Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	apostle_n	sin_n	sting_n	5,518	5	11.9612	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86695	A dry rod blooming and fruit-bearing. Or, A treatise of the pain, gain, and use of chastenings. Preached partly in severall sermons, but now compiled more orderly and fully for the direction and support of all Gods chastened that suffer either in Christ, or for Christ in these dayes. By G. Hughes, B.D. pastor of the church in Plymouth.	Hughes, George, 1603-1667.	1644 (1644)	Wing H3308; Thomason E48_9; ESTC R14529	125,445	138

Gods chastening Again there is besides this another life and strength of sin in the flesh where it lives naturally As a man is said to be living in or by the Law when it acquits him and condemnes him not to take away his life yet he is naturally alive also by the principles of life within him so sin is alive by the Law when it is made strong thereby to condemne and kill the man yet it 's naturall rooted life whence all the motions and stirrings come are in the flesh Rom. 7.23 24 of which no lesse is the Apostles complaint in bemoaning that Law that wars in his members and counting himself a wretched man untill he be freed from that body wherein raigne only sin and death Now this double strength of sin must be spoyled to kill the sin and the sting must be pulled out to give the soule ease to labour in the midst of the fires But how then may this be done Quest The great charmer of this Serpents sting is Christ Answ 1 Cor. 15.57 it is so acknowledged in that doxologie Thanks be to God who hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Yet this victory over the sting of afflictions and death is gained from some speciall piece of Christ and that his death the only powerfull Antidote against sin to take away all the life and strength of it effectuall for justification and so to kill sin in the Law and no lesse for mortification and so to kill sin in the flesh This is Gospel doctrine in plain assertions Rom. 9.5 Hebr. 9.14 Wee are justified by his blood and again The blood of Christ shall purge our consciences from dead works which is nothing else but his death and the vertue of it both wayes asserted The true vertue of this remedy against this sting and it's strength and the right application of it are two things needfull to be known by them who desire to finde this help by it in the day of their affliction to be so quieted as then to sit close to their appointed exercise 1. The death of Christ hath a force predominant over the Law to take away all the strength it gives to sin that it can no longer accuse nor make guilty nor terrifie the conscience nor lay on the tormenting curse which shakes the soule out of all abilities of performing duty to God this power is seen in these effects 1. In that it is the full payment of mans debt to the law beyond which nothing more could be desired for satisfaction which the second Adam that heavenly one hath paid for all his seed hence is the mouth of Law stopt from laying any thing to their charge for the Law being just can demand nothing but that which is right and due all that is here discharged 2. In that it purchaseth forgivenesse or the gift of righteousnesse from the Law-giver to his seed so that now sin is no sin debts are no debts all hand-writings being cancell'd by this purchased pardon neither is the Law in this respect a Law or in force to burthen the soule with feares and drive it from it's work 2. The same death of Christ hath an over-ruling power quelling the motions weakning the strength and wasting the life of sin in the flesh for from thence is the heart of man no lesse indisposed to duty than from the Law sin by the Law frights a man from his work by scaring feares but in the flesh by a direct opposition to the Will of God warring against all light and power that should help one to this exercise it doth so hinder put back and thrust off from the work that a man cannot set to it unlesse the force be quelled now admirably efficacious for this is the death of Christ To give a right understanding of this how the death of Christ wounds and weakens and kils sin in our flesh is a work of great skill such a Mysterie that I almost despair of a fit and compleat expression to make it plain and easie for every minde to conceive yet because it is a thing so profitable and so desirable by Christians to be acquainted with that one only way of baining of killing their corruptions trusting on the guidance of the Spirit of truth I shall indeavour to give some help for this To present therefore this singular way of sins mortifying by Christs death conceiveable to a believer I shall labour in these propositions to set down the state of it 1. As the fundamentall ground for framing our thoughts aright about the precedent Mysterie we must lay this truth That the Lord Christ in this as in all other instances of giving out and communicating grace is to be considered as the second Adam Thus is he set forth as the Truth Rom. 5.14 or Auti●ype of the first Adam who should have conveyed life but indeed gave out nothing but death to his poore seed 1 Cor. 15.45.47 and so is he expresly stiled the last Adam and the second man with his characterising excellencies to specifie him to the Church Now the true significa●e of this notion first or second Adam is a Man by way of eminency in some notable and speciall respect a Root-man one made as a Fountain of Nature to convey it with it's advantages or disadvantages to the derived seed such was the first man made after Gods Image which had he kept he should have propagated to his succeeding issue but having given it to the spoil nought else could he derive to his Posterity but the miserable effects of his own wilfull ruine sin and shame so he begat a Son in his own likenesse Gen. 5.3 and such like must be all the generations of men that arise from him Rom. 5.12 It is the plain assertion of Gods spirit in this matter By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin yea and death passed upon all men for that all have sinned That one being the fountain of humane nature and having in the fountain corrupted it by sin could not convey this nature any further but with the deadly attendants of it guilt imputed enmity against God and an universall depravation insued upon with those bitter consequents of death and hell following after it This is the line of our misery which God● spirit hath drawne It is not my purpose to stay upon the proud cavils which flesh and blood make against this that charge God foolishly for so ordering and curse such parents for their natures thus derived I shall only suggest this thought to such a Disputer Hadst thou been the first Root-man to have raised mans seed that nature which was so treacherous in him would have been no better in thee and thou wouldst have transgressed even as hee in the very same particular Let not pride vain man deceive thee humbly seek by the second Adam to be healed and be not foolish to deny or cover the wound which otherwise will prove

incurable by self-conceit and confidence My digression shall be no longer The reason of mentioning the first Adam here was for the sake of the second that as it may appeare not only possible but reasonable the way of conveyance of sin and death from him upon his seed so no lesse the probability of receiving sins death and deaths plague from the second Adam may be apparent For suppose this man also as wee must to be a Root-man a fountain of Nature ●um●ne spirituall heavenl● to give out to his seed no more difficulty can there be of conceiving the way of communicating what is communicable from him to his seed than of the first to his nay more easie to be convine do● influence coming from the second if we take up but these additions This is the quickning-spirit man that by spirit can mightily work upon his members to conforme them to himself and every piece of himself death resurrection c. This is the Lord-man that hath all dominion and soveraignty committed to him by God to work what hee will to work upon his own for the perfecting of his Kingdome yea this is the heavenly-man set against and above the sin and corruption of creatures to destroy them in his seed Sermon Embalming of dead Saints of which I more largely dealt elsewhere All which considered facilitates the way of our conceiving ver●ue flowing from Christ to his 2. This truth is next to be suggested As Christ in whole and intirely considered carryeth in himself the compleat work of our salvation to give out unto his seed so the severall states and conditions of Christ have some speciall and proper pieces of that salvation depending on them Rom. 6.5 Col. 3.1 Joh 14.19 as death of sin upon his death resurrection to grace upon his resurrection and life of God on us upon his life these necessary dependances of our graces on his severall works the Scriptures fully declare which revelation may help on to conceive the speciall vertue of the death of Christ in the present case 3. More neerly to the point in hand this is a main truth The death of Christ as it was intended of God so indeed it carryeth in it a direct contrariety to all that withstands his seed in the way of their salvation and not only that it weakens but a soveraign contrariety able to quell and over-power every thing that opposeth the salvation of his people These opposites are sin in the first place by the guilt and poyson of it then the Law with it's dreadfull curse wherunto are joyned the Devill that hath the power of death the bitternes of death it self and the terrors of hel with all the powers of darknesse all these conspire to destroy poore soules and against all these hath the death of Christ a ver●ue opposite and predominant as hot medicines to overcome cold diseases and cold to quel the hot therefore very reasonable that it should eate out the very heart of sin the sting of our afflictions Rom. 6.2 3. Ephes 2.16 The frequent oppositions of the death blood and crosse of Christ against sin curse enmity in flesh toward God c. and the victory of that averred over all these adversaries are evidence without exception sufficient to conclude this truth 4. Adde wee this The death of Christ is not only contrary unto sin but in the mysterie hath actually killed and destroyed the enmity which is in the flesh of his members against him as well as all other adversaries of our life without us Col. 2.14 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 2.14 The Act past is plainly recorded He blotted out the hand-writing which was contrary to us not only that of Ordinances which peculiarly concerned the Jews but that of his Law that was against every man and tooke it out of the way nayling it to his Crosse and spoyled Principalities and Powers c. that is those of hell that constantly opposed the salvation of Christs seed which elsewhere is thus expressed By death heed'd destroy him that had the power of death which is the Devill The world also a grand enemy is crucified to believers by Christs Crosse Gal. 6.14 Here are blotting out taking quite out of sight and nayling to the Crosse for dead law and curse that were against Christs people to note their utter abolition so is there a destroying or making void and uselesse all the power of the Devill to kill so againe crucifying the world making it as a thing hang'd out of the way which every one abhorreth and no lesse by the same death or crosse a killing of all enmity in the creatures against God not only by pardoning but by abolishing it in the flesh insomuch Rom. 6.2 that the Apostle concludes for himselfe and fellow-believers an impossibility of their abiding under the life of sin being actually dead to sin by the death of Christ Now all this as is said was done by Christ in the mysterie and that expression teacheth us that what-Christ so doth is done by him as head of his body and therefore in reference to it and with influence of all those secret mysticall acts on it the plain effect of this Mysterie is most fitly and pithily expressed in those termes of conjunction which couple the soules with Christ as being together within all his works and travells for their salvation So we reade that his members are crucified together with him Gal. 2 20. and their old man crucified with him and they again buried with him and risen with him So the mysterie is discovered to the Gentiles Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise all which are expressed by wit hs cons and together and knitting particles which can import no lesse but the sharing of these joyned soules with Christ in all the vertue of those works sufferings or priviledges wherein by God himselfe they are joyned with him so that if they be planted together with him in his dying Ephes 3.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though they cannot die for sin as he did yet a likenesse to that death they must have in effect even a death to sin in themselves therefore they are joyned with him in that suffering of his Rom. 6.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they do hold out a sutable effect to that his death issuing from it in their own flesh and the same reason is of their conjunction with him in his other works tending to their salvation sutable effects are wrought in them from all This is actually done by Christ as for the time of the actuall manifestation of this sin in his united members more wil be declared in the application of this vertue of Christ hereafter but for present some help is given from hence to conceive of the efficacie and necessity of sins fall by the death of Christ 5. Yet the difficulty is

of lesse and of greater guilt the lesse that riseth of infirmity is dangerous indeed but not deadly to be lamented and abhorred yet not desperate such the soule will be ashamed of and for it condemne it selfe and repent This I onely call for here as for other scruples concerning these soules I shall answer them among the cases The greater which is of strength and habituated obstinacie is fatall such is evident by mens content and delight in barrennesse I have but little to say to these yet a message heavie enough As love and rod and labour and fruit righteousnesse and peace are inseparably linkt in Gods course of chastening so wrath and smart and curse are individed from idlenesse and barrennesse in midst of afflictions The sentence is gone out against all barren ones under Word and Rod cut them downe why should they cumber the ground they are curst already and now fit for nothing but to be suell for everlasting flames to feed upon Consider the terrors of the Lord that they may not be to destruction but correction Repent or die SECT IX Counsell for duty bence concerning us IN all this Concatenation of Rod Fruit Exercise and Time there is but one thing that concerns us as duty wherein if we fail all the rest are scattered and become vain True it is Gods hand must temper rod and love to make a chastening and he must blesse this chastening to produce kindly fruit righteousnesse and Peace and time or season in his power but his ordinance calls in our exercise as an indispensable duty wherein we are to expect this blessed gain and without which we shall be but as the barren field and dry heath neerer to a curse then a blessing fit for nothing but the fire To this noble Christian Exercise then under the Rod is the work now to perswade men necessity lyeth on us to be doing either to escape otherwise inevitable destruction or to gain that sweet and desired fruit intailed on Gods chastening As for the matter of the duty not needlesly to repeat learn it in the premised draught of the work There is hearing bearing doing-work about the Rod there is considering judging breaking bowing-work about the heart and that great businesse of all giving glory unto God And in all these if we exercise aright our labour must be hard even in our shirts and frequent every day must we be at it and constant no giving over untill the fruit come But alas Quest what flesh and blood can indure thus to labour in the fires Who can set about that Rod-work heart-work God-work when he is under the lash and no rest in the bones nor ease in the flesh I shall easily grant flesh and blood cannot do it Answ nothing but judgement is determined upon reprobate flesh nor any thing expected from it but murmurings and sinking under the rod yet from gracious hearts who only can be the chastened of the Lord better things are not only hoped but must be returned True because there is flesh in them lusting against the spirit they cannot do what they would in this matter It will be needfull therefore to suggest some helps to cool the fire or to steel their flesh against smart or scorchings that without distractions they may attend on their appointed exercise these three directions only I shall move 1 Have a watchfull eye over the stings of the Rod to pluck that out it cannot torment and vex when the sting is gone thou maist play with the Aspe and make sport with the Adder when their sting and poyson are taken from them no hurt can they do nor by torture indispose to work It is the right method that Samson took he first kils the Lyon Judg. 14.6.9.14 and then the Eater gives meat and the strong gives forth sweetnesse Honey and meat not bitternesse roaring and death are the fruits of a slain Lyon so ease and quickning not torture and astonishment are the issues of the Rod without a sting the affliction is as good as dead for hurting when the sting is out But what is then this sting of the Rod Quest and how to be taken out Surely it is no other Answ but that which is the sting of death that makes every evill of punishment an evill indeed and that is Sinne could a man lie in the fires without sin the scorching flames should not disease him as to put him beside his work in glorifying God sing and rejoyce may Gods servants in the stocks when sin doth not make the stocks to pinch nor the iron to strike anguish into the soule Now the main strength this sting hath to strike and hurt and torment 1 Cor. 15.56 is from the Law it is expresly so averred the strength of sin is the Law The Law doth that strengthen sin yea but not sinfully not by adding any thing of the same kinde to make it more sin but by aggravating the sinfulnesse of it to make it more pain and terror Thus the Law strengthens sin to vex the soule in these severall wayes 1. By making it sin for without the Law wherof it is a breach sin were not where there is no Law there can be no transgression at least none to be imputed but now the Law being given Rom. 5.13 and that in absolute holinesse rectitude and goodnesse it makes every transgression absolutely vile corrupt and sinfull yea sinfulnesse in the abstract the spirit the heart the hell of sin it can be no lesse being extremely opposite to the very heart and spirit and heaven of holinesse in the Law and this must make the scourge strike like a Scorpion to torturing and astonishment how terrible is it meerly to suffer as evill doers with sin upon us 2. Rom. 7.7 8 9 10. The Law strengthens sin to vex by making known the sinfulnesse of it to the conscience I had not known sin saith the Apostle but by the Law and again by the Law is the knowledge of sin and such a glance it was the Law gave him that he was dead with the sight of it Rom. 3.20 Sin revived and I died It is torment for a man to suffer with his guilt cast in his face written upon his fore-head and strucken to his heart no marvell if that soule faint 3. Gal. 3.10 And yet further the Law strengthens sin to torment a soule in affliction by discovering the wrath from whence it comes the curse of God that hath whet and sharpened it to wound deadly and that it is but the earnest of seventie times seven plagues more to come upon it for sin Now dreadfull is this condition Alas what soul can labour for good under the frownes and wrath of God or give him glory when the effects of his furic drive them like a whirle-winde Surely none care then must be that this sting and strength of the Rod be destroyed if ever a soule be fitted for that great exercise under

not cleared How should crosse or blood or death these dead things work the fall or death of sin in my flesh and spirit The last position will come home to this There is a living spirit purchased given and annexed unto all these saving works of Christ which applies the vertue of his death sufferings and resurrection to produce sutable and due effects upon mans soule This this is that active principle that sets Christ death on work to kill sin that brings men to a fellowship of his sufferings and makes them conformable to his death The vast difference between blood and blood death and death together with the ground of it is fully declared by the Apostle in comparing the legall sacrifices with Christs one perfect offering Heb. 9.9.13 14. Alas the blood of Buls and Goats could but at best sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh it could never perfect concerning the conscience but the blood of Christ purgeth consciences from dead works to serve the living God which is the same with killing sin within us and freeing our hearts from the bendage of corruption to that glorious liberty in serving God But what makes the difference that so worthlesse this to excell for purging sin The same Text will satisfie It was the blood of him who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot or fault to God wherein these excellencies are observable 1. It was a pure blood without any poysonous tincture of sin by participation therefore a remedy fitted against it such is no blood of creatures besides but all either by inheritance or participation defiled 2. It was a powerfull spirited blood for that eternall Spirit by which he offered himselfe works in it and by it to purge consciences from Spirituall death of sin but the other to a weak spiritlesse blood therefore altogether uselesse for these high effects No sope nor nitre no fire nor blood materiall can work out sin no spirit in these only that Fullers sope Mal. 3.2 and that Refiners fire and that Sacrificers blood can purge from sins powerfull pollutions into which the eternall Spirit gives influence and whereby it works sins perpetuall destruction It is not obscure that our Lord upon leaving the world designes his Spirit in his own place to put his Church in remembrance of what he hath told them to shew them the things of Christ in the power of them and to bring home the spirituall energie and force of all his satisfaction death and resurrection to their soules however therefore the death of Christ be the plague of sin when wee come to feel the vertue of this death we must by the Spirit mortifie the deeds of our flesh Rom. 8.13 by yeelding to that Spirits effectuall application of this killing power to our indwelling corruptions It is observable in those former conjunctions mention'd We are buried with him and risen with him i. e. we have in our selves the inseparable effects of his death and resurrection a death to sin and life above it Something els is added for perfecting the effects in us Col. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even through the faith of the Operation of God Faith draws on our parts but Gods powerfull Spirit works upon the other killing sin by his death and quickning by his resurrection hereby onely becomes his bloud so victorious over sin So that now from all these considerations put together Christ acknowledged the Adam or principle of propagation his death the special remedy intended against sin having a soveraigne contrariety to quell it having actually given the deaths-blow to it upon the Crosse which the Spirit at this day puts in force upon every united member we may clearly conceive the powerfull vertue of this means against the life of sin in the flesh and withall not onely a reasonable possibilitie but an ordained necessitie upon Christs part of giving out its force for the thorough subduing and utter abolishing sinne in his seed yet a question is behind But how should we draw this mortifying virtue from Christ upon our own flesh so as to feele the effect in the dying of our corruptions The second part must answer this 2. It is now needfull having seen the waters at the gate of Bethlem and known that soveraigne sin-killing vertue in the death of Christ to consider the way of getting of it through all difficulties and of having the actuall experience of it upon our own hearts and in short the way that we must take is but one even that singular way of faith wherein this saving issue may be expected Nothing can be clearer than this in the revelation of God that every vertue is drawne out of Christ by beleeving It is true Christs death and buriall kills and burieth us to sin in the mystery as conjoyned with him but yet this is not done Col. 2.12 but by the Faith of the operation of God this actually instates us into all the priviledges of Christ It is the Apostles profession of himselfe in communion with the head Gal. 2.20 I am c●ucified with Christ Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Death and life he confesseth he hath issuing from Christ and sutable to him death to the law and sin as well as life to God but how are these drawne out Onely by beleeving for he dyed as we 'l as lived by the faith of the Son of God So that it is questionlesse That by faith the vertues of Christ are brought into the soule all the difficulty is of the way and manner how faith should obtaine them from him whereunto I shall labour to give satisfaction in these following determinations In generall I shall premise that all the operative force of Faith in this as in other parts of salvation is onely instrumentall serving a superior Agent and effectuall onely in his hand The mighty Spirit of God hath created and fitted this in our hearts to sute with his gracious dispensation that by it the whole good-pleasure and free purpose of God to life might be accomplished in us he onely working himselfe all acts of grace upon us and this serving his hand working nothing els being meet to joyne with grace untill he finish the whole mind of God in us This instrumentall vertue is frequently averred in subordination to that power that useth it As by grace ye are saved through faith Ephes 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and againe Ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Gods power and grace is the Saviour Faith but the instrument whereby he brings salvation to us and that too is properly its instrumentall consideration 1 Pet. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in his hand and not ours for it is our grace given and worke acted but his instrument onely in us Now this faith serveth that

comforter the marke therein specially intended which is still some main duty or other for comfort is not given for it selfe but for farther ends thereby attainable therefore when Christ would have his disciples know his minde and keep in remembrance his dictates his way is The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost Joh. 14.26 hee shall teach you all things and bring them to remembrance Nothing so powerfully instructs as comfort for as much as it revives and ingageth thereby the heart first unto it selfe and so brings the soule with delight to hearken to the Word made knowne and none can surpasse that good Disciple who learnes Jesus Christ with delight So when the Lord would have his servants be faithfull and bold in the testimony of him Joh. 15.26 27. or bearing witnesse of his truth this is his course to effect it by consolation I will send the Comforter to you from the Father hee shall testifie of mee and strengthened by his comforts Yee also shall beare witnesse Consolations shall constrain you to do that for me not to leave my glorious work without witnesse to the world Againe If he would have people convinced of sin in a saving way to melt them Joh. 16.7 8. and to drain their soules from filth and draw them unto God in himselfe this is his way If I depart I will send the Comforter unto you It is still the Comforter that he makes use of a sweet and blessed notion And when hee is come he will convince or reprove the world of sin See the Comforters work and if he reprove and make men know their sin sure it is in a comforting way to separate from it and to leade soules safe unto Christ Nothing makes sin appeare so exceeding sinfull as comfort presented to a wretched rebellious and disobedient soule the Comforter if any will make them ashamed and abhorre themselves It is the method of all the Apostles to ingage inable and fortifie soules against hardest oppositions and for greatest duties by the consolations of Christ 1 Pet. 4.14 when they would set them above fiery trialls the C●mfort of the Spirit of glory must mount them and the consolations of Christ harden them against death it selfe as for his own experience the Apostle labours with his Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.3 4 5 6. Now then yee afflicted of the Lord whose strivings of heart are to be h●ly under the Rod to search out sin to hate it to be fruitfull to Christ to mortifie corruption to make a good confession of Jesus Christ to be faithfull to the death conscience bindes you to exact care and watchfulnesse for these and it is well but how do you think to do these if you cannot live under the Rod or how do you think to live without comf●●t I know no way If it be duty for a man to labour it is no lesse his duty to eate and drink and refresh himselfe without which long labour hee cannot Nay with as ardent and strong desires is he to reach after his refreshings as his work the same God injoynes both equally Deare Christians know it then no lesse your d●ty to strive after comfort in your saddest state that must quicken and maintain your life than after any office of that life which God calls for at your hands This I must indeavour to perswade it is your duty to reach after comfort and set your hearts in a right posture to meet with it the soule cannot be profitable to God that refuseth to be comforted by him O then stirre up your selves by Faith by Hope by Prayer to call in the consolations of Christ into your soules these will be your strength and being comforted ye shall worke michtily The Church cryeth out for this Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sicke of love Support comfort and reviving is that shee calls for the means were fruits cordiall and effectuall thereunto as Pomegranates or such like and good measure of these cordiall receits shee cryes for flagons at least her sicknesse puts her upon and not terrifies her from it shee was sicke with love longing desires to Christ were in her and desire not satisfied made her sick and sicknesse now makes her call for comfort that she may yet be streng th●ned to follow Christ O do yee likewise in all chastisements whether upon spirit or flesh rouse up sinking hearts ye your selves must heartily make after comfort unles ye mean foolishly to give up the ghost and become dead and unprofitable to God 3. Yee will be more perswaded that this is your dutie to make after comfort if yee doe rightly consider what plots the Devill hath to keepe you from it he knows if he can keep you comfortles he will make you fruitles and at last Apostates from God as his hope was concerning Job and he thought he put faire for it when he brought him to curse the day of his birth c. I would alwayes conclude this for truth That from which the Devill drives me is surely the dutie unto which God draws me If he for bids me comfort I will bele●ve that God commands it Let me but touch the wiles of this subtle Serpent a little which I observe at three states of time 1. In bringing men into sin 2. In keeping men in it 3. In killing those that doe escape it as much as in him lyeth The first the Apostle notes about Eve that the Serpent-devill beguiled her by his subtletie 2 Cor 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 6.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his sleight of hand turning every way for his own purpose he is very craftie in perswading men into sin The second he warnes of to the Eohesians what wiles methods mazes labyrinths maeanders he hath to puzzle men in sin that they should not find the way out shrewdly guilefull is he this way to hamper men as the cunning hunter doth his game in the net The third is his last fetch that if God mightily deliver the soule and by the power of God it escapeth out of his dominion then his devices are to swallow up that soule with hopeles feares doubts and unbeliefe that he might never taste the good comforts of God but perish in a despairing way therefore he powres out flouds of temptations after him if possible to destroy him Of these inventions the Apostle makes mention in the case of that sinner in the Church of Corinth whom God by his Church had chastened with that severe sentence of Excommunication The man was so dejected that he was even now swallowed up of a kind of despairing sorrow The Apostle therefore timely interposeth desires the Church to pardon and receive in this chastened humble soule lest Satan should over-reach them and while they thought by casting out and delivering to Satan to save the spirit the Devill might thereby destroy it wilily suggesting a desperate ejection of him at once out of the Church 2 Cor. 2.11 〈◊〉