that thou shalt haue litle pleasure to stay with me So wheÌ„ God seeth that we more esteeme the dung husks and trash of this world then we doe him he forsaketh his dwelling and departeth being so iniuriously vsed To vse this familiar example If thou being maried to a beautifull honest and louing wife descended of honourable parentage shouldest fixe thy loue vpon a fowle deformed and filthy Neger place her by thee at the higher end of the table compell thy wife to serue her as a vile handmaide may she not iustly complaine of thee and willingly forsake thy companie In like manner when we esteeme more our owne lusts and appetites preferre them before the loue of God following whoredome enuie malice blasphemies oppression c. Should God take any delight to dwell in our hearts and when God departeth from vs it is the most greeuous and incomparable euill that possible may happen vnto vs and greatest lost that may be imagined For as we see many to insult vpon the Widowes and fatherlesse because for the most part they are destitute of friends to succour and defend their cause and therefore exposed to all iniurie and oppression so the soule that is destitute of Gods aide and protection lyeth naked and open to the malice and fury of the vncleane spirit This Dauids enemies well knew when they sayd Psa 71. God hath forsaken him let vs persecatâ— and take him for there is none to deliuer him And therefore this princely Prophet wisely prayed Psal 51. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me For euen as when the court remoueth all the attendants and courteors departe also so when God departeth from the soule all blessings goodnesse and graces goe away with him O consider this yee that forget God and with a feeling heart consider now whether there be any thing so vnprofitable to man as is sinne which depriueth him of the fountaine of all goodnesse and ouerwhelmeth him with such a deluge of cuils O my brethren is it not to be wondred at that any reasonable creature knowing this as reason it selfe teacheth vs should be so easily drawne by the enemie of mankind to commit and that without any remorse of conscience all wickednes and vncleanesse O then let vs take heede and be carefully carefull how we fall from God for if we depart from the mildnesse of his mercie we must of necessitie fall into the rigor of his iustice Euen as a trauailer the farther he goeth from the East the nearer hee approacheth to the West and the farther hee goeth from the South the nearer he commeth to the North so the sinner the farther he departeth from Gods mercy the sooner hee falleth into the hands of Gods iustice 2 Sinne is also opposite to honestie and therefore a vile vnhonest and shamefull euill For it alwayes brandeth the sinner with a note of infamie which is the cause that the wicked doer hideth himselfe and would be seene of none for he knoweth if his euill deeds be espied he hath lost his honest reputation and credite among good men and with shame and ignomine is pointed at of all men Qui malè agit edit lucem he that euill doth hateth the light Io. 3. vers 20. 3 It is opposed bono delectabilâ— to the pleasant and delightsome good and therefore it is an euill full of sadnesse greefe and vexation of minde and bringeth not only eternall death but also maketh this present life bitter and vnpleasant for God will not suffer sinne to escape his vengeance it hath euer Gods reuenging hand following it Knowe therefore and behold that it is an euill and a bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God Iere. 2. vers 19. I will not heere speake of the eternall punishmeÌ„t which shall tormeÌ„t the wicked but of the horror secret stripes wherewith their conscience in this life tormenteth them Sinne hath euer an euill end and leaueth behind it certaine stinges and prickes which are stil whipping wicked men and drawing them to desperation It is like poysonedwine the force whereof is found in the end Sinne is like a strong wine which inebriateth a man and bereaueth him of his sences so that he may be compared vnto a brute beast Psa 40.12 It layeth before the eyes a false colour and shewe of pleasure as honour riches worldly delight c. But when sinne is accomplished it leaueth a kind of bitternesse which will not suffer the heart to bee at rest and the repining conscience is inwardly gnawing biting And euen as Iob. 1. in the midst of his calamities neuer wanted a messenger which brought him euill newes so his Alastor is neuer wanting to the wicked after the accomplishment of sinne which layeth before his eyes the good he hath lost when he offendeth God and the wretched estate into which he is fallen and euill conscience is an odious companion a turbulent tempest a scourge which inwardly whippeth the wicked and counterpoyzeth their pleasures with bitter Aloes and still casteth Colloquintida into their sauces and scarse is the garlicke of Aegypt tasted but it bringeth teares from the eyes So that this of Eliphas is true Iob. 25. â—2 The wicked man is continually as one that trauaileth with child a sound of feare in his eares c. O the greeuous and intollerable yoake of sathan O the slauish condition of the seruants of sinne with how great labour doe the wicked seeke the things they desire with what feare doe they possesse them with what sorrowe doe they lose them as they that worship the beast shall haue no rest day nor night Apo. 14. No more shall they which adore their beastly appetites Sinne it selfe is a greeuous torment and punishment of the sinner as the light of nature tolde Seneca when he saide sceleris in scelere supplicium est The punishment of sinne is in sinne All things to a wicked man are seasoned with gall wormewood if they be in prosperitie they are vexed with continuall feare of loosing their felicitie if they be in aduersitie in what care and sorrowe doe they liue which neuer suffereth them to be at rest O the vnhappie and wretched life that is a seruant of sinne and a slaue to his owne lusts But marke nowe the importunitie of sinne If a wicked man be litle iniured of any see how mad and discontented in minde he getteth him home he abstaineth from meate and drinke he cannot sleepe nor take rest hee armeth himselfe and seeketh to reuenge him How much more pleasure ioy and tranquillitie of minde doe the seruants of God inioy which hauing receaued many iniuries are not moued to wrath they breake not their sleepe they are ioyfull they seeke not reuenge they giue place vnto wrath they commit their cause into Gods hands who hath saide Vengeance is mine and I will repay Rom. 12. For as the diuell and the world miserably afflicteth their followers in this life so Christ
but for diuers respects and ends the wicked for their punishmēt correction the godly for their triall good and increase of their glorie Here learn that for many causes God permitteth the Diuell to possesse and afflict men in this life 1 That hauing before our eyes how tyrannously and cruelly hee dealeth with vs we should prosecute him with extreame hatred hold euer enmitie with him much lesse to hearken to his counsailes and suggestions and by these externall persecutions to consider how much more grieuously he desireth to afflict the soule and for this cause God permitteth him to appeare sometime in horrible and vgly shapes that we should detest and flie from him as from a most pernicious pestilence 2 That setting before our eies the crueltie of this infernall Leuiathan we should be sober and watch 1. Pet. 5. and at euerie moment commende our selues to God and whether we rise or lie downe to pray vnto God for his defence and protection and say with Chrysostome Renuncio tibi diabole et dome tibi Christe 3 That with the swinish Epicures we should not thinke these things to be inania terriculamenta nor at euerie three words and light occasion as the manner of some prophane persons is to imprecate curse or deuote our selues or others to the Diuell Which surely is a thing so much the more greatly to be lamented as we see it common in the world that seeing the Diuell is such an enemie vnto man any should haue his odious detestable name euer in their mouths yea the verie infants following the wicked example of their elders euen from their cradles in cursing and banning reiecting the sweete name of Iesus tosse too fro this odious name in their mouthes 4 That as often as we behold any possessed deafe dumbe that we should call to minde the filthinesse of sinne which is cause that such power is giuen vnto the Diuell vpon men and learne to detest sinne quae vita sunt diaboli Origin For as long as sinne raigneth in a man tamdiu victus a diabolo possidetur vexatur Aug. To conclude this when we haue a sound and perfect bodie let vs giue God thankes and vse the vigor both of minde and members godly to his praise and glorie 2 The corporall possession of the Diuell in this wretched man putteth vs in minde of the spirituall possession of heart which this enemie of mankind effecteth in the hearts of them through his fraude and deceits for he made this wretched man not onely dumbe but also blind and deafe that is depriued him almost of all his senses all which hee spiritually effecteth in those whom through sinne he holdeth captiue For as the spirit of God where it resteth maketh men dumbe deafe and blinde to earthly and carnall things that they may giue themselues to the contemplation of the things aboue so this wicked spirit laboureth to make them dumbe deafe blinde to all spirituall things that without all feare of God and remorse of conscience they might wholy giue themselues to all filthinesse First euen as the Wolfe when he prayeth vpon the Sheepe catcheth him first by the throate that he might not crie least the Shepheard being awaked should reskue the poore Sheepe from his iawes so this hellish infernall Wolfe maketh many mute that they neuer call vpon God pray or euer haue in their mouthes any godly and spirituall cōmunication which if they knowe or heare any infirmitie by their neighbour forget this rule of Christ Mat. 18. If thy brother trespasse c. And that of the Apostles Gal. 6. Brethren if a man be fallen c. But are talkatiue enough to publish it to the infamie and hurt of their brother such are all vniust aduocates which are mute in the poore mās cause but in the cause of the rich c. Such are all periured false witnesse-bearers which conceale the truth for a reward c. Another sort there are whom the Diuell maketh dumbe like such as are naturally borne dumbe for as those that are borne blinde doe make shewe and signes for what they would haue so all hypocrites seeke for the glorie praise of men onely by the outward shewes of vertues they come to Church shewe themselues zealous c. All but only in shewe all but in signes but if thou put them to the touchstone of Christianitie shewe me thy faith by thy workes Iac. 2. Thou shalt find all to bee but in dumbe shewes and signes all counterfeit copper and drosse looke into their workes and there you find a worme-eaten conscience with the canker of vsurie the viper of enuie with the serpents of detraction back biting c. Crocadils in dissimulation 2. Lyons in their furie worse then the verie Tygers in reuenge in secreate stinging likes scorpions c. All these the diuell maketh mute c. 2 The Diuell also maketh them whom he spiritually possesseth blind that they may not see their sinne and the daunger they are in like the Wolfe he taketh him by the throate that hee may not call vnto the true Sheapheard Iesus Christ for succour and as a rauenous Vultur he seeketh to picke out his spirituall eies that the sinner may not see the filthinesse of sinne nor the imminent daunger he is in The couenant which this enemie requireth of his seruants is like that which proude and cruell Nahash the Ammonite demanded of the Gileadite 1. Sam. 11. that he might pull out all their right eies In like manner the Diuell seeketh to pull out the eies of our minde that the sinner seeing might not see for their owne wickednesse hath blinded them Wis 2. The sinfull man and woman when they are most blinded in their wickednesse they thinke that they haue Lynceos oculos Like the foole Harpastes that Sen. 6. lib. Epist. 52. speaketh of who being suddainly depriued of her sight nescet se esse caecam paedagogum rogat vt migret domum tenebrosam esse This which we laugh at in her saith hee we practise in our selues nemo se auarum esse intelligit ne cupidum yet worse then the blind in this they seeke a guide nos sine duce erramus et dicimus non ego ambitiosus sum I am not couetous nor luxurious c. It is not my vice that I am rash angrie it is the fault of my youth and therefore we are hardly cured quia nos aegrotare nescimus nec medicum quidem quaerimus should we not thinke him to be mad or blind who being intent in doing some thing one should runne vnto him with a naked sword and minace him death if hee presently left not off and notwithstanding without any feare hee goeth on with his worke would we not thinke him to be blinde which feeth not the sword drawne to strike him And what is the cause I pray you that some men giue themselues ouer vnto so many sinnes and securely wallow in their filthinesse and some others liue soberly warily and
laboureth to auoide euen the smallest sinne Surely the reason is because the one hath the spirituall eies of his minde blinded so that hee seeth not how great and greeuous euill hang ouer his head which that high iudge reserueth for him against the day of vengeance the other setting Gods iustice before their eyes and the seueritie of the eternall torments which the iust iudge inflicteth vpon these short fading pleasures of sinne by all meanes endeuoureth to refraine the same O that men were not distitute of these eies of their minde that they might contemplate vpon the miseries and torments which are layd vp in hell for the wicked that they might betime betake them to newnesse of life and come out of the snares wherewith this prince of darknesse holdeth them captiue and will in the end vnlesse they repent cast thē for euer into vtter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The Diuell now stoppeth their eies with earth that is with the vile corruptible abiect things of the world for the loue whereof they make small reckoning of the life to come but then to their perpetuall griefe they shall perceiue how they were blinded and confesse too late we haue erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined vnto vs Wis 5. Now let vs see how the Diuell maketh the sinner also deafe whē ye see a man warned counselled exhorted perswaded by many that he should in his iourney turne and decline from such a way for ther are theeues lying in wait to take away his money and life hee harkeneth to none of them goeth boldly on his iourney the way infested with Theeues falleth into their hands is robbed and slaine would yee not think this man to be deaf or out of his wits In like manner when God by his word Preachers diuine inspirations c. Incessantly warneth and calleth vnto the sinner knocketh at the doore of their hearts desireth craueth and beggeth them to open vnto him his head being full of deawe and his locke of the droppes of the night Cant. 5.2 Sheweth him the dangerous course he taketh the pit of destruction he is falling into the way he goeth leadeth to eternall torments c. Notwithstanding hee will not heare but goeth on still the broade way that leadeth vnto hell shall we doubt but that the Diuell hath stopped the spirituall eares of such Thus yee see how the Diuell maketh the sinner dumbe deafe and blind that he may the more quietly keepe possession of his soule Euen as a man that would quietly sleepe and take his rest commandeth his seruants and familie to keepe silence that the noise may not disturbe him 2. hee shutteth the windowes that the light may not offend his eies hee getteth him into a close roome and if any enquire for him willeth his seruants to denie him to bee within all these this subtile enemie of mankind causeth in the sinner that he may sleepe quietly in his sinne he diligently laboureth to stop the entrings and passages of the soule which are the senses that no Diuine light should come in at the windowes thereof to disperce the darknesse and blindnesse of the minde as we see in Pharao and the Scribes and Pharisies which could not bee wonne nor reclaimed by the myracles they sawe with their cies And if we beate their eares with neuer so many Sermons lay before their cyes the ioyes of the heauenly kingdome the most horrible torments of hell they still persist in their life as if they heard nothing at all so we see many to continue so indurate in inueterate hatred or in vnchast loue that with no perswasions no preaching no counsell they will be reclaimed from their hatred or filthy lust who seeth not heere the power of the Diuell in stopping both their spirituall cares and eies least they should conuert and escape out of his clawes He stoppeth also their mouths that no spirituall cōmunication of God or godlinesse should proceede from thence partaining to the saluation of their soule when to scurrilitie cursing c. and all corrupt and rotten communication their mouthes are alwaies open and lauish If a man should aske them whose mouth ouerrunne with filthy words like an vncleane Mill that cannot grinde without fowle water whether they haue had at any time al this yeare any godly conference concerning God the saluatiō of their soules they will answere if they would confesse the truth that they neuer had any thought or speech of any such thing who doth not heere plainly see that those are also dumbe though otherwise verie talkatiue vae tacentibus de te domine saith Augustine quia ipsi loquaces muti sunt cum non tuas laudes dicunt Aug. in medit And lastly he laboreth to keepe thē frō conuersing with good men least that the light of their good exāples should expell the darknesse of their mindes their wholsome exhortations rouse thē from the sleepe of sinne and so they might repent bee turned vnto God c. Take heede therefore saith Cyprian quisathanam habent suggestorem habebunt etiam tortorem In ser de ieiuni 3 In this one man 4 myracles were wrought the deafe did heare the dumbe spake the blind sawe and the possessed was deliuered This euidently euinceth that Christ is the true Messias to saue and free vs from the power of Sathan who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Diuell Act. 10. For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God that he might loose the works of the Diuell 1. Iob. 3. Let vs therefore flie vnto him in all our dangers and necessities and he will refresh vs. Mat. 11. Finis 1. part vel conc primae Pars 2. vel conc secunda IN this part is described the effect of the myracle which according to the diuersitie of the subiects was threefolde and that according to the three diuers opinions and iudgement of the beholders 1 In the promiscuall companie saith Mat. 12.23 All the people were amazed that is they admired the power of God which shined forth in this myracle 72. they spake honorably of Christ the Messias the Author thereof Is not this the sonne of Dauid that is the promised sauiour of the line of Dauid of whom it was foretolde that he should doe such myracles Esa 35.5 And this effect of the myracle it selfe was good simple true and sincere 2. verse 15. in the Pharisies which maliciously did slander this Diuine myracle affirming that the efficient and principall worker thereof was Beelzebub a most abhominable and filthy Diuell by whose power Christ as his Minister did cast out Diuels which blasphemous slāder against their owne conscience they did to that end publikely before deliuer before the people that by extenuating and diminishing of the miracle they might withdrawe and alienate the mindes of the simple people from Christ Beelzebub signifieth dominum seuregem muscarum it was the God or Idoll of