from such as personally give themselves over to their service They are stiled also the Governours of this world or Rulers 2. Eph. 2. which governe wicked men in and to their lusts Also Roaring Lyons 1. Pet. 1.8 from their fiercenesse and malice A murderer Authour of our death and all murthers Also Beliall 2. Cor. 6.15 What agreement hath Christ with Beliall this signifies irregular without yoake and discipline such hee is himself will submit to no law but what the power of God layes necessarily upon him and such hee renders his The use that I shall make of all this to our selves is that wee dread the spirituall punishments of sin Sin drawes along a dreadfull chaine after it the little sweet that was in your mouth that your rolled under your tongue which you judged so good the tast of that is presently gone but there is a long bitter followes the pleasure is but skin deepe reacheth but to your sence but the effects of it are felt upon your conscience and minde your most noble parts The pleasure gives you the enjoyment of a minute such a one as it is but the paine is of your life perhaps of all eternity but how miserable is it to drawe on a trayne of spirituall punishments that is that sin shall be punished with sinne the truth is every first sin carries punishment with it for it is a punishment to sin in the first act though wee consider it not as all holy acts carry reward with them even in their mouth but heere is not all this sin shall make you sin againe Pharoah was punished by frogs by haile by many things but the hardenings of his heart as it was the greatest punishment so it was virtually all the rest That place Rom. 1.28 is dreadfull Because they delighted not to reteyne God in their knowlegde God gave them over to a reprobate minde and then they were filled with all unrighteousnes If wee will not delight in God God wil give us up to delight in the basest things in the world Thou little thinkest that thy proud or uncleane thought shal be waited on with such a trayne not onely of punishment but sin And this is true to all in it's proportion to the Saints for sin doth not naturally dispose for further degrees of sinning of the same kinde for so every act strengthens the habit but the spirit of God being grieved withdrawes and when yee are in the darke the spirit of darknesse is bold with you and you want light to repell him and God can when hee pleaseth in consideration of a sin past let either a sin fall upon your spirit or an affliction or sicknes upon your body But oh feare such punishments they are not onely of the worst kinde but they are multiplying of evill infinitely if God prevent not Beware therefore of sin least you sin and least you be given over to a spirit of sinning which is the greatest and worst of punishments thinke that you know not what sins are in the wombe of this sin which you are now about If to grieve the spirit to please the Divell to offend God be dreadfull to you feare sin above all not onely for that present act but for those other sins which may be contained in the wombe of that and may in time be most cursed births of it And as Austin said of hell Lord saith hee burne heere cut heere punish heere that is in this life So of sin O wish rather the animadversion to fall upon your bodies and estates your outward man heere cut Lord spare my soule my inner man let sinne rather cause death then sin which is the worst dying In the next place wee come to shew what is the principall ministery of the evill Angells for God knowes how to improove every creature and not onely the power but the evill of the evill Angells and hee made nothing in vaine The wicked are for the day of wrath muchlesse such mighty instruments and engines as those spirits are which though they have received a wound and lye under chaines yet are of mighty ability when God gives them leave to act it That they are at liberty for a ministery I told you before when I spake of their punishment for they are not in termino they are not yet in the great deepe nor under the sentence of their punishment they are not in the place prepared for the Divell and his Angells but they are in the ayre and the world where also they are Princes they have the advantage of the place and powers is also theirs now for their ministery which still will come neerer our purpose the principall and proper ministery of the evill Angells is to tempt and induce men to sinne they improove all the power and opportunity they have chiefly to this this is manifest by Scripture assoone as the world began hee began this worke with our parents in innocency in the shape of a Serpent Gen. 3.1 Therefore Christ calls him a murtherer from the beginning Ioh. 8.44 For assoone as the world was hee gave the greatest blow that ever was given mankind hee murthered our first parents and in them all our posterity and this was done in a way of tempting and alluring so Paul 2. Cor. 11.3 I feare least as the Serpent seduced Eve shewing that that temptation was the beginning the first of that kinde that was in the world the first prancke hee playd the first execution of his ministery and as it were the coppy of the rest therefore also Math. 4.3 hee is called The tempter as being the title of his office other names hee hath which shew his power and ability his nature and his malice but none declare his ministery so properly as this Therefore 1. Thess. 3.5 Least by some meanes the tempter have tempted you and very frequently our temptations are said to be from the Divell so Ioh. 13.2 The Divell put into the heart of Iudas to betray Christ Iudas had the corruption in his heart before which was fit matter to worke on but it was a fruit of the Divells ministery to suggest that temptation and put it into his heart so Christ told Peter that Sathan had desired to winnow him Wee should have said hee was affraid to die and being surpriz'd secured himself by a lye and so should have imputed it to little more then the act of a timerous spirit but Christ said the Divell was in it and 1. Pet. 5.8 it is said hee goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may devour that is by his temptations and allurements otherwise hee doth not rampe upon our bodyes and Rev. 12.9 it is said that the great dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the Divell and Sathan who deceiveth the whole world this is his worke hee sayes they were cast out and his Angells were cast out with him which are his under-ministers in deceiving the world as Christ Math. 25.41 calls them The Divell and his
divinity of Christ or the humanity of Christ or his office to wit that hee can contribute all things necessary to salvation that his merits his works alone are enough And in this respect Christ accused the Iewes you are the sonnes of your father the Divell which stood not in the truth no more will you sayes hee but you lye as hee did Now what was their lye the very same that Christ was not the Sonne of God the Saviour of the world and so the truth in which they would not rest was the truth of the Gospell which their father the Divell abode not in and this is that truth which ever since hath beene the ground of the conflict betweene the good and evill Angells and betweene the Divells and the Saints of God See and tremble at the quicke worke that God made 2. Peter 2.4 God spared not the Angells that sinned but cast them into Hell hee might have dealt so with us the wages of sin is death How come wee then to live how comes it that wee are on this side hell whither sin would presently have hurryed us thanke God and Christ for it Secondly honour love and beleeve the Gospell that is the truth the great truth let up God and Christ greatly in it beleeve strongly trust not to your righteousnes Let not your sinnes stand in your way this cost the Divells eternall condemnation this is the truth they stood not in this is the thing they most of all oppose Therefore worke what you will so you beleeve not they care not unbeliefe is virtually all ill therefore fight especially against that Thirdly feare sins against great and strong light the Divells abode not in the truth that truth they forsooke was exceeding great it was truth with a witnesse exceeding evident and apparent therefore it carried them into the lowest sinke of sin which is a deadly hatred of God and all goodnes and all his creatures which ariseth much from the light they fell from like to this fall of theirs is the sin against the holy Ghost Having seene their sin wee come to their punishment which in many respects is necessary for us to know in order to this subject as wee shall see The place of their punishment seemes to admit of a double consideration either that of their ultimate punishment after the day of judgment or that for the present This distinction is gathered out of severall places especially that of Iude That everlasting fire which Christ speakes of Math. 25.41 The common residence of the Damned and Divells seemes rather to be prepared for them then possessed already by the Divell and his Angells The same may be understood of that utter darknes where shal be weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth Math. 8.12 This seemes to be the most abject vildest and remote of all the rest There is the same reason of opposites The Saints shall shine as the Sun in the glory of their Father And as the favour of God is called the light of his countenance and the Saints are said to be in light so the wicked and Divells to be cast into utter darknesse Againe as the holy Angells and Saints are in the highst heavens with God and Christ so the Divell and reprobates shal be in the most remote place from all these furthest from God and all good and light and comfort Between you and us there is a great gulfe Luk. 16.26 This place may be either neere the Center of the earth or in the depths of the great waters that is most remote from the highst heavens and this appeares by that place Luk. 8.31 Where the Diâ—ells besought Christ that hee would not command them to goe into the depths as apprehending that eternall judgement to which they were destin'd and having it ever in their eye to astonish them and dread them therefore they were affraid of Christ and besought him not to torment them before their time But for the present according to that in Peter 2. Pet. 2.4 the Angells that sinned are cast downe into hell as wee translate it not intending by that the place of their ultimate punishment for hee saies they are reserved in chaines till the judgement of the last day as malefactours that indure a good piece of their punishment by the hardnes of their prisons but the place of their present abode is either in the aire waters or under the earth as Eph. 2.2 they are called the Prince of the power of the aire and in that place of Math. they besought Christ they might possesse the swine And they carried them into the waters the place of their abode Some also live on the earth and under the earth from whence they make their dreadfull apparitions as hee that came up in the likenesse of Samuel Next wee come to consider that place of Iude 6. I will not comment upon it because I bring it but as a proofe The Apostle saith heere the Angells are reserved in everlasting chaines under darknes untill the judgement of the great day By these chaines Divines understand besides their guilt which bindes them over to punishment the divine power bridling and determining the Angelicall strength either intelectuall or operative so as they are not masters of their abilityes but are bound up and restrained they have not liberty of acting which the good Angells have though God permit them to do much and they are called everlasting chaines because though by them they shal be reserved to judgement yet these chaines shall shackle and binde them for ever By these words under darknes is meant as before the absence of the light of Gods countenance and also in darke obscure places This distinction of a double condition of the evill Angells till judgement and after judgement is necessary to be knowne in respect of the subject in hand because if they were in their tearme already and utmost place they would have nothing to doe with men in regard of tempting not with men of this world because they would be secluded hence nor with the damned because they in respect of their condition are already obstinated in ill nor in all reason do they punish them in hell for wee finde no peculier ministery which the Divell hath over them in hell but they goe thither to be tormented with the Divell and his Angells rather then by them as wee finde nothing of the ministery of the good Angells in heaven to us therefore the knowledge of this is necessary to us that wee may know they are heere with us not in their place and tearme and that the Minister about us and are very active concerning us which in utter darknes and everlasting fire they will have little leasure to doe Let us consider this a little that the whole universe of rationall creatures are under chaines and bonds in order to an eternall state this will have an influence into our practice Of the Angells wee have spoke already you see how and where
had hee not bene God himself hee would never have out-wrastled it In a word every creature of God is good and nothing offends him irritates him and provokes him but sinne Nothing reacheth God nor causeth God to reach the world in anger but sinne It is that which puts the sting into death and torment in Hell Thus you are armed for that guard that sin is the greatest evill the second followes easily That then Wee should keep at the greatest distance from it for that you have Rom. 12.9 Abhorre that which is evill cleave to that which is good when wee meete with any thing extreamely evill and contrary to us nature abhorres it and retyres as farre as it can so on the contrary cleave to that which is good cling to it as a man should cleave to his wife or be glewed as the word is and they shall be one flesh incorporate your selves with that which is good make your self one with it So Abstaine from all appearance of evill 1. Thess. 5.22 a thing may appeare to be ill that is not but take heed of any similitude or appearance or likenesse of ill if it looke like ill though it bee not fly from it This gives you the benefit of a long sword by which you keep the enemy at a distance so Jude 23. Hate the garments spotted with the flesh not onely the flesh but the garment that hath toucht it Ephes. 5.3 Fornication and all uncleannes and covetousnesse let it not be once named among you as becometh Saintes nor filthinesse nor foolish speaking nor jesting So Job 31.1 I made a covenant with mine eyes why should I thinke on a maide hee would not looke because hee would not thinke and the way to secure the thoughts is to keepe well and strictly the out-doores the sences which made David pray to God to turne away his eyes from vanity Folly is bold but wisdome is wary to keepe at the greatest distance Thus this sword cuts of the first risings this is a sure way and this saves you a world of paines when a temptation or a lust hath once come within you and incorporated it self you must teare your flesh to pull it out you must pull up earth and all that the roots may come at last but while it is at a distance there is some kinde of modesty and blushing in it and it may be snib'd with a word use therefore some of these for a sword in time and it may prevent you hard work which yet must be done if you would not perish other heads I thought to have runne over and fitted for use as Thirdly God knowes our thoughts Fourthly that the word must judge us even this which wee have in our hands and mouthes and if it condemne our sinnes now how is it like to acquit us another day Fifthly that every secret thing shall be made manifest Sixtly that you should walke in the sence of death and changes but I shall prosecute this no further onely let us know that if the Divell have got within us the same way hee is fetcht out that hee is kept out this sword must do both Thus God hath armed you compleatly and it will be both your sin which you will not know how to answer and your shame also to be foyled If you oppose Captaine to Captaine you have Christ and the Divell you have as sufficient as mighty as experienced a Captaine as your lusts have if armes to armes yee have all these spirituall armes against his carnall armes for so are his in comparison of those Though his be spirituall also as acted by a mighty spirit your reward held over you by hope is greater for the present then any he can offer though not to flatter our selves Our condition heere is to indure hardnesse as good souldiers 2. Tim. 2.3 And wee must conflict according to the law of combate if wee would have the crowne But this is no new thing to us this wee knew when wee undertooke religion this was laid in at first as the law and condition of our undertaking That which followes is prayer praying with all prayer which is to all other ordinances of God as bread and salt to our repast wee cannot make a meale without it heere it fastens on your armour and lookes up for strength and successe to him who is able to give it If souldiers be weake or succumbe in fight they send to their Generall for supplies and reinforcements Praying alwayes that is in all time every juncture and article of time as you have occasion by temptations for combate for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly occasion this is not so much spoken heere of our ordinary and customary use of Prayer as it is applicable to occasions that is temptations but this Prayer must be in the spirit The Spirit in our Prayer is what the soule is in our bodie it is that which gives the life to it to conflict with the living God by dead words will doe no good therefore Jude sayth Praying in the Holy Ghost ver 20. You have another expression Rom. 8. That the spirit makes intercession for us the Holy Ghost must pray in us there must be an incorporating in that duty of the Holy Spirit with our spirits watching thereunto you must watch to prayer therefore it must be an act of time With all perseverance that is till the worke be done for then ye persevere when ye give not over till you obtaine your end so as your Praying and fighting must runne parralell till you have overcome your enemie and sleighted his workes It s enough to have hinted this which I intend not to speake of as being no peece of the armour nor resembled by the Holy Ghost to any peece To all that hath bene said I shall adde no more but this that every thing is strong in vertue of an ordinance therefore bread nourisheth because it hath a word that bids it doe so and therefore the word shall cut and destroy because God hath made it a sword and edged and fitted it for that purpose Thus have I some what largely measured the field of Battaile shewed you your friends and enemies and fitted to you those armes which God hath given you for the service of this holy warre To conclude therefore The just end and designe of warre for every thing is to act in vertue of a designe is peace now no warre pretends to peace more then this we have been speaking of and therefore Communion which is the effect and birth of peace beares one halfe of the title of this discourse And indeed men were so form'd for Communion as no doctrine can be avowed for good which renders them unsociable But experience tells us that it is the fate of some warres not onely to be the meanes by which peace is gotten and procur'd but by which it is nourisht and maintayn'd and we know some countryes which injoy the greatest benefites of peace in the
God onely to be without beginning so it belongs to God onely to be without change or shadowe of change and that the Angells as creatures are reduceable to nothing by the same hand that made them so as though there be no passive principle in them by which they may be called corruptible or mortall yet in respect of an active power of God upon which their being and life depends they may be called corruptible and mortall because as it is in the power of the Creator that things are so it is in the power of the Creator that they may not bee yea so much they are in Gods hands though the best pieces of nature that if hee doe but withdrawe his hand they all moulder to nothing there neede no great activity be put forth a meere ceasing to uphold them is sufficent to destroy them but yet when yee speake of changeable or corruptible it must be understood of the next and intrinsicall cause and not of the remote and outward cause as men are not called the children of the Sunne though Sol homo generat hominem but of their parents so as the Angells may properly be called incorruptible and immortall because they are so by nature I speake not now of the changeablenesse of their wills but of their nature and substance the reasons are First because the Angells are not produced out of the power of any matter as corporall substances and the soules of beasts but are produced onely by the word of God and therefore as they have no internall principle of being so have they none of dissolution for there is the same reason of being and not being Secondly Angelicall natures as the soules also of men are not compounded of matter forme but are simple formes and substances subsisting by themselves now all corruption mortality and death is by the separation of the forme from the matter as when the soule is separated from the body which is corruption or death or when the accidentall forme is separated from the subject as white from the wall or health from the man now what ever wants matter is incorruptible because there is no composition and so no separation but the Scripture concludes this best in assimulating the state of immortality in which wee shall be to the Angells This is the third consideration wee make of the nature of Angells that they are immutable Fourthly wee will consider of the apparitions of Angells of which wee heare so frequent mention in the Scriptures and the consideration whereof will proove so proper to our purpose One manner of their appearings hath bene in dreames another in visions the third in assumption of bodies and that either of bodies formed of nothing or of pre-existant matter them formed or possessing and acting naturall bodies already made Some have thought there hath bene no assumption of bodies but onely an appearance to the fancy and imagination but that must needs be otherwise for what ever is a substance which is not a body nor hath a body naturally united and yet is sometime seene with a bodily sight or vision must needs take up a body and further this was not an imaginary and phantasticall apparition because such an imagination is not seene by the sences without but by the fancy within 2. An imaginative sight being onely within in the imagination consequently appeares to him onely which so sees it but that which is seene by the eyes because it exists without and not within the minde may be seene also of all others such apparitions were of the Angells that appeared to Abraham to Lott and to the men of Sodome who were seene by them and indifferently by all But if you object to what end was this assumption of bodies since the power of the Angells exceeds all bodily might and this will not be unusefull to consider since it makes way to shew to what end they appeare and what they have done and can doe for us and upon us both the good and bad The Angells assumed bodies for the manifesting themselves not for the doing of their worke but that they might familiarly speake with men without their terrour and dread Aquinas gives other reasons that they might manifest the intelligible society and converse which men expect with them in another life And in the old Testament that it was a certaine figurative declaration that the word of God should take humane flesh for all apparitions in the old Testament were in order to that apparition of the sonne of God in the flesh If you aske mee what kinde of bodies they tooke and whether they were true men or no in taking humane shapes Answ. First though they appeared in a humane shape they were not true men as Christ was a true man because hee was personally and hypostatically united but bodies were not united to the Angells as to their forme as the bodie is to the soule which is its forme nor was the humane nature body and soule united to the person of any Angell but they tooke bodies to them as garments which they tooke up and laid downe upon occasion If you aske of what those bodies consisted It is like ordinarily of some of the Elements as of the ayre And if you object that the ayre is improper to take figure or coulour because it is so thin and transparent The answer is that although the ayre remaining in its rarity doth not reteyne figure or coulour yet when it is condenced and thickened it will doe both as appeares in the clouds Another way of appearing was in possessing some naturall body so the divell entred into the serpent and an Angell spake in Balams Asse so you read often of men possessed with evill Angells the men spake not but the divell in them the like may be said often of the good Now if any shall aske what becomes of those bodies The answer is if they be created of nothing they are reduced into nothing by the power of God But if they be formed of pre-existent matter the worke being done for which they were taken up they are resolved againe into their Elements or Principles but if the bodies were naturall reall and existent before they were left so againe by the departing of the Angells so was Balams asse and many bodies possest by the divells cast out by Christ. Another consideration is whether the Angells having assumed those bodies did put forth acts of life whether they spake and sung or eate and drunke as they seemed to doe this is handled with much controversie but it is certaine they did what they seemed to doe as appeares by the plaine direct story of Moses concerning the Angells that appeared to Abraham and others and this is assur'd that what ever the Angells appeared to have or doe that they had did for they never deceived your sences their coulour their shape their eating their drinking their speaking was what it seemed to be for the sences are not
they are bound Men also are in the same condition some are under the bonds of election others under the bonds of reprobation reserved both of them by the chaines of Gods decree to eternall glory or wrath which is to follow this in the decree hath been for ever but since the fall the bonds have seazed upon men an attatcht them assoone as they have had a being so as they have lyen under the arrest clogged with shackles and chaines which of themselves they could never put of They have had a wound in their wills and a blindenesse in their understandings the spirit of bondage through conscience of sin and feare of wrath to come have fallen upon all men who have not gone sleeping to hell Now then see the use of Christ Luk. 4.18 Hee was sent to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives recovering of sight to the blinde and to set at liberty them that are bruised Heere is one that can knocke of your shackles can breake those bonds indeed hee layes another yoake upon you another chaine by it you are reserved also but it is to everlasting joyes it is to a crowne that fades not away and it is a yoake but it is a light one not which shackles and fetters but advanceth your motion and is a comely ornament to your necke they are the bonds of a friend it is such an imprisonment as excludes bondage as gives liberty Let those therefore that are invironed with those chaines that are honoured with this yoake glory in their bonds and walke as freemen these are markes of their libertie and badges to distinguish them from slaves let them walke livelily and cheerefully not as men bound up by a spirit of bondage and reserved under darknesse but as men set at liberty and in a joyfull light with singing in their mouths and laughter in their faces and joy in their hearts that they may be knowne by their lookes to be the sonnes of the most High and heires of a free kingdome and let your actions and steps speake libertie every one freedome from sin from lusts from corruptions that there may be a glory in every motion and an impression of sealing to eternall life Secondly for those that are yet under those ill yoakes let them consider to get loose or they will finde a worse state behinde they will finde themselves but reserved to judgement though one would thinke the yoake they beare the yoake of lusts bad enough to be servants of sin and corruption of lust and pride yet they are reserved to worse Change your bonds therefore rest not till you finde your selves bound by other cords bonds reserving you to everlasting joy and happines Wee have considered the Divells already under two heads one of their sin another of their punishment That of their sin wee have dispatch't with the corollaries drawne from it In respect of their punishment wee considered them under a double consideration either that present or that which remaines them heareafter and founde it usefull for our purpose Wee will consider now of their spirituall punishment First for their will they are so obstinated in ill and in hatred against God and Christ that they cannot will to repent and be saved They are that wicked one by way of eminency What death is to us that the fall was to the Angells put them into a pertinatious and constant state of ill but the reason of this was the judgement of God upon their sin which was against the holy Ghost because willingly and knowingly they opposed the truth and gospell of God therefore sayes Iohn hee that committeth sin is of the Divell for the Divell sinneth from the beginning 1. Ioh. 3.8 Not hee hath sinned but doth sin that is pernitiously and constantly as a fruit of that great first sin For their knowledge that it is exceeding great in it selfe is without all question they being of the same substance with the other Angells indued with a most excellent knowledge of things and a most tenacious memory It appeares also secondly from their experience of things from the creation of the world to this time Thirdly from their office which is to delude and deceive the reprobates and to try the Saintes which require great ability of knowledge Fourthly from this that they are the great masters of all the impostures that have bene in the world of all sorcerers witches and southsayers who for title call the Divell their master Yet notwithstanding their sin hath given their knowledge a mighty wound For first their naturall knowledge is maymed exceedingly there is darknes mixed with it they lost what man lost and more Adam could call things by their names according to their natures but who can do it now and proportionably to their more eminent nature and sin was the greatnes and eminency of their losse Secondly in their knowledge of things divine and revealed in many things they fall short they beleeve enough to make them tremble but many the best and most things were lost to them what they see they see but by halfe lights and therefore though the Divells understood more of Christ then men not enlightened by God and they could tell that Paul and his companions were the servants of the most high God also Iesus they knew and Paul they knew Acts 19.15 they have whereof to beleeve and tremble Iam. 2.19 they raise from the effects some darke and obscure knowledge Yet in things of this kinde the Divells beleeve not very many things which they should have beleeved if they had stood and therefore are called darknesse and the power of darknesse because they are exceeding darke in themselves in respect of the good Angells and of what they might have beene But now then thirdly to see things as the good Angells and holy people doe to wit the beauty of holinesse the evill of sin the lovelinesse of God in Christ the glory of God as Father to his elect such sights as might gaine and winne them to God they are perfectly blinde in and understand nothing of and as I have told you before they never saw God as the elect Angells did they never beheld the face of God so nor now can they see him as the elect both Angells and men doe but heere lies the greatest darknesse which they can never overcome Their spirituall punishment will appeare also by those names and titles attributed to them in the Scripture they are called Perverse spirits and uncleane spirits from their quality and office they are the authours of uncleane thoughts and actions they are called The evill one the enemy viz. to God and man The Father of the wicked Iohn 8.44 Also the Divell the calumniator the tempter one whose worke lyes in deluding and depraving man Also the God of this world hee would be worshipped as God as hee hath also a power over men 2. Cor. 4.4 So hee would have worship from them as they have also formally and explicitely
reasonings to the motion of the object which may more easily leade and facilitate us to the consenting to such a lust or inordinary It may also be on the other side that corruption mooving freely and of it self the Divell may adjoyne himself as hee will neglect no probable occasion to promote his worke and it is possible that some motions may escape him without his concurrence For though hee be wise and watchfull yet neither doth hee foresee all future things nor perhaps doth hee consider all present things instantly and assoone as ever they are in act especially such as give the least impression upon the fancy or some of the fences which may be supposed rather of more transcient acts of thought of suddaine and passing things then of any thing of greater moment which lyes longer in thy minde and are premeditated it is most probable the Divell is never wanting to them Thus you see how hee stirres in sin and how hee mingles himself with temptations which is according to Scripture and the sence and experience of our owne heart From that therefore which hath bene said in the first part of the second point viz. that our owne corruptions can furnish us with temptations though there were no Divell Let us be sencible of the miserable condition wee are in and cry out of the body of death wee carry about us as Paul did and learne to keepe the avenues against all lusts which may finde away to us by our sences by the example of others and by ill company aswell as the Divell watch our hearts out of the heart proceed evill thoughts c. The Divell could hurt us no more then hee did Christ if hee had no more matter in us subdue corruptions mortifie lusts and the Divell wants so much footing the fire is ours alwayes though the flame be his quench the fire take away the subject matter and then yee defeate and vexe him as hee doth you with his wiles But then secondly see the need of watching yee fight not against flesh and blood yee have a nature that you cannot stand before without a speciall assistance that yeeldes without a blow or with an easy touch and wee have a Divell able to adde strength to the bluntest weapon to stir up corruption where they are most mortified who is sufficient for these things for this combate Fly to Christ to the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah to resist for you this Roaring Lyon Thirdly in our watching thinke much of the Divell have him evermore in our eye and by knowing his nature wiles and methods and his ministery what hee doth in the world hee instructed for him as for an enemy set him up as a But to shoote against But in our confessions charge onely our selves Acts 5.3 Peter said to Annanias why hath Sathan filled thy heart hee chargeth him reasons it out with him not with the Divell it was an evasion in Evah to excuse herself by the temptation of the Divell and in Adam by Evah therefore the charge of sin is ours not the Divells Wee have last insisted upon these two heads what influence the Divell had upon sin and then secondly what influence hee had upon temptations and how hee usually concurred in tempting whether no temptations were without him and how hee either begins or joynes with us in them for the severall manner or wayes of conveying his temptations to us either by presenting sencible objects or by speaking to us from without as the Divell did to Evah and doth to many in apparitions or by applying himself to our fancies by an inward commotion of our humours and stirring of the phantasmes these with the like it will not be needfull to repeate againe but referre you to what I delivered concerning the good Angells in the former part of this discource But before wee finish this head of their ministery there is one thing more which would be touch't How those ministeries are distributed and whether there be Divells appropriated to such vices or to such persons Some have thought that some rankes or kindes of Divells have bene to tempt to pride others to lust others to covetousnes c as being called in some places a lying spirit in other a seducing spirit in others a spirit of fornication c. But it seemes not necessary that these spirits should be ever divers but that the same may doe severall things in divers times and may from the effects on the world gaine those names nor is there any such distinction in the good Angells but the Angell keepers as you have heard before promote to all good oppose all evill So the same Divell tempted Christ to many severall things to distrust in God and to worship him So Iobs Divell had power not onely over his cattle and children but his body also And besides all the evill Angells have knowledge power and will enough to tempt to all vices and as much as in them is they will loose no opportunity to vent their malice and hurt us therefore others distinguish their ministery according to the object of it Persons and States and Societies and therefore quote those places of Dan. 8.20.21 where mention is made of the Kings of Persia and Greecia which opposed Michael their Prince and understand also that place so of 2. Cor. 12.7 There was given unto mee the messenger of Sathan to buffet mee and that curse Psal. 109.6 Let Sathan stand at his right hand and the liberty the Divell obtained upon Iob which are still supposed to be certaine peculiar Divells set out by Sathan their Prince for that particular ministry to such a person or state though they must beg leave of God for the execution This is not improbable for Sathan hath ever bene the ape of God and there is no doubt of his will for this method which hee sees so advantagious for the Saints in the other ministery of which wee have spoken if his power faile him not Now if hee have instruments enough and God permit it there is no doubt of his power and where God permits him to tempt hee will sure permit him to use the best methods and of the other to wit that hee wants not instruments there is as litle doubt the host of heaven was great and there were Angells enough that fell to conflict with all men Sathan could spare a legion for one man to doe a great worke Consider the difference betweene the Saints and the wicked in the point of temptation I shewed you before that the Saints and onely they have good Angells for their Guardians Heb. 1.14 The Divell doth not faile to allot them evill Angells also But what becomes of the wicked an evill spirit is upon them and God is not with them this shewes first the excellent condition of the Saints and the difference betweene them and the reprobates The Saints ly bound under the decree of God under the ministery of Angells the wicked are exposed as a prey to
glory in our condition and to improove it how sweet is our portion the traines the wayes of God are pleasant all his wayes are pleasant and all his pathes prosperity to have naturall desires which exceed not their bound and liberty to satisfy them without the fire the scald the Itch of lusts to have a spirit so great by meeknes and humility as it is above those ills it seemes most to fall under to be be-lowe envye for the world sees not your riches nor your greatnes and above misery and shame to have a spirit so meekned as it cannot breake againe to be above your condition what ever it is and to use it to possesse your estate and not to be possest by it to looke on money as a servant of the lowest forme to pitty them that Idolyze it and to improove more your litle by enjoyment then they doe their riches by looking on it and Idolizing of it Againe to goe further into the consideration of what wee said before and see how you outstrippe them for another life in knowing and loving that which they ignorantly persecute in having your assurance in God whereas they have none at all nor in any thing I could be large heere in the comparison of our service and our way which should be the object of our joy and rejoycing when ever wee thinke of it and thinke of it wee should often for that purpose For since God hath made the miserable condition of the wicked a foyle to the love of his elect wee should do so also and run over by way of comparison the heads and grounds of our comfort but I shall rather in the second place Intreat you to improove these things If you know these things happy are yee if yee doe them if you know the differences of your conditions if you know the wayes of Sathan from your owne and where they part happy are you if you tread those wayes and those paths and for those broade high wayes those common roades these beaten pathes of Hell which wee have described our wisedome and our glory will be to keepe a loofe of to keepe farre from them it will be lesse shame for us to be shamed by other things to be caught by other traines then the common snares Although it be true that in the pursuite of those things Sathan useth his greatest wiles and his finest peeces of subtilty however let us keepe a loofe of let us carry a watchfull eye to those great and common snares the Divell may alter his method but his But and end is the same hee findes these things sutable to corrupt nature and hee improoves all that is within us to worke vilde and base impressions those wayes therefore let us watch him where hee watcheth us and let us not thinke that because wee have escaped the pollution of the world that therefore wee shall escape him hee spinnes his web the finer for you Which is the reason why I have spent sometime in these particulars of his most usuall martches that yee might see the way in some of its foulnesse together with the guide that yee might see the hooke under the bayte and be undeceived in things so greatly concerning you Now therefore having your adversary so fully and largely described to you in his nature in his power in his ministry as hath bene shewed at large in this tract of Angells for some peece of the Divells power you must fetch from what hath bene said of the good Angells that wee might not be obliged to repeate things twise it remaines that wee should fight that is that wee should addresse our selves to the combate for there is in this adversary what ever might prepare you and stirre you up to a most formed and exact warre For first hee is as hath bene shewed a most inveterate and sworne enemy hee ceaseth not to accuse day and night hee knowes all our good lyes in maintaining good tearmes with God Therefore his care is to beget ill blood between us hee inticeth us to offend him and when hee hath done hee aggravates this offence to the utmost capacitie of it Hee goes about like a roaring Lyon hee goes about therefore hee is not idle hee workes continually and it is like a roaring Lyon hee hath not onely a Lyonish nature in him apt to devour and to fall upon the prey but hee is ever roaring that disposition is alwayes wound up to the height and intended in him other enemies not so so that heere is the worst disposition that can be imagined ever acted and mannaged with the greatest intensenesse But then secondly if his evill nature had not much power joyned to it hee were lesse considerable lesse formidable though wee say there is none so weake but hee hath power to doe hurt But I beseech you consider his power is fitted to his nature if hee meane ill hee is able to doe also much ill there is no part or faculty of your soule or body that hee cannot reach and that at all times in all conditions in all postures alone or in company idle or imployed sleeping or waking when you are fit for nothing els you are fit to receive his impressions Nor is hee an enemy of the weaker sort and so lesse considerable an arme of flesh against poore fleshly creatures is great but hee is a spirit Our originall sin our fleshly corruptions wee finde evill enough enemies bad enough even to the making us cry out with Paul of the body of death But we wrestle not against flesh blood this text tells you you have another kinde of combatant for the description of whose power to finde fit names the highest comparisons will faile us Principalityes powers rulers spirituall wickednesses above They are not called Princes but principalityes not Potentes but Potestates not mighty but powers Lord not of a part but of the whole world of the darknesse of the world all the wicked of the world which are darknesse are of their side fight under them against us and all the darknes in our owne harts is with them also all those fumes and foggs of lusts all those mists of ignorance and unbeliefe are part of his armie Againe instead of wicked spirits they are called spirituall wickednesses and that above both in high things and in high places they are above us they hang over our heads continually You know what a disadvantage it is to have your enemy get the Hill the upperground this they have naturally and alwayes Againe there are enough of them they can immediately beleaguer a man cōpassing him round possesse every part of him Seaven Divells can enter at once into one man or if need be a whole legion doe wee beleeve these things and are wee not stirred are wee not affraid if we apprehend the approach of an enemy and the towne wherein wee are be in danger what wringing of hands is there what praying what provision and yet perhaps hee may be diverted hee
you see comes in by light Againe Glory the apprehension of it the notion of it begirts renders strong exceedingly Christ for the glory set before him c. did wonders but light and glory runne together and the notion of glory comes in by light Isa. 60.1.2 Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee so it is called The light of the glorious gospell 2. Cor. 4.4 there would have bene no glory seene if there had bene no light and there is a glory also in light Acts 22.11 Paul said hee could not see for the glory of the light therefore light is glorious now this dazelled his bodily eyes but our spirits see better and more strongly for glorious lights which gives assurance and courage and so strength also In a word our whole armour is called the armour of light Rom. 13.12 So great a thing is light to armour and to strength according to the more or lesse of which men are weake or strong to any course to which they pretend but above all to religion Now for the Divell against whom wee arme doth not hee play in the darke almost altogether when hee would deceive our sence hee casts sand in our eyes mists before us to deceive and blinde us and then wee judge of things not as they are but according to the medium wee see through So for our comfort how doth hee enervate us and loosen our loynes by leading us into darke thoughts of God and of our condition how doth hee unsteddy our steps and intimidate us by putting scruples in our wayes and hiding from us those truths wherein our strength would consist If hee can make us insincere hee hath enough wee shall then seeke darknes and chuse it rather then light of such Christ sayes that they loved darknes rather then light because their deeds were evill Ioh. 3.19 But be sincere the right eyeing the right seeing the right apprehension of things is that truth which begirts us and together with sincerity renders us strong and mighty to fight with him to contest with his wiles with his lyes with his impostures for his dealings with us is nothing els But be wee but sincere that is honest to your selves and to God and discover him and hee is gone This therefore is a neate cleane peece of armour fitted for the part and for the enemy wee contest with all If you aske what you shall doe for it I would advise you by way of corrolary to two things First converse much with the Father of lights In his light wee shall see light Psal. 36.9 Be neere God that hee may shine upon you continually hee hath no false lights as impostures have to shew their wares by what ever light hee affords you is right and gives you the thing as it is Hee hath no false glasses that greaten or lessen the proportion of things but such as render them as they are Converse much with the word the booke of lights all it sayes is true without a reason though it be all reason converse with the Saints the subjects of lights they have light that will shine before you all these lights convey truth to you the right notion of things And that is it which begirts you renders you strong and steddy fit to deale with the Divell the father of all impostures and deceits also think ruminate much of things according to what true notion you have ever had of them in some times and parts of our lives wee have right notions of things with such sight as carry their owne evidence with them represent them often to your selves this will make your light shine to you your light may be under a bushell in your owne heart and truth without this may be to seeke when you should use it when you should judge and walke by it you may have many right principles in you but Raked under Ashes but wisedome is to have them at hand and for use that when the Divell comes with his wiles and his mists shining and blazing truth may scatter them and melt them and cause them to waste away assoone as they dare to appeare for example If hee shall shew the pompe and glittering of titles and honour and would lead you out of your way by that foolish shine a right judgement of things hath for him that the outsides of things are for children that the masks and vizards either of good or ill are not much considerable that honour is in truth that which is lasting which hath its rise in worth and is given by God and wise men that such honour properly should rather follow then lead good actions that the praise of men and the praise of God are seldome consistent that it is a signe of diffidence of God to be too anxious to receive honour from men that there is no reason that should moove you which the Divell can neither give nor continue to you I give you but a tast if hee tempt you to gratify the flesh by lust or idlenesse by a soft and delicate life by indulgeing to bodily things Truth will girde your loynes and make you stand steddy heere in also by telling him that it is wisedome to till the better part that nothing stands in so proper an antipathy to the spirit as the flesh that Paul beat downe his body and brought it into subjection that the body is to be considered onely as an instrument and not to be idolized and indulged to for it selfe that belly meat shall both be destroyed ere long but the soule dies not that idlenes is death before your time with this difference that it is considerable in your punishment which death properly is not for no man is punished for dying That Iesus Christ was a perpetuall motion that good men have used to finde little rest but in their consciences and their graves till they come to heaven that your condition heere is to be a souldier to indure hardnes and fight for which truth armes you not to live delicately and take your ease this might be enlarged in many other particulars and in these more fully I onely give an instance that you may know what I would and may learne to begirt your selves with right notions against the wiles of the Divell For the other part namely sincerity for the heightening and improoving of that I shall put upon you but this burthen love much sincerity is immixednesse and rightnesse of ends a spirit goeing right forward drawne right forth without guile or ends Love will concentrate all in God make all lines meet in him self love makes men insincere to God and others because it drawes away from the pretensions which are to God it sucks away the sappe and the juice that should goe into the body of the tree it is like a cut that draynes the channell which should runne with full source into the sea but love gives all and wishes for more in no respect
of the hope firme unto the end Heb. 3.6 So as here is no rejoycing in boastings heere is no vaine fancies of our owne no castles in the aire But then as their is a vanity in the uncertaintie of their hopes which mixeth them with feares and a further and fuller vanity in fixeing and assureing their hopes by their owne boastings and presumptions incerta certa redendo So Thirdly there is a mighty vanity in the matter of their hopes for they are of things low and meane no better for kinde then what they have already why doe they not enjoy them nay why doe they despise them because they knowe them so as they despise what they know and hope in what they know not because they know it not but the object of our hopes and of our joy arising from them are of things so great and reall as the little but yet the true taste wee have of them makes us desire more It is our knowledge that makes us vallewe our hopes and joy in them and it is our ignorance that causeth us to hope no more nor rejoyce in the good things which are the objects of them And therefore wee see faith which gives a reall evidence and sight of things intends above any other thing our hopes and want of faith and weaknesse of faith lessens our hopes and the joy of them The object of our hopes are things great thing heavenly things eternall and these are the matter if any other thing bee of joy Opposite to which are the dead beggarly and sensible things of this world which are mistaken alwayes in hope and usually despised in possession so that not onely simply but in comparison with other things wee have all reason for the joy of hope The warrant of this joy wee have given you already when wee shewed the reason of our joy in opposition to wicked mens boastings but the end is not onely for it self though that be much that wee may live comfortably that wee be in as good a condition as this state is capable of but joy as a result and concomitant of hope is mighty for Battaile ye are now in the lists and ye put on armour the joy of Hope which is the joy of the Lord is our strength Hee that rejoyceth not in the hope of things to come will rejoyce in vaine hopes or in sensuall enjoyments Hee that cannot take in the pleasures of salvation by hope will assuredly joy the joyes of wicked men for hee wants this armour against pleasures and sensuall joyes which is a weapon Sathan weilds to our dis-advantage asmuch as any and therefore know how to arme your head by hope and against the pleasures and joyes of this world by the pleasure and joy of hope unlesse you would be exposed as a prey to things of sence and things of this life against which this hope of salvation is your armour But now to answere shortly an objection if hope brings in so great and steddy a returne of joy what place will you allot for sorrow for sin for wee are sinners and a sinfull condition and that affection suites us very well Answ. Certainely wee should not sorrow as those without hope but as those which are full of hope yet on the other side as there is occasion by renued acts of sinnes our hope and our joy should intend our sorrow and rectify it God would not have an uncomfortable or a dispairing thought in all sorrow it is the sorrow of the world that workes death that destroyes and hurts some inordinacie some excesse but sorrow intended and relieved also by hope and the joy of it as it is often necessarie so it will never hurt you There is a double use of sorrow first to worke out the staine of sin in supplying the want of afflictions sin is not onely evill for its transcient act but for the cursed disposition that it leaves behinde there is ever sin in the wombe of sin sorrow serves to worke out the staine of sin and doe the worke of afflictions which are to humble and bring low Prov. 20.30 The blewnes of a wound cleanseth away evill so doe stripes the inward parts of the belly this is applied to correction and cleansing afflictions worke the wound to such a disposition as is cleasing and healeing But then secondly sorrow for sin serves whereby to expresse our affections to Christ in a manner sutable to our condition and to the posture wee stand in towards him shall wee grieve the Lord and shall the Lord be grieved and shall wee not grieve But hee loves us and pardons us therefore should wee grieve Besides while hee loves us hee grieves and hee grieves the more because hee loves us and so should wee if hee did not love us hee would not grieve and if wee love him wee cannot but grieve when wee offend him Jer. 31.19 Surely after I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed c. Ephraim mournes and grieves which hee did not till God had mercy on him then hee smote on his thigh If you aske how wee should grieve Never without the reliefe of hope and joy let them act and intend your sorrow but for the degree why should wee not in humbling our selves for sin worke our selves and our sorrow as low as afflictions would lay us if chastisements should take hold on us or sicknes to death or any other hand of God chastising for sinne this will be no interruption in your hope no prejudice to the joy of it Thus your hope armes you against pleasures by joy the joy of hope but wee have paines also to conflict withall all the evills and calamities that dishonour want and poverty or bodily evills can inflict patiency also in attendancy and expectation yee have need of patience that after yee have done the will of God yee may receive the promise Wee would faine have our rewards in hand wee are loath to stay wee would have the reality of the reward not the vision of faith onely Heb. 10.36 Now this is needfull for the Saints through faith and patience inherited the promises Heb. 6.12 If you aske who infests the Saints who puts them to their patience The world and wicked men but especially the Divell that hee might discourage us and devoure us might breake and interrupt our course might make us for want of continuance doe and suffer so many things in vaine and therefore armes all his instruments evill men and our owne corruptions against us to make us weary of that way which is so sowed with thornes which costs us so much paines and trouble God also puts us to our patience by suffering manifold evills outward and inward to infest us that hee might purge present evill and prevent further evill and that hee might try us and use what hee hath laid into us that hee might say of us another day as hee did of Iob yee have heard