strength and food and families and libertie of calling vpon the name of the Lord for this wonderfull fauour of our good God in restraining the diuell his instruments from doing vs mischiefe we should neuer cease to magnifie his glorious name euermore endeuouring to keep our selues in his fauour that so he being with vs and standing for vs we may not neede to feare any of our aduersaries that intend hurt and violence against vs. But if thou canst doe any thing In that this man makes a doubt whether Christ can helpe his child or not and so manifests his infidelitie albeit he was otherwise a godly man this doctrine may be collected hence that Doct. 2. The faithfull tainted with vnbeliefe Gods owne children with their faith haue some mixture of vnbeliefe That this man was a beleeuer may appeare by sundrie circumstances of the text as namely that he came vnto Christ his disciples for helpe and when he found none at their hands did not depraue nor disgrace them but went vnto our Sauiour and that not onely to haue his sonne helped but to haue his owne vnbeliefe cured giuing him this honour to be the author and worker of grace in the hearts of the sonnes of men yet notwithstanding all this he herein manifested his infirmitie that he made question of Christ his power whether he could cast the diuell out of his child or not The scripture is plentifull of testimonies for the confirmation of this point Gen. 12. Gen. 28. 2. Abraham was the father of beleeuers and had a full parswasion in some particulars yet how weake did he shew himselfe when he exposed his wife to euident perill of violating her chastitie by causing her to say that she was his sister that so his life might be spared which otherwise might be endangered as he thought by reason of her beautie as if the Lord could not as well protect him in Gerar and in Egipt as he had done in Canaan and in Mesopotamia Gen. 16. So also in another particular the Lord promised that he should haue a child by Sarah but he had waited long and the promise was not yet fulfilled and now Sarah was altogether vnlikely in the ordinarie course of nature to beare a child in this case what doth Abraham at the perswasion of his wife hee takes Hagar that so Sarah might haue a sonne by her as if God had beene in a straite and knewe not how to bee as good as his word vnles the promise might beare this construction that Sarah should haue a child indeed but by another this was great vnbeliefe in him Dauid likewise had commonly an excellent faith 1. Sam. 24. 26. 9. in so much that when Saul his enemie was in his handes so that hee might haue slaine him and was vrged by his men so to doe or to suffer them to doe it yet hee would in no wise yeeld vnto them to take away Sauls life but resolued to waite vpon the Lord who would take him away in due time either by a naturall or by a violent death and aduance him to the Kingdome in his steede yet after this good resolution he manifested great frailtie and weaknes of faith 1. Sam. 27. 1. for he said in his heart I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul and therevpon he fled vnto the King of Gath and there beeing in perill of his life bewrayed much infidelitie before the king And the like corruption doth our Sauiour oft times reprehend in his Disciples Matth. 8. 26. Luk. 5. Why did you feare ô yee of little faith saith hee and as these particular examples do euidently proue the point in hand so also doth the generall example of the whole Church of which the Prophet Isaiah speaketh thus Isaiah 49. 14. Zion said the Lord hath forsaken mee and my Lord hath forgotten mee if they had affirmed that God had reiected but one member of his Church though it were but one of the meanest as it were the little finger it had beene a great dishonour vnto his Name but that hee should cast off his whole Church was a charge farre more hainous and intollerable and argued a great measure of vnbeliefe in Gods people that either said it or thought it Yet the Lord doth not discourage them for this but rather vseth arguments to confirme and strengthen them Can a woman saith he Vers 15. Verse 15. forget her childe and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will not I forget thee In which words the Lord telleth them for their comfort that a mother that hath a child sucking on her breasts may sooner forsake it and forget that she hath such an one than he can relinquish them and let his chosen ones slippe out of his minde Reasons Now the reason why the remnants of infidelitie doe still remaine in such as are Gods faithfull seruants are these 1 First because there is in the best a great defect of knowledge as the Apostle witnesseth 1. Cor. 13. 12. and certaine it is that we cānot beleeue more than we know though we may know more than we beleeue and therefore our knowledge being but weake and imperfect our faith cannot be absolute and perfect 2 Secondly there is no other grace of God but is ioyned with imperfections and therefore faith cannot be perfect for if it were it would perfect all the rest of the vertues that are in vs our humilitie would be without any pride our patience without any discontentment our loue without any manner of bitternesse c. 3 Thirdly it is a good prouidence of God that it should be so for otherwise his wonderfull mercie in bearing with vs and his mightie hand in vpholding vs would not so euidently be seene we could not else so easily parceiue how strong the Lord is in fensing vs against dangerous temptations in deliuering vs from violent corruptions in arming vs against boisterous persecutions and in vpholding vs in all manner of tribulations Vse 1. Let this therefore first of all be an instruction vnto vs to teach vs to be more sparing in our censures when we finde defects of faith either in our selues or others The best of Gods seruants as hath beene sufficiently prooued are subiect to many doubtings both concerning the promises of God and concerning his prouidence and therefore when we finde the like in our selues or others let vs not thereupon conclude that we are not of the number of the faithfull for we may haue a true iustifying faith at that very instant when we are full of doubting touching some particular points as may be seene in the examples before alleaged for the confirmation of this doctrine and if God should worke all at once in vs there would be no more imployment for him nor any further vse of the meanes of our saluation Let vs not therefore discourage our hearts as if we had
THREE SERMONS VPON MARKE THE NINTH CHAPter 22. 23. verses CONTAINING fifteene Doctrines the particulars whereof appeare in the next pages following By Robert Cleauer LONDON Printed by T C. for William Welbie and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Swan 1611. ⧠THE DOCTRINES OF THE THREE Sermons vpon Marke the 9. chapter 22. 23. verses SERMON I. DOCT. I. THat Sathans malice is bent euen against our bodies 2 That Gods owne children with their faith haue some mixture of vnbeliefe 3 That loue makes men to beare others burthens as if they were their owne SERMON II. DOCT. I. WHere Christ helpes any one in mercy he first helpes his heart 2 That no man hath faith at command 3 The faithfull are strongest and happiest 4 Faith and godly sorrow may well goe together 5 Christians must see and acknowledge their graces 6 Faith shewes men their corruptions and mooues them to seeke helpe against them SERMON III. DOCT. 1. CHrist doth all in due time 2 Enemies of Gods Children shal be rebuked 3 Sathan is desirous to bereaue vs of our senses and limbs 4 A word of Christs mouth is sufficient to helpe vs out of all distresses 5 It is all one with Christ to driue the diuell out and to keepe him out 6 Sathan neuer seemes more masterfull then when he is ouer-mastered The first Sermon MARKE 9. Verse 22. And oft times hee casteth him into the fire and into the water to destroy him but if thou canst doe anie thing helpe vs and haue compassion vpon vs. 23 And IESVS said vnto him if shou canst belieue it all things are possible to him that belieueth 24. And straight way the father of the childe crying with teares saide Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe THe occasion of these words is declared in the beginning of this historie which was this that a certaine man had a childe possessed by the diuell which had made him dumbe and deaffe and that from his childhood in so much that he could neuer speake nor heare in all his life This man in the absence of Christ brought him to his Disciples hearing that they had dispossessed others and therefore hoping to finde the like successe for himselfe But when they had made triall they found themselues vnable to cast the diuell out of his childe wherevpon their aduersaries were readie to insult and triumph ouer them In the meane season our Sauiour commeth among them readie to vndertake the cause of his poore Disciples against their enemies the father of this distressed childe doth forthwith hasten vnto him and enters into speech with him Now these wordes do containe part of that conference which passed betwixt them wherein wee may note these three things 1 1. First the petition of the man with the reason of it he besought our Sauiour if he could doe any thing that hee would haue compassion on him and his sonne and minister comfort vnto him by giuing deliuerance vnto his childe from his miserable estate wherein hee was and to moue him vn to greater commiseration he relateth vnto him in what sort Satan did tyrannize ouer him casting him oft times into the fire to burne him and into the water to drowne him Verse 22. 2 2. Secondly our Sauiours answere where wee may obserue that as the man came with an If saying If thou canst doe anie thing so hee answereth him with the like If thou canst belieue this that is if thou canst bee perswaded of my power that I am able to doe this thy sonne shall be helped for that must needs be supplyed and hee yeeldeth a reason thereof all things are possible to the belieuer vers 23 and therefore this is is not impossible as if Christ Iesus should haue saide Whereas thou makest question whether I can dispossesse thy sonne or not know this that if there be any doubt it is on thy part not on mine if thou canst belieue thou shalt finde that neither this nor any other matter is too difficult for mee this our Sauiour speakes for the helping of his weake faith 3 Thirdly wee may note the replie of this man vpon Christ his speech hee crying with teares said Lord I belieue helpe mine vnbeliefe vers 24. Where we see that he acknowledgeth the grace of God that hee did belieue in part and withall his owne weakenesse that hee was troubled with vnbeliefe against which hee desireth Christ to helpe him that is to cure him of it to giue him strength against it and deliuerance from it And thus much for the order and sense of the wordes verse 22. And oft times hee casteth him into the fire and into the water to destroy him whence obserue this doctrine that Doct. 1. Satans malice is bent euen against mens bodies Satan is not onely an enemie vnto the soules of men but also vnto their bodies Hee doth not onely seeke their destruction spirituallie by drawing Gods wrath vpon them but also corporally by bringing afflictions miseries vpon them as here wee may see by his cruell dealing towards this child albeit he had gotten an habitation in him which was a thing wherein hee much delighted Mark 5. 8. as may appeare by this that hee counted it a torment to be cast out where once he had taken possession yet hee vsed great violence towards him casting him into the fire and into the water being content to relinquish and lose his holde so that the childe might be destroyed Mark 5. 5. The like wee may reade in this same Euangelist in his first chapter where mention is made of one possessed whom the diuell caused to flie from and to eschew the companie of men and to liue in the mountaines and in the graues and to knocke himselfe with stones and so to abuse that strength which he had giuen him to his owne great hurt and torment So also in his dealing with Iob Iob. 1. and with his children and seruants we may obserue how willing hee is to take libertie to hurt mens bodies when it pleaseth the Lord to graunt it vnto him And for the further confirmation of this point Reason 1. Let vs first take experience for one reason to conuince vs of the truth hereof and that in the limmes of Satan who being led by his spirit doe plainly manifest of what disposition their maister is now concerning them it is said that the workes of their father they will doe and of Satan it is said Iohn 8. 44. that he was a murtherer from the beginning whence it may be concluded that the more diuellish men are the more murderous and bloudie mindes they carrie and therefore when the diuell was entered into Iudas he presently fell to practising against his maister 1. Iohn 3. 12. and Caine being of that euill one slue his brother 1. Sam. 18. 10. 11. and when the euill spirit came vpon Saule he laid about him with his speare with full purpose to haue
how our Sauiour with his onely word did presently cast forth an whole armie of diuells so that though there be ten thousand of them vniting their forces together he is as able to expell them all as if there were but one alone And as it is in these cases that haue beene named so it is in all other distresses whatsoeuer the very becke of God is sufficient to free vs from them all as is at large shewed in the hundreth and seuenth Psalme Reasons The reasons of this point are two 1 First by the word of the Lord were all the creatures made Psalm 33. euen the good Angells and those that are now euill Angells If then Gods power were such in making all Creatures it is euery whit as great for the deliuering of his seruants Secondly Heb. 1. 3. All things are supported by the Word of his power Now if all the Creatures haue their preseruation from him what difficultie is it for him to deliuer some fewe of them Vse 1. Here then is matter of great comfort for all such as doe vnfainedly and from their hearts feare the Lorde for they haue the word of Christ for them which can easily either preserue them from miserie or ridde them of it if it fall vpon them If a good earthly father could by his word alone preserue his Children from perill from the prison from death it selfe would hee bee silent and dumbe and not open his mouth in their behalfe None can imagine that a father can be so deuoide of naturall affection and shall wee thinke that the Lord is lesse pittifull then men doeth hee forbid crueltie in them and shall wee conceiue that it may be found in himselfe Bee it farre from vs nay though there bee neuer so many aduersaries that combine themselues and neuer so manie mischiefes bee intended against vs albeit the world be full of cloudes and of stormes and all things seeme to threaten an vtter ouerthrow vnto vs yet let vs satisfie and pacifie our hearts with this that one word of Christ is sufficient to helpe vs out of all dangers and difficulties And withall let vs assure our selues that the Lord will speake and that effectually in due time so that all the outrage and furie of men shall bee suppressed and all troubles and calamities that lye vpon vs shall be suddenly dispersed God needes not any long time for the effecting of it As wee see in Esters dayes when all the Church of God seemed ouernight to be the most miserable people in the world and yet the next day they were indeed and so were esteemed the happiest people vnder the Sunne So that well was hee then that might bee a Iewe. Let this therefore bee our consolation that though our ruines and decayes be neuer so many and great and grieuous yet if God doe but say the word all shall be repaired and recouered And as it is for outward miseries so doth it hold as strongly for spirituall distresses and for the enemies of our soules that if our Lord and Sauiour doe but vtter his voice against them we shall quickly preuaile ouer them though Sathan haue a deadly quarrell against vs and our owne pride and couetousnesse and wrath be farre too strong for vs yet if the Lord please to worke in vs by the mightie word of his grace wee shall easily tread these spirituall enemies of ours vnder our feete and get the victorie ouer them all Yea though we were vtter aduersaries vnto God as Paul and the Gayler were yet if he doe but speake vnto our consciences from heauen wee shall speedily alter our courses and become faithfull and seruiceable vnto his maiestie Secondly heere is matter of terror for all impious and irreligious persons for if the word of God be so mightie for the succour of his children it is euery whit as powerfull for the ouerthrow of his aduersaries and doe they thinke that they shal be able to stand when the Lord of hoastes commeth against them doe blasphemers and Sabbath-breakers and raylers and filthy persons imagine that they shall still carrie out matters as they haue done when their Creator comes to plague and punish them if they doe they greatly deceiue themselues for he needeth not to muster an armie against them but his very will and purpose is sufficient to procure their confusion and vtter destruction Come out of him and enter no more into him Whence note this doctrine that It is all one with Christ to driue the diuell out and to keepe him out he can doe the latter as well as the former Verse 26. Then the spirit cried and rent him sore Whence obserue that Sathan neuer seemes more masterfull than when hee is ouer-mastered These 2. points were noâ— proâ—ecuted for want of time FINIS LONDON Printed by Th. C. for VVilliam VVelbie and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Churchyarde at the signe of the Swanne 1611.