A SERMON AGAINST FALSE PROPHETS PREACHED In St. Mary's church In OXFORD, shortly after the Surrender of that Garrison.  
By Jasper MAINE, D. D. and one of the Students of Christ. Church, OXON.  IER. 23. 16. 
Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, harken not unto the words of the Prophets that prophesy unto you; They make you vain; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.  
Printed in the year, M DC XLVII.   

A SERMON AGAINST FALSE PROPHETS.  EZEK. 22. 28. Her Prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken. 

THE PREFACE.  
THat which the best Orator said of oratory put to the worst use, Nihil est tam horridum, tam incultum, quod non splendesc●…t oratione, That there is nothing so deformed, or rude, which may not be made amiable by Speech, hath always been verified of Religion too. No one thing hath, in all Ages, been more abused, to paint and disguise foul actions. It hath been made the Art to cozen people with their own Devot●…ons, and to make them, in the mean time, think sacredly of their seducers. Conspiracies, and Insurrections, dressed in these colours have been called holy Associations and Leagues: And the Ambitious, to work the more securely on the credulity of the simple, have not only presented evil to them growing on the Tree of Good, but have proceeded thus much farther in the fallacy, that they have still made forbidden fruits seem pleasant to the eye. And the false colours under which they have seemed pleasant, have always been taken from Religion. Thus in these Heathen States, where they first made their own gods, and then worshipped them, never plot was hatched to disturb the commonwealth, but the writings of some sibyl, or other, were entitled to that plot; And never any design was laid to destroy the Roman Empire, but some Augur, or Priest was taken in, whose part 't was, to make the entrails, and Liver of his sacrifice, give credit to the ambition of the design. And thus among the Jews, some ambitious men, the better to gild over their proceedings, still entitled God to them. Who, as if he had been one of those Tutelar, changeable Deities, which used to be enticed, and called over from one side to another, they still entertained the people, that they who most zealously pretended to him, had him most. And that however he be the God of Order, and Justice, & Agreement among men, yet in favour of his own Cause, he would for a while be content to change his nature, and become the God of Injustice, Disorder, and Confusion too.  
The better to work this persuasion into the minds of the Multitude, their first piece of policy was to draw the Prophets into their Faction This is expressed to us in the 25. verse of this Chapter. Where 'tis said of Jerusalem, There is a conspiracy of her Prophets, in the midst thereof. And truly, 'twas a Conspiracy so unfit for Prophets, that the resemblance of it was never yet found in any but those Men of a much unholier stile, of whom the Historian says, Est aliquod etiam inter Latrones & Sicarios foedus, that thieves and Robbers hold League and friendship amongst themselves. For 'tis said in the following words of that verse, that 'twas a Conspiracy like the roaring of a Lion, ravening the prey. A Conspiracy, by which they devoured souls, and took to themselves the Treasure and precious things of the Land. And because pillage of this public Nature, could hardly be gained without the Death, and murder of the Owners, 'tis said in the close of that verse, That they made her many widows in the midst thereof. To which if the Scripture had added these two words of pity, the fatherless and orphan too, nothing could have been added to the calamity of the Description.  
Nor is there a much more favourable Character stuck by the holy Ghost, upon the Priests of those times. For by that which is said at the 26 verse of this Chapter, (And 'tis well worth your marking) you may perceive that the Disorder to which things were brought in the State, sprung first from the Disorder, to which things were brought in the Church. For 'tis there said, That The Priests had violated the Law, and profaned the holy Things; That they did put no difference between the Holy, and profane, nor made any Distinction between the unclean, and the clean. In brief, the legal, well established Service, and Worship of God was at a kind of loss, and Indifferency. 'Twas referred to every man's fancy, to make to himself his own Religion. Blemished, and unblemished Sacrifices began to be sacred alike. And the Scripture of another Prophet, became quite altered; He that offered a Swine, was thought as religious as he that slew an ox; And he that cut off a dog's neck, was thought as liberal a Sacrificer, as he that brought a lamb to the Altar.  
Next, having taken the Prophets, and Priests, so far into their plot, as to mingle and confound the Services of the Church, they made it one part of their policy, more, to make them lend Reputation, to their proceedings in the State. This is plainly intimated to us, by that which is said at the 27. verse of this chapter, cohering with that which is said in the words of my Text. For there mention is made of certain {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, or Princes, or chief men, who are there said to be like Wolves ravening the prey; Yet there wanted not some Prophets (as you may gather from my Text) who presented these Wolves to the people in sheep's clothing. 'Tis said too that they had this property of Wolves, that they took pleasure to shed blood; yet there wanted not Priests, who called blood thus spilled Sacrifice. 'Tis said too that they did shed blood that they might get to themselves dishonest Gain; yet there wanted not some, who called even that dishonest gain, godliness. If you will have all this ●●mbed to you in one short Draught and picture, how cruel soever, & destructive to the common safety, the Projects, and proceedings of some men powerful in the then State of the Jews were, there wanted not Prophets who daubed them with untempered mortar; seeing vanity, and divining ly●…s unto them, saying, thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord had not spoken. 
The division.   
Which words are a History of the worst Times, in the then worst State. In which we have these considerable parts. 1. An irreligious Compliance, or rather Collusion, of spiritual men with Lay. Some there were, (as you have them described in the precedent verse) whose design 'twas, to make their Co●…ntrey their Prey; Others there were, whose part 'twas, to make them seem Good patriots, and Protectors of their country. Some destroyed souls in the way to their Ambitious Ends, Others made it their business to put Holy colours on their Slaughters. Or if you will have me express myself in the Language of both Texts, some there were who did Shed blood, that they might get to themselves Dishonest gain; And some Prophets there, were, who to make their proceedings seem specious, did put religious pretences to them, and with these pretences did disguise, and daub them.  
Next, we have here, the Frailty, and weakness, and deceivable nature of such pretences. How plausible soever they seemed to the deluded vulgar, and however they might a while, not only serve to cover, and veil foul purposes, but to set them off with a Beauty, and Lustretoo, yet this could not be lasting. Dishonest projects thus adorned were but so many painted Rui●…es. And therefore, the Prophets, who thus disguised them, are here said to daub them with untempered mortar.  
Thirdly, for the effecting of this, we have here a very strange abuse of their ministry and Function, set down to us in three Expressions, having every one of them something of the form, but nothing of the Reality of a Prophet in them. First, they are here said to be Seers. But as for the things they saw, they were of that foolish empty nature, that the Scripture hath not vouchsafed to call them Dreams. We may call them visions, perhaps; But such as AEneas in Virgil saw among the Shades. So void of Weight, and Body, and Substance, so far from Sense and Reason, as well as Revelation, that as the fittest word which could be found for them, they are here in this place called Vanity. Next, they are here said to Divine, or 〈◊〉. But 'tis added withal, that they foretold not Things, but lies. As many untruths as 〈◊〉 fell from them. And their predictions had only thus much of Divination in them, that some time was required for men to prove them false; And to perceive, that, contrary to all true predictions, they would never come to pass. Lastly, (which was the third, and great abuse of their office and function) they were not afraid to entitle God to their vanities and lies. As often as they were pleased to deceive the people, he was cited, and quoted, as the inspirer of the deceit. And this bold, insolent sin was committed against the holy Ghost, that the vain, foolish, groundless conj●…ctures of the Prophets, were called his Inspirations: who, to make their falsehoods take the stronglier, still uttered them in the holy, prophetical stile of Truths, saying, Thus faith the Lord God, when the Lord had not spoken. All which contracted into a narrow room, the Irreligious Compliance of spiritual men with Lay, the weakn●…sse of their pretences, the abuse of their Calling, by uttering their own vanities for i●…spirations, and and their own Fictions for Truths, together with the injury offered to God, by entitling Him to all this, shall be the parts on which I will build my future Discourse. In the ordering of which, I will begin with the Compliance or Combination. Some there were among the Jews (as you have them deciphered in the former verse) who did shed blood, that they might get to themselves dishonest gain; and some false Prophets there were, who, to go sharers in that gain, by the holiness of their Function, did disguise and daub them.  
It was well said of a virtuous man in the praise of virtue, Si 
1: The compliance.  oculis cerneretur, If it could be seen, or could be put into limbs or Colours, nothing would more inflame, or ravish the Beholders. And he had spoken as well in the dispraise of Vice, had he said, Si oculis cerneretur, if it could be made visible, or put into Colours, nothing would appear more deformed, or loathsome. To speak of it, as it deserves, there is so little Beauty or amiableness in Dishonest actions, that to be disliked, and abhorred, it hath always been sufficient for them to be understood. None but the Father of mischief, ever loved mischief for itself: And none but the Children of such a parent, have found out a comeliness of evil, merely as 'tis evil. Of all other men, who have not quite lost their Reason with their Innocence, and over whose understandings darkness and error have not so prevailed, as to present vice and virtue to them, as one and the same thing, the saying of the Po●…t hath always held true, Exemplo quodo●…nque malo committitur ips●… displicet Authori; Bad actions are so far from pleasing others, that they never yet pleas●… themselves. Nor can I persuade myself, that ●…ver any man could so 〈◊〉 his Conscience, or force it, (like some compelled to enter into un willing contracts) to embrace a Bad design, but he for that time divided himself between his design, and his Hatred. An●… the advantages which have accompanied the foulen●…sse of the enterprise, have never been so great, but that the poor co●…ened offendor, at the same time sinned, and loathed himself. But then, as some either borne, or grown deformed, have found our certain arts to hide their deformities; As some I say, of a withered, ill-shaped complexion, have by the help of their pencil, turned yellow into red, and pale into white, and by the same help, have placed a Rose there, where there was before a decay; And so have bestowed, not only an artificial beauty, but an Art●…ficiall youth upon themselves, and in this borrowed shape have flattered themselves, and deceived others: So f●…w bad men have been so unpolitic, not to hide their Deformities by painting too. And this cunning use hath been made of virtue, that it hath always been made the colour, to adorn, and cover vice. A thing the more easy to be effected, because that saying of the philosopher hath always been true, Difficile est Nonnulla vitia â virtutibus secernere, adeo p●…udentes nonnunquam fallunt, some vices are so nearly allied to some virtues, that wise men have frequently mistaken them for Twins. ●…hus rashness with success hath past for valour, and cowardice with discretion hath past for counsel. Covetousness well ordered hath worn the shape of Thrift; and riot hath put on the name of Magnificence, and a large mind. But where this Neighbourhood between good and evil is not, other helps have been taken in; And a virtue of one shape hath been made to disguise the foulness of a vice of another. Thus among the Jews in our Saviour Christ's time, there were some who tithed Mint, that they might withhold Justice, and some paid Cummin, that they might keep back the weightier matters of the Law. Some made long prayers, that they might devour widow's Houses, and some wore br●…ad Phylacteries that they might swallow orphan's goods. And thus in this Prophet Ezekiel's time, some disguised their rapine by a Prophet, and their slaughters by a Priest; their covetousness by a Seer, and their Oppressions by a Man of God. Between whom the parts were so speciously carried, that, as if there had been no such things in Natu●…e, as Right or Wrong, Justice or Injustice, but only as Holy men would please to call them, the one devoured the prey, the other gave a Blessing to it; The one destroyed souls, the other excused the Murder; The one committed Sacrilege, the other made it Pla●…sible. Or if you will have me express myself to the true historical Importance of this Text, the one grinded the faces of the poor, and polluted themselves both with private and and public Oppressions; the other gilded, and palliated, and veiled, and daubed them. Complanabant, says one, Gypsabant, says another Translation. The Prophets did smooth, and sleek, and put a fair crust upon them. The words are diverse, but have all one Sense.  
For first, whether we express their palliation of sins by daubing, (which is the word here used by our English Translators, and answers to Saint Jeromes Obliniebant in the Latin, and the Septuagint {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the Greek) 'tis a Word (if a learned Interpreter, well skilled in the original, have not deceived me) taken from those who deal in ointments. And the meaning of the place is, That as some, skilled in such Confections have at times been hired to disguise deadly Receipts in fragrant smells and so have co●…veyed poison in a perfume, and clothed Death in the Breath and air of an Odoriferous Sent; so these Prophets here in the Text, among the other Abuses of their Calling, changed one of Solomon's best Proverbs into one of the worst Compliances: Which was, that by the Opinion of their Holinesle among the people, they made some men's Ill names pass, as 'tis there said of Good, like a precious ointment poured forth. Perfumes and Odours were put upon Ambition and Avarice. And God's laws were a while taught to forget their stile; And those commandments were made most to defend the men, who did most violate, transgress, and break them. Or next, whether we use the word sleek, 〈◊〉 smooth, 'tis a word taken from those who use the poli●…hing tool, or file. And the meaning of the place will be, That, as such artificers do ordinarily file●…ude, rough, misshapen matters, into decent figures and fo●…mes, and by the Repetition of their instrument, and application of it artificially to the same place, do raise a glass and Lustre there, where there was before only a deformity and shade; so these Prophets dealt with the public Sins of their times. Rapines, and Oppressions were filed, and polished, into the soster names of just levyes and supplies. Murders also and bloodsheds, together with the Cries of widows, and tears of Orphans were smoothed and glazed into the milder appearances, perhaps, of public Utility & necessity of State. In brief, these Prophets here in the Text, dealt with some men's vices, as the philosopher would have us deal with ou●…Affections, transformed and wrought them into Ornaments, and virtues. Or lastly, whether we use the word Gypsabant, 'tis a word taken from those who deal in plaster. And the meaning of the place will be, That as such Artificers, by laying a new Crust upon old decays, do many times make a falling building seem strong, and to the certain danger of the dweller, do so veil, and cover aged Walls, as to disguise rottenness, and make a ruin seem habitable; So these Prophets dealt with the sins of their times. They whited Sepulchers, and adorned rottenness, and putrefaction. Wicked designs had a fair crust put upon them; And ruinous projects were supported with splendid, holy Colours. If you will have me speak more home to the mind of the Text, some ambitious men built Houses on the Sand, and some flattering, servile Prophets daubed them with weak, untempered mortar. Which discovers to us the frailty and unsuitableness of all such proceedings as are not built upon Justice, or Truth, those two immovable Rocks of the Scripture; And leads us on to the next part of the Text.  
For the clearer understanding and interpretation of which 
〈◊〉 The ●…railty of bad designs.  words, it will be necessary, that I once more briefly reconcile the several Translations of them. That which we in English do read untempered mortar, a very classical Interpreter of the Bible reads thus: Prophetae ejus linebant eos insulso, Her Prophets have daubed them with a thing which is insipid, or which hath no salt in it. From whence some have made this exposition of the place. That though the thing with which these Prophets disguised the foul actions of their times were holiness, and Religion; and though it be true, that we may say of Religion, as Christ said of the Teachers of it, that it is the salt of the world, yet this salt sprinkled upon forbidden erterprises, leaves off to be salt, and loseth its savour. To speak yet more plainly to you; holiness itself applied to wicked designs, leaves off to be holiness. And they who put sanctity to that vile use, to serve only as the paint to make the unlawful projects of others seem fair, add thus much guilt of their own to the others, that they turn Religion itself into their crime. And I may confidently say, that they had been much more innocent, if in such forbidden cases they had been less holy.  
Saint Jerome translates the words thus: Propheta oblini●…bant eos absque temperamento, The Prophets daubed them with a thing which would not piece, or unite, or make a mixture. From whence some have given this Interpretation of the place, That however religious pretences may be found out to m●…sk irreligious deeds, and however holiness may be made the ver●…lion to impiety, yet there can never such a mixture, or composition pass between them, that it shall cease to be Impiety, because it hath piety joined to it. But rather as gilt upon false coin makes it so much the more counterfeit; or as tin silvered over is so much the more Treason, because 'tis silvered over; and Copper so much the more deserves hanging, because it wears the King's Image, and the Inscription on it is written in golden Letters: So 'tis with bad actions silvered over with Religion; they are so far from becoming good, that they double their iniquity, and become so much the more counterfeit. And as the spirit of Delusion is so much the more the spirit of Delusion, when he transforms himself into an Angel of Light; so foul projects are never fouler, than when there is a glory and lustre put upon them. In all such disproportioned Commixtures, where the wor●…e is sure to vitiate, and corrupt the better, we may not only ask the Question, What agreement there can be between light and darkness, or what fellowship Christ can have with Belial? but we may boldly pronounce, that light thus joined with darkness, loseth its rays, and becomes darkness. And that Christ thus joined and matched with B●…lial, degenerates into a Deceiver, and becomes Bel●…al too.  
The third and last translation of this place, (which our English Translators have followed) is that of Vatablus, who renders the words thus, 〈◊〉 ejus lin●…bant eos Into infirm●…, Her Prophets (that is, the Prophets of Jerusalem) have daubed them with infirm, untempered mortar: That is, as Dyonisiu●… Carthusianus, very fully expounds the Metaphor, Confirmabant eos in errore persuasionibus non solidis, sed fucatis: The Prophets confirmed them in their errors with weak, untempered Reasons. All which several Interpretations do agree in this one and the same undeniable sense; That such is the conscious, guilty, unjustifiable nature of sin, so suspicious and fear full 'tis to be seen publicly in its own shape, that it not only deals with all sinners, as it did with the first two, upon a mutual sight, and discovery of themselves, shows them ashamed, and naked to one another; but to cover and veil their nakedness and shame, sends them to such poor, f●…aile, unprofitable shelters, as Bushes, and Fig-leaves: which though they should grow in Paradise itself, or should be gathered from the same holy ground, in which Innocence, and the Tree of Life were planted together, yet applied to hide an oppression, or plucked to cover a sacrilege, they will still retain the fading, transitory nature of l●…aves, which is to decay, and wither, between the hands of the Gatherer, and lose their colour and freshness in the very laying on; and to every well rectified, religiously judging eye, instead of being a veil to hide, will become one of the ways to betray a nakedness.  
To speak yet more plainly to you, and to lay it as home as I can to every one of your consciences, who hear me this day; If the design and project be unlawful, and contrary to God's commandments, let there be a Prophet found to pronounce it holy, let there be a Statist found to pronounce it convenient, let Reason of State be joined to Religion, and public utility to quotations of Scripture; Lastly, let it be adorned with all the varnishes and paintings taken either from Policy or Christianity, which may render it fair and amiable to the deluded multitude, yet such is the deceivable nature of such projects, such a worm, such a self destroyer grows up with them, that, like Ionas Gourd, something cleaves to their ro●…t, which makes their very foundation ruinous, and fatal to them. At best they are but painted Tabe●…nacles of clay, or palaces built with 〈◊〉 mortar. The first discovery of their hypocrisy turns them into heaps, and the fate of the scarlet whore in the Revelation befalls them, whose filthiness and abominations were no sooner opened and divulged, but she was dismembered, and torn in pieces by her own Idolaters and Lovers.  
Here then, if any expect that I should apply what hath been said to our times, and that I should take the liberty of some of our modern Prophets, who have by their rude Invectives from the Pulpit ma●…e whatever Names are High, and Great, and Sacred, and Venerable among us, cheap, and vile, and odious in the ears of the people; If any, I say, expect that by way of parallel of one people with another, I should here audaciously undertake to show that what ever Arts were used to make bad projects seem plausible, and holy in this prophet's time, have been practised to make the like bad projects appear plausible, and holy now; Or that in our times the like Irreligious Compliance, hath past between some spiritual men, and Lay, to cast things into the present Confusion, I hope they will not take it ill, if I deceive their Expectation. For my own part, as long as there is such a piece of Scripture as this, 
* Exod. 22. 28.  Diis non maledices, thou shalt not revile the Gods, (that is, thou shalt not only not defame them by lying, but shalt not speak all truths of them which may turn to their Infamy, and reproach;) I shall always observe it as a piece of obligatory Religion, not to speak evil, no not of offending dignities. Much less shall I adventure to shoot from this sacred place my own ill-built Jealousies, and suspicions, for Realities and Truths: Which if I should do, 'twould certainly favour too much of his Spirit of Detraction, who having lost his modesty, as well as Religion & Obedience, to the scandal and just offence of all loyal E●…res here present, was not afraid to forget the other part of that Text, which says, Nec maledices principi in populo meo, Thou shalt not reproach the Ruler of my people.  
Yet because so many strange Prophets, of our wild, licentious times, have preached up almost five years' Commotion for a Holy war; And because, in truth, no war can be Holy whose cause is not justifiable; If I should grant them what they have procla●…ed from so many Pulpits, that the Cause for which they have all this while, some of them, so zealously fought, as well as preached, hath been Liberty of Conscience; or, in other terms, for the Reformation of a corrupted, degenerated Church; Or to speak yet more like themselves, for the Restitution of the Protestant Religion grown Popish; if I say, all this should be granted them, yet certainly, if Scripture, gospel Fathers, Schoolmen, Protestant Divines of the most reverend, and sober mark, and Reason itself have not deceived me, all Sermons which make Religion, how pure soever, to be ●… just cause of a war, do but daub the undertakers with untempered mortar.  
For however it be an Article in the Turkish Creed, that they may propagate their Law by their spear; yet for us who are Christians, to be of this Mahumetane perswaston, were to transfer a piece of the Alcoran into a piece of the gospel. And to make Christ not only the Author of all those Massacres, which from his time to ours, have worn that Holy Impression, but 'twere to make him over-litterally guilty of his own saying, that he came not to send peace, but a Sword into the World For though it be to be granted, that nothing can more conduce to the future happiness of men, then to be of the true Religion; yet I do not ●…inde that Christ hath given power to any to compel men to be happy; or commanded, that ●…orce should be used for the collation of such a Benefit. All the ways more proportioned for the achieving of such an end, he hath in his Gospel prescribed, namely preaching, and persuasion, and Holy example of life. He bade his Apostles go, and teach all Nations; not stir up one Nation against another, or divide kingdoms against themselves, if they would not receive the gospel. This had been plainly to join the Sword of the flesh, to the Sword of the Spirit. Which to save their Lives, and Fortunes, might perhaps, have made some Hypocrites, and dissemblers without, who would nevertheless, have remained Pagans and Infidels within. In short, some things in the Excellency, and 〈◊〉 of the Doctrines of Christian Religion being no way 〈◊〉 from human principles, but depending for the cred●…t, and evidence of their truth upon the Authority of Christ's miracles, conveyed along in Tradition and Story, cannot in a natural way of Argumentation force assent. Since, as long as there is such a thing in men, as ●…berty of understanding, all arguments, even in a Preaching, and persuasive way, which carry not necessity of demonstration in their Forehead, may reasonably be rejected. Much less have I met with it in all my progress of D●…vinity or Philosophy, convincingly maintained, that men upon every slight disagreement, or dissent in Religion, are to be whipped, or beaten into a Co●…sent; or that the plunder of men's Estates is a fit medium to beget a belief or persuasion in their Minds.  
Here then, should I once more grant the charge of these Prophets to be true (a very heavy one I confess) that the Protest an●… Religion among us, had very far taken wing, and had almost resigned its place in this Island to the Romish Superstition. Nay, suppose (which is yet far worse) that a great, and considerable part of this kingdom, had through the Corruption of the 〈◊〉, not only relapsed from the Protestant Religion in particular, but from the Christian Faith in general; suppose, I say, (which is the 〈◊〉 that can be supposed) that they who have so frequently of late been branded for Papists, had outright turned Infidels, however in such a case, that war which fights against th●…Errours of men thus lost, and proposeth to itself no other end but their Repentance and Conversion, may to some perhaps, seem to wear the Helmet of their Salvation, and the Army which thus strives to save men by the sword, may to some seem an Army of Apostles, yet I do not find that to come into the field with an armed Gospel, is the way chosen by Christ to make proselytes. The Scripture indeed, tells us of some who took the kingdom of Heaven by violence; But of any, who by violence may have it imposed upon them, us nowhere recorded. But alas, my Brethren, (if I may speak freely to you in the defence of that defamed Religion, in which I was borne and to which I should account it one of the greatest blessings that God can bestow upon me, if I might, with the Holy Fathers of our Reformation, fall a Sacrifice) that which these men call Idolatry, and Superstition, and by names yet more odious, was so far from having shrined itself in our Church; So little of that dross, and Ore, and tin, which hath lately filled our best Assemblies with so much noise and Clamour, was to be found among us, that with the same unfeignedness that I would confess my sins to God, and hope to obtain pardon for them, I do profess, that I cannot think the Sun, in all his heavenly course, for so many years, beheld a Church more blessed with purity of Religion for the Doctrines of it, or better established for the Government, and Discipline of it, than ours was. And therefore, if I were presently to enter into dispute with the greatest Patriarch among these Prophets, who, even against the Testimony of sense itself, will yet perversely strive to prove that our Church stood in such need of Reformation, that the growing Superstitions of it could not possibly be exptated but by so much Civi●… war. I should not doubt with modesty enough to prove back again to him, that all such weak, irrational Arguments as have only his zeal for their logic, are not only composed of untempered mortar; But that in seeing those spots and blemishes in our Church, which no good Protestants else could ever see, 'twill be no unreasonable inference to conclude him in the number of those erroneous Prophe●…s here in the Text. Who to the great scandal and abuse of their Office, and Function, did not only palliate, and gild over the public sins of their times, but did it like Prophets, and saw Vanity too. Which is the next part of the Text; And is next to succeed in your attentions.  
If the philosophers rule be true, that things admit of definitions 
3. The first abuse of their function.  according to their essences, and that the nearer they approach to nothing, the nearer they d●…aw to no Description; to go about to give you an exact definition of a thing impossible to be defined, or to endeavour to describe a thing to you, which hath been so much disputed whether it be a thing, were to be like those Pr●…phets here in the Text; first, to see Vanity myself, and then to persuade you that there is a Reality, and Substance in it. Yet to let you see by the best lights I can, what is here meant by Vanity, I will join an inspi●…ed to a Heathen Philosopher. Selomon, (whose whole Book of Ecclesiastes is but a Tract of Vanty) as we may gather from the instances there set down, places vanity, in mutability, and change. And because all things of this lower world consist in vicissitude, & change (so far, that as Seneca said of Rivers, B●…s in idem flumen non descendi●…us, we cannot step twice into the same stream; so we may say of most Sublun●…rie things, whose very beings do so resemble str●…ams, ut vix idem bis conspiciamus, that we can scarce behold some things twice) that wisest among the sons of men, whose Philosophy was as spacious as there were things in nature to be known, calls all things under the sun, vanity, because all things under the sun are so liable to inconstancy and change, that they s●…eet away, and vanish, whilst they are considered; and hasten to their decay whilst we are in the Contemplation of them.  
Aristotle defines vanity to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Every thing which hath not some reasonable end or purpose belonging to it. For this reason, he calls emptiness, and vacuity, vanity; Because there is so little use of it in nature, that to expel it, things have an inclination placed in them to perform actions against their kind. Earth to shut out a vacuity, is taught to fly up like fire; and fire to destroy emptiness, is taught to fall down like earth. And for this reason, another Philosopher hath said, that colours, had there not been made eyes to see them, and sounds, had there not been ears made to hear them, had been vanities, and to no purpose. And what they said of sounds, and colours, we may say of all things else; not only all things under the Sun, but the Sun itself, who is the great {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, the eye of the world, without another eye to behold him, or to know him to be so, had been one of Aristotle's vanities.  
As then in Nature those things have deserved the name of vanities, which either have no reasonable end, or purpose belonging to them, or else are altogether subject to Mutability, and change, so 'tis in policy, and Religion too. To do things by weak, unreasonable, inconstant principles, principles altogether unable to support, and upold the weight, and structure of public business built upon them; or to do things, with no true substantial, solid, useful, but a mere imaginary good end belonging to them; As for example, to alter the whole frame and Government of a State, not that things may be mended, but that they may run in another course than they did before; or to change the universally received Government of a Church merely for change sake, and that things may be new, not that they may be better, is a vanity, of which I know not whether these Prophets, here in the Text, were guilty; but when I consider the unreasonable changes already procured, and the yet farther endless changes as unreasonably still pursued by the Prophets of our times, I find so much vacuity, and emptiness in their desires, so much interested zeal, and so little disinterested reason, so much novelty mistaken for reformation, and withal so much confusion preferred before so much decency, and order, that I cannot but apply the Wise man's Ingemination to them, and call their proceedings Vanity of vanities.  
For if we may call weak, groundless, improbable surmises and conjectures, vanities, have not these Prophets dealt with the minds of vulgar people, as Melancholy men use to deal with the clouds, raised monstrous forms and shapes to fright them, where no fear was? Have they not presented strange visions to them? idolatry in a Church window, Superstition in a white Surplice, mass in our commonprayer book, and Antichrist in our Bishops? Have they not also to make things seem hideous in the State, cast them into strange, fantastical, Chimaera figures? And have they not, like the fabulous, walking Spirits we read of, created imaginary Apparitions to the people from such things, slight, unsolid melting Bodies as air? And for all this if you inquire upon what true stable principle, or ground, either taken from reason (which is now preached to be a saecular, profane, heathen thing) or from Scripture, (which is now made to submit to the more unerring rule of fancy) they have proceeded; or what hath been the true cause, of their so vain imaginations, you will find, that (contrary to all the rules of right judgement, either common to men, or Christians) they have been guided merely by that Causa per accidens, that fallible, erroneous, accident all cause, which hath always been the mother of mistakes. Socrate ambulante coruscavit; Because it lightened when Socrates took the air, one in the company thought that his walking was the occasion of the flash: this certainly, was a very vain and foolish inference; yet not more vain and foolish than theirs, who have taught people to conclude, that all pictures in church-windows are Idols, because some out of a misguided devotion, have worshipped them; or that Surplices, and the like Church Vestures are superstitious, because some superstitious men wear them; or that our Common prayer book is popery, because part of it is to be found in the rubrics of that Church; or that the government of the Church by Bishops is Antichristian, because in their belief, Antichrist already is, or, when he comes into the world, shall be a Bishop.  
For here, if I should press them in a rational, logical way, (Unless they will call Argument, and logic, and syllogism, Superstition too, and banish Reason as well as Liturgy out of the Church) to think (as they do) that Churches are unhallowed by reason of their ornaments, or to persuade people to refrain them, because some out of a blind zeal have paid worship to the Windows, is to me a fear as unreasonable, as theirs was, who refused to go to Sea, because there was a Painter in the City, who limned shipwrecks. For certainly, if that be all the reason they have to banish Images out of the Church, because some (if yet there have been any so stupid) have made them Idols; by the same reason, we should not now have a Sun, or Moon, or Stars in the Firmament, but they should long since have dropped from Heaven, because some of the del●…ded Heathens worshipped them. And if that be all the reason they have to prove Surplices, or white vestments superstitious, because Papists wear them, (pardon the meanneste of the subject, I beseech you, which is scarce worthy of a confutation) why do not they also conclude linen to be superstitious, because Papists shift, and so make cleanness to be as unlawful as Surplices or Copes? Thirdly, to say our common-prayer-book is Popish, because 'tis so good, that some in the Church of Rome have praised it, is to me an accusation as senseless, as theirs, who accused the general of their Army of treason against the State, because his enemies out of the admiration of his virtues, erected a Statue to him. Lastly, to call the government of our Church by Bishops, Antichristian, because that Church which they make to be the seat of Antichrist is so governed, is to me such a weak Imputation, as by the same reason makes all the Christian Governments of the world pagan. And therefore to be utterly extirpated, and banished out of the world, because in some points of Government they resemble the commonwealths of Insidets. To all which vain, unlearned, impotent, shallow objections, raised against the Church, when I have added their vain, improbable conjectures, and objections raised against the State too; Where things possible, nay in a civil, politic way, almost impossible, have been urged, and cited as things present, and done; Where, because some Princes have been Tyrants, and grievous to their Subjects, people in s●…rene, easy, halcyon times, have been made believe that an ●…gyptian bondage, and thraldom was ready to fallupon them; And where, because there was a time when a bunch of Grapes or two extraordinary was gathered for the public, people, after so many reparations, so many acts of recompense, have been entertained, that those few, irregular Grapes were but the prologues, and forerunners to the intended rap●… which should in time have been committed upon the whole future, following vine, I cannot look upon the Prophets who have thus preached vanity to them, thus amnzed them with false, imaginary dangers, but under that description which the Prophet Jeremy hath made of them, in his 23. chap. at the 26. verse; where he calls them Prophets of the deceit of their own hearts, Seers who coy●… their own visions. Men who relying wholly upon the uncertain illumination of their own fancies, which they call the Spirit, and having never acquainted themselves with the true ways, and principles either of reason, or Religion, which should clear their minds, and take of●… the gross film which beclouds their understandings, make it their business and profession to deceive thems●…lves, and others. Building false conclusions upon weak, irrational pr●…misses; and supporting improbable conjectures, by fictions, and untruths, Which suggests to me the second abuse of the ministry, and function of these Prophe●…s here in the Text. Which was, that they not only saw vanity, but divined lies to●….  
The thing in ●…ature which makes the expression hold true, that 
4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 th●…ir 〈◊〉.  man is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, a sociable creature, is that we are able to repay conversation with conversation; and have a privilege bestowed upon us, beyond that of beasts, that we can unite, and join ourselves to one another by speech. Without which, we, who now make rational assemblies, and commonwealths, had been only a rude, discomposed multitude, and heard ofmen. Nay, without Language to express ourselves, and to associate ourselves to one another in Discourse, every man had been thus like the first, that he had been alone, and solitary in the world. For where commerce and intercourse, and exchange of minds is denied, and where all that passeth between us of men is that we are Alter alteri spectaculum, only a dumb, speechl●…sse show, and spectacle to one another; meetings, and numerous Assemblies are but so many unpeopled Wildernesses and deserts. And where all that we enjoy of one another's company is only the dull sight, and presence, every one of us may reckon himself single in a full theatr●… and crowd.  
As ●…peech, then, was at first bestowed upon us that we might hold conversation, and discourse with one another, so there was a Law imposed upon us too, that we should not deceive one another by our ●…ppeech. 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}  {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. 'Tis Aristotle's definition of speech, which hath a piece of commutative Justice i●… it. Words, says he, are the images of thoughts. That is, says the Divine, they always ought, or should be so. The mind is thereby enabled to walk forth of the Body, and to make visits to another separated, divided mind. Our souls, also, assisted by Speech, are able to meet, and converse, and hold intercourse with other souls. Nay, you must not wonder at the expression, if I say, that as God at first conveyed our m●…nds, and souls into us by breathing into us the breath of Life, so by Speech he hath enabled us, as often as we discourse, to breathe them reciprocally back again into each other. For never man yet spoke Truth to another, and heard that other speak Truth back again to him, but for that time the saying of Minutius Felix was fulfilled, Crederes duas esse animas in ●…odem corpore, there were interchangeably two ●…ndes in one Body.  
But this (as I said before) is only when Truth is spoken. Otherwise, as the Question was asked of fire, Igne quid utilius? What more useful gift did God ever bestow upon us then Fire? And yet the same Poet tells us, that some have employed it to burn Houses. So we may say of Words, Sermone quid utilius? What more be●…eficiall gift of nature did God ever bestow upon us then Speech? 'Tis the thing which doth outwardly distinguish us from Beasts, and which renders us, like the Angels, (who discourse by the mere Acts and Revelation of their wills) transparent and crystal to one another. But than Speech misemployed, and put to a deceitful use, may turn crystal into Jet. And put into a lie, may raise a shade, and cloud of Discourse, and Obscurity there, where there should be only a Transluccncy and clearness. In short, some men, like the Fish which blacks the stream in which it swims, and casts an ink from its bowels to hide itself from being seen, make Words, which were ordained to reveal their Though s, disguise them: A●…d so like the Father of lies, deal with their hearers, as ●…e dealt with our first Parents, appear to them, not in their own, but in a false, and borrowed Shape; And thereby make them embrace an Imposture and falsehood, in the figure, and appearance of a Reality and Truth.  
An offence so fit to be banished out of the World that after I have said, that two thus talking, and deceitfully mingling Speech, are some thing more than Absent to one another; After I have said, that the ly●… is injurious to things, as well as persons; Which carry the same proportion to our mind:, as Colours do to our eyes; And have a natural aptness in them to be understood as they are, but are for that time not understood, because not rightly represented: I must say too that there is injustice done to human society. Since in every untruth that is told, and believed, one man's lie, becomes another man's Error, whereby a piece of his natural Right is taken from him; which Right is by the Casuists called Judicandi libertas. he is disabled to make a Right judgement of what he hears. His belief betrays him: And the Speaker thus fallaciously conversing with him, is not for that time, his companion, but his deceiver.  
But when Religion shall be joined to a lie, and when a Falsehood shall be attired, and clothed with holiness; When they, whose profession 'tis to convey Embassies, and Messages, and voices from Heaven, shall convey only cheats, and delusions, and impostures from thence; though I cannot much blame the credulity of the Simple, who suffer themselves to be thus religiously abused, and like men who see jugglers, think their money best spent, where they are best cozened; yet, certainly, the deceivers themselves do add this over and above to the sin of Lying, that whereas others hold only the Truth of things, these men hold the Truth of God in unrighteousn●…sse.  
And such it seems, were these Prophets here in the Text. Who the better to comply with the public s●…nnes of their times, did put untruths, and falsehoods to the same holy use, that others did sacred Inspirations, and dreams. Fictions, the bastard creatures of their own corrupt fancies, were delivered as Prophecies infused into them from Heaven, and he who feigned most, and could lie with the most religious Art, was thought to have the greatest measure of the Spirit. Prosperous successes were foretold to wicked undertakings, and the Prophets dealt with the people, as some bold almanac makers deal with us; coined foul, or fair weather as they pleased to set the times, and then referred it to casualty, and chance to come to pass▪  
And can I pass over this part of the Text, and not say that there have been such Prophets among us in our times? Unless things should come about again, that the devil should the second time get a Commission to become a lying Spirit in the mouth of the Prophets, with a promise from the Almighty, that he should prevail too, were it possible that so much cozenage should so long pass, for so much Truth? Have we not seen the Prophet Micah's prophetical curse fulfilled upon this kingdom? 'Tis in his 2. Chap. at the 11. ver. where he says, that if a man walking in the Spirit, a●…d falsehood, do l●…e, he shall be the Prophet of this people. Certainly, my Brethren, when I consider how much Romance, how much Gazette, how much Legend hath for some years past for Sermon; When I consider (even with tears in my eyes) the many false aspersions stuck upon our defamed, wronged university, by some, who (even against the light of their eyes as well as Consciences) have charged the Breasts that gave them suck with infected poisoned milk; And have belied their spotless Mother, as if she were turned Strumpet; or as if 'twere grown a place from whence piety, and gif●…s and true Religion, have long since taken flight; a place which needs Conversion, and which affords nothing but dangerous education; of which crime, I confess, I know not whether ●…he be guilty, unless it be for bringing forth such abortive lying Sonn●…s, who thus make it part of their Religion to revile Her; when I farther consider, that they have not spared Majesty itself, though clothed, and armed by God with all the sacred Guards which should protect it from the venom of such disloyal, slanderous mouths; when I yet farther consider the seeming sanctity of the persons that do this, with what Holy passion, what inspired zeal, what composure of face, what contention of voice, what earnest rhetoric of hand, what Language of Saints, they do this; Lastly, when I consider how many there are, who, driving a gainful Trade in fictions, (fictions as strange as his, who wrote of Virgins transformed to Bay-trees) use to lie as devoutly from such holy ground as this, as others use to pray; And when withal I do observe that there is sprung up a certain Sect of Hearers among us, who as zealously lend attention to ly●…s, as their Preachers utter them; I cannot but take the philosopher's liberty to myself, and pronounce of such Congregations, as he did of Markets; that they are places where people meet to deceive, and be deceived.  
And as in Shops, and Markets, Religion is sometimes put to help out fa●…lty Ware, and the name of God is cited to make up measure and weight, and part of the false light by which the Buyer is overreached, is the seeming sanctity of the Seller: So 'tis here. A certain religious, holy, sacramental cozenage passeth between Preacher and People. And that they may the more solemnly be cozened, these prophet's deal with their Fictions, as the devil dealt with his temptations, when he would have persuaded our Saviour Christ to cast himself down from a pinnacle, clothe them with Scripture, saying, Thus it is written, and, thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken; which brings me to the third, and last a●…use of their Profession, and ministerial Function. Which is to entitle God to their vanities, and lies. To which I shall only add somebriefe Application of some things in this Sermon to ourselves, and so commend you to God.  
Lucian, I remember in his {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. or false Prophet, tells us of 
5. The Injury offered to God.  a certain mountebank Cheater, who the more artificially to deceive the People, did set up an Oracle of his own Fancying, and contrivance; in which he was both the God, and Priest to the People who came to inquire. And, like the Priests of those ot●…er true Oracles, which we read of, where the sibyl never gave answers till she was first entranced, and felt a kind of sacred fury, and possession within herself; so he, (as often as he pleased to delude the People) had his sacred ragings, and trances too; and appeared to those who came to consult with him, filled with a kind of holy fury, and possessed with the God that spoke through him.  
Me thinks, these Prophets here in this Text, were just such jugglers, who, in preaching their own F●…ncies for God's dictates, did not only set up a false Oracle, in which they were to the People, both the Deity, and the Priest; but they divined●…ntruths to them, in the same holy, solemn, prophetical form and way, as others did truths. Lyes had a kind of holy trance, and ecstasy, and rapture put to them; and falsehoods came from them in a kind of sacred madness, and possession. As often as they had a mind to deceive the People, they could presently raise to themselves their own inspirations; and as often as a Plot, or Project was to be brought about, they could pres●…ntly snatch themselves up into the third Heaven; and coul●… return from thence as full of holy fiction, and imposture, as S●…. Paul did of astonishment, and wonder. In the delivery of which Fictions to the People, there was thus much holy cozenage more added, that the Lips of the Reporters seemed for that time to be touched with a Coal●… from the Altar; and God by the secret insi●…ence and instinct of his holy Spirit, was thought to be the kindler of that coal.  
An injury of that (〈◊〉, shall I say? or rather) bold, presumptuous, impudent nature, that when I have spoken of it the most gently I can, I must say 'tis something more the●… the breach of the third commandment. For there we are only bid not to take God's name in vain●…; that is, not to mingle him with our ordinary, rash, light, unpremeditated discourses, or not to forswear ourselves by him, or cite him to be a witness to our perjuries. But they who speak falsely in his name, and vent their own sinister Plots for his inspirations; they, who, when they should be the messengers of truth, and the reprovers of sin, shall stand as the messengers of of falsehood, and encouragers of public wrongs, between him, and the people; do not only take his name in vain, and (as much as in them lies) draw a cheapness, and contempt upon it; but do commit a sin worse than perjury, for that only calls him to testify, and bear witness, but these men make him the principal, and first Author of a lie: And so stick the reproach of a weak, impotent vice upon him, common to none, but base, servile, perfidious natures, and slaves.  
You may read in the old Testament, that the Priest of those times, among his other Ornaments, wore two precious Stones in his Br●…st-plate, called the Uri●… and Thummim. Through which, according as they did at times cast a bright, or dimmer lustre, God revealed his pleasure, or displeasure to the People; and spoke to them by the sparkle of a jewel, as he did at other times by the mouth of a Prophet. You may read too, that after the Tabernacle was set up. God had a Throne, or Mercy-seat placed for him, between the Wings of two Cherubims, which veiled it; from whence at certain times he sent forth Oracles. Here then, let me put this case to you.  
Suppose the Priest, who wore the breastplate, should have belied his Jewels, and when the people came to inquire of him, should have interpreted a pale, for a bright Ray to the people; or suppose, he should have taken out the true, and have placed two false counterfeit Jewels in his breastplate; and should have taught them, by a kind of secret conspiracy, not to sparkle by the certainty, and holiness of their own impartial Fires, but according to the desires, and Plot, and Stratagem of the Consulters; had not this been ●…lainly to set up an illegitimate Anti-urim, and Thummim, which should have cast a false, as the other did a 〈◊〉 lustre? Nay, had not this been to make God, who used to appear, and reveal himself in these jewels, as he did to Moses in the Bush, in a flame of Fire, to become like one of those erratical, uncertain, wandering night-fires, of which Aristotl●… speaks in his Meteors; Fires, which shine only to lead Travellers out of the way?  
Once more put the case, that the Priest should have usurped the Throne, and Mercy-seat of God, and when the people came to inquire, should have placed himself between the Cherubins, and should from thence have uttered such false, pleasing Oracles, as he knew would most suit, and comply with the humour, and Interest of the Inquirers; Had not this been most insolently, to thrust himself into the place of God, and for that time to depose him from his 〈◊〉 or holy Place, and to assume his business and peculiar Office to himself? Nay, had not this been the way in time, to draw the same bad report upon him, which once passed upon the Oracle at Delphos, Apud Apollinem ut mihi videtur, mendacia e●…untur, men paid for lies at Delphos, and sacrificed to Apollo to be cozened and deceived?  
That this was the sin of these Prophets here in the Text is evident from the words of it, and from their coherence with the rest of the Chapter. Who, (as if they had entered into the same secret compact with God, as they had with their other Complotters of those times) made no other use of their profession, but only to humour great men, and to make Sale and gain of their Prophecies. Enthusiasms, and Visions, and dreams, and Revelations, were uttered, as some M●…chanick men utter their Commo●…ities, to him that would give most. The sanctuary, in plain terms, was made a place of merchandise; only the ware was spiritual. And the difference between Simon Magus' bargain with the Apostles, and the bargain here in the Text, was only this, that here both parties consented; The one sinisterly bought, the oth●…r sinisterly sold the holy Ghost.  
An offence, my Brethren, so directly against the Truth, and ●…eracity, and Majesty of God, so near, (●…if not outright) that never to be pardoned sin against the holy Ghost, that I am sorry I must say, that all the d●…fence that can be made for it, is, that our 〈◊〉 have brought forth prophets who have taken the same course.  
For now, as if the Scripture were in a perverse, preposterou●…sense the second tim●… to be fulfilled, that the Foolish things of the world shall confound the wise, and that lies, and fictions, and things that are not, shall bring to nought Realities, and Truths, and things that are, he is not only thought to be the holiest man, who can lie most in a holy Cause, but he thrives best, and makes the best spiritual Markets, who most belies God to his glory. To what unweighed, a●…ry scruples, and vanities, is he entitled? How is his Scripture, for want of learning to understand it aright, abused, and made the bellows to blow a fire, fit rather to be quenched by the repentance, and tears of the Incendiaries, and feeders of it? How many are there who daily urge text for bloodshed, and undertake to prove the slaughter of their Brethren; (I had almost said of their lawful Prince and sovereign too) warrantable by the word of God? What bold libel, or Pamphlet hath not for some years railed in a holy style? And what Sermons have not been spiced with a a holy sedition? Hath it not (even to the ruin of one of the most flourishing kingdoms of the world) been made a piece of Religion to divide it against itself, & to divorce a King from his People, and his people from their peace? Have not men been taught that they cannot give God his due, if they give Caesar his? And that the only way left to preserve in themselves, the grace and favour of the one, is quite to deface and blot out the image and superscription of the other? And have not the Teachers of these strange, unchristian Doctrines, delivered them to the people in the holy stile of Prophets? Have they not called a most unnatural, civil war, the burden of the Lord? Have they not quite inverted the injunction of the Apostle▪ and turning his affirmative into their negative, have they not (directly contrary to his word) said, Thus saith the Lord, honour not the King?  
My brethren, let me speak freely to you, as in the presence of God, who knows that I hate the sin of these Prophets here in the Text, too much to flatter. Or if I would be so irreligiously servile, you yourselves know that the present condition of things is at too low an ebb, for me or any man else to hope to thrive by such a false Engine. If there be such a thing as a waking providence over the actions of men, (Which, I confess, an unresolved man in such irregular times as these might be tempted to question) or if there be such a thing in nature as Truth, with a promise annexed to it by the God of Truth, that first or last it shall prevail, unless by a timely, and seasonable repentance of their abuse of the Name of God, and of their many bold reproaches thrown upon his anointed, they divert their punishment: Something, methinks, whispers to me, (I dare not be so confident of my own infallible sanctity, as to call it the Spirit of God) but something whispers to me, and bids me in the Prophet Ezekiel's words in another place, prophecy against these Prophets; and say, 
* E●…ek. 13. 3. 22.  we to the foolish Prophets who have followed their own spirit, and have seen nothing. Because with lies they have made the heart of the Righteous sad, whom the Lord hath not made sad; and have strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his evil way.  
Or if this will not awake them, but that they will still be guilty of the sin of these Prophets here in the Text, they must not take it ill, if, not I, but the holy Ghost (which they so much ●…oast of, & by whom they so confidently pretend to speak) pass this sad sentence on them and their compliers, by the mouth of two other Prophets. 1. As for their compliers (if any such there have been) who have said to the 
* Esay 30. 10.  Seers, See not, and to the Prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, but speak to us smooth things, prophecy deceit; let them hear with trembling what the Prophet Esay says in his 30. Chapter at the 12. and 13. Verses. Because (Says he) ye despise my word, and trust in oppression, and perverseness, and stay thereon; Therefore, thus saith the holy one of Israel, This iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly, at an instant. The meaning of which prophetical judgement will be easily understood of any, who shall consideringly mark the beginning and progress of the Chapter to the context where 'tis uttered and denounced.  
Next, as for the Prophets themselves, who for poor, low, earthly interests, and respects, have suffered themselves to be misled, let them with confusion of face, hear what the Prophet Jeremy says in the 23 Chapter, at the 32. verse. A place no less remarkable than the former. As for those, says he, who do prophesy false dreams, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness, yet I sent them not, nor commanded them; behold, I am against them, saith the Lord, and they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord God.  
The conclusion then of this Sermon, shall be this. Fathers, and 
The conclusion.  brethren of this University: I presume it could not but seem strange to you, to hear your Manners, and Religion, as well as Studies, and Learning not long since publicly reproved, and preached against out of this Pulpit, by men, who profess themselves, indeed, to be Prophets, but discovering to you so little, as they did of the abilities of prophet's sons, could not but seem to you very unfit Reformers, or instructors of this place. I presume also, that with a serious grief of heart, you cannot but resent, that there should be thought to be such a dearth, and scarcity of able, virtuous men among us, that the Great council of this kingdom, in pity to our wants, should think it needful to send us men better gifted, to teach us how to preach. What the negligence, or sloth, or want of industry, in this place hath been, which should deserve this great exprobration of our Studies from them; or how one of the most famous Springs of Learning, which of late Europe knew, should by the misrepresentation of any false reporting men among us, fall so low in the esteem of that great Assembly, as to be thought to need a Tutor, I know not: Nor will I here over-curiously inquire into the ungiftedness of the persons, who have drawn this reproof upon us, or say that some of us, perhaps might have made better use of our time; ●…d of the bounty of our Founders, then by wrapping up our talon in a Napkin, to draw the same reproach upon our colleges, which once passed upon Monasteries, which grew at length to be a proverb of idleness. But that which I would say to you, is this: Solomon, in one of his Proverbs, sends the sluggish man to the Spider, to learn diligence. Take it not ill, I beseech you, if I send some of you (for this is a piece of exhortation which doth concern very few) who have been less industrious to these vain, but active Prophets, which I have all this while preached against. Mistake me not, I do not send you to them, to learn knowledge of them. For you know 'tis a received axiom among most of them, that any unlearned, unstudied man, assisted with the Spirit, and his English Bible, is sufficiently gifted for a Preacher. Nor do I send you to them to be taught their bad Arts, or that you should learn of them to daub the public sins of your times; or comply with the insatiable, itching ears of those whom St. Paul describes in the fourth Chapter of his second Epistle to Timothy, at the third verse, where he says, that the time should come, when men should not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts, should heap to themselves teachers. A prophecy, which I wish were not too truly come to pass among us; where Studies and learning, and all those other excellent helps, which tend to the right understanding of the Scripture, and thereby to the preaching of sound Doctrine, are thought so unnecessary by some mechanic, vulgar men, that no Teachers suit with their sick, queasy palates, who preach not that stuff, for which all good scholars deservedly count them mad: I do not, I say, send you to them for any of these reasons. But certainly, something there is which you may learn of them; which St. Paul himself commends to you, in the second verse of the forementioned Chapter. If you desire to know what it is, 'tis an unwearied, frequent, sedulous diligence of Preaching the Word of God, if need be, as they do: In season, out of season, with reproof of sin, where ever you find it, and with exhortation to goodness where ever you find it too; and this to be done at all times, though not in all places. For certainly, as long as there are Churches to be had, I cannot think the next heap of Tu●…fes, or the next pil●… of Stones, to be a very decent Pulpit; or the next Rabble of People, who will find ears to such a Pulpit, to be a very seemly Congregation. For let me tell you my brethren, that the power of these m●…s industries, never defatigated, hath been so great, that I cannot think the mild conqueror (whose Captives we now are, and to whose praise, for his civil usage of this afflicted University, I as the unworthiest member of it, cannot but apply that Epithet) owes more to the Sword,, and courage of all his other soldiers, for the obtaining of this, o●… any other Garrison, then to the Sweats, and active Tongues of these doubly armed Prophets; who have never failed to hold a Sword in one hand, and a Bible in the other. There remain then, but one way for us to take off the present reproach, and imputation thrown upon us, Which is to confute all sly, sinister, clancular reports, and to outdo these active men hereafter in their own industrious way. To preach Truth and Peace, and sound Doctrine to the People, with the same sedulity, and care, as they preach Discord, Variance and Strife. If this course be taken, and be with fidelity pursued, it will not only be in our power to disenchant the People, (who of late (by what Spell, or charm I know not) have unawares begun to entertain a piece of Popery amongst them, and to think, ignorance the only Mother of Devotion) But it will be no hard matter for us, (towards the effecting of so charitable a work, as the undeceiving of so many well-minded, but misguided souls) to make our true Arts deal with their false, as the Rod of Moses dealt with the magician's Serpents, first, show them to be only so much fantastical form, and air, then consume and eat them up, in the presence of their believers. To which (for a conclusion of all) I shall only add this, That if this course be taken, and be reduced to practice, assisted with those great advantages (which are to most of them unknown) of Study, Learning, Tongues, the use of Libraries, and Books, besides those other helps of opportunity, time, and leisure, to render ourselves able, (which they too immaturely engaged to a Family, or Fortune, cannot have) we shall not only comply with the ends and intentions of those Founders, who built us colleges: (which they, certainly, intended should be Schools of virtue, not Nurseries of sloth) but our despised Mother, the University, shall reap more honour by us, our country more service, and God more glory. To whom with his Son, and the Holy Spirit of truth, be ascribed all honour and praise.  
Amen.   
FINIS.