doe with his creature The first Fole of the Asse is commanded vnder the law to haue his necke broken what is that to vs The creatures doe that they were made for if they may serue any way to the glory of their Maker But seldome euer doth God leaue his actions vnfurnished with such reasons as our weaknesse may reach vnto There were sects amongst these Iewes that denied spirits they could not be more euidently more powerfully conuinced then by this euent Now shall the Gadarens see from what a multitude of Deuils they were deliuered and how easie it had beene for the same power to haue allowed those spirits to seaze vpon their persons as well as their Swine Neither did God this without a iust purpose of their castigation His iudgements are righteous where they are most secret though we cannot accuse these inhabitants of ought yet hee could and thought good thus to mulct them And if they had not wanted grace to acknowledge it it was no small fauour of God that he would punish them in their Swine for that which he might haue auenged vpon their bodies and soules Our goods are furthest off vs If but in these we smart we must confesse to finde mercie Sometimes it pleaseth God to grant the suits of wicked men and spirits in no fauour to the suitors Hee grants an ill suit and withholds a good He grants an ill suit in iudgement and holds backe a good one in mercie The Israelites aske meat hee giues Quailes to their mouthes and leanenesse to their soules The chosen vessell wishes Satan taken off and heares only My grace is sufficient for thee Wee may not euermore measure fauour by condescent These Deuils doubtlesse receiue more punishment for that harmefull act wherein they are heard If we aske what is either vnfit to receiue or vnlawfull to begge it is a great fauour of our God to be denied Those spirits which would goe into the Swine by permission goe out of the man by command they had staied long and are eiected suddenly The immediate workes of God are perfect in an instant and doe not require the aid of time for their maturation No sooner are they cast out of the man then they are in the Swine They will leese no time but passe without intermission from one mischiefe to another If they hold it a paine not to be doing of euill Why is it not our delight to be euer doing good The impetuousnesse was no lesse then the speed The heard was carried with violence from a steep-downe place into the lake and was choked It is no small force that could doe this but if the Swine had beene so many mountaines these spirits vpon Gods permission had thus transported them How easily can they carrie those soules which are vnder their power to destruction Vncleane beasts that wallow in the mire of sensualitie brutish drunkards transforming themselues by excesse euen they are the swine whom the Legion carries headlong to the pit of perdition The wicked spirits haue their wish The Swine are choked in the waues What ease is this to them Good God that there should be any creature that seekes contentment in destroying in tormenting the good creatures of their Maker This is the diet of hell Those fiends feed vpon spight towards man so much more as he doth more resemble his Creator Towards all other liuing substances so much more as they may be more vsefull to man The Swine ranne downe violently what maruell is it if their keepers fled that miraculous work which should haue drawne them to Christ driues them from him They run with the newes the countrie comes in with clamour The whole multitude of the countrie about besought him to depart The multitude is a beast of many heads euery head hath a seuerall mouth and euery mouth hath a seuerall tongue and euery tongue a seuerall accent Euery head hath a seuerall braine and euery braine thoughts of their owne so as it is hard to finde a multitude without some diuision At least seldome euer hath a good motion found a perfect accordance it is not so infrequent for a multitude to conspire in euill Generalitie of assent is no warrant for any act Common error carries away many who inquire not into the reason of ought but the practise The way to hell is a beaten road through the many feet that tread it when vice growes into fashion singularitie is a vertue There was not a Gadarene found that either dehorted their fellowes or opposed the motion it is a signe of people giuen vp to iudgement when no man makes head against proiects of euill Alas what can one strong man doe against a whole throng of wickednesse Yet this good comes of an vnpreuailing resistance that God forbeares to plague where he findes but a sprinkling of faith Happie are they who like vnto the celestiall bodies which being carried about with the sway of the hiest sphere yet creepe on their owne waies keepe on the courses of their owne holinesse against the swinge of common corruptions They shall both deliuer their owne soules and helpe to withhold iudgement from others The Gadarenes sue to Christ for his departure It is too much fauour to attribute this to their modestie as if they held themselues vnworthie of so diuine a guest Why then did they fall vpon this suit in a time of their losse Why did they not taxe themselues and intimate a secret desire of that which they durst not begge It is too much rigor to attribute it to the loue of their hoggs and an anger at their losse then they had not intreated but expelled him It was their feare that moued this harsh suit A seruile feare of danger to their persons to their goods Least hee that could so absolutely command the Deuils should haue set these tormentors vpon them Least their other Demoniacks should be dispossessed with like losse I cannot blame these Gaderens that they feared This power was worthy of trembling at Their feare was iust the vse of their feare was vniust They should haue argued This man hath power ouer men beasts Deuils it is good hauing him to our friend his presence is our safetie protection Now they contrarily mis-inferre Thus powerfull is he it is good he were further off What miserable and pernicious misconstructions do men make of God of diuine attributes and actions God is omnipotent able to take infinite vengeance of sinne Oh that he were not He is prouident I may be carelesse He is mercifull I may sinne He is holy Let him depart from me for I am a sinfull man How wittie sophisters are naturall men to deceiue their owne soules to rob themselues of a God Oh Sauiour how worthy are they to want thee that wish to be rid of thee Thou hast iust cause to be wearie of vs euen whiles we sue to hold thee but when once our wretched vnthankfulnesse growes wearie of thee who can pittie vs to be punished with thy departure Who can say it is other then righteous that thou shouldst regest one day vpon vs Depart from mee yee wicked FINIS
professe him a God and doubt of his power How can we professe him a Sauiour and doubt of his will He both can and will command those infernall powers we are no lesse safe then they are malicious The Deuill saw Iesus by the eies of the Demoniack For the same saw that spake but it was the ill spirit that said I beseech thee torment me not It was sore against his will that he saw so dreadfull an obiect The ouer-ruling power of Christ dragged the foule spirit into his presence Guiltinesse would faine keepe out of sight The limmes of so wofull an head shall once call to the hills and rockes to hide them from the face of the Lambe such Lyon-like terror is in that milde face when it lookes vpon wickednesse Neither shall it be one day the least part of the torment of the damned to see the most louely spectacle that heauen can afford He from whom they fled in his offers of grace shall be so much more terrible as he was and is more gracious I maruell not therefore that the Deuill when he saw Iesus cryed out I could maruell that he fell downe that he worshipped him That which the proud spirit would haue had Christ to haue done to him in his great duell the same he now doth vnto Christ fearfully seruilely forcedly Who shall henceforth bragge of the externall homage he performes to the Sonne of God when he sees Satan himselfe fall downe and worship What comfort can there be in that which is common to vs with Deuils who as they beleeue and tremble so they tremble and worship The outward bowing is the body of the action the disposition of the soule is the soule of it therein lies the difference from the counterfait stoopings of wicked men and spirits The religious heart serues the Lord in feare and reioyces in him with trembling What it doth is in way of seruice In seruice to his Lord whose soueraintie is his comfort and protection In the feare of a sonne not of a slaue In a feare tempered with ioy In a ioy but allaied with trembling whereas the prostration of wicked men and deuils is only an act of forme or of force as to their Iudge as to their tormentor not as to their Lord in meere seruilitie not in reuerence in an vncomfortable dulnesse without all delight in a perfect horror without capacitie of ioy These worship without thankes because they fall downe without the true affections of worship Who so maruells to see the Deuill vpon his knees would much more maruell to heare what came from his mouth Iesa the sonne of the most high God A confession which if wee should heare without the name of the author we should aske from what Saint it came Behold the same name giuen to Christ by the Deuill which was formerly giuen him by the Angell Thou shalt call his name Iesus That awfull name whereat euery knee shall bow in heauen in earth and vnder the earth is called vpon by this prostrate Deuill and lest that should not import enough since others haue beene honoured by this name in Type he addes for full distinction The Sonne of the most hie God The good Syrophenician and blinde Bartimeus could say The Sonne of Dauid It was well to acknowledge the true descent of his pedigree according to the flesh but this infernall spirit lookes aloft and fetcheth his line out of the most heauens The Sonne of the most hie God The famous confession of the prime Apostle which honoured him with a new name to immortalitie was no other then Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God and what other doe I heare from the lips of a fiend None more diuine words could fall from the hiest Saint Nothing hinders but that the veriest miscreant on earth yea the foulest Deuill in hell may speake holily It is no passing of iudgement vpon loose sentences So Peter should haue beene cast for a Satan in denying forswearing cursing and the Deuill should haue beene set vp for a Saint in confessing Iesus the Sonne of the most hie God Fond hypocrite that pleasest thy selfe in talking well heare this Deuill and when thou canst speake better then he looke to fare better but in the meane time know that a smooth tongue and a foule heart carries away double iudgements Let curious heads dispute whether the Deuil knew Christ to be God In this I dare beleeue himselfe though in nothing else he knew what he beleeued he beleeued what he confessed Iesus the Sonne of the most hie God To the confusion of those semi-Christians that haue either held doubtfully or ignorantly misknowne or blasphemously denied what the very Deuils haue professed How little can a bare speculation auaile vs in these cases of Diuinitie So farre this Deuill hath attained to no ease no comfort Knowledge alone doth but puffe vp it is our loue that edifies If there be not a sense of our sure interest in this Iesus a power to applie his merits and obedience we are no whit the safer no whit the better only we are so much the wiser to vnderstand who shall condemne vs. This peece of the clause was spoken like a Saint Iesus the Son of the most hie God the other peece like a Deuill What haue I to doe with thee If the disclamation were vniuersall the latter words would impugne the former for whiles he confesses Iesus to be the Sonne of the most hie God he withall confesses his owne ineuitable subiection Wherefore would he beseech if he were not obnoxious Hee cannot he dare not say What hast thou to doe with mee but What haue I to doe with thee Others indeed I haue vexed thee I feare in respect then of any violence of any personall prouocation What haue I to doe with thee And doest thou aske ô thou euill spirit what thou hast to doe with Christ whiles thou vexest a seruant of Christ Hast thou thy name from knowledge and yet so mistakest him whom thou confessest as if nothing could be done to him but what immediately concernes his owne person Heare that great and iust Iudge sentencing vpon his dreadfull Tribunall In as much as thou didst it vnto one of these little ones thou didst it vnto mee It is an idle misprision to seuer the sense of an iniurie done to any of the members from the head He that had humilitie enough to kneele to the Sonne of God hath boldnesse enough to expostulate Art thou come to torment vs before our time Whether it were that Satan who vseth to inioy the torment of sinners whose musicke it is to heare our shriekes and gnashings held it no small peece of his torment to be restrained in the exercise of his tyrannie Or whether the very presence of Christ were his racke For the guiltie spirit proiecteth terrible things and cannot behold the Iudge or the executioner without a renouation of horror Or whether as himselfe professeth he were now in a fearefull expectation
of being commanded downe into the deepe for a further degree of actuall torment which he thus deprecates There are tortures appointed to the very spirituall natures of euill Angels Men that are led by sense haue easily granted the body subiect to torment who yet haue not so readily conceiued this incident to a spirituall substance The holy Ghost hath not thought it fit to acquaint vs with the particular manner of these inuisible acts rather willing that we should herein feare then inquire but as all matters of faith though they cannot be proued by reason for that they are in an hier sphere yet afford an answer able to stop the mouth of all reason that dares barke against them since truth cannot be opposite to it selfe so this of the sufferings of spirits There is therefore both an intentionall torment incident to spirits and a reall For as in blessednesse the good spirits finde themselues ioyned vnto the chiefe good and hereupon feele a perfect loue of God and vnspeakable ioy in him and rest in themselues so contrarily the euill spirits perceiue themselues eternally excluded from the presence of God and see themselues setled in a wofull darknesse and from the sense of this separation arises an horror not to be expressed not to be conceiued How many men haue we knowne to torment themselues with their owne thoughts There needs no other gibbet then that which their troubled spirit hath erected in their owne heart and if some paines begin at the body and from thence afflict the soule in a copartnership of griefe yet others arise immediately from the soule and draw the body into a participation of miserie Why may we not therefore conceiue meere and separate spirits capable of such an inward excruciation Besides which I heare the Iudge of men and Angels say Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels I heare the Prophet say Tophet is prepared of old If with feare and without curiositie we may looke vpon those flames Why may we not attribute a spirituall nature to that more then naturall fire In the end of the world the elements shall be dissolued by fire and if the pure quintessentiall matter of the skie and the element of fire it selfe shall be dissolued by fire then that last fire shall be of another nature then that which it consumeth what hinders then but that the omnipotent God hath from eternitie created a fire of another nature proportionable euen to spirituall essences Or why may we not distinguish of fire as it is it selfe a bodily creature and as it is an instrument of Gods iustice so working not by any materiall vertue or power of it owne but by a certaine height of supernaturall efficacie to which it is exalted by the omnipotence of that supreme and righteous Iudge Or lastly why may we not conceiue that though spirits haue nothing materiall in their nature which that fire should worke vpon yet by the iudgement of the almightie Arbiter of the world iustly willing their torment they may be made most sensible of paine and by the obedible submission of their created nature wrought vpon immediately by their appointed tortures Besides the very horror which ariseth from the place whereto they are euerlastingly confined For if the incorporeall spirits of liuing men may be held in a loathed or painfull body and conceiue sorrow to be so imprisoned Why may we not as easily yeeld that the euill spirits of Angels or men may be held in those direfull flames and much more abhorre therein to continue for euer Tremble rather ô my soule at the thought of this wofull condition of the euill Angels who for one only act of Apostasie from God are thus perpetually tormented whereas we sinfull wretches multiplie many and presumptuous offences against the Maiestie of our God And withall admire and magnifie that infinite mercie to the miserable generation of man which after this holy seueritie of iustice to the reuolted Angels so graciously forbeares our hainous iniquities and both suffers vs to be free for the time from these hellish torments and giues vs oportunitie of a perfect freedome from them for euer Praise the Lord ô my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name who forgiueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities Who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercie and compassions There is no time wherein the euill spirits are not tormented there is a time wherein they expect to be tormented yet more Art thou come to torment vs before our time They knew that the last Assises are the prefixed terme of their full execution which they also vnderstood to be not yet come For though they knew not when the day of Iudgement should be a point concealed from the glorious Angels of heauen yet they knew when it should not be and therefore can say Before the time Euen the very euill spirits confesse and fearfully attend a set day of vniuersall Sessions They beleeue lesse then Deuils that either doubt of or denie that day of finall retribution Oh the wonderfull mercie of our God that both to wicked men and spirits respites the vtmost of their torment He might vpon the first instant of the fall of Angels haue inflicted on them the hiest extremitie of his vengeance He might vpon the first sinnes of our youth yea of our nature haue swept vs away and giuen vs our portion in that fierie lake he staies a time for both Though with this difference of mercie to vs men that here not only is a delay but may be an vtter preuention of punishment which to the euill spirits is altogether impossible They doe suffer they must suffer and though they haue now deserued to suffer all they must yet they must once suffer more then they doe Yet so doth this euill spirit expostulate that hesues I beseech thee torment me not The world is well changed since Satans first onset vpon Christ Then he could say If thou be the Sonne of God now Iesus the Sonne of the most hie God then All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me now I beseech thee torment mee not The same power when he lists can change the note of the Tempter to vs How happie are we that haue such a Redeemer as can command the Deuils to their chaines Oh consider this ye lawlesse sinners that haue said Let vs breake his bonds and cast his cords from vs How euer the Almightie suffers you for a iudgement to haue free scope to euill and ye can now impotently resist the reuealed will of your Creator yet the time shall come when ye shall see the very masters whom ye haue serued the powers of darknesse vnable to auoide the reuenges of God How much lesse shall man striue with his Maker man whose breath is in his nosthrills whose house is clay whose foundation is in the dust Nature teaches euery creature to wish a
through the valley of the shadow of death we shall feare no euill Thou ô Lord shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of our enemies and thy right hand shall saue vs. Conflict All this number is not for sight for rest but for motion for action Neither was there euer houre since the first blow giuen to our first parents wherein there was so much as a truce betwixt these aduersaries As therefore strong frontier-Townes when there is a peace concluded on both parts breake vp their garrison open their gates neglect their Bull-warkes but when they heare of the enemie mustering his forces in great and vnequall numbers then they double their guard keepe Sentinell repaire their Sconces so must we vpon the certaine knowledge of our numerous and deadly enemies in continuall aray against vs addresse our selues alwaies to a warie and strong resistance I doe not obserue the most to thinke of this gostly hostilitie Either they do not find there are tentations or those tentations hurtfull they see no worse then themselues and if they feele motions of euill arising in them they impute it to fancie or vnreasonable appetite to no power but natures and those motions they follow without sensible hurt neither see they what harme it is to sinne Is it any maruell that carnall eies cannot discerne spirituall obiects That the world who is the friend the vassall of Satan is in no warre with him Elishaes seruant when his eies were opened saw troupes of spirituall soldiers which before he discerned not If the eies of our soules be once enlightened by supernaturall knowledge and the cleere beames of faith we shall as plainly descrie the inuisible powers of wickednesse as now our bodily eies see heauen and earth They are though we see them not wee cannot be safe from them if we doe not acknowledge not oppose them The Deuils are now become great suitors to Christ That he would not command them into the deepe that he would permit their entrance into the swine What is this deepe but hell both for the vtter separation from the face of God and for the impossibilitie of passage to the region of rest and glory The very euill spirits then feare and expect a further degree of torment they know themselues reserued in those chaines of darknesse for the iudgement of the great day There is the same wages due to their sinnes and to ours neither are the wages paid till the worke be done they tempting men to sinne must needs sinne grieuously in tempting as with vs men those that mislead into sinne offend more then the actors not till the vpshot therefore of their wickednesse shall they receiue the full measure of their condemnation This day this deepe they tremble at what shall I say of those men that feare it not It is hard for men to beleeue their owne vnbeleefe If they were perswaded of this fierie dungeon this bottomlesse deepe wherein euery sinne shall receiue an horrible portion with the damned durst they stretch forth their hands to wickednesse No man will put his hand into a fierie crucible to fetch gold thence because he knowes it will burne him Did we as truly beleeue the euerlasting burning of that infernall fire we durst not offer to fetch pleasures or profits out of the midst of those flames This degree of torment they grant in Christs power to command they knew his power vnresistible had he therefore but said Backe to hell whence ye came they could no more haue staid vpon earth then they can now climbe into heauen O the wonderfull dispensation of the Almightie who though he could command all the euill spirits downe to their dungeons in an instant so as they should haue no more oportunitie of temptation yet thinkes fit to retaine them vpon earth It is not out of weaknesse or improuidence of that diuine hand that wicked spirits tyrannzie here vpon earth but out of the most wise and most holy ordination of God who knowes how to turne euill into good how to fetch good out of euill and by the worst instruments to bring about his most iust decrees Oh that we could adore that awfull and infinite power and cheerefully cast our selues vpon that prouidence which keepes the Keyes euen of hell it selfe and either lets out or returnes the Deuils to their places Their other suit hath some maruell in mouing it more in the grant That they might be suffred to enter into the heard of Swine It was their ambition of some mischiefe that brought forth this desire that since they might not vexe the bodie of the man they might yet afflict men in their goods The malice of these enuious spirits reacheth from vs to ours It is sore against their wills if we be not euery way miserable If the Swine were legally vncleane for the vse of the table yet they were naturally good Had not Satan knowne them vsefull for man he had neuer desired their ruine But as Fencers will seeme to fetch a blow at the legge when they intend it at the head so doth this deuill whiles he driues at the Swine he aimes at the soules of these Gadarens by this meanes he hoped well and his hope was not vaine to worke in these Gergesens a discontentment at Christ an vnwillingnesse to entertaine him a desire of his absence he meant to turne them into Swine by the losse of their Swine It was not the rafters or stones of the house of Iobs children that he bore the grudge to but to the owners nor to the liues of the children so much as the soule of their father There is no affliction wherein he doth not strike at the heart which whiles it holds free all other dammages are light but a wounded spirit whether with sinne or sorrow who can beare What euer becomes of goods or limmes happie are wee if like wise souldiers we gard the vitall parts whiles the soule is kept sound from impatience from distrust our enemy may afflict vs he cannot hurt vs. They sue for a sufference not daring other then to grant that without the permission of Christ they could not hurt a very swine If it be fearfull to thinke how great things euill spirits can doe with permission it is comfortable to thinke how nothing they can doe without permission We know they want not malice to destroy the whole frame of Gods worke but of all man of all men Christians but if without leaue they cannot set vpon an hogge what can they doe to the liuing Images of their Creator They cannot offer vs so much as a suggestion without the permission of our Sauiour And can he that would giue his owne most precious bloud for vs to saue vs from euill wilfully giue vs ouer to euill It is no newes that wicked spirits wish to doe mischiefe it is newes that they are allowed it If the owner of all things should stand vpon his absolute command who can challenge him for what he thinkes fit to
for the arerages of his late rebellion yet that it should be done by thy hand then and thus it was flagitiously cruell Yet behold Ioab runnes away securely with the fact hasting to plague that in another whereof himselfe was no lesse guilty So vast are the gorges of some consciences that they can swallow the greatest crimes and finde no straine in the passage It is possible for a man to be faithful to some one person and perfidious to all others I doe not finde Ioab other then firme and loyall to Dauid in the middest of all his priuate falshoods whose iust quarrell he pursues against Sheba through all the Tribes of Israel None of all the strong Forts of reuolted Israel can hide the Rebell from the zeale of his reuenge The Citie of Abel lends harbour to that conspirator whom all Israel would and cannot protect Ioab casts vp a Mount against it and hauing inuironed it with a siege begins to worke vpon the wall and now after long chase is in hand to digge out that Vermin which had earth'd himself in this borough of Beth-maachah Had not the Citie been strong and populous Sheba had not cast himselfe for succor within those wals yet of all the inhabitants I see not any one man moue for the preseruation of their whole body Onely a woman vndertakes to treat with Ioab for their safety Those men whose spirits were great enough to maintaine a traytor against a mighty King scorne not to giue way to the wisdome of a matrone There is no reason that Sex should disparage where the vertue and merit is no lesse then masculine Surely the soule acknowledgeth no Sexe neither is varied according to the outward frame How oft haue wee knowne female hearts in the brests of Men and contrarily manly powers in the weaker vessels It is iniurious to measure the act by the person and not rather to esteeme the person for the act Shee with no lesse prudence then courage challengeth Ioab for the violence of his assault and laies to him that law which he could not be an Israelite and disauow the Law of the God of peace whose charge it was that when they should come neere to a Citie to fight against it they should offer it peace and if this tender must be made to forrainers how much more to brethren So as they must inquire of Abel ere they batter'd it Warre is the extreme act of vindicatiue iustice neither doth God euer approue it for any other then a desperate remedy and if it haue any other end then peace it turnes into publique murder It is therefore an inhumane crueltie to shed bloud where wee haue not profered faire conditions of peace the refusall whereof is iustly punished with the Sword of reuenge Ioab was a man of bloud yet when the wise woman of Abel charged him with going about to destroy a mother in Israel and swallowing vp the inheritance of the Lord with what vehemencie doth he deprecate that challenge God forbid God forbid it me that I should deuoure or destroy it Although that citie with the rest had ingaged it selfe in Shebaes sedition yet how zealously doth Ioab remoue from himselfe the suspicion of an intended vastation How fearfull shall their answer be who vpon the quarrell of their owne ambition haue not spared to waste whole tribes of the Israel of God It was not the fashion of Dauids Captaines to assault any citie ere they summond it here they did There be some things that in the very fact carrie their owne conuiction So did Abel in the entertaining and abetting a knowne conspirator Ioab challenges them for the offence and requires no other satisfaction then the head of Sheba This Matrone had not deserued the name of Wife and faithfull in Israel if she had not both apprehended the iustice of the condition and commended it to her Citizens whom she hath easily perswaded to spare their owne heads in not sparing a Traitors It had beene pittie those walls should haue stood if they had beene too hie to throw a Traitors head ouer Spiritually the case is ours Euery mans brest is as a citie inclosed Euery sinne is a traitor that lurkes within those walls God calls to vs for Shebaes head neither hath he any quarrell to our person but for our sinne If we loue the head of our Traitor aboue the life of our soule we shall iustly perish in the vengeance we cannot be more willing to part with our sin then our mercifull God is to withdraw his iudgements Now is Ioab returned with successe and hopes by Shebaes head to paie the price of Amasaes bloud Dauid hates the murder entertaines the man defers the reuenge Ioab had made himselfe so great so necessarie that Dauid may neither misse nor punish him Policie led the King to conniue at that which his heart abhorred I dare not commend that wisdome which holds the hands of Princes from doing iustice Great men haue euer held it a point of worldly state not alwaies to pay where they haue beene conscious to a debt of either fauour or punishment but to make Time their seruant for both Salomon shall once defraie the arerages of his father In the meane time Ioab commands and prospers and Dauid is faine to smile on that face whereon he hath in his secret destination written the characters of Death The Gibeonites reuenged THE raigne of Dauid was most troublesome towards the shutting vp wherein both warre and famine conspire to afflict him Almost fortie yeeres had he sate in the throne of Israel with competencie if not abundance of all things now at last are his people visited with a long dearth we are not at first sensible of common euils Three yeeres drought and scarcitie are gone ouer ere Dauid consults with God concerning the occasion of the iudgement now he found it hie time to seeke the face of the Lord The continuance of an affliction sends vs to God and calls vpon vs to aske for a reckoning Whereas like men strucken in their sleep a sudden blow cannot make vs to finde our selues but rather astonisheth then teacheth vs. Dauid was himselfe a Prophet of God yet had not the Lord all this while acquainted him with the grounds of his proceedings against Israel this secret was hid from him till he consulted with the Vrim Ordinarie meanes shall reueale that to him which no vision had discryed And if God will haue Prophets to haue recourse vnto the Priests for the notice of his will how much more must the people Euen those that are the inwardest with God must haue vse of the Ephod Iustly is it presupposed by Dauid that there was neuer iudgement from God where hath not beene a prouocation from men therefore when he sees the plague he inquires for the sinne Neuer man smarted causelesly from the hand of diuine iustice Oh that when we suffer we could aske what we haue done and could guide our repentance to the root of our euils
faithfull for the couenant made with their Parents The fiue sonnes of Adriel the Meholathite Dauids ancient riuall in his first loue which were borne to him by Merab Sauls Daughter and brought vp by her barren sister Michol the wife of Dauid are yeelded vp to death Merab was after a promise of marriage to Dauid vniustly giuen away by Saul to Adriel Michol seemes to abet the match in breeding the children now in one act not of Dauids seeking the wrong is thus late auenged vpon Saul Adriel Merab Michol the children It is a dangerous matter to offer iniury to any of Gods faithful ones If their meeknesse haue easily remitted it their God will not passe it ouer without a seuere retribution These fiue together with two sonnes of Rizpah Sauls concubine are hanged vp at once before the Lord yea and before the eies of the World No place but an Hill will serue for this execution The acts of iustice as they are intended for example so they should be done in that eminent fashion that may make them both most instructiue and most terrifying Vnwarrantable courses of priuate reuenge seeke to hide their heads in secresie The beautifull face of iustice both affects the light and becomes it It was the generall charge of Gods Law that no corps should remaine all night vpon the gibbet The Almighty hath power to dispense with his owne command so doubtlesse hee did in this extraordinary case these carcasses did not defile but expiate Sorrowfull Rizpah spreads her a Tent of Sackcloth vpon the rocke for a sad attendance vpon those sons of her wombe Death might bereaue her of them not them of her loue This spectacle was not more grieuous to her then pleasing to God and happy to Israel Now the clouds drop fatnesse and the earth runs forth into plenty The Gibeonites are satisfied God reconciled Israel relieued How blessed a thing it is for any Nation that iustice is vnpartially executed euen vpon the mighty A few drops of bloud haue procured large showres from Heauen A few carcasses are a rich compost to the earth The drought and dearth remoue away with the breath of those pledges of the offender Iudgements cannot tyrannize where iustice raignes as contrarily there can be no peace where bloud cries vnheard vnregarded The Numbring of the people ISRAEL was growne wanton and mutinous God pulls them downe first by the sword then by famine now by pestilence Oh the wondrous and yet iust waies of the Almightie Because Israel hath sinned therefore Dauid shall sinne that Israel may be punished Because God is angrie with Israel therefore Dauid shall anger him more and strike himselfe in Israel and Israel through himselfe The spirit of God else-where ascribes this motion to Satan which here it attributes to God Both had their hand in the worke God by permission Satan by suggestion God as a Iudge Satan as an enemie God as in a iust punishment for sin Satan as in an act of sinne God in a wise ordination of it to good Satan in a malicious intent of confusion Thus at once God moued and Satan moued Neither is it any excuse to Satan or Dauid that God moued neither is it any blemish to God that Satan moued The rulers sinne is a punishment to a wicked people though they had many sinnes of their owne whereon God might haue grounded a iudgement yet as before he had punisht them with dearth for Sauls sinne so now he will not punish them with plague but for Dauids sin If God were not angrie with a people he would not giue vp their gouernours to such euills as whereby he is prouoked to vengeance and if their gouernours be thus giuen vp the people cannot be safe The body drownes not whiles the head is aboue the water when that once sinkes death is neere Iustly therefore ere we charged to make praiers and supplications as for all so especially for those that are in eminent authoritie when we pray for our selues we pray not alwaies for them but we cannot pray for them and not pray for our selues the publique weale is not comprised in the priuate but the priuate in the publique What then was Dauids sinne He will needs haue Israel and Iudah numbred Surely there is no malignitie in numbers Neither is it vnfit for a Prince to know his owne strength this is not the first time that Israel hath gone vnder a reckoning The act offends not but the mis-affection The same thing had beene commendably done out of a Princely prouidence which now through the curiositie pride mis-confidence of the doer proues hainously vicious Those actions which are in themselues indifferent receiue either their life or their bane from the intentions of the agent Moses numbreth the people with thankes Dauid with displeasure Those sins which carrie the smoothest forheads and haue the most honest appearances may more prouoke the wrath of God then those which beare the most abomination in their faces How many thousand wickednesses passed through the hands of Israel which we men would rather haue branded out for a iudgement then this of Dauids The righteous Iudge of the world censures sinnes not by their ill looks but by their soule hearts Who can but wonder to see Ioab the Saint and Dauid the trespasser No Prophet could speake better then that man of bloud The Lord thy God increase the people an hundred fold more then they be and that the eies of my Lord the King may see it But why doth my Lord the King desire this thing There is no man so lewd as not to be sometimes in good moods as not to dislike some euill contrarily no man on earth can be so holy as not sometimes to ouerlash It were pittie that either Ioab or Dauid should be tried by euery act How commonly haue we seene those men ready to giue good aduice to others for the auoiding of some sinnes who in more grosse outrages haue not had grace to counsell their owne hearts The same man that had deserued death from Dauid for his trecherous cruelty disswades Dauid from an act that carried but a suspition of euill It is not so much to be regarded who it is that admonisheth vs as what he brings Good counsell is neuer the worse for the foule carriage There are some dishes that we may eate euen from sluttish hands The purpose of sinne in a faithfull man is odious much more the resolution Notwithstanding Ioabs discreet admonition Dauid will hold on his course and will know the number of the people only that he may know it Ioab and the Captaines addresse themselues to the worke In things which are not in themselues euill it is not for subiects to dispute but to obey That which authoritie may sinne in commanding is done of the inferiour not with safetie only but with praise Nine moneths and twentie daies is this generall muster in hand at last the number is brought in Israel is found eight hundred thousand strong
owne promise we may call absolutely for a blessing In all others there is no reason that beggers should be choosers He who doth whatsoeuer he will must doe it how he will It is for vs to receiue not to appoint He who came to complaine of his sonnes sicknesse heares of his owne Except ye see signes and wonders yee will not beleeue This noble man was as is like of Capernaum There had Christ often preached there was one of his chiefe residences Either this man had heard our Sauiour oft or might haue done yet because Christs miracles came to him only by heare-say for as yet we finde none at all wrought where he preached most therefore the man beleeues not enough but so speaks to Christ as to some ordinarie Physitian Come downe and heale It was the common disease of the Iewes incredulitie which no receit could heale but wonders A wicked and adulterous generation seekes signes Had they not beene wilfully gracelesse there was alreadie proofe enough of the Messias the miraculous conception and life of the fore-runner Zacharies dumbnesse The attestation of Angels the apparition of the Starre the iourney of the Sages the vision of the Shepherds the testimonies of Anna and Simeon the prophesies fulfilled the voice from heauen at his baptisme the diuine words that he spake and yet they must haue all made vp with miracles which though he be not vnwilling to giue at his owne times yet he thinkes much to be tied vnto at theirs Not to beleeue without signes was a signe of stubborne hearts It was a foule fault and a dangerous one Ye will not beleeue What is it that shall condemne the world but vnbeleefe What can condemne vs without it No sinne can condemne the repentant Repentance is a fruit of faith where true faith is then there can be no condemnation as there can be nothing but condemnation without it How much more foule in a noble Capernaite that had heard the Sermons of so diuine a Teacher The greater light we haue the more shame it is for vs to stumble Oh what shall become of vs that reele and fall in the cleerest Sun-shine that euer looked forth vpon any Church Be mercifull to our sinnes ô God and say any thing of vs rather then Ye will not beleeue Our Sauiour tells him of his vnbeleefe he feeles not himselfe sicke of that disease All his minde is on his dying sonne As easily doe we complaine of bodily griefes as we are hardly affected with spirituall Oh the meeknesse and mercy of this Lambe of God When wee would haue lookt that he should haue punished this suitor for not beleeuing he condescends to him that he may beleeue Goe thy way thy sonne liueth If we should measure our hopes by our owne worthinesse there were no expectation of blessings but if we shall measure them by his bountie and compassion there can be no doubt of preuailing As some tender mother that giues the brest to her vnquiet childe in stead of the rod so deales he with our peruersnesses How God differences men according to no other conditions then of their faith The Centurions seruant was sicke the Rulers sonne The Centurion doth not sue vnto Christ to come only saies My seruant is sicke of a Palsie Christ answers him I will come and heale him The Ruler sues vnto Christ that he would come and heale his sonne Christ will not goe only saies Goe thy way thy sonne liues Outward things carrie no respect with God The Image of that diuine Maiestie shining inwardly in the graces of the soule is that which wins loue from him in the meanest estate The Centurions faith therfore could doe more then the Rulers greatnesse and that faithfull mans seruant hath more regard then this great mans sonne The Rulers request was Come and heale Christs answer was Goe thy way thy sonne liues Our mercifull Sauiour meets those in the end whom he crosses in the way How sweetly doth he correct our praiers and whiles he doth not giue vs what we aske giues vs better then we asked Iustly doth he forbeare to goe downe with this Ruler lest he should confirme him in an opinion of measuring his power by conceits of localitie and distance but he doth that in absence for which his presence was required with a repulse Thy sonne liueth giuing a greater demonstration of his omnipotencie then was craued How oft doth hee not heare to our will that he may heare vs to our aduantage The chosen vessell would be rid of tentations he heares of a supplie of grace The sickeman askes release receiues patience life and receiues glorie Let vs aske what we thinke best let him giue what he knowes best With one word doth Christ heale two Patients the sonne and the father the sonnes feuer the fathers vnbeleefe That operatiue word of our Sauiour was not without the intention of a triall Had not the Ruler gone home satisfied with that intimation of his sonnes life and recouerie neither of them had beene blessed with successe Now the newes of performance meets him one halfe of the way and he that beleeued somewhat ere he came and more when hee went grew to more faith in the way and when he came home inlarged his faith to all the skirts of his familie A weake faith may be true but a true faith is growing Hee that boasts of a full stature in the first moment of his assent may presume but doth not beleeue Great men cannot want clients their example swaies some their authoritie more they cannot goe to either of the other worlds alone In vaine doe they pretend power ouer others who labour not to draw their families vnto God The dumbe Deuill eiected THAT the Prince of our peace might approue his perfect victories wheresoeuer hee met with the Prince of darknesse he foiled him he eiected him He found him in heauen thence did he throw him headlong and verified his Prophet I haue cast thee out of mine holy mountaine And if the Deuils left their first habitation it was because being Deuils they could not keepe it Their estate indeed they might haue kept and did not their habitation they would haue kept and might not How art thou falne from heauen ô Lucifer He found him in the heart of man for in that closet of God did the euill spirit after his exile from heauen shrowd himselfe Sinne gaue him possession which he kept with a willing violence thence he casts him by his word and spirit He found him tyrannizing in the bodies of some possessed men and with power commands the vncleane spirits to depart This act is for no hand but his When a strong man keeps possession none but a stronger can remoue it In voluntarie things the strongest may yeeld to the weakest Sampson to a Dalilah but in violent euer the mightiest carries it A spirituall nature must needs be in ranke aboue a bodily neither can any power be aboue a spirit but the God of spirits
No otherwise is it in the mentall possession Where euer sinne is there Satan is As on the contrarie whosoeuer is borne of God the seed of God remaines in him That euill one not only is but rules in the sons of disobedience in vaine shall we trie to eiect him but by the diuine power of the Redeemer For this cause the Sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the workes of the Deuill Doe we finde our selues haunted with the familiar Deuils of Pride selfe-loue sensuall desires vnbeleefe None but thou ô Sonne of the euer-liuing God can free our bosomes of these hellish guests Oh cleanse thou me from my secret sinnes and keepe me that presumptuous sinnes preuaile not ouer me O Sauiour it is no Paradox to say that thou castest out more Deuils now then thou didst whiles thou wert vpon earth It was thy word When I am lifted vp I will draw all men vnto me Satan weighes downe at the feet thou pullest at the head yea at the heart In euery conuersion which thou workest there is a dispossession Conuert me ô Lord and I shall bee conuerted I know thy meanes are now no other then ordinarie if we expect to be dispossessed by miracle it would be a miracle if euer we were dispossessed Oh let thy Gospell haue the perfect worke in me so only shall I be deliuered from the powers of darknesse Nothing can be said to be dumbe but what naturally speakes nothing can speake naturally but what hath the instruments of speech which because spirits want they can no otherwise speake vocally then as they take voices to themselues in taking bodies This deuill was not therefore dumbe in his nature but in his effect The man was dumbe by the operation of that deuill which possessed him and now the action is attributed to the spirit which was subiectiuely in the man It is not you that speake saith our Sauiour but the spirit of your Father that speaketh in you As it is in bodily diseases that they doe not infect vs alike some seaze vpon the humors others vpon the spirits some assault the braine others the heart or lungs so in bodily and spirituall possessions In some the euill spirit takes away their senses in some their limms in some their inward faculties like as spiritually they affect to moue vs vnto seuerall sinnes One to lust another to couetousnesse or ambition another to crueltie and their names haue distinguished them according to these various effects This was a dumbe deuill which yet had possessed not the tongue only of this man but his eare nor that only but as it seemes his eies too O suttle and tyrannous spirit that obstructs all waies to the soule that keeps out all meanes of grace both from the doores and windowes of the heart yea that stops vp all passages whether of ingresse or egresse Of ingresse at the eie or eare of egresse at the mouth that there might bee no capacitie of redresse What holy vse is thereof our tongue but to praise our Maker to confesse our sins to informe our brethren How rife is this dumbe Deuill euery-where whiles he stops the mouthes of Christians from these vsefull and necessarie duties For what end hath man those two priueledges aboue his fellow creatures Reason and Speech but that as by the one he may conceiue of the great workes of his Maker which the rest cannot so by the other he may expresse what he conceiues to the honour of the Creator both of them and himselfe And why are all other creatures said to praise God and bidden to praise him but because they doe it by the apprehension by the expression of man If the heauens declare the glory of God how doe they it but to the eies and by the tongue of that man for whom they were made It is no small honour whereof the enuious spirit shall robbe his Maker if he can close vp the mouth of his only rationall and vocall creature and turne the best of his workmanship into a dumbe Idoll that hath a mouth and speakes not Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Praise is not more necessarie then complaint praise of God then complaint of our selues whether to God or men The only amends we can make to God when we haue not had the grace to auoid sinne is to confesse the sinne we haue not auoided This is the sponge that wipes out all the blots and blurrs of our liues If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sins and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse That cunning man-slayer knowes there is no way to purge the sicke soule but vpward by casting out the vicious humor wherewith it is clogged and therefore holds the lips close that the heart may not disburden it selfe by so wholsome euacuation When I kept silence my bones consumed For day and night thy hand ô Lord was heauie vpon me my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer O let me confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto thee that thou maist forgiue the punishment of my sinne We haue a tongue for God when we praise him for our selues when we pray and confesse for our brethren when we speake the truth for their information which if we hold backe in vnrighteousnesse we yeeld vnto that dumbe Deuill where doe we not see that accursed spirit He is on the Bench when the mute or partiall Iudge speakes not for truth and innocence He is in the pulpit when the Prophets of God smother or halue or adulterate the message of their master He is at the barre when irreligious Iurors dare lend an oath to feare to hope to gaine He is in the market when godlesse chapmen for their pennie sell the truth and their soule Hee is in the common conuersation of men when the tongue belies the heart flatters the guiltie balketh reproofes euen in the foulest crimes O thou who only art stronger then that strong one cast him out of the hearts and mouthes of men It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue destroyed thy law That it might well appeare this impediment was not naturall so soone as the man is freed from the spirit his tongue is free to his speech The effects of spirits as they are wrought so they cease at once If the Sonne of God doe but remoue our spirituall possession we shall presently brake forth into the praise of God into the confession of our vilenesse into the profession of truth But what strange varietie doe I see in the spectators of this miracle some wondring others censuring a third sort tempting a fourth applauding There was neuer man or action but was subiect to varietie of constructions What man could be so holy as he that was God What act could be more worthy then the dispossession of an euill spirit yet this man this act passeth these differences of interpretation What can we doe to vndergoe but one
of Satan so with the materiall chaines of the inhabitants What can bodily force preuaile against a spirit Yet they indeuour this restraint of the man whether out of charitie or iustice Charitie that he might not hurt himselfe Iustice that he might not hurt others None doe so much befriend the Demoniacke as those that binde him Neither may the spiritually possessed be otherwise handled for though this act of the enemie be plausible and to appearance pleasant yet there is more danger in this deare and smiling tyrannie Two sorts of chaines are fit for outragious sinners Good lawes vnpartiall executions That they may not hurt that they may not be hurt to eternall death These yron chaines are no sooner fast then broken There was more then an humane power in this disruption It is not hard to conceiue the vtmost of nature in this kinde of actions Sampson doth not breake the cords and ropes like a threed of towe but God by Sampson The man doth not breake these chaines but the spirit How strong is the arme of these euill angels how farre transcending the ordinarie course of nature They are not called Powers for nothing what flesh and bloud could but tremble at the palpable inequalitie of this match if herein the mercifull protection of our God did not the rather magnifie it selfe that so much strength met with so much malice hath not preuailed against vs In spight of both we are in safe hands Hee that so easily brake the yron fetters can neuer breake the adamantine chaine of our faith In vaine doe the chafing billowes of hell beate vpon that rocke whereon we are built And though these brittle chaines of earthly mettall be easily broken by him yet the sure-tempered chaine of Gods eternall decree he can neuer breake that almightie Arbiter of heauen and earth and hell hath chained him vp in the bottomlesse pit and hath so restrained his malice that but for our good wee cannot be tempted we cannot be foyled but for a glorious victorie Alas it is no otherwise with the spiritually possessed The chaines of restraint are commonly broken by the furie of wickednesse What are the respects of ciuilitie feare of God feare of men wholsome lawes carefull executions to the desperately licentious but as cobwebs to an harnet Let these wilde Demoniacks know that God hath prouided chaines for them that will hold euen euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse these are such as must hold the Deuils themselues their masters vnto the iudgement of the great day how much more those impotent vassals Oh that men would suffer themselues to be bound to their good behauiour by the sweet and easie recognizances of their dutie to their God and the care of their owne soules that so they might rather be bound vp in the bundle of life It was not for rest that these chaines were torne off but for more motion This prisoner runs away from his friends he cannot run away from his Iaylor He is now carried into the wildernesse Not by meere externall force but by internall impulsion Carried by the same power that vnbound him for the oportunitie of his Tyrannie for the horror of the place for the affamishment of his 〈◊〉 for the auoidance of all meanes of resistance Solitarie deserts are the delights of Satan It is an vnwise zeale that moues vs to doe that to our selues in an opinion of merit and holinesse which the Deuill wishes to doe to vs for a punishment and conueniencie of tentation The euill spirit is for solitarinesse God is for societie He dwells in the assembly of his Saints yea there he hath a delight to dwell Why should not we account it our happinesse that we may haue leaue to dwell where the author of all happinesse loues to dwell There cannot be any miserie incident into vs whereof our gracious Redeemer is not both conscious and sensible without any intreatie therefore of the miserable Demoniack or suit of any friend the God of spirits takes pittie of his distresse and from no motion but his owne commands the ill spirit to come forth of the man O admirable precedent of mercy preuenting our requests exceeding our thoughts forcing fauours vpon our impotence doing that for vs which we should and yet cannot desire If men vpon our instant solicitations would giue vs their best aid it were a iust praise of their bountie but it well became thee ô God of mercie to goe without force to giue without suit And doe we thinke thy goodnesse is impaired by thy glory If thou wert thus commiseratiue vpon earth art thou lesse in heauen How doest thou now take notice of all our complaints of all our infirmities How doth thine infinite pittie take order to redresse them What euill can befall vs which thou knowest not feelest not relieuest not How safe are we that haue such a Guardian such a Mediator in heauen Not long before had our Sauiour commanded the windes and waters and they could not but obey him now he speakes in the same Language to the euill spirit he intreats not he perswades not he commands Command argues superioritie He only is infinitely stronger then the strong one in possession Else where powers are matcht though with some inequalitie they tugge for the victorie and without a resistance yeeld nothing There are no fewer sorts of dealing with Satan then with men Some haue dealt with him by suit as the old Satanian heretickes and the present Indian Sauages sacrificing to him that he hurt not Others by couenant condicioning their seruice vpon his assistance as Witches and Magicians Others by insinuation of implicite compact as charmers and Figure-casters Others by adiuration as the sonnes of Sceua and moderne Exorcists vnwarrantably charging him by an hier name then their owne None euer offred to deale with Satan by a direct and primarie command but the God of spirits The great Archangel when the strife was about the body of Moses commanded not but imprecated rather The Lord rebuke thee Satan It is only the God that made this spirit an Angel of light that can command him now that he hath made himselfe the Prince of darknesse If any created power dare to vsurpe a word of command he laughs at their presumption and knowes them his vassals whom he dissembles to feare as his Lords It is thou only ô Sauiour at whose becke those stubburne Principalities of hell yeeld and tremble no wicked man can be so much a slaue to Satan as Satan is to thee the interposition of grace may defeat that dominion of Satan thy rule is absolute and capable of no let What need we to feare whiles we are vnder so omnipotent a commander The waues of the deepe rage horribly yet the Lord is stronger then they Let those Principalities and powers doe their worst Those mightie aduersaries are vnder the command of him who loued vs so well as to bleed for vs What can we now doubt of His power or his will How can we
freedome from paine the foulest spirits cannot but loue themselues and this loue must needs produce a deprecation of euill Yet what a thing is this to heare the Deuill at his praiers I beseech thee torment me not Deuotion is not guiltie of this but feare There is no grace in the suit of Deuils but nature no respect of glory to their Creator but their owne ease They cannot pray against sinne but against torment for sinne What newes is it now to heare the profanest mouth in extremitie imploring the sacred name of God when the Deuils doe so The worst of all creatures hates punishment and can say Lead me not into paine only the good heart can say Lead me not into temptation If we can as heartily pray against sinne for the auoiding of displeasure as against punishment when we haue displeased there is true grace in the soule Indeed if we could feruently pray against sinne we should not need to pray against punishment which is no other then the inseparable shadow of that body but if we haue not laboured against our sinnes in vaine doe we pray against punishment God must be iust and the wages of sinne is death It pleased our holy Sauiour not only to let fall words of command vpon this spirit but to interchange some speeches with him All Christs actions are not for example It was the error of our Grand-mother to hold chat with Satan That God who knowes the craft of that old Serpent and our weake simplicitie hath charged vs not to inquire of an euill spirit surely if the Disciples returning to Iacobs Well wondred to see Christ talke with a woman well may we wonder to see him talking with an vncleane Spirit Let it be no presumption ô Sauiour to aske vpon what grounds thou didst this wherein we may not follow thee We know that sinne was excepted in thy conformitie of thy selfe to vs we know there was no guile found in thy mouth no possibilitie of taint in thy nature in thine actions Neither is it hard to conceiue how the same thing may be done by thee without sinne which we cannot but sinne in doing There is a vast difference in the Intention in the Agent For on the one side thou didst not aske the name of the spirit as one that knew not and would learne by inquiring but that by the confession of that mischiefe which thou pleasedst to suffer the grace of the cure might be the more conspicuous the more glorious so on the other God and man might doe that safely which meere man cannot doe without danger thou mightest touch the leprosie and not be legally vncleane because thou touchedst it to heale it didst not touch it with possibilitie of infection So mightest thou who by reason of the perfection of thy diuine nature wert vncapable of any staine by the interlocution with Satan safely conferre with him whom corrupt man predisposed to the danger of such a pearle may not meddle with without sinne because not without perill It is for none but God to hold discourse with Satan Our surest way is to haue as little to doe with that euill one as we may and if he shall offer to maintaine conference with vs by his secret tentations to turne our speech vnto our God with the Archangell The Lord rebuke thee Satan It was the presupposition of him that knew it that not only men but spirits haue names This then he askes not out of an ignorance or curiositie nothing could be hid from him who calleth the starres and all the hosts of heauen by their names but out of a iust respect to the glory of the miracle he was working whereto the notice of the name would not a little auaile For if without inquirie or confession our Sauiour had eiected this euill spirit it had passed for the single dispossession of one onely Deuill whereas now it appeares there was a combination and hellish champertie in these powers of darknesse which were all forced to vaile vnto that almightie command Before the Deuill had spoken singularly of himselfe What haue I to doe with thee and I beseech thee torment me not Our Sauiour yet knowing that there was a multitude of Deuils lurking in that brest who dissembled their presence wrests it out of the Spirit by this interrogation What is thy name Now can those wicked ones no longer hide themselues He that asked the question forced the answer My name is Legion The author of discord hath borrowed a name of warre from that militarie order of discipline by which the Iewes were subdued doth the Deuill fetch his denomination They were many yet they say My name not Our name though many they speake as one they act as one in this possession There is a maruellous accordance euen betwixt euill spirits that Kingdome is not diuided for then it could not stand I wonder not that wicked men doe so conspire in euill that there is such vnanimitie in the brochers and abettors of errors when I see those deuils which are many in substance are one in name action habitation Who can bragge too much of vnitie when it is incident into wicked spirits All the praise of concord is in the subiect if that be holy the consent is Angelicall if sinfull deuillish What a fearfull aduantage haue our spirituall enemies against vs If armed troupes come against single straglers what hope is there of life of victorie How much doth it concerne vs to band our hearts together in a communion of Saints Our enemies come vpon vs like a torrent Oh let not vs run asunder like drops in the dust All our vnited forces will be little enough to make head against this league of destruction Legion imports Order number conflict Order in that there is a distinction of regiment a subordination of Officers Though in hell there be confusion of faces yet not confusion of degrees Number Those that haue reckoned a Legion at the lowest haue counted it six thousand others haue more then doubled it though here it is not strict but figuratiue yet the letter of it implies multitude How fearfull is the consideration of the number of Apostate-Angels And if a Legion can attend one man how many must we needs thinke are they who all the world ouer are at hand to the punishment of the wicked the exercise of the good the tentation of both It cannot be hoped there can be any place or time wherein we may be secure from the onsets of these enemies Be sure ye lewd men ye shall want no furtherance to euill no torment for euill Be sure ye godly ye shall not want combatants to trie your strength and skill Awaken your courages to resist and stirre vp your hearts to make sure the meanes of your safetie There are more with vs then against vs The God of heauen is with vs if we be with him and our Angels behold the face of God If euery deuill were a Legion we are safe Though wee walke