Godlinesse 13 The Godlies infirmities their triumphs Of the Devill and his instruments 75 79 He bends his forces against them 94 Yet he cannot prevaile 94 The Devill is a chargeable guest 159 Grace of God must be stirred up 156 Dangerous to oppose the Grace of God 8 170 Hindrances in Gods service a griefe to the Godly Godly 29 Wicked mens conversation their griefe 29 They will not justifie themselves 29 It is a signe of a gracelesse man to plead for sinne 30 Gifts of Nature if they be not sanctified by grace fit preyes for the Devill 48 Gospell a great blessing 173 The meanes to expell Satan 174 H THe Devill labours to hinder the Godly 135 He envies their happinesse 74 The Devill knowes what men love and hate 71 He knowes the heart by outward signes 73 God requires the heart 131 Mans heart Satans den 118 Full of filthinesse 109 Ready to open to Satan 119 Tale-bearers compared to Hell 82 Wicked men hardned in prophanes 123 Happinesse of the Godly a grief to Satan 19 Heaven would bee full if sinfull pleasures would send them thither 129 Men must take great paines to get thither 36 37 Hypocrites are covetous 7 They are garnished with hypocrisie 110 They are Satans house 118 They have all maner of furniture to entertaine him 110 They are his resting place 108 They are a swept house 108 They have roome enough for many sinnes 160 They Indent with God for a dispensation 131 They will not part with their darling sinnes 45 They are temporisers 4 7 50 How farre they may go ibid. 49 51 They deceive the world 162 Their morrall vertues 47 They discover themselves 50 Hypocrisie odious 132 Swept what it signifies 108 Godly never empty houses and why 125 I IEwes ingratitude 2 Their Religion full of blind Ceremonies 7 Their malice paid home 172 How they prophaned their temple 7 Ignorant men Satans bond-men 32 Their estate fearefull 32 Idlenesse the Devils pillow 90 118 The mother of mischiefe 123 A fit subject for the Devill to worke upon 123 124 Condemned by the heathen 124 God severely punishes it 123 Inconstancy in Religion fearefull 171 K KNowledge and practise must goe together 171 God regards not the quantity but the quality 48 It must not floate in the braine 172 But men must make use of it 172 L LAw how it prepareth the heart 19 Satans power limitted 22 Lets and hinderances in Gods service a grief to the godly 29 To pretend Religion and intend vilany one of the Devils lessons 134 Lukewarmnesse dangerouse 170 To forsake our first love fearefull 170 Makes Men loose all their labours 89 Fleshly Lusts Satans porter 14 M THe Divels malice is to destroy 12 15 83 He is a murtherer 64 A bloody midwife 95 The godly have must an eye to the Devils malice 162 Wicked mens malice limitted 96 99 Disapointed 101 Tale-bearers malice to the godly 81 Ministers how tempted 67 87 113 Their duty 29 Mercy despaired damnable 121 173 Man quickely made miserable 128 He perceives not his misery 36 ad 40 N SLuggish Nature to be awakened 88 The Devill by observing our Nature tempts us to sinne 115 Naturall men Satan bond men 16 38 Negligence dangerouse 4 O VVIcked men oppose the grace of God 8 They use variety of objects to satisfie their lusts 78 The Devill wakes by outward objects 66 Hee waites his opportunity 7 8 Originall sinne 15 38 Vniversall obedience a signe of sineerity 28 The tryall of Faith 172 The onely way to be approved of God 31 Occasions of sinne Satans baite 136 They must be avoided 139 Stopped 143 P THe Devill deceived our first parens 14 Perseverance crownes Religion 168 Piety rewarded 119 Prophane men wil doe that in Gods presence which they are ashamed to doe in mans 90 Their company dangerous 91 They are hardned in sinne 123 The Devill labours to batter our patience 92 His power limited 95 He hath no power but from God 103 He cannot prevaile against the godly 95 22 There is an howre appointed for the power of darkenesse 99 Gods children are pretious in his sight 98 He miraculously preserves them 96 99 Their prayers are very profitable 163 Persecuters loose their labours 168 106 They fight against God 106 Heaven would bee full if sinfull pleasures send men thither 129 Sinfull lusts Satans porter 14 The devil in Adam poisoned all man kind 15 He will keepe a pawne and pledge in his hand and why 135 Dangerous not to profit under the Word 174 Popery darknesse 173 Q HOw the Devill may be said to be gone out of a man and yet remaine in him 44 45 He labours to quench mens zeale 87 How the Divell can tempt all man kind 71 R SAtan restlesse to doe mischiefe 64 What rest he seeks 62 Hypocrites his resting place 108 109 Repentance a hard work 169 It begins when sinne is forsaken 27 Counterfeit repentance 4 Swept house 125 Of no worth 130 Men must be reformed or else they have not repented 130 Relapses dangerous 270 Men must make a league with Religion 171 Religion whence it came first 144 Men must resolve to come out of their sins 136 Piety rewarded 87 Men must learne of the Devill to be resolute 87 Covetous men will dig to hell for riches 115 Revengefull man Baalberiths pallace 118 It is a dangerous thing to be ashamed of Religion 123 Iewes religion full of blind ceremonies 7 8 Mans redemption wonderfull 19 20 S PRophaners of the Sabboth loath to forsake their sinne 35 Soule must be committed unto God in well doing 172 It is no easie thing to be saved 129 The best time must be spent for it 88 Wicked men have filthy soules 172 It hath enemies 93 Security in sinne dangerous 154 156 Satan dwels in sinners 158 What he workes in them ibid. He sets a false varnish on sinne 159 Sinne will not be cleansed with sweeping 125 It poysons all good things 37 Penitents must take revenge on themselves 127 Sinners are slovens 128 Darling sinnes are the Devils windowes 130 Originall sinne 3â— Sinne how aggravated 149 How made worse 150 151 It gets strenght by committing 152 Proppes of sinne must be removed 152 Compared to the soares of the body 169 The Devill hath a great band of souldiers 70 His instruments allure to sinne 74 The Devil laies his snares over all the world 83 Solitary places Satans walke 90 His undaunted courage 111 His great strenght 111 Vpon what he relies 113 Security dangerouse 119 The Devill makes men secure 115 He is a spirit 10 His sinne 12 T TAle-bearers the Devils Champions 79 They are archers 81 They carry their swords in their mouths 81 They are worse than Crowes 81 Compared to hell 82 Their malice to the godly 81 Temples of our body must be kept holy 136 Wicked mens trade is to drawe one another in sinne 32 74 Devill worse than a theefe 83 No place free from his temptations 11. 6 He began to
Matth. 18 19. plucke it out In many places of Scripture we finde how carefull the Saints have beene to shunne the occasions of sinne Iob to prevent Adulterie made Iob 31 1. a covenant with his eyes that hee would not looke upon a maid Happy had it beene for David if he had done the like Solomon to prevent drunkennesse would not have men looke upon Pro 23 the wine in the Cup when it is red and to prevent gluttony would have men offer a knife to their throat Paul when hee had received a commission from the high priests to persecute all that call on the name of the Lord Iesus and to bring them bound backe to Ierusalem But being converted Act. 9 19 from heaven and made a chosen vessell to carry the Lords name before the gentiles see how carefull he was to shun the occasions which might coole his zeale and hinder him in his holy intendments hee did not goe backe to the High priests which had set him a worke for they would have befooled him as they did the souldiers which they sent to apprehend Christ What will you be one of his disciples which he knew well enough therefore hee joynes himselfe to the Disciples that hee might bee the more strengthened in the knowledge of God So Abraham the Father of the faithfull having received Gods commandement to offer in sacrifice his Sonne his onely Sonne the Sonne of the promise hee did not consult with flesh and blood Gen. 22 2. nor with his wife Sarah but early in the morning to prevent any occasion that might hinder him he makes himselfe ready to obey Gods Commaundement When Peter Matth. 27. that godly man had denyed his Master in the High priests Hall amongst those wicked servants when hee came to the sight of his sinne he fled away out of their company as if it had beene for his life So when Ioseph was tempted to Adultery by his uncleane Mistresse he shunnes the occasion by rushing out of her presence whose practise and example teacheth Mora dat vires the godly to take heede of the occasion of sinne and to stop the course thereof in the beginning least by entertayning them they are plunged over head and eares in sinne before they are aware One sinne drawes Non Solum gravia sed et levâ—a peccata sunt cavenda Multa enim levia vnum grande efficient Bernard on another and great sinnes spring out of small occasions bee carefull then to avoyd the least occasion of sinne least it usher on a greater and the occasions of sinne also the garnishing of the house for this uncleane spirit to roost in Then how may we lament the carelesnesse of many in our age that are so farre from shunning the occasions of sinne as that they lay themselves open to all manner of temptations and so become dangerous instruments for Sathan to tempt others to sinne like Thamar that sate in the highway Gen. 38 to tempt Iudah her father in law to whoredome and like the whoorish woman which saluted the young man Pro. 7 13 in a bould and wanton manner and to entice him to take his fill of love with her But let us learne to stop the course of sinne in the beginning and to crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof and to say with the spouse in the Canticles I have put off my coate Cant. 5 3. how shall I put it on againe I have washed Qui minima asperniâ—cadit in maiora Peccatum nulluÌ„ adeo parâ—um est quod non cresâ—at neglectum August de vera falsa penitentia cap. 8. Flumina magna viâ—es parviâ— de fontibuâ— orta Ovid. my feet how should I defile them againe If God have washed thee by his Spirit and pulled from thee the filthy raggs of sinne take heede of alluring objects For hee that despiseth small sinnes doth easily fall into greater For there is no sinne so little but if it be neglected it will increase The drops of raine are but little in quantitie yet they cause great floods which beares all before them We see by experience that little Parva scintellâ— câ—ntempta magnum excitavit incendium Quâ—t Curt. Ephe. 4 19 sparkes of fire neglected cause great burning Therefore if wee would not commit sinne with greedinesse let us learne to take heed of the beginnings of sinne If there bee nothing but a a little dust in our Chamber a broome will sweepe it away but if the dirt and filth be hard and baked on there must bee a spade to dig it out so if sin be resisted at the first it will not easily grow and encrease Wee must not give sinne entertainement least it prove our ruine As men are carefull to kill Serpents in the shell Ravens in the nest so must we doe with our sinnes we must strangle them in the birth and not suffer them to grow to perfection else if wee doe not wee shall remaine a garnished house for Sathan Motives to induce us to shunne the occasions of sinne Nature hath made the creatures carefull to prevent bodily danger The horse that hath beene plunged in a Quagmire will not easily come into it againe but will shun it with all his might The fish which hath beene Ictus Pisciâ— fugit hamum wounded with the hooke will warily shunne the baite Then if the creatures by natures light shunne the occasions of danger what a shame is it for man which hath not onely natures light but also is indued with reason and hath the light of Gods word to be a Lanthorne to his feete and a light to his steps if hee doe not shunne the occasions of sinne And thus much for Sathans entertainement he findes his house empty swept and garnished Then goeth hee and taketh with himselfe Vers 45. seven other spirits more wicked than himselfe and they enter in and dwell there And the last state of that man is worse than the first In these words we may observe Sathans policy to fortifie himselfe hee encreases his strength his confederates are heere described 1. By their essence they are spirits 2. By their number they are seven 3. By their malice they are more wicked 4. By their victory they prevaile they enter in and take possession 5. The issue and event the lamentable estate of that man is not onely miserable but it is worse than the first The enemies that strive for possession are spirits and so unresistable they come in the suggestion of unrighteousnesse and if we consent unto them then wee entertaine them When Ananias and Iudas consented to the wicked motions that the divell inspired into them the divell is sayd to fill the hearts of the one Act. 3. and to enter into the other Luk. 22. 3. So all those that walke in evill evill hath possession of them But it may bee replyed and said Quest What man is there that doth not sin and so give place to the divell
monere memorem more laborious than need requires I surcease desiring you to accept of this simple scarce ripe fruit of these my Meditations and to looke over my failings with an eye of compassion and to cover my slippes and infirmities with the mantell of Charity for Bernardus non videt omnia So shall I remaine thankefull to you and will endevour to provide some better Present whereby I may declare the sincerity of my affection towards them that feare the Lord. In the meane time I commend you to God and this present worke to your charitable Censure and my selfe to your Christian prayers and alway rest Yours in the Lord to be commanded Edmund Cobbes A TOPICALL INDEX OR TABLE Alphabeticall pointing out the materiall heads contained in the whole Booke A ACtions A godly man will not justifie himselfe in any sinfull action Page 29 The Devill ready to hinder good actions 67 He is Gods Apo. 33 He gets advantage by mans carelesnes 84 He hath many Agents 74 75 Is a purgative to the purse 17 Adultery A hell to the Soule ibid. Hatefull to God ibid. Destroyes the noble name of a Christian ib. Hatefull to God ibid. A sinfull trick of youth ibid. Adulterer is the Devils house 118 A great helpe 60 Admonition Apostacy Exceeding dangerouse 89 166 167 Makes men loose all their labours 89 Preservatives against it 168 Satans walkes 89 Ale-houses Places of wickednesse 74 Will make men climbe to honour by bas◠Ambition meanes 115 Barrennesse under the word armes Satan 174 Of innocency put off by Satan 14 74 Armour It is complete 156 Invincible 98 It must be buckled on 86 Without it a man is like an unwalled Citty 157 Tale-bearers are archers 81 Archers B DAngerouse 155 Backsliding Dishonours God 167 Backesliders loose all their labours 167 Naturall men Satans bond-men 16 133 Bond-men Ignorant Reasons why Christ frees his children from Satans bondage 25 The Devill deceives men with sugred baites Baites 115 Vnder the preaching of the Word armes Satan Barrennes 174 Christians must be better and better 16 Mens callings subject to Satans temptations Calling 84 85 Conscionable walking in a mans calling brings comfort Carding and dicing no meanes to bring comfort 91 The bane of Charity 82 Envy C MEn are carelesse amids dangers 86 Carelesse Carelesnesse gives the Devill advantage 84 Hypocrites are covetous 74 Covetous A covetous man will digge downe to hell for wealth 115 They have the Devill in them 55 The Devill observes mens constitutions 66 Constitut Constancy required 87 Prophane Company dangerouse 91 137 Satans conditions dishonourable 103 Gods children must be valiant 103 They shew their weakenesse in the time of danger 104 Conference very profitable 162 The Devill cannot indure it ibid. Custome of sinne takes away the sence of sinne 16 It must be forsaken 123 God will have no Corrivall 131 Violence not so dangerous as craft 3 How wrought 19 It is a supernaturall worke 41 19 20 26 135 Satan envies it 19 Christ foyled Sathan 22 Reasons why 22 26 How Satan is foyled 25 What it is 53 Civility Wherein it consists ibid. Civill men will not ransack their hearts 55 They are well conceited of themselves ibid. Their conceit proved a deceit 55 56 They reject admonition 6 Contemners of grace great sinners 45 Contentious men have the Devill in thē 56 Devill cruell to children that have not offended him 147 Christians must strive to be better and better 168 They must lay a good foundation 169 Good counsell to be remembred 169 Sinne against conscience fearefull 170 D DArling sinnes must be pared away 109 The Devill will not let men take notice of them 31 Gods ape 133 Devill He is a Spirit 10 11 12 He was an angell of Gods making and a Devill of his owne 13 His sinne 12 He is an enemy to godlinesse 13 Good actions 67 He hates man for Gods cause 74 He envies mans happinesse ibid. 18 His malice endlesse 84 70 Restlesse 64 No place free from his temptations 84 He feares none 66 He is a continuall tempter 66 64 He gets advantage by mens carelesnesse 84 He is a murderer 64 Worse than a theefe 83 He stirres up sinfull dreames 66 He spreades his net over all the world 83 70 His circuit 84 He dwels in wicked men 158 He deludes the sences 114 He knowes mens nature what they love or hate 115 He knowes the tide of mens affections 74 He will make a shew of holinesse 51 He is ready to ensnare men by their vertues or their vices 67 He will be cast out in one sinne to bee entertained in another 52 He will let men performe holy duties and why 51 He will gratifie his servants 51 134 What he teaches them 134 He hath his Agents 74 Who they be 79 There are infinite number of Devils 71 They certifie one another what is done in all places 71 They discourage ministers 67 And people 69 Dangerous to come in Satans walks 89 Or to be idle 91 A drunkard loath to part with the Divell 35 A drunkard is Belphegors stie 118 The Divels garnished house 132 To discourage men in the practise of piety very fearefull 166 Devill when expelled 6 7 How expelled 18 22 His power must give place to Christ 22 Reasons why 23 25 How he foiled him 23 Duties of them that are delivered from Satans bondage 25 ad 30 Ministers duties 29 Private mens duties ibid. Defending of sinne a signe of a gracelesse man 30 Wicked men will rather part with Heaven than their sinnes 35 Decay in grace dishonours God and shames Religion 167 Popery great darknesse 173 Dry places what they signifie 61 62 E ENvie the doore of iniquity 82 The bane of Charity ibid. The corruption of health ibid. They are sencelesse fooles 92 An envious man the Devils cage 118 He hath a Devill in him 118 The Devill is encouraged by mans weakenesse 114 He knowes not who are elected 106 Wicked men run from one extreame to another 78 He hath good entertainement among them 123 Empty what it signifies 108 Words must tend to edification 5 Examination how it must be made 172 Sinne must have no entertainement 144 F FAith invincible 172 Historicall Faith 48 Wherein it consists 48 Triall of Faith is obedience 172 Ioyned with good workes 108 The Devill opposes it 92 Envious men sencelesse fooles 82 The Devill deceives under the name of friendship 113 To fall from piety to prophanesse a great fall 165 A fornicatour hath a Devill in him 55 G GAming house Satans walk 89 Garnished what it signifies 110 133 136 Why pleasing to the Devill 132 133 The Gentiles had many Gods 6 Their Idolatry 7 How Christ prevailed with them 6 7 The Devill laboures to dishonour God 93 And to destroy the godly 95 Yet they are preserved 101 They must have an eye to his malice 102 The Devill an enemy to
tempt 84 He is never weary 113 64 66 116 Wicked men tempt themselves 143 Evill thoughts are stirred up by Satan 66 Triall of a mans state how made 26 27 28 Time cannot be better spent than upon God to glorifie him and upon our souls to save them 87 Time servers are miserable 171 Men must not conforme themselves to the sinfulnesse of the times 171 A sinne of times ibid. Satan is the head of Tyrants 111 Their malice limited 99 God hath a hook in their nostrils 100 Their malice cannot compell the fire to burne us ibid. Thankefulnesse opens Gods hand 154 Gods Talents must be imployed to his honor 171 V THe Devill will ensnare men by their Vertues or their Vices 67 Saints vertues are to be imitated 171 The Devill is a vanquished slave 104 Vsury unlawfull 130 Vnbeleevers miserable 32 W VVAlke what it signifies 61 The Devill walketh any way to do mischiefe 76 His walkes are dangerous 89 Where his walke are 86 90 Watchfulnesse needfull 87 112 Required 92 93 Why neglect of it full of danger 116 117 Wicked mens trade is to draw men to sinne 70. 74 They are restlesse in sinne 77 They are the Devils standards bearers 70 They rejoyce at the fall of the godly 75 79 They are enemies to godlines 75 They are hatefull to God and hurtfull to men 32 They are quiet among themselves 160 They use variety of objects to satisfie their pleasure 78 They run from one extreme to another 78 The world is the Devill circuit 84 He knowes how to handle his weapons 157 Mans weakenesse encourages him 114 Spirituall weapons must be used 126 It is not enough to fight with Gods weapons unlesse we borrow his arme 105 Gods children shew their weakenesse in dangers 104 Words must bee weighed in the ballance of wisedome and tend to edification 45 Gods Word is the star that leads to Christ 41 Y ADultery a sinfull trick of Youth 17 Z THe Devill labours to coole and undermine our Zeale To decrease our Zeale dangerous 171 FINIS ERRATA Mens works have faults since Adam first offended And those in these are thus to be amended PAge 57. l. 8 supply Papists in profession yet many of them are Papists in ignorance and prophanes c. p. 67. l. 1. r. Iehosuah p. 62. l. 6. put out Satan seek l. ult r. bodies p. 66. l. 18. r. so now p. 81. in margent r. habeo meum p. 110. p. 24. Courage l. 4 r. plowing p. 144. in the margent r. scintilla p. 144. r. after evill spirits q. 148. l. 8. r. restlesse THE PARABLE OF THE VNCLEANE SPIRIT Matth. 12. 43. When the uncleane Spirit is gone out of a man hee walketh through drie places seeking rest and findeth none Then he saith I will returne into my house whence I came out when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished OVr Saviour Christ in great humility and mercy came to save and to seeke the lost sheepe of Israel unto whom hee came not empty handed neither did hee leade an unprofitable life among them but all his workes were witnesses of his love to their soules and bodies in curing the one and feeding the other for he went about Act. 10. 38. doing good curing all that were oppressed of the divell Yet for all his manifold mercies manifest miracles which he wroght among these stubborne Iewes they requited him with inveterate hatred and maliciously interpreted his workes to be wrought by the power of the Divell for so they say This fellow doth not cast Vers 24. out Divells but by Beelzebub the prince of the Divells But our blessed Saviour knowing their cursed malice and obstinate wickednesse by sound arguments confutes their calumnies and discovers their intollerable blasphemie So that in this Story the holy Evangelist doth lay open a double conflict ofour Saviour the first is against Sathan the enemy of mankinde in the body of a poore man the other in the tongue of these obstinate pharises In the one he was a blinde dumb divell in the other a seeing and perverse adversarie Now because violence doth not make an enemy so dangerous as cunning and craftie therefore our Saviour casts him presently out of the blinde and dumbe man Where in he shewed himselfe by force but out of these subtill and malicious Pharises he did not so easily cast him out but is forced to come from sound arguments which might have stopt their mouths to passe a doome upon them in the conclusion of Vers 45. this Parable Even so shalt it be also to this wicked generation When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man Whether these words were directed to the poore man out of whom the divell was gone out or to the stubborne Iewes may seeme a Question No doubt but it may very fitly be applyed to the former that having received so great a benefit he should not be unthankefull to the Lord for his deliverance or grow secure and carelesse least by his negligence and misdemeanour the devill which now was cast out of him should returne and take possession of him againe and so his last end should be worse than the beginning Or else these words may serve to be a witnesse against these perverse Scribes and Pharises to seale up their further damnation It may serve for both and bee as a patterne for the godly to imitate to teach them to order their speech that their words being weighed in the ballance of wisedome and powdered with the salte of discretion may tend to edification and minister grace to the Col. 4. 6. hearers For many times the standers by doe more heedefully marke what is delivered than those unto whom the speech is directed When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man This uncleane spirit which keepes possession by the power of sinne was after a sort formerly cast out of the Iewes when they received the Law of Moses and so were taught to worship the true God aright then this uncleane spirit with his filthy troope being destitute of so convenient a lodging walked through drie places amongst the Gentiles to seeke rest whom hee corrupted in such a vile manner that hee made them leese both sence and humanity and fall into all manner of blindenesse and Idolatry as we may see Rom. 1. 24. in so much that being seduced by him they worshipped and served him with manifold Idolatries so that at the last hee had so farre infatuated their understanding that they also worshipped Catts Serpents and other filthy creatures as may appeare by the testimony of divers historians Hesiod as Eusebius observes saith There was worshipped upon the earth 30. thousand gods In which Idolatrie the Gentiles continued untill the Lord Iesus preached the truth of his Gospel amongst them which glad tydings they embraced and forsooke their former errours and beleeved in him and when they saw his miracles they spake very honourably of him and acknowledged him to be
and so justify thy selfe in thy transgression or on the contrary canst thou not be quiet and at rest till thou hast humbled thy selfe before God and craved pardon for thy sinnes And then canst thou more comfortably rejoyce in the favour of God than in any earthly blessing whatsoever Then if thou canst finde these or the like markes of salvation in thy soule then I pronounce unto thee out of the word of God that this uncleane spirit is gone out of thee For if hee held thee under his bondage he would not suffer thee to take notice of thy darling sinnes but rather to justifie thy selfe in thy transgressions Hee would not have thee question thy want of faith inward pride malice covetousnesse or foolish speaking conforming thy selfe to the corruptions of the time These with many other sinnes he would not have thee take notice of by which thou maist conclude that God in mercy hath freed thee from the bondage of this Tyrant Hath Christ by the powerfull worke of his Spirit cast this uncleane spirit out of thee Vse 2 Then be exhorted all yee that feare God to submit your selves unto Christ to bee guided by his word for he is able to 2 Tim 1 22 Rom. 14. 18 keepe that which is committed to him And by this meanes yee shall be accepted of God and approoved of men else wee shall be in danger to revolt and then wee may see our 2 Pet 2 21 fearefull case and condition Therefore having received so great a benefit let us bee sure to give God the Revel 12 10 praise of his mercies for he deserves it and it is all that he lookes for and Psal 50 15 there is great reason he should have it Gratiarum Actio est ad plus dandum in vitatio Chryâ— in Gen. Hem. 52. because we shall neede his helpe another time And thus much for the former uses Come we now to the latter which is an use of terrour unto all that are under Sathans bondage Vse 3 Come hither and behold thy fearefull estate and condition thou whoever thou bee that remainest in this fearefull bondage and slavery Sathan is their god which hath blinded 2 Cor. 4 4 the eyes of all unbeleevers least the light of the Gospell of Christ should shine unto them He is thy Father and Ioh. 8 44 workes his owne worke in thee and 1 Ioh. 3. 8 makes thee to resemble him in pride and disobedience and to fight for him against God and his word which he makes thee to hate and to oppose and to draw others from the worship of God and to lay a stumbling blocke Revel 1 15 in their wayes to cause them to sinne Deut. 32 33 And so makes thy best workes like the poyson of Dragons hatefull unto God and dangerous unto men Besides all this hee holds thee as a slave and keepes thee in ignorance and Ephe. 4 18 2 Cor 2 14 Luk 8 12 robbs thee of the use of Gods word And while thou remainest in this miserable estate there is no goodnesse in thee nor nothing good can come from thee Thy reason is blinde thy heart is rebellious and thy wisedome is enmity against God and Rom. 8 7. art uncapable of the meanes of salvation and art given over to a reprobate sence to worke all uncleannesse with greedinesse And remaining in Ephe. 4 19 this estate thou art without Christ and so a stranger from the covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world So long as thou continuest in this estate thou art under the rigour of the Law which exacteth at thy hands the performance of all it requires and also the blessings of the Lord they tend to thy damnation for so he saith I will Mal. 2 2 curse your blessings yea I have cursed Pro. 1 32 them already Againe The prosperity of fooles destroyeth them And as All Rom. 8 28 things worke for good to Gods children so all things worke thy hurt and ruine Thy table is made a snare and that Psal 69 22 which should have beene for thy welfare Rom. 11. 9. is become a trap Yea Christ himselfe which is unto the godly a sweet smelling savour of life is unto thee a stumbling stone and a rocke of offence Rom. 9 23 Crosses and afflictions which God useth to purge out the sins of his children these work in thee hatred against God stirres up thy corruptions to murmure to be impatient and still to shun the gracious presence of God and to hate the meanes of salvation Thus wee see the miserable estate of all those which are under Sathans bondage how miserable they are in this life and how miserable they shall be in the world to come But alasse how may wee lament the desperate estate of many in our age who though they remaine in so fearefull an estate yet they are unwilling to come out of it Tell the drunkard that this uncleane spirit must bee cast out of him else hee shall not inherit the kingdome of God and hee will for your paines give you a squib or watch opportunity to doe you a mischiefe Tell the Prophaner of the Lords Sabbath and the filthy livers of our time that this uncleane spirit must be cast out of them and you shall heare them roare like the divell in the Gospell that they will not be tormented before their time Oh! what a lamentation may we take up for the desperate sinnes of our time which furiously march to hell under Sathans colours and will not be reclaymed God hath offered them the meanes and hath shewed them the way how they may be freed from this fearefull bondage and yet they will not but had rather be Sathans vassalls in the Egypt of sin than the Lords freemen in the land of Canaan The servant under the Law that would not bee free from his masters service when he might was to have his eare boared through with an aule and so to bee made a servant for ever So it is just with God to let such willing and carelesse men to be slaves to Sathan for ever Question But may some say if their state be so miserable how comes it to passe that they doe not see and feele their miserable condition Answer Sathan blindes their eyes with the pleasures and profits of sinne which are very agreeable to their nature that they never consider of their miserable condition and so at last the Custome of sinne takes away the insuetudo occandi â—llit sensum â—eecate feeling of sinne Againe they were never sensible of any better estate and therefore no marvaile if Sathan hoodwinkes them to their destruction Let the consideration here of moove all men to labour in time to see their miserable condition and to repent least they bee plunged under Gods judgements before they are aware Spare no paines then and give no rest unto thy soule untill thou art assured that
Saphirah sell their goods for the Churches good if he can make them lye and dissemble Hee cares not though many of us come to Church to heare Gods word if hee can make our mindes wander after our profits and pleasures then hee knowes he can wrap us under the curse of the Lord in doing his worke negligently Hee will be content to bee expelled out of an ignorant heart if so be he can corrupt his knowledge with faction and Schisme He can be content to bee cast out in one sinne if he can be entertained in another He cares not if he be cast out of an Idolatrous heart if he can keepe possession by prophane Atheisme then he hath as much as he desires And by this one sin he markes them for his owne 5. This uncleane spirit may be cast out in the opinion of the partie in whom he dwells and not in the worlds account for every man is ready to deceive himselfe in this particuler seeming pure in his owne eyes though he be not washed from his filthinesse Pro. 30. Let us see how nature occasions this deceipt and how many delude themselves in thinking they are some Gal. 6 3 body when as indeede they are no body 1. Deceipt is to make a man thinke he is a good Christian because hee leades a civill life and is just and upright in his dealings This is indeede an excellent vertue in it selfe and a good step to Christianity and it were to be wished that all Gods Children would be carefull to walke unblameably in respect of the world But yet for all this this Commendable vertue is made evill by accident so becomes a dangerous outward meanes to exclude grace For civill honesty if it be severed from true piety is nothing else but glorious iniquitie For the ornament thereof is to rest in the performance of outward actions as to deale justly and uprightly with their neighbours and to be free from the reproachfull crimes of the world Now here they rest and thinke themselves good Christians though all this while they bee ignorant of the true God and the grounds of his worship And in their honest dealing with men they ayme not at Gods glory that by their unblameable conversation his name may be magnified yet for all this because the world cannot condemne them they rest contented with a probable errour of being in the state of grace and the rather because they know that if they should step forwards in religion and labour for inward sanctification they should not onely stirre up against themselves many thundring stormes and the contemptuous Censures of this spitefull world but also from the bottome of hell many disturbances and fearefull temptations therefore Sathan labours to keepe them in this estate and perswades them that this civill righteousnesse will carry them to heaven and that God will exact this precise and strict obedience at the hands of the Preachers and those which are better learned than themselves But these men must know that though their workes make a glorious shew in the sight of men yet they are odious in Gods sight if they bee not done in obedience to his Commandements and in zeale for his glory 2. Men will not be perswaded they are so bad as indeed they are Will you see how this deceipt is also occasioned It is because they compare themselves with those that are Sathans outragious revellers whom they doe excell in regard of their civill moderation and morall cariage now finding themselves in a better condition they are in their owne opinions Canonized Saints and so neede no reformation Thus it comes to passe that the proud man will not be perswaded that hee hath a filthy Lucifer in him The covetous man will not be perswaded that Mammon rules in him The fornicator and Adulterer will not be perswaded that Asmodeus a filthy and uncleane spirit reignes in him The envious man will not be perswaded that Beelzebub an irefull divell governes him The contentious man he will not beleeve that Baalberith a troublesome Divell is in him The drunkard hee will not beleeve that Beelphegor a beastly Divell domineers in him The idle person he doth not thinke that Astaroth a lazie Divell is in him Thus all men are ready to deceive themselves but we must know that where the workes Vbi opera â—bi operans are the workemaister is at hand And though the world cannot detect them for their sinnes yet the Allseeing God is privie to their corruptions The Scribes and Pharisees were just and upright men to the world in regard of their austere life and strict observations but yet our Saviour tells his Disciples and in them us That except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse Mat. 5 20. of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall in no case enter into the kingdome of Heaven These men were carefull to abstaine from such sinnes as the world takes notice of but the Lord Iesus the wisedome of his Father detects Mat. 23. them of much hypocrisie So he knowes these Iusticiaries well enough and though they bee not Papists in ignorance and prophanenesse or in Idolatry making their good meaning their God their wit and policie their God nay peradventure their money or their belly their god And Phil. 3 19. for all their civill honesty Sathan sees them make little conscience of prophaning the Sabboth swearing by their faith or troth Masse or our Ladie Now because they count these small sinnes the devill holds them fast enough as his vessales and slaves 3 Many men deceive themselves because upon some good motions of Gods Spirit by the powerfull ministerie of the Word their consciences are awaked and they brought to a sight of their sinnes so that they begin to hate those sinnes they delighted in and to performe some holy duties and so now they thinke that this uncleane spirit is gone out of them but for want of watchfulnesse he comes againe and allures them to the committing of one sinne or other or else by covetousnesse sets them as deepe in their gainefull sinne of Vsury deceipt gaming and the like as ever they were so with Iudas they receive the soppe and the Divell againe and so their former righteousnesse is but a morning dew and their unrighteousnesse by little and little returnes againe and they become as disordered in their courses and as sinfull in their practices as ever they were 6. This uncleane spirit may seeme to bee cast out in the opinion of the godly and not of the partie himselfe Thus the Disciples had a good opinion of Iudas because of his outward conformity to the word and because Christ had put him in trust with the bagge therefore when our Saviour told them that one of them should betray him they suspected themselves rather than Iudas and yet all this while Christ knew he would prove a Traitor to him and a butcher to himselfe and Iudas himselfe knew that he had a covetous envious
is empty of faith and good workes swept and slighted over with counterfeit repentance to bleare the eyes of the world and garnished with counterfeit holinesse so that Sathan shall have roome enough it is empty He shall have it pleasing and delightfull it is swept and garnished it hath all manner of furniture fit to receive him And thus you have the sence and meaning of the words Then he saith I will returne to my house Here we may see the carriage and boldnesse of Sathan though he be expelled and have received the foile â—et hee will returne He is audacious â—nd will aske no leave though hee â—e chained by his maker yet he will â—oe as farre as he can hee will feare â—o colours Would you know the reaâ—ons why he is so bould and audaciâ—us The reasons are these two 1. He relies upon his owne strength 2. Hee takes advantage of mans weakenesse 1. Hee is able to doe much by his owne strength therefore he is called the God of this world and the Prince that ruleth in the ayre and hath all wicked men at his becke and commaund which daily hee musters up to take part against God and his children he is the head of all Tyrants and wicked men and makes them doe as Athaliah did kill and persecute the godly that hee may rule himselfe therefore this powerfull enemy knowing his owne strength and his Souldiers courage and fidelitie is so confident that by one meanes or other he shall prevaile and so desperate and venturous that he will returne to his house againe nothing shall crosse and hinder him Good Lord what will not Sathan doe If thou O tryumphant Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah doe not hinder him his malice is against thee and thy glory and cannot abide that thou shouldst be glorifyed by thy people he hates thy worship and therefore labours to defile it therefore shew thy selfe strong to perserve thy children and to save them from his malice and to keepe them alwayes in thy feare Seeing then Sathan is so watchfull and diligent to doe mischiefe this must teach us to be watchfull and alwayes to stand upon our guard and be prepared to resist his temptations for as soone as one is gone hee will come with another he will returne to his house one way or other and what hee cannot effect by force hee will performe by flattery Thus many times under the name of friend he allures us to some one sinne or other thus hee stirred up Peter to move his master to pitty himselfe and not to die when he might live So hee perswades many Ministers of the word to pitty themselves and not to weare out themselves in Preaching and studying as many doe telling them that many good Ministers take their pleasure and yet discharge their dutie well enough But in this case we must say to him as our Master once Get thee behind me Sathan for thou Matth. 16. art an adversarie and enemy to Gods glory and his peoples salvation And if hee cannot prevaile with friendly termes then he perswades them they take too much upon them the Lords people are holy enough and that there needs not so much adoe If hee cannot prevaile this way then hee will see if he can make them proud of their gifts so to make them rob God of his glory He spends all his time in open rebellion against God and persecuting his children Hee workes wonderfully in the Children of disobedience Ephe. 2 2. Thus hee wrought upon the prophane heart of Esau to sell his birthright for a messe of pottage upon the covetous heart of Iudas to betray his master As hee is cunning in his secret temptations so hee is very craftie to delude the sences by outward objects Thus he deceived Saul in Samuels mantle so in the time of ignorance he deceived many by entring into the corps of some dead bodie making them speake what hee pleased Thus we have seene the malice of our enemy and how he is imbouldned by his owne strength In the second place wee are to see how our weakenesse gives him advantage he observes our negligence and sinfull backesliding therefore like a cunning thiefe he often comes to view the house and to spie out the weake places before he make any entry he lookes whether we be fallen into those sinnes which before wee made a shew of repentance and when hee findes a man fallen into his old sinnes againe then behold a swept house for Sathan He knowes our nature what wee love delight and hate and so fits his temptation accordingly Thus hee can make the covetous man dig to Hell for riches The ambitious man to use many indirect courses to climbe to honour and preferment The wanton to commit fornication and adultery With these sugred baites he hath not onely deceived the wicked as Achan Gehazie Saul Annanias but even Gods deare children as Noah Lot David Peter and many in our dayes Thus by knowing our nature hee provokes us â—o sinne hee stirrs up the cholericke man to anger and revenge the melancholy man to despaire and distrust and to take things in the worst sence So he perswades all mankinde to sinfull security and that they have time enough to repent and amend their lives and so wraps them under the curse of God before they are aware I will returne Sathan he thinkes there is none so holy but that he may pervert hee knowes the just falles seven times a day and therefore may take them tripping at one time or other and make them abuse the mercie of the Lord. Againe hee knowes that there is none so sinfull but that he may be converted and therefore hee tempts all good and bad and rather than he will faile of his temptations he will raise up a tempest from all the foure corners of the world as he did when he blew downe Iobes house and killed his children If the East winde of prosperity cannot puffe up Gods children hee will see what hee can doe by the west winde of adversity he labours alwayes and by all meanes to dishonour God and to bring mankinde to ruine and had not we neede to stand upon our watch and to take heede of security least he deale with us as Iael did with Sisera naile us to the posts of Hell before wee are aware He alwayes stands armed so let us let us not then let our armour lie rustie but by prayer buckle it on let us alwayes keepe in our calling and then we are under Gods protection and then we may bouldly crave his assistance Let us remember wee have a craftie divell to deale withall that will watch us at all turnes and times he hath his tearmes and vacations his goings and commings though sometime by Gods restrayning power he may stay away a long time yet he will returne therefore bee not secure but prepare for his comming he hath not done with us he will by one meanes or other labour to get possession and
house is you have partly heard how that a little counterfeit repentance will not serve the turne to get out the dirt and filth which is baked and seated in nature A house that is made foule and filthy by much resort of people will not bee made cleane by a little sweeping there must be paring and scraping with a paring Iron else the filth will hang on and will not be remooved Even so these temples of our bodies these earthly houses will not bee clensed and purged from the corruption of sinne with the beasome of counterfeit repentance but the sharpe knife of the law must be set on worke there must be a searching of the heart a plowing up of the fallow ground there must bee a mortifying of the fruits of the flesh there must be a de 〈…〉 of our selves in our profits plea 〈…〉 s and delights a little crying of God mercy will not serve the turne 〈◊〉 there must bee an aggravation of 〈…〉 e by circumstances sinne must be â—mâ—lified in regard of the meanes that we had to resist it if we had had grace to use them aright therefore when we have failed in using our spirituall weapons then we must condemne our selves and take a holy revenge upon our nature which did inâ—ice us to such and such sinnes Wee Luk 1â— must doe as Mary Magdalen did shee had abused her eyes to wantonnesse and her haire to pride therefore upon her repentance shee tooke revenge of her selfe she made her eyes a fountaine of teares to wash her Saviours feete and her haire a towell to wipe them so must we if wee have offended by gluttony or drunkennesse wee must bring under our bodies by fasting and humiliation Thus did David when he had sinned against his neighbour in giving way to sinfull lusts and uncleannesse so when he had desired to drinke of the waters of Bethleem 1 Chro. 11 18. and after hee did see it was brought with the jeopardie of the lives of his three Worthies then he tooke a holy revenge of himselfe hee would not drinke of it but powred it out as a sacrifice before the Lord. Thus the cunning men being converted by the preaching of the word and brought to repentance burned their Bookes Act. 19 19 that were deere unto them for a revenge upon themselves for their sinne by which they shewed both an indignation in their affections and a just revenge in their actions thus if men would judge themselves they should 1 Cor. 11 37. not be judged of the Lord. Man is made miserable quickely but hee is not so soone made happie againe Esau suddenly lost his birth-right but hee could not gaine the blessing with many teares A swept house will not serve the turne it must bee a sorrowfull and contrite heart that God delights to dwell in Let us then set uppon our sinnes and up with them by the rootes downe with pride covetousnesse and all manner of sinne that offends God and grieves our neighbour else we are but deceiptfull hypocrites and garnished and swept houses for Sathan If swept houses will not serve the Vse turne then how may we bewaile our times wherein so many slovens delight themselves in all manner of sin and prophanenesse How many are there to bee found in our dayes that thinke it an easie matter to be saved But brethren deceive not your selves these filthy soules which have beene defiled with so many sinnes will not be so easily cleansed We have many wayes defiled our selves with vaine and unsanctified thoughts many foule and unsavory words have proceeded out of our mouthes and doth not this shew that wee have filthy soules Againe how many lewde and sinfull acts have wee committed and doe commit from time to time and will a small repentance make amends for all these transgressions No no there must be striving and preassing to enter in at the straight gate The Luk. 13 24. kingdome of heaven suffers violence and the violent take in by force But alasse how many of us sit still sporting our selves in our pleasures and delights If eating and drinking swearing and swilling would send us to heaven there are a great many would come thither There are many also to be found that when they are rebuked for their sinnes and perswaded to amend their lives they will give good words and wish that they could doe as they should but how few of many are willing to plucke up their sinnes by the rootes Many will use the broome of repentance in sweeping the house of their soule lightly and superficially but they will leave still behind their evill customes and wicked habit of sinne which cleaveth fast to them and is as deare as their right eye Wee see by experience that many griping Vsurers will hate adultery make conscience of swearing and forswearing c. these cobwebbes they will sweepe away but for the filthy habit and wicked trade of Vsury because it is a gainefull sinne and brings them an easie life the broome shall not come so farre So againe many Adulterers though well monied hate Vsury because it is unlawfull and condemned by God Psal 15. Ezek. 18 but for adultery their beloved sinne this dirte this filth must remaine unswept The like may bee said of all other sinnes Thus hypocrites will indent with God as if he kept a court of Faculties to dispence with their darling their beloved sinnes which they are loath to forgoe But brethren marke I pray you the policy of Sathan If he can keepe but one corner in this spirituall temple it shall suffice him he knowes how to keepe possession well enough but brethren deceive not your selves if the divell have any part in your heart God will have none he will not admit of a Corrivall he will be aut Caesar aut nihil he will have the whole or else let the divell take all therefore learne wee to use violence against our beloved sinnes and let the divell have no crevisses to looke into our hearts lest he circumvent and surprise us before we are aware as he hath and doth many deceiving them daily with outward shewes and the leaves of religion without substance and through-reformation of the heart but if we will be a swept house for the Lord wee must cast away all our sinnes outward shewes will not delight him he cannot endure a divell in Samuels Mantle It is garnished The house swept and garnished is a similitude borrowed from the use and custome of men who delight to have all things handsome cleane and comely when they are to entertaine their friends But the divell hee delights in no such matter this uncleane spirit hee delights in all manner of filthinesse and all manner of ungodlinesse nothing pleaseth him better The beastly drunkard the abominable swearer the lustfull talker the filthy liver these men are garnished houses for him These men are as a princely pallace for him to domineere in When men have bidden farewell to God and all
godlinesse then they are fit houses for him when the feare of God is choaked in mens hearts and the remembrance of Gods judgements is not before their eyes When the house is swept from all godinesse and vertue garnished with the damnable sins of swearing lying all maner of wickednes then behold these are trimmed houses for Sathan to roost in Sathan delights to have his house garnished that thereby hee might seeme Gods Ape for God will have his house garnished saith the Apostle For this is the will of God even our 1 Thess 4 sanctification that every one should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour God will have the beames of his house Cedar and the Galleries firre hee will have sanctification for the groundworke holinesse of life for the ornament So the devill he will have his house garnished also but the beames of his house are the ougly workes of darkenesse and the galleries sin and all manner of prophanenesse Now if hee can get this house whited over with a counterfeit it shew of Religion then this is a house well trimmed and garnished for him to dwell in Sathan will allow his servants sometime to make shew of sanctity that thereby they may doe the more mischiefe and to pretend Religion in shew that they may act wickednesse in substance He is loath to discourage his servants therefore he will gratifie them a little sometime give them the bridle in their hands Thus hee was contented Abimelech should entertaine Abraham in the best of his land and that Iudas should be Christs disciple he cared not seeing he could allure the one to Adultery and perswade the other to betray his Master If he can alluâ—â— any to the love of any one sinne â—en he is well enough Sathan deâ—â—es with sinfull men as Pharaoh did with the Israelits when he was compelled by the judgement of God to let them goe then hee would have some pawne to remaine in his hand goe saith he and sacrifice to the Lord your God but leave your sheepe and your cattell behind you What had Pharaoh any neede of their goods No no it was not their goods that hee aymed at hee had a further reach He knew that the Iewes were covetous and worldly minded and therefore if they should bee punished with want in the Wildernesse hee knew they would remember their cattell in Egypt and quickly come backe againe for them So Sathan deales with those he hath a long time kept in bondage if at any time he be commanded by Moses and Aaron that is by the powerfull preaching of Gods word to let the Lords people goe and come out of the Egypt of their sinnes and to travell in the desert of repentance then how many blocks and hinderances doth he cast how many stormes doth hee raise to discourage them and to hinder them in their journey to the Caelestiall Canaan And if he cannot hinder us then hee labours to make our mindes wander after our profits and pleasures but as Moyses and Aaron were resolute that they would not leave any of their goods behinde them to please the King but were resolved to obey the Lords commaund so must wee when God calls unto us to come out of sin wee must not retaine any of them to please Sathan but must keepe the temples of our bodies pure that they may be a garnished house for the Lord to dwell by his Spirit He findes it garnished Wee have heard how a garnished house pleases Sathan and how an hypocrite may be sayd to be a garnished house we will notwithstanding all that hath beene sayd spend a little more time in examining what is meant by the word Garnished by the garnished house wee may not unfitly understand also the occasions of sin for the occasions of sinne are Sathans â—aites whereby he is invited to make re-entry therefore the Apostle would â—ave us not only abstaine from sinne but also from the appearance of evill 1 Thes 5 22. If we cast out sinne and doe not cast but the occasions of sinne we leave a Pignus aâ—ud damonem relinquimus pledge in the devils hands which he knoweth we wil at one time or other returne backe to fetch again and then he will surely hould us captived Take heede then of the occasions of sin for â—t is the occasion that makes the theefe Occasio faecit furem If by the mercy of God thou hast repented thee of thy sinnes take heede of the occasions of sinne Hast thou beene a whoremaster Now take heed of wanton company alluring harlots â—ascivious talking amorous songs wanton pictures idlenesse and the â—ike which are occasions of sinne If â—hou hast forsaken the damnable custome of swearing and by the mercy of God hast bound thy tongue to the good behaviour shunne also the company of prophane swearers If thou have forsaken the beastly sinne of drunkennesse abandon also thy boone companions for the occasions of sinne are the divells baites which he layes to ensnare silly soules Iron is hard yet at last fire will dissolve it so a holy man by familiarity with sinners will quickly be brought to sinne It fares with our corrupt nature as it doth with a little fire which though it be almost out yet a little Gunpowder or Brimstone will revive it and make it flash out againe so every little occasion will make a godly man breake out into sinne Familiarity with sinners giveth occasion to sinne See this in Ioseph a holy and Familiaritas saepe occasionem dedit godly man his mistresse could not allure him to follie but yet the prophane Courtiers of Pharaoh quickly taught him to lye and dissemble and to sweare by the life of Pharaoh How Gen. 44. quickly did the daughters of Moab intice the Children of Israel to sinne for which the judgement of God brake out upon many thousands of â—em Our nature is like unto dry Num 25. 1. â—ood which is apt to kindle as soone â—s fire is put to it Occasion is the way Occasioâ—nim iter est quod ducit ad peccatum â—hat leadeth unto sinne There needs â—o divell to tempt us for if any occaâ—on be offred we are ready to tempt â—ur selves Thus Moses knew well Nemâ— lâ—ditur nisi ase â—nough therefore when the people â—ad committed Idolatry with the golden calfe which Aaron had made Eoxd 32. â—e burnt it in the fire and ground it â—o powder and strewed the ashes upon the water and then made the people drinke it He would not have any remembrance left which might put them in minde of their former Idolatry When godly Hezekiah saw that the people burnt incense to the brazen 2 King 18 4. serpent though it were made by Gods appointment yet when it was abused by Idolatry hee brake it in peeces and called it Nehushtan a peece of Brasse Our Savious Christ teacheth us that if our right eye offend us we must
Ans In many things wee sinne all and 1. Ioh. 1 8. If we say we have no sinne wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Yet the divell dwelleth not alike in all for those which with consent of heart entertaine his suggestions hee hath full hould of them but the godly when they give place to him through infirmity they let him come into the Suburbs and out places but Christ by his Spirit dwelleth in their hearts by faith from which he forces him to retire As for the wicked if Sathan get advantage as hee will be restlesse in his temptations as you have heard so hee will be in his torments hee will spare none old nor young as you may see Luk. 9. 39. 42. and if hee be so cruell to children which for want of knowledge have done him no hurt how cruell will hee be to those which have set themselves against him He taketh with him seaven other spirits more wicked The spirits are described by their number they are seaven which is a certaine number put for an uncertaine by which is meant a number of capitall sinnes These Divells are lestlesse when Sathan entred into Iudas he gave him no rest till hee had betrayed his Master hee called and allured him by covetousnesse to get the money and when hee had it he stirred up such stormes in his conscience that hee could not be at rest till he had hanged himselfe These spirits are more wicked than the former because they make those whom they possesse more wicked and sinne may be increased and made more wicked and that in divers respects and that 1. In the greatnesse of the mercy offered thus Iudas his sinne in betraying his Master was worse than the Iewes in conspiring his death Iudas had many watchwords to take heede of the treason and yet for all this hee would not rest till hee had brought the blood of his Saviour upon his owne soule Sinne is increased in regard of the mercy offered How shall we escape if we neglect so great Heb. 2 3 1 Sam. 2 17. salvation Thus the sinnes of Elies sonnes was greater than the peoples because they should have exceeded them in holinesse 2. Sinne is aggravated in regard of the tendernesse of Gods love without any difference of respect or desert God invites all wearie and Math. 11 28. Esa 55 â— heavy laden soules To come unto him againe Every one that thirsteth and hath made a firme promise that they shall not come in vaine I will ease you Math. 11 29. and you shall finde rest to your soules and therefore hath sent his servants to 2 Cor. 5 29. 2 Cor. 6 entreat men to be reconciled unto God And not to receive The grace of God in vaine And therefore hee laments the folly of men that they will neglect grace when it is offered O that they were wise that they understood â—ut 32 this that they would consider â—l 8 13 their latter end Now when the patience â— 48 18 and mercy of God is thus neglected and abused sinne is augmented and this sottish negligence is inexcusable because they doe reject such gracious favour when it is offered 3. Sinne is made worse in respect of the time Thus to sport and play and follow our worldly businesse upon the Lords day is a great sinne because the time is holy and ought to be imployed in his service which must be an item to victualers and Inhoulders that they doe not set open their doores to receive idle companions to drinke and tipple in their houses when Gods house stands open to receive his servants to heare his word Else if they doe they open their doores to the contempt of Gods ordinance 4. Sinne is made worse in regard of the place for swearing and fighting in a Church or Church-yard is worse than in a Taverne or other place for God will have even the skirt of his Sanctuary kept holy Levit. 19 30 Then out of the premisses wee may conclude that if sinne may be augmented in regard of circumstances then by the same reason seaven new spirits may make a sinner more wicked than he was when the first left him The more meanes any one hath to escape the snares of the divel the greater shall be their punishments if they neglect the meanes to escape them Then hee taketh to him seaven spirits worse than the former Hence then wee may learne that there is a difference of sinnes sinners and consequently of punishments The first was said to be an uncleane spirit yet the latter are seaven worse Sinne is very fruitfull how many Quot criâ— mina tot demonâ—â— evills therebe so many divells There is alwayes a fruitfull croppe â—ccati fruâ—fera seget â—â— de morâ—l of sinne If covetousnesse be rooted up lust springeth up if lust be vanquished ambition succeedeth and so one sinne followes another hand in hand according to the Proverbe An evill weede growes apace Now these sinnes encrease from one degree of comparison unto another and creepeth like a Canker which commeth to maturity by degrees Sinne getteth strength by committing as figures in Arithmeticke by numbring The first figure standeth but for one the second for ten the third for one hundred and so increasing their value according to their places so it is in sin â—atth 5 Anger without cause is liable to judgement Exasperating gestures to the punishment of a Counsell but railing speeches are worthy of hell fire Iudas was first a cunning dissembler Secondly a close fisted theefe Thirdly a bloody traytour And lastly which is worst of all a desperate reprobate But I would not so be understood as if I did lessen and extenuate sinne for The wages of sinne is Rom. 6 23. death yet some sinnes shall feele the â—orments of death more than other Baâ—abas murther was great but Iudas vilâ—any in betraying his Master was greaâ—er in so much that it had bin good â—or him if he had never beene borne If sinne be so fruitfull and bee increased Vse by circumstances then let it â—e our wisedome in time to roote â—p those plants whose increase is so dangerous and whose sappe is so veâ—emous About holy matters let all In rebus sacris nulla sit deliberatio Cyp. delay bee absent Secondly seeing sinne proceedeth from footing to rooâ—ing and from rooting unto shooting forth to encrease let us weaken the â—bility of sinne by taking away the â—rops and sustainements of sinne If â—he currents and passages bee stopt â—hat leadeth to a Lake it will at â—ast be dryed up take away the props and foundation of a house and it will at last fall of it selfe So sinne if it be not cherished will quickly bee extinguished But if men will not make use of the meanes and mercies God hath given them to withstand sinne but will give the reines unto their affections to wallow in sinne with greedinesse not resting till they have gon
that wee may stand fast make use of these or the like directions 1. Be carefull to avoyde the least sinne least it usher in a greater for sinne and Sathan as you have heard winde themselves in by some small temptations till at the last like the sores of the body which at first are vicious humors then swelling tumors and after that impostumate and so become uncurable so the sores of sins waxe greater and greater till they breed bring eternal death therefore when thou art fallen thinke of our Saviours counsell remember whence Revel 2 thou art fallen repent and amend confesse your sinnes daily and crave pardon for them Let a man turne by Redcat hâ—â—o â—er quotidianâ—â—â—menta unde corruit per vanâ— dâ—lecta mentâ— Aug. de temp Ser. 182. daily lamentations to that from which he is fallen by vaine delectation Take heede of lukewarmnesse in religion and of backsliding If Christ have washed thee in his blood bathed thee in his wounds and cured thee with his stripes and tooke off this burthen from thy shoulders take heede of lading thy selfe againe by new transgressions but if thou be made whole sinne no more least a worse thing happen Ioh 5 14 unto thee 2. Take heed of sinne in generall so in a speciall manner take heed of vilifying the worke of grace that shines in Gods servants and is made evident to your consciences by the word or worke of God This was the fearefull sinne of the Iewes that daily saw the divine power of Christ shining in their consciences yet they did oppose themselves against him and charged him that hee borrowed helpe of the divell and that hee cast out divels by Beelzebub the Prince of Divells 3. Take heede of in constancy in religion and of time-serving Some thinke that if they bee young Saints they may proove old divells therefore they slacke their zeale in youth to conforme themselves to the time and resolve to bee more religious in their old age but wee see such flutter with Noahs Raven and hardly recover themselves againe but if wee finde our affections running with an irregular motion let us stay our selves and make a league with religion as Ruth did with Naomi resolve never to part 4. What vertue soever you finde in the Saints endevour to imitate and what God reveales unto you be carefull to practise God lookes that his talents should be imployed to his glory therefore let not your knowledge swimme idlie in your braines for vaine speculation but let it be fruitfull in your lives for others imitation 5. Labour for the Spirit of prayer and suplication for this is an invincible bulwarke against Sathans darts Crave daily the Lords assistance and commit your soules unto him daily in well doing and daily examine your heart by the rule of Gods word by which try whether you have faith to beleeve Gods promises if you have it will make you carefull to obey his Commandements thus he that keeps the forte of faith towards God and a cleare conscience towards the world Sathan may assault him but shall never Oppugnat diaboluineâ—â—â—â—ugnal subdue him for whosoever can practise these directions shall be sure to stand fast and firme The application doth now follow Even so shall it be to this wicked generation Wee have at large shewed you Gods mercy to the Iewes and their ingratitude to him againe and that God hath paid them home and made them spectacles of his wrath for all ages to looke upon therefore we will leave them unto Gâ—ds mercy and in his good time to open their eyes that they may behold their crucified Saviour and see what may make for their everlasting good and apply this doctrine to our owne soules If I should begin to number the mercies the Lord hath continued unto the Land in generall I might spend much time and yet not report the one halfe of an infinite number take a few We were all possessed with the spirit of blindnesse as other nations were and were tempted to as much uncleanenesse as ever the Pagans were but yet it pleased the Lord to expell the darkenesse of Popery and to send the light of the Gospell amongst us which we have enjoyed in peace and purity this threescore and thirteene yeares so that we have had peace within our walls and prosperity within our pallaces and no complayning in our streets And by the powerfull preaching of the Gospell Sathan this uncleane spirit hath beene cast out of us now let us take heede least hee creepe into us againe by hypocrisie and unthankefulnesse for the Lords mercies and so make us thinke that our religion stands in shewes and consists in outward formality least wee abusing the Lords mercies and grow leane and ill favoured after wee have devoured so many yeares of store and plenty under the powerfull preaching of the word wee arme our enemie against us who regaining entrance brings seaven spirits worse than he did before and so fortifie his habitation with hypocrysie and other foule sinnes for our unthankefulnesse for the Lords mercies and then there shall bee more prophanenesse than there was before But that this fearefull judgement may not overtake us let us speedily amend our lives and turne to the Lord with all our hearts and then our latter end shall be better â—han our beginning Walafridus Strabo lib. de rebus Ecclesiasticis Siquid in hoc Lector placet assignare memento â—d Domino quicquid displicet hocce mihi What here is good to God ascribed bee What is infirme belongs of right to mee FINIS