfeit piece of Coyne.

VVHit Physicians say of some Diseases, Illi morbi sunt peric••losissimi qui sanitatem Imi∣tantur; 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 great∣er resemblance and likeness they have to the true and genuine, the more pernicious and destructive they are to the Publick; wasting though insensibly not onely 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 high∣est 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 ha∣zard, 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. Jo∣s••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 Co∣vetousness 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 commissi∣on 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 fi∣ctum. 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 one∣ly 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 incau∣tious? As Pompey built a Theater Cum Titulo Templi, with the Title of a Temple: and Apollinar is the Here∣tick 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 blen∣ding the necessity of Circumcision with the Gospel? and of Workes with Faith. And did not the Corin∣thians 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 cir∣cumspect 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 onely 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 wit∣nesses, 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 deceiv∣ed 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 in∣ward 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 im∣pure Gibberish from the Holy Dialect of the Spirit. Let not such Arts, which serve onely 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 glo∣ry; 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 onely 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 confident∣ly 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.