milk and butter in a lordly dish till he sleeps and then nothing but the hammer and the nail till he dyes So the Devil disclaim he what Cruelties and profess he what Kindnesses he will be we sure of this He never seeks to possess any man but to tyrannize over him to ruine him and spiritually undo him if he can Whosoever credits a Lyar is deceived but he that will credit the known Father of Lyes John 8 44 loves to be deceived and undone And next to keep him out two things are necessary Iam. 2.17 18 1. To See him by Faith 2. To bolt the Door against him by Works of Obedience 1. To See him Some Rules should be borrowed from the Opticks for the seeing things exactly with our bodily eyes That it is requisite that the Object be rightly placed that is In a direct Opposition and not too near us We cannot see a thing in its compleat proportion on the same side we are neither behind us nor if it be placed just beside us If a man would plainly and perfectly in each Dimension behold one in this side of the Room he must step over to the other side So he that would see the Devil in his Pride shall never perceive him so long as he is proud himself for so long he stands on the same side the Devil doth But if he go over unto the other side of Humility then he shall plainly see the Devil in his Pride so in his Malice and Hypocrisie c. The reason why so few discern him in his Slights and Deformities is because so many stand on the same side Then be sure we stand not too near for if the Organ be too near the Object the beams of the sight will be confounded There must be a Mediocrity of distance the Eye not too near nor too far off for if a man would perceive the Art of a prospective Picture he must go a distance from it and look on it not with Natural eyes only but with the help of Artificial eyes or Spectacles fitted for the purpose else no discerning of the Mystery in it Semblably if a man would plainly see this mysterious Prospect of the Devil with all his deep Shadows and profound Devices and Deceits he must endeavor to go from him that he may perceive him and then look not with the eyes of Nature or Reason which hardly or never discern him 1 Ioh 2 20. but with the eye of Faith cleared with Gods Word and anointed with Gods Spirit which will plainly discover him The next Means to keep the Devil out of Possession is to shut the Door against him by good Works of holy Obedience for Conscience sake Christian diligence in lawful Callings even in the lowest places of hewing wood and drawing water especially if the heart be fortified with the spirit of Grace and Prayer is no small means to keep out the working Devil who hath Idleness for his Anvil Gen. 2.15 Adam was set by God to work in Paradise Hieronimus ad Rusticum ut quando Diabolus venit inveniat occupatum but was idle when the Devil was at work with him by Temptations And therefore let me advise you as He did his Friend To be always doing of some good thing that when the Devil comes he may find you busie The Door shut against him and you not at leasure to give him entertainment And then let every Soul earnestly observe quid genus Daemonum what kind of evil Spirit it is that doth most strongly beset if not possess it For as there are Diversities of Devils and Diversities of Sins so are there Differences in Casting out of Sins Though in respect of Gods absolute Power all are alike easie yet in regard of mans capacity or incapacity some sins are cast out and some Souls cured with the less and some with the greater difficulty Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil spirit of Unbelief Heb. 3.12 Joh. 20.25 27 Incredulity Vain-glory and Hypocrisie this kind cannot come forth easily Bribery Perjury Cruelty this kind is cured hardly And of like kind are Drunkenness Uncleanness Covetousness Rebellion Witchcraft And especially beware of any customary and presumptuous sins this is a kind not to be cast out ordinarily For as there was no little ado to restore to life Jairus his daughter dead in the house Mark 5 41 Luke 7.14 More about the Widows son carryed out dead in the gate but Most of all about Lazarus buried dead in the grave so long till he stank Ioh. 11.44 for Martha wept and Mary wept and the Jews wept yea Jesus himself wept and groaned in his spirit Semblably There goes Much besides private Admonition to Raise the secret shame-fac'd Sinner Mat. 18.15 that with Jairus his daughter is but dead as in the house and within doors Mat. 18.16 17 Ezek. 2.4 And More besides publique Reprehension to Raise the open impudent Sinner that with the Widows son is as dead in the gate without doors like Absalom in the face of the Sun But Most of all besides weeping and groaning and with Mary lamenting Lord Ioh. 11 21. if thou hadst been here my Brother had not dyed to Raise the customary stinking Sinner that with Lazarus is as dead and buried in the grave of Custom for this is the worst kind pleading Custom and most hard to be cast out It were good to pray Davids prayer with Davids spirit Psal 19.12 13. Cleanse thou me from secret sins for even this is an evil kind not easily cast out But it were good to heat the furnace of our Devotions yet seven times more then it was wont to be heat if possible when we come to this Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me Then shall I be upright and innocent from the great or much Transgression For this is the worst kind very hard to be cast out Take we heed therefore of giving Dispensations of witting or willing Allowance and Indulgence to any sin for beleeve it the least sin committed presumptuously will weigh too heavy in the ballance of the Sanctuary And finally If an evil Spirit of any kind hath got possession that Christs Ordinances cannot cast out Mark 9.18 as Christs Disciples here in this kind could not Then be sure to remember the words of the Lord Jesus Vers 19. Bring him unto me If neither Word nor Sacrament will do it try what Prayer will do Present thy heart as that father did his son to Christ and say Lord here is my heart possest with an evil spirit of Infidelity or of Obduracy or of Pride or any other Impiety c. I have often carried it to the Word and to the Sacrament and to other of thine Ordinances that they should cast him out and yet They could not Now sith thou hast said Bring him unto me behold Lord in Obedience to thy Command and in Confidence of thy Promise I here present it naked and prostrate before thee Strike where thou wilt so thou cure Handle it how thou pleasest so thou cast it not out of thy hands Lord I beleeve help thou my unbelief Speak thou but the word and my heart shall be dispossessed mollified humbled and sanctified c. Pray I say and I say again Pray who can tell what Prayer may do Oh the Wonders of Salvation wrought by Prayer in all the Elements from the highest Heaven to the lowest Hell Aug. Deo sacrificium Homini subsidium Daemonibâ—â— flagellam as a Sacrifice to God Help to Man and Scourge to Satan And indeed if the Spirit of Grace and Adoption beget it if the Spirit of Grace and Regeneration conceive it and if the wings of Faith and Fervency do carry it through the Angels hand c. what can hinder it Iam. 5.16 Rev. 8.4 Not for the meer excellency that is in it self nor for the bare Faculty of it but for Gods Institution and Appointment of it to this end singling of it out to this purpose in his own Acceptance This is it that does it whereby Prayer rightly Rooted and rightly Regulated can do Miracles when nothing else can do it even cast out Devils as here in the present Case of our Text This Kind can come forth by nothing but by Prayer and Fasting Which might be easily brought up but that the Well is deep and I doubt here is no Bucket to draw Therefore so much shall serve for this time of this thing 2 Tim. 2.7 Consider what is said and God give you understanding in all things Amen FINIS
and shame The first Occasion 2. Upon the Churches just sentence of Excommunication Clave non errante rightly and duly administred for some crying sins and scandalous offences An heavy Ordinance which casts men out of the Church into ghostly torments and spiritual agonies in Conscience by Satan St Paul may well say 2 Cor. 2 6. Sufficient is this Punishment c. which cutteth men off from communion with the Saints of God Sufficient indeed which cutteth men off from communion with God himself the God and all the Good of the Saints Sufficient indeed for dismal Consequences the hiding and withdrawing of the light of his Countenance the witness of his Spirit and the comforts of his gracious Presence Sufficient to such a one c. He needs no more punishment to be sure created Nature being capable of no greater here This is the Case of the incestuous Corinthian and it admits of two heavy Aggravations in that very Text 1 Cor. 5.4 5 both from the Judg and Executioner 1. In the Name and with the Power of the Lord Iesus Christ Verse 4 That is by a Commission from Christ which issuing out in his Name when the Church proclaims it on Earth Christ signs it in Heaven And this is an heavy case to be cut off and cast out by Christ the Redeemer by Jesus the Saviour It is not a small cloud that will hide this Sun Rev. 6 16 not a light matter that will anger this Lamb. 2. Vers 5. 1 Pet. 5.8 Rev. 12.9 Psa 27.12 To deliver such an one unto Satan the grand Adversary of Mankind the Devil And this also is an heavy case David deprecates it as a fearful evil To be given over unto the will of his enemies though but corporal and temporal Of how much deeper deprecation may it be thought worthy to be delivered up unto the will of The Enemy spiritual and immortal who is big with Malice never satisfied but with blood and death 1 Sam 22.18 Fall upon him Doeg was an hard saying of Saul Fall upon him Devil a harder saying of God And yet that same Text affords as many Extenuations both from the Restraint and End 1. For the destruction of the flesh Lo Satan is restrained in destroying Ps 104 26 Iob 38.11 That Leviathan hath bounds set him as well as that Element he plays in Hitherto shalt thou come and no further Iob 1.12 and here shall thy proud waves be stayed As there in Job's case first restrained to his Goods and Children Hitherto and no further Iob. 2.6 then to his Body only Hitherto and no further So here in the Corinthians case the Destroyer is restrained to the flesh For the destraction of the Flesh Hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed 2. For the destruction of the flesh That the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Lo Satan is ordered and overruled to another End then he intends not to accomplish 1 Tim. 1.19 2 Tim. 3.13 2 Pet. 2.20 but to spoyl his own works however he get his own end with Hypocrites carrying them on to more sin waxing worse and worse their latter end worse then their beginning but with Gods own he is compelled to Gods end 2 Cor. 12.7 As there in Pauls case That he might be humbled to that end and no other So here in the Corinthians case That his flesh might be destroyed and his spirit saved to this end Rom. 6.6 Rev. 3 2. and no other That sin might decrease and grace increase That the old man might be crucified and the new enlarged in him Thus by the Devils Commission upon the Churches Censure for scandalous Crimes which is the second Occasion 3. Upon Gods own Excommunication by Divine Desertion the Church neglecting her office in that kind God himself sometimes doth cut off and cast out as it were excommunicate mens spirits from his gracious Presence and deliver them up to the Devil by terrors to fright them back and whip them home to himself again As in the cases of Job and David giving them occasion to say of such terrors preventing sin as David to Abigail preventing blood Blessed be thou of the Lord that thou hast met me this day 1 Sam. 25.32 and blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me c. God often sets the Devil to hedg up the way of Christians with his Terrors and evil men with Afflictions and Persecutions as it were with thorns as was threatened or promised the Church of old Hosea 2.6 I will hedg up thy way with thorns c. And blessed thorns which hide and stop every path to sin Upon all these Occasions God grants the Devil some power in commission in common as it were over Good and Bad but with great difference Over the Bad Ephe. 6.12 Ephes 2.2 2 Tim. 2.26 1 Cor 12 2 2 Cor 4.4 as their Ruler The Rulers of darkness of this world as their Head Working in the Children of Disobedience as their Conqueror Taken captive by him c. as their God The God of this world hath blinded their minds c. Over the Good only as a Jaylor over his Prisoners For a righteous Judg may commit his own son that is a Malefactor into the hands of a Jaylor not at his absolute arbitrary power to kill or rack or whip at his will and pleasure but according to warrant and commission And thus God commits some of his own into the hands of this Jaylor as by the particular warrant appears This Warrant is recorded by which the Jaylor is in greater Chains then the Prisoners Rev. 2.10 Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be Tryed And ye shall have Tribulation Ten days The Church of Smyrna whom it concerned is bid Behold Behold their Jaylor as well as themselves his Prisoners Behold their Jaylor in Chains of Three Limitations Limitations in all the Circumstances of Persons Time and Place of Affliction 1. In the Persons and Number of the Afflicted The Devil would have All in his hands but he is there in Chains Not All but some of you 2. In the Place and Nature of the Affliction The Devil would have it Hell and Destruction but he is there also in Chains Not so but into Prison and Tribulation that ye may be Tryed 3. In the Time and Duration The Devil would have it like his own Chains Everlasting but he is here too in Chains of Limitation Not so but for Ten days And then shall be heard the saying that was prophecyed Prisoners go ye forth and ye that are in darkness shew your selves Isai 49.9 Therefore Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer but be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life And thus for the Manner and Occasions of Gods granting the Devil such Power
over the sons of men viz. The Devils Petition The Churches Excommunication and Divine Desertion Now for the Reasons Why and Grounds whereon it is so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherein my Brevity shall redeem the time of my former Prolixity And in this regard 't is well that I speak to so many who can conceive faster and see further then I can speak God gives way to the Devils Rage and Tyranny over the sons of men 1. For the greater Honour of his Providential and Judicial Dispensations both of Mercy and Judgment Of Mercy to the Good to prevent their sin in uncollering Satan as the Shepherd doth his Dog to fetch them in when they offer to stray Of Judgment to the Bad to punish their sin setting evil spirits against evil men Isa 19.2 as he did the Egyptians against the Egyptians 2. For the greater Detestation of Sin and secret heart-rising against it That men might learn to hate it with the most perfect hatred as the most perfect pernicious evil worse indeed then either Hell or Devil because it made them so And were it not for sin and its lusts in the world the Devil might spare his pains as having nothing to do in the world confine himself to his own Hell and keep his breath to cool his own torments Therefore as the Worm bred in the Tree devoureth the Tree so the Rage and Tyranny of Satan brought in by Sin by the Almighty Mercy carries Sin out again by teaching men to abhor and eschew it because of the cursed Plagues and dismal Consequences that attend it as in this case of our Text which being so Terrible in this life 1 Tim. 1.20 must needs be Intolerable in the life to come Hymeneus and Alexander were delivered unto Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme 3. For the greater addition to the Devils own evil to heap unquenchable coals of fire upon his own head to aggravate his Doom to encrease his own Condemnation for continuing his tyrannous hate and malice against man even though he prevail not And if he do prosper in his malicious Tyranny and Temptations and prevail what doth the Devil but carry firebrands to his own Hell and fuel to his own eternal flames For As the Joys of Heaven and Salvation are nothing diminished Luke 15.7 10. but rather encreased with the Number of the Saved There being joy among the Angels in Heaven for the Repentance and Conversion of Sinners and joy among the Saints in Heaven for the perfect Salvation of Sinners Heb. 11 40 welcoming their Accessions with their glorious Greetings So are the Torments of Damnation nothing abated but rather augmented by the Multitudes of the Damned else what meant that man in Hell tormented to desire that his five Brethren might be warned lest they also come into this place of Torment Luk. 16.27 28. Be this a Parable and serve not for our Conclusion yet it may for our Illustration Acts 23.8 Was it his Charity to his Fathers house No there is no such thing in Hell It might be his self-love unto himself to prevent this addition to his own Torments by his Brethrens Condemnation 4. For the greater Conviction of incredulous men that ever were and still are in the world who are Sadduces in their Judgments who say There is neither Angel nor Spirit scarce beleeve there is any Devil Therefore God to convince their Incredulity by apparent demonstration to Sense and Reason permitteth the Devil to play his Reaks with them that they may know there is a Devil Thus the proud ambitious man knows not whether there be any Devil or no but when this evil Spirit hath gilt the way like the Snail by which he climbs and falls to his own ruine and shame then he cries out The Devil was in 't The malicious wrathful man knows not whether there be any Devil or no but when injuries have so over-heat his blood that his anger is boyled up and ripened to murther and murther to the Halter then he cries out The Devil is in 't The earthly covetous man knows not whether there be any Devil or no but when he hath so long panted after the dust of the Earth and admired a piece of red clay till he hath buried his heart in his own dunghil 1 Tim. 6.9 and fallen into that snare then he cries out The Devil is in 't These are the Reasons that answer to the first Question Why God suffers Satan thus to rage c. Question 2 But why was the Devil more Tyrannous and Outragious in Christs Time then in Former Ages As appeared in this and other Cases It might be for I love not to be peremptory in such Points of Causality for three Reasons I say it might be 1. Because this strong man armed met then with a stronger then he Luke 11.21 22. able to bind him overcome him and take from him both his arms and spoyls one whose main business of coming into the world was To destroy the works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.8 And this was enough to make him so desperately 2. Because of Occasion to be ministred Mat. 12.28 by the Devils tyrannous possession of Christs manifesting himself to be the Son of God by his Divine Ejection If the Devil had not entered in there had been no occasion for Christ to cast him out Therefore the Devils Rage and Tyranny then might be much to the same purpose John 9.3 as was that mans being born blind That the Works of God might be made manifest c. 3. Because the Devil knew his Time was short Rev. 12.12 Rom. 6.20 To be trod under foot shortly as the Spirit said to St John imputing his great wrath to his knowledg of his short time Having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time Like some spiteful Tenant that fells the Trees racks the Grounds burns the Gates ruines the House spoyls and wastes all that he can because he knows his Lease nigh expired not to be renewed but himself and all his shortly to be outed So in our case the Devil did the more madly ruffle and rant it in Christs time because he knew his time was short 1 Ioh. 3.8 and that there was one then in the world that would make short work with him and all his works And therefore the Devil would make short work on 't Rev. 22.11 that they who are prophane unjust and filthy may be so still and more then so that they may be damned Rom. 9 2◠And therefore God will make short work too upon Earth that they who are righteous and holy may be so still and more then so may persist and encrease therein that they may be saved And were it not for this short work of Gods wherein he out-does the Devil 1 Pet. 4.18 the Righteous and Elect would more scarcely be saved Therefore for their sakes is this as well as that
Word is not a Rule Therefore make we the Word of God to be our Rule and then hopefully may we beg the Spirit of God to be our Guide and hold we there if we be wise Now by this I hope you are Resolved in part About the Devils Rage with Man About his Greatest Rage in Christs Time With Application to Ours Wherein if I have seemed in any thing too uncharitable or peremptory I humbly crave but two things of you in my Apology That such only may be my Judges who have sadly considered the state of the Times and of their own Souls at their Judgment I am content to stand or fall That such candor may be shewed me as was due unto the Prophets of old Ier. 5.1 Ier. 9.2 Psal 12.1 Isaial 1.6 speaking thus largely There is not a man to be found that executeth Judgment and seeketh the Truth They be All Adulterers An Assembly of Rebels There is not one godly man left From the sole of the foot unto the head c. From the least of them even to the greatest c. They would in all be understood as lamenting at the generality of Corruption not as besoting every particular person of Magistracy Ministry and Commonalty without exception and so would I Not loving the froward wont of wayward men so to bemoan what we want as not to bless God for what we have There are some Christian hearts I hope amongst us in all our Ranks God encrease their Number their Graces and their Comforts For I fear me 't is but as the shaking of an Olive-tree Isai 17.6 Ier. 3.14 Isai 24.13 in Isaiah Two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough four or five in the utmost branches One of a City two of a Tribe Or As the gleaning of Grapes when the Vintage is done Yet with this comfort That God is dealt and prevailed with by his Servants more in their Weight then in their Numbers Gen. 18. Ten righteous Souls would in Gods Ballance outweigh all the Godless ones in Sodom One Christian all the Christless ones in Jerusalem Ier. 5.1 For as he said Iudg. 8.2 The gleanings of Ephraim are better then the vintage of Abiezer By this Measure here set by me I see room little enough left me in time and patience for this short Application First 1 Instruction For Instruction in two particulars 1. Of Mans vain Credulity which does him most injury in trusting his Enemy too far not taking him to be so much our Adversary as Gods Word doth make him to be nor beleeving that he seeketh our Destruction so much as Gods Ministers declare him to do 1 Pet. 5.8 Mat. 24 22 Gen. 3.1 But we may be perswaded that the Devil is not called our Adversary nor compared to a Roaring Lyon and to a subtil Serpent for nothing feeding upon our Corruptions as the Serpent doth upon dust 2. Of the Devils Tyranny which if so malicious to our Bodies though he least minds them as to dismember them whereof are divers Examples besides this in the Gospel How great may we suspect his Malice towards our Souls seeking to dismember them by making us blind when we should see Gods Works and deaf when we should hear Gods Word and dumb when we should confess our sins or bless his Name Isa 33 14 Mat 9 43.44 And if his Cruelty be so terrible in this life how tormenting will it be in the life to come in those everlasting burnings in Hell fire Next For Exhortation 2 Exhortations to praise God for not giving us over as a prey into his Teeth but that our Souls are escaped as Birds out of the snare of this Fowler Psalm 24.6 7 8. For he is a poor experienced Christian that doth not dayly find the Power of God in preserving him from Satans Temptations and Terrors 2 Tim 4 8 which are the Paws and Jaws of that Roaring Lyon that would devour him Common Prose is too low and dull to express the due thanks for such a Deliverance The Soul in this should be advanced to the height and courage of a Song Not a Christian Soul but hath matter enough given it of God to make Songs of his Praise being thus like Davids Soul compassed about with Songs of Deliverance Psal 32 7. and 28 7. What now the Importance of your Affairs which occasion this Concourse will not permit me to express I crave leave only to intimate in few words touching The Disease and Cure in our Text and so conclude The Malady or Disease This Kind 1. Mat 9 33. The dumb Devil was always held the worst kind of Devils and therefore we find that upon the effecting of this Miracle the people were all amazed and marvelled saying It was never so seen in Israel because it was such an extraordinary Cure to heal one possessed with a dumb Devil Here were occasion of a Discourse about the Nature Order Malignity and Diversity of Evil Angels wherewith I might fill your heads sooner then warm your hearts which makes me the less sorry for being taken off from speaking any more Now therefore no more but this As there are Diversities of Devils so are there Diversities of Sins their name is Legion too for they are many Mark 5.9 Sins are Diversified 1. In respect of the Cause which may be Voluntary or Involuntary such as are either of Ignorance or of Presumption But know we that voluntary and presumptuous sins are the worst kind Psa 19.13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins c. 2. In respect of the Act either of Commission or of Omission Is 65.2 3. Ezek. 2.4 Commissive sins are the worst kind Sins in deed are held more provoking and impudent 3. In respect of the Subject thereof The same sin for the matter is capable of aggravation from the person that commits it be he Prince or Subject Master or Servant Minister or People c. Sin may proceed and commence take an higher degree according to the height and degree of the person that acts it the higher the worse kind 4. In respect of the Object So Blasphemy against God is a worse kind then Calumny against a Neighbor 1 Sam. 2.25 5. In respect of the Matter So detracting from the Word of God is a worse kind then clipping the Kings Coyn. 6. In respect of the Manner or Measure So reiterated multiplied continued sins are a worse kind then single sins but once committed This might be serviceable for divers Uses 1. As for their Confutation who make no difference of sins but judg All alike because that Sin is nothing but a Privation and Privation say they admits of no Degrees But by their leaves they may be told if not taught that Privations are not all equal some are more meer and simple Privations then others But I cannot stay to teach them now 2. So for their Confutation also who spitefully
accuse us of equalling and levelling all sins because we allow not of their vain Distinction of Venial and Mortal Sins especially in their sence Truth indeed we account no sin simply little and in its own nature small Because No little God to sin against the least sin minimum spirituale is against an infinite Majesty No little Price payd for little sins the least sin pardoned cost the invaluable Blood of Christ No little disobedience in little sins As much Treason in false coyning of pence of Silver as of pieces of Gold No little unthankfulness in little sins the less the matter and occasion is wherein we offend the greater is our unthankfulness in offending God for so small a matter and advantage which shews the greater Corruption by how much the less was the Temptation No little pollution by little sins A small Puddle may defile a man as much as a muddy Pond No little punishment for little sins so called Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin as sin is eternal death 'T is known that the Plagues of Lice and of Flies did trouble the Land of Egypt as much if not more then some of the greater Plagues The Magicians were first baffled in the Lice and made to acknowledg the finger of God Exod. 8.9 and Pharaoh first heart-struck in the Flies without a Rod to yield the Israelites to sacrifice to their God Ver. 24.25 The smalness of the Instruments adds unto the horror of the Judgments Maximus in minimis Gods hand being most palpable and sensible in the smallest and vilest things Pharaoh might take it in as much scorn to perish by the basest and vilest creatures Judg. 9.54 as Abimelech to be killed by the weakest vessel a woman Therefore though we extenuate no sin saying of it as Lot of Zoar Gen. 19 20 Is it not a little one because we know all sin of it self mortal yet let us make a difference in degrees of sin and remember that to be possessed with a Dumb Spirit is to be possessed with a Great Sin indeed When a man is so Dumb that he cannot confess his sins to God and so Dumb that he cannot crave the mercy of God to forgive his sins and so Dumb as he cannot praise God for his Bounty and Goodness and so Dumb that he can rebuke or exhort his Brother Then indeed he is possessed with a Dumb Spirit and a Great Sin But no more of the Malady This Kind And as little of the Recovery Coming forth It is so remarkable 2. Mat. 12.24 28. that Christ never healed any possest but he still cast the Devil out that the Ancient learned sought for Reasons and found Four why Casting out is the only note of Cure why only by Coming forth 1. Because the Devil like a cunning Cheater doth always cozen and out-reach men in his Bargain Luke 4.6 Mat. 4 8 2 Pet 2 14 deluding of feeble senses and beguiling of unstable Souls never giving any valuable Consideration for any thing that he had Primae Actiones sunt regulae As appears by his Cheat put upon our first Parents who for an Apple sold Paradise the Price was indeed so little as the Spirit of God would never yet acquaint us what it was And consider I pray what doth he give the Ambitious man for his Soul but Smoak And what the Covetous man but Muck And what the Adulterous Libidinous man but Rottenness In which respect there is Ejectio firma against him as the Law provides in like cases he must be cast out 2. Because like a false juggling Dealer he never performed or made good his Bargain He promised our first Parents Gen. 3.4 5 They should not dye but live and be as Gods But alas though some of their posterity might be said to live as Gods Psal 82 7. Rom. 6.23 yet to be sure they shall all dye like men Right Legerdemain taking from us what he seems to give us He is ever lavish in his tempting promises of things not his own Mat. 4 9. Luke 4.6 as he was to Christ But universal experience hath found him false and therefore he is justly Cast out 3. Because the Devil like a sharking Jobber chaffer'd with those that had no power to sell Psal 10â— 3 Mal. 2.10 as children and servants that have no power to sell that which is not their own but their Parents and Masters Mens Bodies are not their own 1 Co. 6.19 much less their Souls And in this Case again the Law says Caveat emptor let the Buyer look to it and therefore is he Justly Cast out 4. Because the Devil never pays the quit-rent that is Thanks and Praise to God which he never renders willingly as an end of Agents Intention but only as an end of Passive Compulsion This Quit-rent of Honour and Glory God always as Creator reserved to himself in his most general Grant of all things to his Creatures But this the Devil never pays and therefore is he justly cast out and the great Landlord hath reason to re-enter Let us add but two more 5. Because he lets all go to decay and loves to ruine where he comes Lands and Buildings both the outward and the inward parts of the Dwellings He ruines the Body as well as the Estate of a Drunkard Glutton and Leacher and intemperate Liver with Rottenness and Consumptions He lets also the inward parts run to wrack as the Foundation to fall which is Faith the Walls to decay which are Charity and all the other inward Virtues to run to Ruine and therefore is he justly Cast out for not maintaining Reparations 6. Lastly Because God himself means to re-enter 1 Cor. 6.19 Cap. 10.21 and dwell there where must be no Inmate No room for Belials Mammons Idols 2 Cor. 6.15 Devils in the Temple of the Holy Ghost Therefore in Justice and Necessity is the Devil cast out of doors Applicat 1 Now seeing these things are so let the same Grounds which Christ had to cast out Satan be earnest Provocations unto our strong fortifications to keep him out and not suffer him by cunning disguizes to get possession in our Temples For though he turn himself into the harmless shape of a Sheep 1 Pet. 5. â—â— 2 Cor. 11.14 Ephe. 6.12 yet he is transcendently a subtil Serpent a malicious Dragon a roaring Lyon And though he transform himself into an Angel of Light yet he is a Spirit of Darkness He is fitly resembled to Hazael who being told by the Prophet that he should do such and such desperate things and prodigious acts answers Is thy servant a Dog that he should do such great things 2 Kin. 8 13 As if Elisha had been mistaken in the man but the event shewed the truth of that Prophecy Judg. 4 18 21. Cap. 5.25 And for all the world like Jael crying to Sisera Come in my lord come in fear not c. First give him