houses neuer so much vnles wée pluck vp the rootes and pare away the dirt with a sharpe paring iron it will be neuer the better in short time all thinges will returne vnto their former lothsomnes againe And this is the second cause or occasion of the deuils reentrance when he findeth our houses but swept It followeth And he findeth his house garnished This is the third and last cause that moueth Sathan to make reentrance either into man or woman namely whē he findeth his house garnished This garnishing of the house is no more but the corrupt affections and desire of sin which remaine still in the hart of man or woman although the sinne be done away which is an occasion of returning or falling againe vnto sinne so soone as any cause of sinning shal be offered 1 Thef 5.23 And therefore Sainct Paul to preuent this mischiefe exhorteth vs not onely to abstaine from euil but from all occasion or shew of euill For it is not inough for a man to abstaine from the out ward act of sinne vnlesse he mortifie in himselfe the inward desire and affection for if he entertaine and nourish that no doubt at one time or other he wil come to the accomplishment and that is a sufficient garnishing for to inuite the Deuill to make a reentrance A notable example of this matter I may produce out of Exodus Exod. 10. of Pharao King of Egipt who hauing kept the children of Israel a lōg time in his subiection at what time that Moses was sent by the Lord to moue Pharao for their departure out of his Countrey vnto the desert Pharao béeing loth to forgoe so great a multitude whom he vsed as slaues in al seruile lahours resisted a long time vntil at the last being terrified by sundrie plagues that the Lord sent vpon him he called Moses and Aaron vnto him in the end saying Ite sacrificate Domino Deo vestro oues tantum vestrae armenta remaneant paruuli vestri eant vobiscum Go yée saith hée and sacrifice yée vnto the Lord your God take your litle Children with you Let onely your shéepe and cattel remaine behind What was Pharaos meaning in this thinke you Had he such a desire of the shéepe and cattell that he estéemed them more then the Israelites themselues no verilie he was a Prince and a King and of the Israelites goods he stood in no néede but he had a farder meaning and that was this he thought the Israelites had couetous mindes and that when they should come into the desert and finde the want of necessarie prouision and bee pinched with penurie they shoulde remember their Cattell that they left behinde them in Egypt and thereby bee mooued to come backe againe the which Pharao thought hée might easily bring to passe if he might reserue still in his handes but such a pawne This was the drift and purpose of Pharao euen so it fareth with Sathan and a sinner the sinner whom Sathan a long time hath had in subiection if by Moses Aaron he be commaūded to depart out of Egipt that is if by the preachers of Gods word be moued to forsake his sinne and to trauell into the desert of repentance Sathan is loth he should goe and hardly he will let him depart vnlesse the Lord do plague Sathan that is by giuing such grace and strength vnto the sinner that maugre Sathans spight he will desist from sinne he will frame himselfe vnto an exchange of life hee will frequent the Church he are Gods word read Gods word conuerse amōg good godlie persons of whom he may be instructed learned and taught all which thinges although Sathan bee loth he should do as by experience each of vs may finde in our selues how loth Sathan is that we should serue the Lord or be at any time wel vertuously occupied and layeth all the impedimentes and blockes in our way that he can to make vs desist and leaue of our good purpose and intent yet I say when he seeth there is no other remedy but that the grace of the Lord is so strong in vs that we break the Deuils bonds a sunder and that we release our selues out of his bōdage whether hée wil or not he can be content then with Pharao to say Ite sacrificate Domino Deo vestro c. Goe yée and Sacrifice yée vnto the Lord your God hee can bee content we should come to the Church hear the word preached read it at home in our houses talke of it at our tables and the like onely he craueth at our handes but a pawn that is that we leaue our shéep and cattell behinde vs with him in kéeping that is that we retayne still but the affection and desire of sinne that wée would retaine but in our memorie the pleasures that we had in the world that when we are in the desert the remembrance of the turpitudes of our flesh may bring vs backe againe as S. Peter sayth like dogges vnto our vomits 2 Pet. 2.22 But derely beloued in this case we must answere Sathā as Moses answered Pharao Cuncti greges pergent nobiscum non remanebit ex eis vngula All our cattel shal goe with vs we wil not leaue behind vs so much as an hoof So must wée answere the Deuil in the act of our repentance that wee wil returne vnto the Lord with al our hartes with all our mindes with al our soules we will serue him with our bodies liues and goodes all our cattel that is all our desires and affections shall goe with vs we will not leaue so much as a hoofe in the world so much as a desire to returne backe againe vnto sin which we purpose to forsake vnlesse it happen to vs as it happened vuto Lots wife Ge. 19.26 to be transformed into a salt stone Who soeuer shall do this hee shall kéepe his soule vngarnished and the Deuil by that occasion shall neuer finde means to make reentrāce the which the Lord for his mercy grant vs grace that we may performe And thus much of the second part which was the returne of Sathan to make a repossession and the causes the moued him vnto the same Now it followeth to shew that when Sathan being returned Pars. 3. and finding his house as I said emptie swept and garnished how he taketh possession and entereth in more strōgly then euer he did before and therefore thus it followeth in the text Then goeth hee and taketh seauen spirites worse then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there Now are we come to the repossession of the enemie whereby we haue to vnderstand that that man or woman that hath receiued Gods grace and afterward falleth vnto his former accustomed wicked life that man or woman doth giue the Deuil an occasion to make a reentrie and comming againe he cōmeth with an army of other seauen spirits worse then himselfe and they al enter in and dwel there
seeke to be reconciled vnto God or to leaue tempting of man can he euer bée at any rest that carrieth alwaies his hel about him no such matter The rest the Sathan séeketh is no more then how hee may accomplish his malitious minde put his deuilish practices in execution Euen as a man that is giuen to wrath and enuie who neuer is at quiet vntill he haue reuenged himselfe or shewen his malice vpon him that he persecuted with hatred and then he séemeth in that degrée to be at rest so is the Deuil is accounted to bée at rest when hee hath brought his malitious minde vnto any deuilish accomplishmēt or execution so manie soules as the Deuill can bring by any wicked suggestion or synister means vnto destruction so much myschiefe as he may vtter against any man or woman so much rest hée taketh in the accomplishment of his wil although otherwise he susteine grieuous tormēts and punishment at the Lords handes for the same wherefore euerie man or woman is here to take héede that they make not themselues like vnto the Deuil in this point as all they vndoubtedlie do that do beare with themselues reuenging mindes and neuer are at quiet vntil they trouble or vex their neighbour or haue taken reuengement on their enemie who so euer doth so doubtlesse hee sheweth himselfe to bee the childe of Sathan and if hee séeke after Sathan for such rest he shall haue that rest that Sathan hath that is to be tormented with the intollerable pains of hell fire for euermore and neuer shal he come to any other rest much lesse vnto that rest that is prepared for the children of God to liue and remain in eternall blisse for euermore And thus much of Sathans departure and his demeanour in séeking rest and finding none It followeth Then he saith Pars 2. I will returne into my house from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it emptie swept and garnished This is the second part wherein I purposed to note vnto you the presumption of the Deuils returne saying I will returne into my house from whēce I came and when he is come what causes he findeth to force him make a reentrie and they are three namelie that the house is emptie that it is swept and garnished I wil entreat brieflie of euery point in order First the Deuil hauing departed and walked drie and desert places séeking rest and finding none he sayth that hée wil return vnto the house from whence he came Here is to be noted the boldnes the malice of Sathan let him be expelled and repulsed neuer so much yet hée will returne againe whereby we are taught neuer to bée too secure or voide of feare but alwaies to stand vpon our gard for as fast as one temptatiō goeth an other commeth so sone as one miserie is passed forthwith commeth an other a man neuer remaineth as Iob saith long in one estate Iob. 14. v. 2. but now are we merie and by and by sad now rich then poore now frée by and by oppressed with temptation againe I wil returne saith he vnto my house from whēce I came The soule of that man or woman that the Deuil possessed for sin and by grace was expelled out the deuil calleth his house not his properlie by creation for so euery man or woman is properly the Lords for hee hath made vs Psal 95. and not we our selues but the Deuil calleth the soule of a sinner his house by possession for so long as we remaine in the estate of grace wée are the children of God and our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost but so soone as wée giue our selues ouer vnto sin forthwith we become the slaues of Sathan and our bodies are made an habitatiō and a receptacle for Deuils Here would be noted the dignitie of man or woman the feareth the Lord and that walketh in his waies how he is the temple of the holy Ghost and the indignitie of euerie sinner that maketh him selfe the bondslaue of Sathan and a receptacle of foule and vnclane spirites I will goe into my house from whence I came out The Deuill desireth rather to goe vnto his owne house that he possessed before then to a strange house which before was none of his euery wicked spirite hath his proper house the spirite of pride he harboureth in the proud man the spirite of Enuie in the enuious man the spirit of Glotony and dronkennes in the Gloton or dronkard the spirite of vncleannes in the vnchast and fleshly man the spirite of couetousnes in the couetous man and vsurer and so consequently euery sinne hath his proper and peculiar spirite Now when he saith I wil goe into my house from whence I came Euery spirite séeketh to goe into his owne house into that house whereof in former time he had possession out of the which houses that is out of the soules of sinners these foule and vncleane spirites by the mercie of God haue bin cast out some of Glottons and Dronkardes being made sober and temperate some of enuious men béeing made méeke and charitable some of prowde men being made humble some of fornicatours and adulterers being now made chast some of couetous persons being made liberal and charitable and so of the like Thus haue you heard the Deuils boldnes and presumption to put you in a warines and good caution now let vs come to the causes that he findeth for his reentrance After that the vncleane spirite was returned hee founde his house emptie swept garnished Thrée causes sufficient to make him make reentrance he watched his time and oportunity so soon as any occasion was giuē he plieth him he looseth it not but takes it for his most aduantage It standeth therfore déerely beloued vs vppon to haue a vigilant and watchfull eie vnto all the partes of our soule to rule and gouerne well all the sences of our bodie all the motions and desires of the minde and especially to preserue our hart pure and cleane from the consenting vnto any corruption or sinne Omni custodia custodi cor tuum saith Salomon quia ex ipso vita procedit Prou. 4.23 With all diligēece kéepe wel thy hart for out of it procéedeth life Three causes or occasions the vnclean spirit foūd out in this wretched person which gaue him means to reenter againe The first wherof was for that he found his house emptie The soule of that man from whom Sathan was expelled remained empty what is it to be empty To bée emptie is to bée voide of faith and he that is empty and void of faith it can not be but he must be emptie also of al good workes For I do not here distinguish faith from good works as the Papistes commonly do for when I speake of faith I meane a iustifying faith which can not be without good woorkes no more then life can remaine in a mans bodie without a soule I meane
not a dead faith or a deuilish faith Iac. 2. such a faith as S. Iames doth mention in his Epist This iustifying faith I say who so euer hath not hée is emptie no doubt of all goodnes without that faith as S. Paul saith 11. to the Hebr. vers 6. It is impossible to please God This emptinesse of faith Heb. 11.6 and consequently of all good workes procéedeth of a kind of idlenes which is the mother and nurse of all kinde of mischiefe and him I account to bee idle that is not well occupied for all such as occupye themselues in vaine and tristinge busines as in carding dicing vnlawfull gaming 's or exercises vnlesse it be for an honest moderat recreation I say those labours are no better thē idlenes for that they be childish there is no profit in them And such actions or labours which conteine in thē manifest and apparant euil I say those are deuillish worse then if a mā were childishly occupied or ydle altogether That mā or woman that wanteth a true and perfect faith that is fruitful by good works can neuer be wel occupied It is not inough for a man by faith to apprehend Christ Iesus our Sauiour as he is mercifull as he hath redéemed vs and payd for vs the price of our redēption but we must apprehend him also as he is iust as he hateth sin crutifiing it in his owne flesh and contēning it in vs and vs for sin we must apprehend him as he is risen againe from death to life with whom wée must also arise againe from death to life Colos 3. by dying to the world and liuing vnto him by crucifying old Adam with all his concupiscences and putting on the new in iustice and righteousnes for he that is not partaker of the first resurrection which is to rise from sinne to grace shall neuer be partaker of the second to rise from death to euerlasting life Let vs not therefore deceaue our selues with the bare name and title of faith 2. Pet. c. 1. v. 10. but let vs rather as Peter sayth by good workes endeuour to make our vocation and election certaine Let vs alwaies be working and labouring like good and painfull seruantes in the vineyard of the Lord euery man in his vocation That we should so do we are admonished by that wéekly labour that the children of Israel had in the desert where euery day by the commaundement of the Lord they were cōmaunded to gather Manna Exod. 16. onely the Sabaoth they should rest Surely so with vs we ought all the wéeke daies of this our pilgrimage short and transitorie life to be gathering of Manna of spiritual food for our soules so long as we remain in this world we must not be Idle nor séelt for any rest vntil our Sabaoth cōmeth which is the day of our ioyful resurrection when as with bodie and soule wée shall remaine in the Kingdome of our Father for euermore there we shal rest and then we shal rest and not before The second cause that moued Sathan to make reentrance was for that hee found his house swept and as our Text hath it it was swept with a Besom A house that hath bin long vnswept and contracted great corruption it is impossible with a Besom swéeping it to make it cleane for the dyrt and filth being baked on the ground and hardned is not so easily taken away in such a case it is necessarie and requisite that a man vse the helpe of a paring-knife or a scraping-iron for if a man do but superficicially swéepe it with a broome assuredly it will be litle the better Euen so it fareth with the soule of a sinner how many sinnes by long continuance haue we contracted in our house how many wayes haue we defiled our selues with vile and filthy thoughtes how many foule and vnsauerie wordes haue wée breathed out of our mouthes to argue the vncleanes of our Soules within how many lewd and abominable actes haue we daily committed and do commit from time to time and do we think with a sleight and small repentance to be pardoned and forgiuen do we think by knocking once or twice vppon our breast and saying Lord forgiue mee Lord haue mercie vpon me our sinnes shall be remitted and taken cleane away What should then that noble king Ezechias mean when hée lay sicke of an infirmitie Esai 38. v. 10.15 so to crie out and say in the moitie of my yeares I will descend into the graue and to say that hée would call to remēbrance all his yeres in the bitternes of his soule What ment the Prophet Dauid Psal 51. v 1. after hee had committed adultery to crie out and say Haue mercie on me O God according to thy great mercie And in another place to say I haue laboured in sighing Psal 6. v. 7 I shal wash my bed euerie night and water my Couch with tears Such and the like signes of repentance vsed this noble King and Prophet What maner of repentance was that of Magdalen when shée entered into Simon the Pharyses house bathed our Sauiour his féete with teares Luc. 7. and washed them with the hairs of her head O Lord how farre are we in these daies from this sorrow for our sinnes We thinke it inough if we crie once vnto the Lord for mercie we neuer studie to take reuenge of sinne in our owne flesh we are not minded with the Niniuites to repēt in Sackcloth and Ashes Ionas 3.6 when as our sinnes are no lesse grieuous then theirs and as many in number if not more Wée thinke perhaps that Christ mocked when he said contend yée to enter in at the narrow gate Luc. 13.24 for many I say vnto you shal séek to enter in cannot or that he spake not in earnest when hée said The Kingdome of Heauen suffereth violence and they that get it must get it by violence I know not surely how we practise now a daies to get heauen by violēce vnlesse eating and drinking banqueting and sporting daunsing and vising swearing and staring bée violence If this violence or the like kinde would get heauen perhaps a number should come to Heauen who for vsing the same shall bée assured neuer to come there but violently to bée thrust into hel where they shal remaine and abide for euermore There be many now a dayes when they are reprehended of sinne and perswaded to holines of life can be content to say it is a good thing it is méete it should be so but to studie as they should amendment of their liues to plucke sin by the rootes out of their hart there are few that will do so Let a man cut his haire neuer so shorte yet in short time it wil grow long againe and why surely there is no other reason but for that the rootes be left in the skull stil so let vs clip our sinnes neuer so short and swéep our