berest Dauid of his life and so it is with swaggerers and drunkards and such like hellish persons when they haue no enemies to fall out with they drawe their weapons on their friends and many times murder their owne companions which is an euident demonstration of the cruell affection that is in Sathans members euen towards the bodies of men 2 Againe this may be another reason of the point that Sathan carrieth a deadly malice against all the creatures Mark 5. as we may see in his desire to enter into the swine and therefore much more vnto mankind and that not onely against the Image of God renewed by the spirit of Christ but euen against those remnants thereof that are remaining in the nature of man whence it is that he is so violent against their bodies and seekes to torture them as well as their soules as carrying some stampe and impression of Gods workemanship in them This point serueth Vse First for the iust reproofe and condemnation of their follie and madnesse that will vpon any occasion haue recourse vnto Sathan or to any meanes of his inuention either for the relieuing of their estate or the easing of their bodies or the helping of their children or the like howsoeuer such doe in word professe that they esteeme of the diuell as of an vtter enemie vnto mankinde yet indeed they shew the quite contrarie viz. that they rather iudge him to be a friend than a foe for they will runne from God and from their deerest friends to seeke vnto him and preferre his seruice before the seruice of any whosoeuer he be Many will serue the Lord hollowly and their maisters vntrustily but the diuell in good earnest and without hypocrisie wholy applying themselues to fulfill the lusts of the flesh they imagine that there is too much rigour in Gods lawe and too much seueritie in mens dealings and that Sathan is the best and kindest maister of all others he will giue them full libertie to breake the Sabbath to be drunken to be wanton and lasciuious to filsh and steale and to doe any thing else whereunto their sinfull nature leadeth them they may haue any indulgence at his hands without checke or controulement and hence it commeth to passe that he hath such troupes of followers and that almost all the world are his seruants and vassals But these men doe little consider in the meane while what a cruell tyrant and mortall aduersarie he is vnto them yea euen to their bodies Obiect How can that be will some say seeing that such doe liue merily and enrich themselues in the world and come to places of great preferment If to take the courses before named be to serue the diuel surely for ought we can see he seemes to be a kinder maister than he is taken for Answer 5 Nay he is a cruell tyrant notwithstanding all this and that to the very outward man for that we may giue instance in some particulars when Sathan giues libertie to any one to take his swing in swilling and drinking doth he not by that meanes ouerthrow his estate craze his braine blemish his name and fill his body full of noy some diseases and doth not the diuell then take a scourge as it were into his hand wherewith he payeth them home that are giuen ouer to that inordinate course of life So when he giues allowance vnto men to follow their couetous humour doe they not pinch their bellies and depriue themselues oâ—t times of necessarie foode doe they not restraine their eyes from sleepe in the night and vexe themselues with many painefull cares as what if such a chest should be broken open what if theeues should get into such a chamber what if my seruants should be vnfaithfull at home What if they should not looke well to my cattle abroad with a thousand such troublesome thoughts which doe breake off their rest and impaire their hearts and by degrees drawe dangerous diseases vpon them it would be too much to particularize in pleasures of diuers kinds in gaming in ambition such like wherein when the diuell hath once intangled men he doth keepe them as it were in Bridewell But grant for the time that he is kinde vnto sinfull persons in letting them haue their fill of iniquitie yet he is withall craftie and seeketh to ouer-reach them by subtiltie for he knoweth that his power is limited so that he cannot doe what he would and therefore he laboureth by drawing men vnto such courses as are displeasing vnto the Lord to put them ouer into his hand who as he well knowes both can and will plague and punish them either in body or in soule or in both so that by presenting before their eyes the benefits that they shall reape by sinne he doth but offer vnto them a sugred cuppe which hath deadly poyson in the bottome of it or a goodly faire baite which hath a dangerous hooke in the midsts of it His dealing herein may not vnfitly be compared vnto the counsell which that false prophet Balaam gaue vnto Balac king of Moab who knowing that he could not preuaile against the Israelites so long as they continued in Gods fauour but though hee cursed them yet the Lord would blesse them Numb 24. Reuel 2. 14. hee aduiseth that King if euer hee meant to doe them a mischiefe to vse them kindly and friendlie to bidde them to their wake when they offered sacrifice to their filthie Idoll and there to make them good cheere and withall to offer vnto them some of their fairest women that so beeing drawen to sinne against God hee might execute some iudgement vpon them and this diuellish counsell was that indeed which caused Gods people to taste of his indignation In the same manner doth Satan beguile the sonnes of men hee cannot bring vpon them that miserie and mischiefe that hee desireth and therefore hee stirreth men vp to prouoke the Lord by their pride and voluptuousnes and worldlines or some such like corruptions and then hauing made warre betwixt the Lord and them hee stands by and clappes his hands to see him smiting and plaguing them for their offences Vse 2. Secondly considering that Satan is such a cruell enemie vnto vs it should teach vs to giue vnto the Lorde the honour and praise of our preseruation that notwithstanding wee haue so many thousand mightie and craftie and malicious aduersaries yet wee liue in safetie and doe enioy innumerable blessings of God to our great comfort that albeit the diuell comes neer vs yet he cannot hurt vs and though this rauenous wolfe be euen in the middest of the flocke yet hee cannot spoyle so much as one lambe among them and that howsoeuer there bee multitudes of his Adherents that haue a deadly quarrell against pietie and against the vpholders and maintainers thereof so that no Lyon is more greedie of his prey then they are of the blood of Gods seruants yet wee enioy our health and
THREE SERMONS VPON MARKE THE NINTH CHAPter 22. 23. verses CONTAINING fifteene Doctrines the particulars whereof appeare in the next pages following By Robert Cleauer LONDON Printed by T C. for William Welbie and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Swan 1611. ⧠THE DOCTRINES OF THE THREE Sermons vpon Marke the 9. chapter 22. 23. verses SERMON I. DOCT. I. THat Sathans malice is bent euen against our bodies 2 That Gods owne children with their faith haue some mixture of vnbeliefe 3 That loue makes men to beare others burthens as if they were their owne SERMON II. DOCT. I. WHere Christ helpes any one in mercy he first helpes his heart 2 That no man hath faith at command 3 The faithfull are strongest and happiest 4 Faith and godly sorrow may well goe together 5 Christians must see and acknowledge their graces 6 Faith shewes men their corruptions and mooues them to seeke helpe against them SERMON III. DOCT. 1. CHrist doth all in due time 2 Enemies of Gods Children shal be rebuked 3 Sathan is desirous to bereaue vs of our senses and limbs 4 A word of Christs mouth is sufficient to helpe vs out of all distresses 5 It is all one with Christ to driue the diuell out and to keepe him out 6 Sathan neuer seemes more masterfull then when he is ouer-mastered The first Sermon MARKE 9. Verse 22. And oft times hee casteth him into the fire and into the water to destroy him but if thou canst doe anie thing helpe vs and haue compassion vpon vs. 23 And IESVS said vnto him if shou canst belieue it all things are possible to him that belieueth 24. And straight way the father of the childe crying with teares saide Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe THe occasion of these words is declared in the beginning of this historie which was this that a certaine man had a childe possessed by the diuell which had made him dumbe and deaffe and that from his childhood in so much that he could neuer speake nor heare in all his life This man in the absence of Christ brought him to his Disciples hearing that they had dispossessed others and therefore hoping to finde the like successe for himselfe But when they had made triall they found themselues vnable to cast the diuell out of his childe wherevpon their aduersaries were readie to insult and triumph ouer them In the meane season our Sauiour commeth among them readie to vndertake the cause of his poore Disciples against their enemies the father of this distressed childe doth forthwith hasten vnto him and enters into speech with him Now these wordes do containe part of that conference which passed betwixt them wherein wee may note these three things 1 1. First the petition of the man with the reason of it he besought our Sauiour if he could doe any thing that hee would haue compassion on him and his sonne and minister comfort vnto him by giuing deliuerance vnto his childe from his miserable estate wherein hee was and to moue him vn to greater commiseration he relateth vnto him in what sort Satan did tyrannize ouer him casting him oft times into the fire to burne him and into the water to drowne him Verse 22. 2 2. Secondly our Sauiours answere where wee may obserue that as the man came with an If saying If thou canst doe anie thing so hee answereth him with the like If thou canst belieue this that is if thou canst bee perswaded of my power that I am able to doe this thy sonne shall be helped for that must needs be supplyed and hee yeeldeth a reason thereof all things are possible to the belieuer vers 23 and therefore this is is not impossible as if Christ Iesus should haue saide Whereas thou makest question whether I can dispossesse thy sonne or not know this that if there be any doubt it is on thy part not on mine if thou canst belieue thou shalt finde that neither this nor any other matter is too difficult for mee this our Sauiour speakes for the helping of his weake faith 3 Thirdly wee may note the replie of this man vpon Christ his speech hee crying with teares said Lord I belieue helpe mine vnbeliefe vers 24. Where we see that he acknowledgeth the grace of God that hee did belieue in part and withall his owne weakenesse that hee was troubled with vnbeliefe against which hee desireth Christ to helpe him that is to cure him of it to giue him strength against it and deliuerance from it And thus much for the order and sense of the wordes verse 22. And oft times hee casteth him into the fire and into the water to destroy him whence obserue this doctrine that Doct. 1. Satans malice is bent euen against mens bodies Satan is not onely an enemie vnto the soules of men but also vnto their bodies Hee doth not onely seeke their destruction spirituallie by drawing Gods wrath vpon them but also corporally by bringing afflictions miseries vpon them as here wee may see by his cruell dealing towards this child albeit he had gotten an habitation in him which was a thing wherein hee much delighted Mark 5. 8. as may appeare by this that hee counted it a torment to be cast out where once he had taken possession yet hee vsed great violence towards him casting him into the fire and into the water being content to relinquish and lose his holde so that the childe might be destroyed Mark 5. 5. The like wee may reade in this same Euangelist in his first chapter where mention is made of one possessed whom the diuell caused to flie from and to eschew the companie of men and to liue in the mountaines and in the graues and to knocke himselfe with stones and so to abuse that strength which he had giuen him to his owne great hurt and torment So also in his dealing with Iob Iob. 1. and with his children and seruants we may obserue how willing hee is to take libertie to hurt mens bodies when it pleaseth the Lord to graunt it vnto him And for the further confirmation of this point Reason 1. Let vs first take experience for one reason to conuince vs of the truth hereof and that in the limmes of Satan who being led by his spirit doe plainly manifest of what disposition their maister is now concerning them it is said that the workes of their father they will doe and of Satan it is said Iohn 8. 44. that he was a murtherer from the beginning whence it may be concluded that the more diuellish men are the more murderous and bloudie mindes they carrie and therefore when the diuell was entered into Iudas he presently fell to practising against his maister 1. Iohn 3. 12. and Caine being of that euill one slue his brother 1. Sam. 18. 10. 11. and when the euill spirit came vpon Saule he laid about him with his speare with full purpose to haue
bene of olde purchased for vs. Vse 2. Let this therefore in the second place serue for an instruction vnto vs that we neuer shew our selues to be of such a cowardly heart as when wee haue spoken well or done well to depraue the same by saying that we are no better then hypocrites or by confessing in word or writing that wee are faultie Nay let vs neuer forgoe our righteousnesse but iustifie our selues in our righteous wayes and workes and acknowledge with thankfulnes and humilitie whatsoeuer good things the Lord hath wrought in vs or by vs that so hee may haue his due praise and wee such found comfort as belongeth vnto well-doers Helpe mine vnbeleefe The last Doctrine which shall be collected from this verse is this that Doct. 6. Faith shewes men their corruptions and moues thē to seeke helpe against them It is the propertie of grace to shew men their corruptions to stir them vp to seeke helpe against the same As in this man it doth euidentlie appeare who as hee had infidelitie in him so hauing faith withall had his infidelitie discouered and his heart moued to seeke vnto Christ Iesus for strength against it The like may bee obserued in the Prophet Dauid who finding his heart to be vexed and turmoyled within him first of all falleth to reason the matter with his owne soule saying Psal 42. 5. 6. Why art thou cast downe my soule and why doest thou make a tumult within me for so much the word implyeth he hauing grace in his heart perceiued that vnbeliefe did as it were mutinie within him and raise vp rebellion against the Lord and therefore finding his owne disabilitie euery way to encounter the same hee in the next verse of that Psalme puts vp his complaint vnto the Lord against it My God saith hee my soule is cast downe within mee c. As if he should haue said Lord I finde my selfe too weake to preuaile against this corruption and therefore graunt mee strength to get the better of it Againe in another Psalme to wit the 77. Psal 77. 10. he beginneth very lamentably as one vtterly out of heart almost concluding that the Lord had quite forsaken him and cast him out of his seruice but afterward he recouereth himselfe and concludeth that it was his infirmitie so to imagine and thereupon laboureth to confirme his faith by considering of the times of olde and of the wonderfull workes of God which he wrought for the good of his people in former ages So also in the 73. Psalme Psal 73. we may note how the Prophet taketh notice of his great infirmitie in enuying at wicked mens prosperitie and in the end goeth into the Sanctuarie to get helpe against it Likewise in the prophecie of Isaiah Isaiah 63. we may obserue the like effect of grace in the people of God viz that they doe discerne of the hardnesse of their owne hearts and complaine vnto the Lord against it Reasons Now the reasons of this point are these 1 First because grace maketh men iudicious and filleth them full of knowledge and of heauenly vnderstanding whereby they are inabled to descrie what is amisse within them Gods gracious spirit wheresoeuer it comes brings a light in his hand whereby all things that are noysome or vnhandsome in the house are plainely seene and discouered so that thereby men are made able to iudge betwixt truth and falshood and betwixt good and euill 2 Secondly as grace doth inlighten the minde so doth it also sanctifie the affections of the parties in whom it is So that seeing what is good they shall long for it and earnestly desire it discerning what is euill they shall hate it and flie from it As it brings light with it so it makes men to bee of a neate disposition that they cannot endure any thing that is fulsome and loathsome in their soules 5 Thirdly grace maketh men industrious and readie to put themselues into the battle against their corruptions Wheresoeuer faith is it is working and effectuall 1. Thess 1. 3. 4 Fourthly and lastly it maketh men full of courage and fortitude so that they will neuer endure to haue sinne raigne in their mortall bodies but will maintaine perpetuall warre against the same for if they should suffer the fire of grace to bee quenched by the impure streames of sinne and iniquitie Gods spirit should be put to the worst which is no lesse then blasphemie for any one to imagine that it should euer come to passe for it doth work faith in mens harts which is indefatigable and inuincible which in time of temptation will sue vnto heauen and search the word and vse all lawfull meanes helpes for the procuring of strength against sinne so that though there be many enemies against it yet will it not be set downe by any of them though it doe now and then receiue a wound yet will it recouer againe and carrie away the victorie in the end Vse 1. Hereby then to drawe to some vse of this doctrine we may make some triall of the strength or weakenesse of our faith according as we are more or lesse able to see the sinfulnes of our nature and to striue against it so are we to iudge of the measure of Gods grace in vs to be more or lesse and if we do not particularly discerne of the corruptions of the flesh or do not loathe them and labour to be cured of them but rather excuse and extenuate them and hide and cherish them this is an infallible signe that we haue in vs no sauing grace at all Let all such therefore as would haue the testimonie of Gods children vse their best endeuour to haue their eyes opened that they may perceiue the seuerall euils that lurke within their hearts and let them withall get such an indignation against them that they may as this man did come vnto Christ Iesus to be cured of them which if they can doe their very approaching vnto him by prayer and in the vse of this ordinances will cause them euery day to become more sharpe-sighted than other so that they shall with the holy prophet Isaiah Chap. 6. cry out against their pollutions and so get pardon of them and power ouer them 2 Secondly this makes for the confutation of such as being vrged to reforme themselues are readie to say that all things are so well with them that they neede no amendment they know not where to beginne their reformatiō because they see nothing amisse These kinde of men are most busie against others that complaine of their owne wants and seeke to haue them supplied from heauen and such they account and call Puritans who indeed do most see and acknowledge and bewaile their owne puritie but in truth they thēselues do sarre better deserue that name for that they imagine they haue attained such a measure of puritie as that nothing can be added thereunto they haue