2 Pet. 2.21 Oh better had it bin as Peter saith neuer to haue knowen the way of righteousnes then after a man hath knowen it to turne from the holy commaundement that was giuen vnto him Hebr. 10.26 And as the Apostle Paul witnesseth if we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuour the aduersaries Let vs take héede therefore derely beloued how wee behaue our selues after that we haue receiued the grace of God least for our ingratitude negligence our Candlesticke be remoued Apoc. 2.7 our grace taken from vs giuen to an other that shall bring forth better fruite To come to my Text that it is said that he taketh seauen spirits worse then him selfe they are counted worse in that they come furnished with greater malice to séeke the destruction of the soule of man In that he nameth a nūber of 7. I suppose the Euangelist meaneth a number of perfection that is to to wit the Deuil returneth with an absolute power for vnder this number 7. all power that the Deuil can vse is conteined So we reade that Marie Magdalene was possessed with 7. spirites that our Sauiour cast out of her seauen Deuils Luc 8.2.3 which signifyeth al kind of sin So that the number of 7. importeth that Sathan if he come back and repossesse either man or woman againe hee will omitte no occasion to hinder them that they shall neuer returne vnto God againe and therefore the matter is most daungerous and diligently to bee looked vnto And where it is said in our text that all these spirites doe enter in and dwel there You must vnderstand how and in what maner the deuild welleth in a bodie he doth not dwell as the Philosophers say tanquam corpus locatū in loco as a body placed in a place for the Deuils are spirites and not conteined in any place Nor yet tanquam forma in materia as the soule of a man doth dwell in a bodie For the Deuil is a simple substance of himselfe and not composed or ioyned to any matter but the Deuils dwelling is onely by his power or operation where he hath power there he exercyseth his strength there he is said to dwel The Lord defēd vs from his power and that he dwell not so among vs. I haue bin too long I feare me in my former partes I wil now hasten to the fourth and last part so make an end It followeth in the text And the last state of that man is worse then the first Pars 4. This is the fourth part of my diuision wherein I am to shew how that after a man hath receiued the grace of God and that the foule vnclean spirit that led and tempted him to al wickednes by the greate mercie of God was cast out of him if after he loke not wel vnto himselfe auoiding as nere as he can all occasions and causes of sin but leauing his house emptie that is his soule void of a true faith and good workes that for all his abhominable sinnes that hee hath committed hée hath but swept his house that is made a superficial sorow or repentance for his sinnes and that which is worse leaueth his house garnished that is retaineth stil the remembrance desire affection of his former concupiscence vnto such a man Sathan doth sone returne againe and in returning he bringeth seauen worse spirites then himselfe and they enter in and dwel there then it can not be according vnto our Sauiòur his testimonie but that the end of that man must bée worse then his beginning Wherefore that you may vnderstand how much worse the state of that man shall be in the end it shall not be amisse if you know how bad the estate of a sinner is in the beginning And that you may the better iudge of the vilenes and deformitie of the first sinne I know not which way I may make you to comprehēd it better then to lay before your eies the excellencie of vertue For euery thing as the Philosopher saith is best knowen being compared by his contrarie What man is he that can tel the commoditie of health so well as he that hath bin afflicted w e sicknes or who knoweth so wel the swéetnes of libertie as he that hath had experiēce of captiuity To know therefore the vilenes of an euil thing we must consider the nature and condition of a good thing for the deformitie of a crooked line will appeare best if it be measured by a right rule or square The Philosophers defyned that there was nothing that could bée good which had not all or at least one of these thrée properties that is if it were not honest profitable or delightfull and although the wiser sort of them desined certainly that nothing could bee good that was not honest yet that thing which in his owne nature is not honest if it be either delightfull or profitable it carieth at the least a resemblance of goodnes And thereof it commeth that no man would committe any sinne but the it caryeth some shew of goodnes for although syn in the iudgement of the committer bee no honest thing yet he iudgeth it at the least to be either profitable or delightfull or else hée would neuer do it The fornicatour or adulterer he knoweth the sinnes of the flesh that they are not honest yet he thinketh them delitefull The vsurer or couetous man he knoweth that briberie and extortion is nought and not honest yet he thinketh it profitable So that I say euerie sin that the sinner commiteth he doth it vnder the colour of some good or else hee would neuer do it Goodnes therefore in it selfe cānot be but an excellēt thing And looke how much the more it doth participate of all the thrée properties that is to wit honesty profite and delight so much better it must be Vertue therfore is an excellent thing for it is both honest profitable and delightfull And that thing what soeuer it be that is most honest most profitable and most delitefull must néedes be most excellent be that which is called Summum bonum the chiefest good which all men naturally do desire And who is most honest most profitable and most delightful but onely God God therefore is summum bonum the end that euerie man ought to séek and such an end that he that findeth it shall be blessed for euermore Now at the last wee haue found out our rule and square of goodnes to measure the crokednesse of vice and to sée the deformity thereof As the thing that is most honest most profitable most delightful is most good That thing that is opposite and contrarie vnto the greatest good must néedes be the greatest euill That thing that depriueth a man or woman from the greatest good of all other which is
manie either for want of discretion in not iudging of spirituall actions more maturely and soberly or that I gaped after vaine glorie which would condemne mee of greater follie among al Godlie mē but chieflie for that I had no iust or good occasion to induce me to the same The cause therefore why it is come forth in briefe was this At the time I made my exhortation publicklie in Christ his Church in London my wordes were no soner out of my mouth but a yong youth had penned my Sermon verbatim by Characterie an art newly inuented It was this youthes pleasure for the manifesting of his skill in that swift kind of writing to publish my Sermon in print yet honestlie he came vnto me to enforme me first of the matter Hee was to me a meere straunger of whom after I had vnderstood his intent and purpose I craued respite to pause of the matter before I would giue my consent I considered first of my selfe what might be thought or spoken rather I should be esteemed foolish and vainglorious thā to deserue commendation of anie man Secondlie that the youth did it but to shew his skill and cunning in the dexteritie of his owne handewriting and that it was not simply for the health of soules or spirituall profite of any man and after I had debated thus to fro with my selfe I was determined to haue staied his copie and to haue let all alone Yet remēbring my selfe that the workes of the Lorde are wonderful and that he vseth such means for bringing of thinges to passe which are verie strange and to me vnknowen That the matter might perhaps be profitable vnto some that whereas I being but newly cōuerted of many suspected for my synceritie in religion it might bee an occasion to giue some farther testimonie then I haue done and that some thinges it may please the Lord to worke by this simple actiō for the benefite of his Church which vnto me was vnknowen I altered my purpose and intent so far forth as I would not be iudge of mine owne doing but commit it to some other I did write my letters therefore vnto a graue learned man I told him what had happened and I set downe mine owne mislike for feare that thinges might not be well orderly done subiecting my selfe and my matter vnto his vertuous wise and learned censure It pleased him to returne me my copy again approued what should I do should I conceale it so I might perhaps contristate the holy Spirite For the comming of it forth might yeelde perhaps some deuout and penitent soule some comfort and profite For thy sake therefore good Christian Reader who so euer thou art without all other respect I haue permitted this slēder endeuor of mine to come to light in hope that although I may be subiect vnto blame of manie yet I may do some good therby to few To teach them how they ought to detest and hate sinne to walke warelie before the face of the Lord that receiuing the manifold graces mercies at his hands they be not vngrateful hauing once throwne out the foule spirit of sinne out of their soules by true repētance they permit him not to returne again by their great fault and negligence for if they do what will follow thereof they shall vnderstand by the future discourse Thus hauing giuen thee a full satisfaction of the cause of the publishing of this present discourse I am to admonish but one other thing and so I end He that penned my Sermon as I vttered it in Pulpit did it most exactly writing it word for word Yet when I perceiued that it should come to the print I did onely peruse it againe altering some words but nothing of the matter and thus much I thought good to aduertise least they that heard me when I pronoūced it should thinke it was not the same but some other And this being all that I am to say at this time by way of preface if any spirituall comfort redound thereby vnto thy soule Gods name be glorified and it is all that I require and so I commit thee vnto the Lord my selfe to thy good prayer From my chāber in London 1589. 1. Nouemb. Thy faithfull Brother and fellow-labourer in Christ Anthony Tyrell A FRVITFVLL SERMON CONTEIning the nature and vilenes of sin preached at Christ his Church by Anthony Tyrell Math. Chap. 12. vers 43.44.45 When the vnclean spirit is gon out of a man he walketh throughout drie places seeking rest and findeth none Then he saith I wil returne into my house from whēce I came out And when hee is come he findeth it emptie swept and garnished Then goeth he taketh 7. spirites worse then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there And the last state of that man is worse then the first Euen so shall it bee also vnto this froward generation THE Occasion of these our Sauiour his wordes Right Worshipfull and deerly beloued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ of diuers men is diuerslie considered Some thinke that they are generallie ment of the whole multitude of the Iewes who after they had receiued the law of Moses being brought out of Egipt when the Deuils had possessed them with great blindnes and superstition and were taught a peculiar and true manner of worshipping the Lord according to his holie wil and pleasure Exod. 20. that then the Deuil departed from the Iewes and trauelled drie and desert places neuer resting vntil hee came among the Gentiles whom hee corrupted in such vile and grosse manner as loosing both common sence humane reason and vnderstanding they fel into all blindnes idolatrie and superstition and wallowed and continued in the same vntill such time as our Lord and Sauiour was incarnate and preached the truth of his holie Gospell among them the which glad tidinges the Gentlies embraced beleeuing in Christ Iesus and forsaking the grosse errours whereas the Iewes vnto whō the promise most properlie belonged to whō Messias peculiarly was promised remained most obstinate Gen. 12.3 18.18 and wold neither receiue him or beleeue in him Sathan then with all the foule troupe of his filthie familie being cast out of the Gentiles by the faith they had in Iesus Christ and hauing then no rest said hee would returne vnto the place from whence he came namelie to the vncredulous Iewes and finding their Synagogue empty that is the Scribes Pharises and principal teachers of the Law to be void of faith to contradict al that they might Iesus Christ who was come into the world for their saluation and comfort and that it was also garnished that is to say stuffed and filled with a number of blinde ceremonies pharisaicall traditions contrarie vnto that that the Lord had either taught or cōmaunded thē in so much as our Sauiour pronounced his terrible woes as you may read at large in S. Math. Gospel Mat. 24. The deuil I say finding this
oportunitie and aduantage returneth backe vnto them againe repossesseth them taking seauen spirites with him worse then himselfe in so much as the end is become much worse theÌ„ the beginning they being now in farder bondage and captiuitie then euer they were vnder Pharao hauing no proper countrie or place to remaine or abide in but are made vagabonds throughout the world as it appeareth plainlie of them at this day and well may it be said that their end is worse then their beginning for better it had bin that Christ had neuer bin incarnat then being incarnat they wil not now receiue him Other some applye these our Sauiour his wordes as spoken of heretikes who being of Infidels and Pagans by the mercie of Christ made Christians and the Deuil expelled from them by faith in Iesus Christ and falling againe by Apostacie into heresie or infidelitie the Deuill returneth to make his reentrie again bringing with him seauen worse then himselfe and repossesseth them then it commeth to passe that their ende is worse then the beginning for of an infidell there remaineth some hope that he may be conuerted and beleeue but of an apostate or an obstinate heretike there is scarse anie hope at all Although this application be not amisse yet here it agreeth not with the litterall sence Other some therfore and they in my iudgement come neerer to the letter thinke that these wordes of our Sauiour wer directly spokeÌ„ vnto the Scribes and Pharises who seeing beholding the wonderfull miracles that our Lord and Sauiour had wrought and namely that notable miracle the is mentioned in this present Chapiter Math. â—â— 22. of the man that was both blind and dumb out of whom our Sauiour did cast out a Deuill and by the power of his Godhead made him both to see and to speake whereupon the common multitude seeing beholding it forthwith glorified and magnified God but the Scribes and Pharises who ought to haue had more knowledge and vnderstanding became thereby more malitious and obstinate and these miracles that could not come but by the power of the Deuinitie most blasphemously they did attribute them to proceede from the power of Sathan saying that through the power of Beelzebub the prince of deuils he did cast out other deuils Math. 1.24 Whereuppon after Christ had defended him selfe and proued inuincibly the power of his Godhead by an argument of of a kingdome deuided against it selfe that it cannot long stand Math. 12.5 therof concluding that if Sathan were deuided against Sathan then his kingdome could not staÌ„d but should in short time be consumed and ouer throwen In the ende he addeth these wordes that I haue recited for my text whereby hee proueth that those miracles that he had wrought amongst them should serue for their farder condemnation and proueth by that example of an vncleane spirite going forth how he returneth with more strength backe againe and repossessing them from whom bee departed maketh their ende to be worse then the beginning and therefore the conclusion was that the state of those Scribes Pharises was now much worse than if no miracles had bin wrought amongst them or grace offered vnto them Finally it is thought not vnprobable that these our Sauioure his wordes were particularlye directed vnto that man Mat. 12. v. 22. out of whom he had cast the deuil and to whom hee had restored both his speech and his sight that hauing receiued these benefites and graces at the Lords handes he should not become either vngratefull or vnthankefull or by thinking himselfe secure liue any thing the more loosely but to walk before the Lord with al humilitie feare and circumspection least by ouermuch negligence or misdemeanour the deuil should returne backe againe and so alleaging that exaÌ„ple should shew that if it chaunced so to fall out his end would become much worse then his beginning The like caueat or warning our Sauiour gaue vnto the diseased man whom hee cured at the poole of Betheisda Io. 5. v. 2. whom hee finding in the temple said vnto him verse 14 behold thou art made whole sinne no more least a worse thing come vnto thee This caueat might also serue for the standers by and may serue also for vs at this time and make vs so much the more happie if by other mens harms we can learne to beware Hauing as I think said so much as may be for the vnderstanding of the meaning of the letter and of the end and scope whereunto our Sauiour vttered the forementioned wordes It resteth now that for our particular vtilitie and profite that shall either heare or reade them wee may vnderstand what benefite we are to take by them and the benefite will be this if we make it an example vnto our selues for that it may serue verie wel for so much as there is none of vs all but haue receiued innumerable benefites and graces at the Lordes hands more then mind can coÌ„ceaue or tongue can vtter for all which if we should shew our selues vngrateful as that man did the Deuil hauing bin once alreadie by Gods grace cast out of vs might returne againe and returning againe bring other seaueÌ„ worse then himselfe and then woe vnto each of vs for our end should be much worse then our beginning Wherefore for memorie and methods sake I shal deuide the whole matter into 4. partes In the first I wil shew how Sathan departeth from the soule of man or woman and how hee demeaneth himselfe when he is departed In the second I will shew the presumption of Sathan in returning againe to see if he can make any reentrance into that man or womaÌ„ from whom he went out of and therewithal I shal shew the causes that moue the Deuil to make re-entrance In the third I will shew how strongly he reentreth and maketh the place whereinto he is so entered his habitation or dwelling place Fourthly and lastlie I will shew how the ende of that man so repossed is worse theÌ„ the beginning with the reasons and causes As touching the first which is the deuils departure and his demeanour after he is departed Part 1 it is conteined in these wordes When an vnclean spirite is gon out of a man he walketh drie desert places seeking rest and findeth none In these wordes is conteined both his departure demeanour Now to come vnto euerie thing in order you must first consider what is ment by an vncleane spirite This word spirite is in holy Scripture indifferently taken sometime it signifieth the holie spirite which is the third person in Trinitie sometime it signifieth the soule of man sometime the aire or the life of any creature When so euer you shall reade or finde in holie scripture this word spirit set downe simplie without any other word to expresse the meaning therof it is commonly taken in the better part as when S. Paul in the 5. to the Gal. reckoneth vp the fruites of
seeke to be reconciled vnto God or to leaue tempting of man can he euer bée at any rest that carrieth alwaies his hel about him no such matter The rest the Sathan séeketh is no more then how hee may accomplish his malitious minde put his deuilish practices in execution Euen as a man that is giuen to wrath and enuie who neuer is at quiet vntill he haue reuenged himselfe or shewen his malice vpon him that he persecuted with hatred and then he séemeth in that degrée to be at rest so is the Deuil is accounted to bée at rest when hee hath brought his malitious minde vnto any deuilish accomplishmēt or execution so manie soules as the Deuill can bring by any wicked suggestion or synister means vnto destruction so much myschiefe as he may vtter against any man or woman so much rest hée taketh in the accomplishment of his wil although otherwise he susteine grieuous tormēts and punishment at the Lords handes for the same wherefore euerie man or woman is here to take héede that they make not themselues like vnto the Deuil in this point as all they vndoubtedlie do that do beare with themselues reuenging mindes and neuer are at quiet vntil they trouble or vex their neighbour or haue taken reuengement on their enemie who so euer doth so doubtlesse hee sheweth himselfe to bee the childe of Sathan and if hee séeke after Sathan for such rest he shall haue that rest that Sathan hath that is to be tormented with the intollerable pains of hell fire for euermore and neuer shal he come to any other rest much lesse vnto that rest that is prepared for the children of God to liue and remain in eternall blisse for euermore And thus much of Sathans departure and his demeanour in séeking rest and finding none It followeth Then he saith Pars 2. I will returne into my house from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it emptie swept and garnished This is the second part wherein I purposed to note vnto you the presumption of the Deuils returne saying I will returne into my house from whēce I came and when he is come what causes he findeth to force him make a reentrie and they are three namelie that the house is emptie that it is swept and garnished I wil entreat brieflie of euery point in order First the Deuil hauing departed and walked drie and desert places séeking rest and finding none he sayth that hée wil return vnto the house from whence he came Here is to be noted the boldnes the malice of Sathan let him be expelled and repulsed neuer so much yet hée will returne againe whereby we are taught neuer to bée too secure or voide of feare but alwaies to stand vpon our gard for as fast as one temptatiō goeth an other commeth so sone as one miserie is passed forthwith commeth an other a man neuer remaineth as Iob saith long in one estate Iob. 14. v. 2. but now are we merie and by and by sad now rich then poore now frée by and by oppressed with temptation againe I wil returne saith he vnto my house from whēce I came The soule of that man or woman that the Deuil possessed for sin and by grace was expelled out the deuil calleth his house not his properlie by creation for so euery man or woman is properly the Lords for hee hath made vs Psal 95. and not we our selues but the Deuil calleth the soule of a sinner his house by possession for so long as we remaine in the estate of grace wée are the children of God and our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost but so soone as wée giue our selues ouer vnto sin forthwith we become the slaues of Sathan and our bodies are made an habitatiō and a receptacle for Deuils Here would be noted the dignitie of man or woman the feareth the Lord and that walketh in his waies how he is the temple of the holy Ghost and the indignitie of euerie sinner that maketh him selfe the bondslaue of Sathan and a receptacle of foule and vnclane spirites I will goe into my house from whence I came out The Deuill desireth rather to goe vnto his owne house that he possessed before then to a strange house which before was none of his euery wicked spirite hath his proper house the spirite of pride he harboureth in the proud man the spirite of Enuie in the enuious man the spirit of Glotony and dronkennes in the Gloton or dronkard the spirite of vncleannes in the vnchast and fleshly man the spirite of couetousnes in the couetous man and vsurer and so consequently euery sinne hath his proper and peculiar spirite Now when he saith I wil goe into my house from whence I came Euery spirite séeketh to goe into his owne house into that house whereof in former time he had possession out of the which houses that is out of the soules of sinners these foule and vncleane spirites by the mercie of God haue bin cast out some of Glottons and Dronkardes being made sober and temperate some of enuious men béeing made méeke and charitable some of prowde men being made humble some of fornicatours and adulterers being now made chast some of couetous persons being made liberal and charitable and so of the like Thus haue you heard the Deuils boldnes and presumption to put you in a warines and good caution now let vs come to the causes that he findeth for his reentrance After that the vncleane spirite was returned hee founde his house emptie swept garnished Thrée causes sufficient to make him make reentrance he watched his time and oportunity so soon as any occasion was giuē he plieth him he looseth it not but takes it for his most aduantage It standeth therfore déerely beloued vs vppon to haue a vigilant and watchfull eie vnto all the partes of our soule to rule and gouerne well all the sences of our bodie all the motions and desires of the minde and especially to preserue our hart pure and cleane from the consenting vnto any corruption or sinne Omni custodia custodi cor tuum saith Salomon quia ex ipso vita procedit Prou. 4.23 With all diligēece kéepe wel thy hart for out of it procéedeth life Three causes or occasions the vnclean spirit foūd out in this wretched person which gaue him means to reenter againe The first wherof was for that he found his house emptie The soule of that man from whom Sathan was expelled remained empty what is it to be empty To bée emptie is to bée voide of faith and he that is empty and void of faith it can not be but he must be emptie also of al good workes For I do not here distinguish faith from good works as the Papistes commonly do for when I speake of faith I meane a iustifying faith which can not be without good woorkes no more then life can remaine in a mans bodie without a soule I meane