by the Sunne of Righteousnesse breaking through the grosse and foggy Clouds of Ignorance and Impiety wherein the Gentile world was wrapped VVhat doth he but re-salutes his former habitation He liked the old seat well and will venter a fall but recouer it 4. Thether he flyes and loe how fit he findes it for his entertaine The heart of the Iewes is empty of Faith swept with the beesome of Hypocrisie a iusticiary imaginary false-conceited righteousnes and garnished with a few broken traditions and ceremonies suppellectile complements in stead of substantiall graces 5. Glad of this he recollects his forces takes with him seauen other spirits a greater dominion of sinne then he was earst armed with all more wicked then himselfe as if hee would make inuincible prouision and preuention of any future dispossession 6. He enters in with his crew not purposing to be as a Guest but a Tenant not a Tenant but a Land-Lord not a Land-Lord but a King a Commander a Tyrant till at last he may presume of an indubitate right As Vsurpers that come to a Kingdome by a violent or litigious title are at first so modest dainty that they signe not their Graunts Edicts and such publike Acts in their owne particular and singular names but require the conscription and euident consent of their Counsell But once established by succession and vnriual'd by opposition they grow peremptorily confident in their owne right and power and in their most tyrannous acts dare signe Teste meipso So Sathan at first erection of his Kingdome in the Iewes conscious of his vniust title was content to admit the helpe of fond Ceremonies Tales Traditions c. to make for him against Christ whose Kingdome hee vsurpes This he condiscended to out of a mannerly couzenage and for the more subtle insinuation into the Iewish hearts But now established in his Throne and confirmed in his title by their hard-hartednes and wilfull obstinacy in reiecting their Messias hee is bold to signe all his oppositions to the Gospell with a Teste meipso 7. Hereupon their latter end becomes worse then their beginning A stronger delusion hath taken hold of them and that in the iust iudgement of the wise Ordinatour of all things For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeue a lye that all they might bee damned who beâ—…eeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse For if He that despised Moyses law dyed without mercy vnder two or three Witnesses then verse 29. Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden vnder foote not the Seruant but the Sonne of God hath counted the bloud not of Buls and Goates but of the Couenant wherewith he was sanctified whereby he shall now bee condemned an vnholy thing and hath done despite to the Spirit not of bondage but of grace His beginning was farre better or at least lesse bad then his ende shall be The Occasion was so materiall that it hath led me further then eyther my purpose or your patience would willingly haue allowed me What soeuer is written is written eyther for our instruction or destruction to conuert vs if we embrace it to conuince vs if we despise it Let this consideration quicken your attention enliuen your meditation encourage your obedience You demaund viuâ—…m vocem it is then a Liuing voyce when it is a voice of life to the beleeuing hearers Otherwise there is vox mortifera a voice that brings death to disobeyers The word that I haue spoken sayeth Christ shall iudge you in the last day The White Deuill the Hypocrite hath beene formerly discouer'd and the sky-colourd vaile of his dissimulation pulled off I am to present to your view and detestation a sinner of a contrary colour swarthy rebellion and besmeared Profanesse an Apostate falling into the clutches of eight vncleane spirits Needs must he be fowle that hath so many fowle deuils in him Mary Magdalen had but seauen and they were cast out this hath gotten one more to make his soule the blacker and they keepe in If Hypocrisie there were iustly called the White Deuill Apostacie here may as iustly bee termed the Blacke Deuill In the former was a white skinne of profession drawne ouer an vlcerous corps here hyde and carcasse hand and heart shadow and substance seeming and being outward profession and inward intention are blacke foule detestable Therfore we will call him the Apostate or blacke Deuill This Text dwelleth on two persons Man and Satan Alas it goes ill when Man and the Deuill come so neare together weake man and his infest profest enemy Wherein wee will metaphorically compare Man to a Fort and the Deuill to a Captaine 1 Man to a Fort. Not that hee is like stupid and dead walles without sense without science of no ability either to offend his aduersary or to defend himselfe but a liuing Tower that hath sense reason vnderstanding will affections which giue him meanes to open a voluntary doore to this Captayns entrance For a seipso est quod peccator aperiat Satanae a Deo quòd Deo It is of God that a sinner opens his heart to God of himselfe that he opens to Satan 2 The Deuill to a Captaine a strong impious impetuous imperious Captaine violeÌ„t in inuasion tyrannous in obsession a rampant Lyon that scornes either competition or superiority The materiall circumstances concerning both Fort and Captaine hold and holder place and person may be generally reduced to these three The vncleane Spirits Egresse forsaking the Hold wherein wee haue his Vnroosting wherin obserue the Person going out Manner Measure of Vnresting or disconteut which appeares in his Trauell He Walkes Tryall In dry places Trouble Seeking rest Euent Findeth none Regresse striuing for a re-entry into the he lost consider'd Intentiuely wherinare regardable his Resolution I will Revolution Returne Descript. of his seat House Affection to the same place My house wheÌ„ce I came out Inventiuely For hee findeth in it Clearnesse It is empty Cleannesse Swept Trimnesse Garnished Ingresse which consists in his fortifying the Hold manifested by his Associates for he encreaseth his troopes who are describd by their Nature Spirits Number Seven Measure of Malice more Wicked Assault to the repossessing of the place testifyed by their Invasion They enter Inhabitation Dwell Cohabitation They dwell there together The Conclusion and Application shut vp all 1. The Conclusion The last state of that man is worse then the first 2. The Application Euen so shal it bee also vnto this wicked generation You see I haue ventured on a long iourney and haue but a short time allowed me to go it My obseruations in my trauell shal be the shorter and I hope not the lesse sound So the breuity shall make some amends for the number I am to begin with the vnclean spirits departure When the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man It is wel that he is gone if he would neuer returne
lamentable is it to see Owles and â—…ctes Iim and Zijm impiety impenitency and rebellion dwelling in that mansion which the Lord of Hosts built for himselfe Heu domus antiqua quà m dispari dominar is domino Oh ancient house how ill art thou gouern'd where Couetousnesse is the Hall for there is no roome for charity in her old place Oppression the Kitchin where the liues and liuings of poore men are dressed for rich mens tables Pride is the Parlor which is hung with ostentation and selfe-flattery Wantonnesse is the Chamber where concupiscence sits and hatcheth an innumerable brood of lustes Malice is the Chimny which euer smoaks and sometimes flames out reuenge Security is the Bed whereon Satan lull's himselfe and Impenitency keepes the gate that no admission be giuen to admonition nor any thing let in to disquiet the Deuils house Oh the mercy of God! Shall we let in our enemies and keepe out our friends Must Satan be aduanced into Gods throne Shall pride shut the doore against the Lord of all mercy and comfort who yet hath promised to dwell in the humble and contrite soule For shame let vs cast Satan out keepe him out Though he flatter with the voyce of the Hiena at the doore and giue blandiloquous proffers yet Ianuafâ—…llaci non sit apertâ—… virâ—… 4. His affection to the same place Whence I came out Experienced delight sharpens desire whereas vnknowne things are not cared for This vncleane spirit remembers the softnesse and warmth of his old lodging and therefore no maruell if he conets to repossesse it Because 1. He finds an easier and softer residence there then in hell He had rather be in any place then his owne place rather in hogges then in the deepe There he is tormented himselfe here hee doth vexe and tempt others 2. Man is made after the Image of God to whom since he finds that his malice cannot extend he labours to deface his Picture Hence man beares the blowes which are mean't at God 3. Man is by Christ aduanced to that place whence God disthroniz'd him Now he cannot endure that a humane creature should ascend to that heauen whither himselfe once an Angell may not be admitted 4. Hee is exasperated against man by that curse inflicted on him for seducing man that the seede of the Woman should breake his head This irreconcilable enmityâ—…nrageth â—…nrageth and maddes him CHRIST hee could not quell haue at Christians 5. Lastly the Deuill is proud still and though he be cast downe is not humbled though low not lowly He takes a pride in his kingdome though it be but of darknes and lones to haue many subiects to doe him homage Since hee cannot be King in heauen hee would commaund in hell To enlarge his dominion hee would like Absolon steale away the hearts of men from king Dauid of Israel the Liege-lord of heauen and earth Hence he affects his old house there hee is sure of good cheare and welcome a fire of lust to warm him a bed of vncleannesse to lodge him and a table furnished with all manner of impieties to feast him Better here then walking in dry places where wickednes is too barren to yeild fruits for his dyet and oppositions too violent to giue him rest You perceiue now his Resolution Reuolution Description of his old seate an affection to it and in all these his Intention His Inuention followes and the successefull answerablenesse of all things to his desire He comes and hee findes preparation for his entertainment consisting in Clearenes Cleannesse Trimnesse Clearenes it is empty Cleannes or handsomnesse it is swept Trimnes or adornation it is garnished 1 The Deuill shall not want roome when hee comes there shall bee no in-mate in the house to molest him but such as hee either left behinde or sent before vicious lusts Which are indeede parts of himselfe and therefore cannot be said to be sodalitium They are shadowes and resemblances of himselfe which though he findes there he reputes the house no lesse empty 2 It is not enough to bee empty and capable to receiue him but it must be cleanly and plausible to receiue him swept There must bee a cleare riddance of what soeuer may discontent him 3 Nay all this preparation is too slender as if some great Prince were expected the house must be garnished as it were hung with Tapestry Arras There must not onely be emptinesse handsomnesse but neatnesse So then here is the prouision of the house to receiue him 1. It is not troublesome for it is empty 2. It is not slâ—…tish for it is swept 3. It is not incurious for it is garnished There is capacity conueniency curiosity Which three circumstances of prouision wee may thus expound 1. VVe will referre clearnesse or emptinesse to the absence of faith and good workes 2. Cleannesse or handsomenesse to an ouerly repentance 3. Trimnesse and curiosity to hypocrisie 1. Vacuitie It is Empty True faith is neuer alone It is in the very act of Iustification sola but not solitaria Good works as inseparable attendants or rather effects accompany it Where these are there is no emptinesse But in this Apostate or blacke Deuill there is neither the Mistresse nor the Maides Faith nor good workes therefore the roome of his heart is empty and capable of receiuing the vncleane spirit Perhaps in this vacancy absence of the power of Satan there might be an abstinence from grosse impieties but there was no hearty alacrity to the troublesome workes of godlines therefore he is iustly said to bee empty We know that the forbearance of monstrous and world-noted wickednesse is not enough to iustifie before God or to acquit vs from eternall malediction the Tree is doom'd to the fire that yeelds not good fruites although it yeeld no euill Euen infructuous barrennesse brought Christs curse on the figge-tree Sowre grapes are not onely displeasing to God but no grapes and condemnations floud reacheth further then to drowne obstinacy for it fetcheth in also Infertility God is departed and you know that Sede vacante there will bee no paucity of intruders What house stands long Tenant-lesse No maruell then if an empty vessell be neuer exalted to honour Hence we may inferre that this re-ingresse of Satan can neuer befall the Regenerate for it is impossible to finde their heart empty Faith temperance patience zeale charity hope humility are perpetuall Residentiaries in the Temple of their Soules and if any one be tempted abroad and allured to a short discontinuance yet the other keepe infallible possession and with vnconquer'd strength keepe out Satan If the rest should be driuen into a corner yet Faith would defend the dore against all assaults Indeed there may be such a storme and tempest of an afflicted conscience that the graces of the Spirit as abscured in a Cloud may not be sensibly perceiued and in regard of our owne feeling there may be an absence or vacuity But wee must not
take an abatement for an emptinesse a secession for a destitution It is certaine those that haue the inuisible marke of the Spirit shall haue the visible marke of an honest life totally they cannot loose grace nor a second time fall away for then they could not be renewed againe by repentance nor euer be restored except Christ should die againe Heb. 10. For if we sinne wilfully after that wee haue receyued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sinnes but a certaine fearefull looking for of iudgement and fiery indignation which shal deuoure the aduersaries Paul had some hope of the incestuous person and therefore did not wholly cut him off and accurse him but separate and suspend him for a time that by the deliuering of him vnto Satan for a season for the destruction of the flesh his spirit might be saued in the day of the Lorde Iesus Thus Christ being once truely in will neuer out the faithfull cannot be empty There is then a defect of Faith in this blacke Apostate that makes roome for the deui◅l 2. Cleanlinesse It is swept This is the effect of an ouerly and superficiall repentance like a slight beesome it sweepes away the dust and cobwebs and such lighter stuffe but the filth and dirt is caked and baked on Sinnes of lesse delight to the flesh and tentations of weaker force are brush'd away but the maine affection to some olde impiety hath the roote in the heart vndigged vp The deuill is content the conscience should be swept so long as it is but onely swept Sinne is congealed concorporated baked on and must be pared and digged away by greater violence then sweeping Swept Satan yeelds it so not pared Impiety is habituated by custome hardned by impenitency concorporated to him by his affection to it and shall hee thinke that a formall repentance like a soft beesome can sweepe all clean Can a few drops and sprinklings of water purge off the inueterate foulenesse and corruption of the flesh There is required much rensing to whiten a defiled soule How peruerse is their course and thought that imagine they may repent more in an houre then they sinne in an age As if hauing in many yeares kindled a thousand fires thou wouldst think to put them out all with one teare whereas indeede many teares can scarse put out one Then boldly staine the cloth a whole vintage and at last let one washing serue for all Alas man is quickly made miserable but not with such speed happy How easily how suddenly got man his damnation it was but eating an apple soone done Esau quickely hunted away his blessing but could not with manie teares recouer it Dauid is not long in falling his rising is tedious With much paines and contention doth a man climbe vp some high Tower but loosing his hold he comes downe apace It is no easy thing to stand it is easie to slip to stumble to fall The thicke and foggy aire of this sinfull world as the smoake and stenchfull mistes ouer some populous Cities can soone fully the soule the continuall tramplings of sinne brings mire and dirte vpon the conscience these corruptions are not so presently rid away as taken Clip thy haires short yet they will grow againe because the roots are in the scull A tree that is but pruin'd shredde topp'd or lopp'd will sprowt againe roote it vp and it shall grow no more What is it to clip the outward apparances and to loppe the superfluous boughes of our sinnes when the roote is cherish'd in the heart What to haue a foule and miry house swept The Pharise in his blowne prayers cousening ythes frequent almes did but sweepe the house and remoue the cobwebs of outward impieties but the dirt of hypocrisie was baked on the rootes of pride and couetousnesse grew still vntouched It is not then a transient sorow nor a formall compunction which may wound and pricke the heart like a needle but wants the thred of Faith to sow and ioyne it to God that can make the house cleane It is but swept and so ready for Satans re-entry and repossession 3. Trimnesse or curiosity Garnished This ornature and fit furnishing of the House for Satans entertainment is done by Hypocrisie when the rotten Cabin of a foule heart is hung with gay hangings when putidum et putridum cadauer a rotten and stinking carkasse is hid in a Sepulcher painted ouer with vermillion when a stenchfull dunghill is couer'd with white snow here is a garnishing for the Deuill He that can pray at church and cousen at home giue hi◅ debter faire words and eate him through with vsury which is to breake his head with precious balmes hath bitternesse in his heart whilst his tongue distils myrthe and droppes hony that man hath a house garnished for this vncleane spirit Satan will allow his Hostes to pretend sanctity so they intend villany aliud proponere aliud supponere to haue the cup vtterly rensed and cleansed so it be within full of extortion and rancor to guild ouer a poysonous pill to pray in the Church so they prey on the Church this is a trimmed house a chamber garnished for the Deuill This Satan doth in an ambitious imitation of the Lord who would haue his house garnished as the Passeouer-chamber was trimmed God would haue the beames of his house Cedar and the galleries of firre like King Solomons Chariot the pillars thereof are siluer the bottome thereof gold the couering of it of purple the midst thereof beeing paued with loue for the daughters of Ierusalē He wold haue sanctification for the furniture For this is the will of God euen your holines and for ornaments the graces of his Spirit Thither he comes and there he sups Reuel 3. Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man open vnto me I will come in to him and sup with him and he shal sup with me The Deuil accordingly desires his house garnished but the furniture is Sinne and the ornaments opera tenebrarum the workes of darknesse And then if you will let this mansion be outwardly pargetted and whited ouer Make they shew of hauing the Holy Ghost on Sundaies so they retaine the foule deuill all the weeke These are they that make Religion a masquery lye sweare cheat oppresse scorne ryot revile reuell yet appeare at Church on the Sabboth as if they came for a Pasport to do more mischiefe The strength of their profession is but a gristle which is indeed neyther bone nor flesh neyther true religion nor no religion Like the speckled innocency of the Papists in their ostentate charity vncleane chastity luxurious fasts and meritorious treasons in butchering Princes and transferring kingdomes These hypocrites being erst so themselues abused and deluded of Satan perswade others to villany by arguments of vertue For an hypocrite will do nothing without a colour and with a colour any thing If thou be'st a good fellow pledge
and number shall be their sorrowes As they haue swallowed vp the poore and deuoured the people of God like bread impouerished the common-wealth vndone the Church and all this vnder colour of long prayers and of a fiery-hot deuotion so they shall receiue greater damnation This is Babilons finall recompence Reuel 18. Reward her euen as she rewarded you and double vnto her double according to her workes in the cup which shee hath filled fill to her double 3. As seauen worse spirits are the reward to him that makes much of one bad and vncleane So are seauen better spirits bestowed on him that vseth one good well One Talent well employed shall gaine tenne and the more we haue the more will God delight to loade vs. God is as kinde to those that traffique his graces to his glory as he is seuere against those that throw his pearles to swine And as this Apostates recidiuation is rewarded by the accession of seauen more wicked Spirits so our sanctified and confirmed hearts shall bee honoured with those seauen most pure spirits Reuel 1. which are before the throne of God These seauen spirits are taken eyther for the seauen gifts of Gods spirit prefigured by the seauen eyes in one Stone Zach. 3. and seauen lampes in one Candlesticke Zach. 4. Which are by some gathered from Esay 11. 2. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest vpon him the spirit of wisedome of vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and of might the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. The first is the Spirit of Piety the second is the Spirit of Wisedome the third is the Spirit of Vnderstanding the fourth is the Spirit of Counsell the fift is the Spirit of Might the sixt is the Spirit of Knowledge the seauenth is the Spirit of the feare of the Lord. Or by putting a certaine number for an vncertaine all the guifts and graces of Gods Spirit are here intended Seauen being a nuÌ„ber of perfection and signifying in the Scriptures Fulnesse God doth so requite his owne blessings that where he finds thankfulnesse for his goodnesse he opens his hands wider and where drops of grace take well he will rayne whole showres of mercy It is his delight to reward his owne fauours crown his owne blessings as if he would giue because he had giuen Thus a greater measure of godlinesse shall possesse vs a greater measure of wickednesse this Apostate then eyther in eyther kind formerly was had When we receiue grace of God wee also receiue grace to employ that grace so that if we thriue not in the growth of godlines wee may causefully call our sanctity into question As he à malo adpeius from euill to worse descends gradually to hell so must we by ioyning vertue to faith and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance c. as per scansum climbing by degrees get vp into heauen I haue described the Associates now for the Assault Wherein briefly obserue 1. their Inuasion 2. their Inhabitation 3. their Cohabitation 1. Their Inuasion They enter Alas what should hinder them when a sauage Troupe appointed at all hands armed with malice and mischiefe cap ape assaults a poore weake Fort that hath nothing but bare walles and naked gates and those set wide open to defend it selfe If Lot were in Sodome if but Faith stood in the Turret of the conscience there might be some beating back of their forces but there is no reluctation where there is no enemy S. Paul describes the Christians Armour Ephe. 6. Stand hauing your loynes girt about with truth hauing on the brest-plate of righteousnes your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all take the shield of Faith wherewith yee shall bee able to quench the fiery dartes of the wicked Take the helmet of saluation and the Sword of the Spirit c. This Apostate hath not a piece of it to warde the least blow wheresoeuer it strikes him He is to deale with cunning Fencers and hath neyther offeusiue nor defensiue weapons Not Truth but error is the girdle of his loynes and for the brest-plate of righteousnesse hee knowes not how to put it on His fâ—…ete were neuer shod with the preparation of the Gospell he had not so much time to spare from his nimble gadding after vanities The fiery darts of these wicked spirits may burne and wound him to death he hath no Shield of Faith to coole or quench them The helmet of saluation is farre from him he knowes not in what Armory to find it And for the sword of the spirit he cannot tell how to handle it He is an vnwalled city an vndefenced Fort an vnarmed man No maruell if thâ—…se foule spirits enter when there is neyther contention nor intention to repell them Omnia tradentur portas reserabimus hosti 2. Their Inhabitation Dwell The Deuil dwelleth in a Man not tanquà m corpus locatum in loco as a bodye seated in a certaine place for spirits are not contained in any place Incorporeall created substances doe not dwell in a place locally or circumscriptiuely as bodies doe but definitiuely Nor dwell these in him tanquam forma in materia as the forme in a substance as the soule in the body For the Deuill is a simple substance of himselfe not compounded of any aliene or second matter But they dwell in him by a secret and spirituall power darkning their mindes 2. Cor. 4. that the light of the glorious gospel of christ shold not shine vnto tâ—…eÌ„ Poysoning their affections that being past feeling they might giue themselues ouer to lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse Hardening their hearts Rom. 2. til they treasure vp to themselues wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous Iudgement of God All which is no other in effect but damming vp the lights and windores of this Fort ramming vp the gates and fortifying the walles Thus they dwell in him like witches in an inchanted Castle and who shall breake their spels deliuer him You see then this blacke Deuil hath but sorry guests that purpose longer stay with him then a night to dwell yea to dominere till they haue eaten him quite out of house and home 3. Their Cohabitation They dwel there all of them euen together 1. There is roome enough in one heart for many sins Mary Magdalens heart held seauen deuils this Apostates eight There was a whole Legion in another Math. 8. All the Principalities and powers of darknesse in a fourth Absolon had treason ambition pride incest ingratitude for his hearts stuffing Iudas had no fewer turpitudes in his The heart is so small a piece of flesh that it will scarce giue a Kite her breakfast yet behold how capacious and roomthy it is to giue house-roome to seauen Deuils He that should reade and obserue the great Physitians dissection of mans heart Math. 15. Out of the heart
is now Gods bailiffe to arrest him his witnesse against him his whip to lash him His Register that reades ouer the long booke of his offences and after a terrible aggrauation of their heynousnes tells him his penance direfull and intollerable and that Coneordat cum actis Curiae it agrees with the iust decree of Gods Court neuer to be auoyded 4. His last state is worse then his first in respect of God who will now turne him out of his protection When he hath once proclaimed open warre and rebellion against God and hath manifestly declared himself an outlaw no maruell if God throw him out of the circumference of his mercy let his Prouidence take no charge ouer him sauing onely to restraine his sauage fury from forraging his grace-empaled Church But for himselfe the Scripture giues a renunciation If he will go into captiuity let him goe Reuel 22. 11. If he will be vntust let him be vniust still If he will be filthy let him be filthy still I will not hinder his course Abeaâ—… pereâ—…t prafundat perdat said that father in the Comedy Let him goe perish sinke or swimme He hath full liberty to swill the cup of his owne damnation vp to the brim 5. In respect of the Deuil his latter state is worse Which may be demonstrated by a familiar smilitude A man is committed to prison for debt or some light trespasse is there indifferently wel vsed hath for his money all the liberty that the layle and layer can affoord him nay is permitted to go abroad with keepers At last he spies opportunity and breaks away then the layler fumes and fomes and rageth and perhaps sweares away that little share of his owne soule which he had left The prisoner had need looke to himselfe if the layler catch him he had better neuer haue stirr'd At last he is taken now bolts and lockes and heauy yrons a strong guard and a vigilant watch til he be made safe for stirring againe This bondage is far worse then the first The sinner in the deuils keeping is let alone to enioy the liberty of the prison that is this world he may feed his eye with vanities his hand with extortions his belly with iunkets his spleene with laughter his eares with musicke his heart with iollity his flesh with lustes and all this without controll But if he be wonne by the Gospell preached to break prison and thereupon giue the deuill the slippe let him take heed Satan doe not catch him againe If he once recouers him into his prison he will dungeon him remoue from him all meanes whereby he might be saued let him see heare feele vnderstand nothing but temptations and snares blinde his soule harden his heart loade him with heauy irons and locke him vp in bolts and fetters of euerlasting perdition 6. Then lastly his end shal be worse at the last when the least parcell of Gods wrath shall be heauier then all the anguish he felt before When his Almond tree shall be turned to his yron rod his afflictions to Scorpions VVhen the short and momentany vexations of this world shall no sooner cease to him then the eternall torments of Hell shall begin and which is most fearefull shall neuer end Be his body burned to death in fire yet those flames shall go out with his ashes but come his flesh and soule to that infernall fire and when they haue beene burned myriads of yeares yet it shall not be quenched The Application doth immediately concerne the Iewes which hath before beene plentifully instanced For our selues 1. The vncleane spirit hath by Gods holy Gospell beene cast out of vs. 2. Doe you thinke he is at quiet No he esteemes al places dry and barren till he get into vs againe 3. He resolues to try for entrance 4. Now is it enough that we leaue ourselues empty of faith and good workes for all our abhominable sinnes swepe with an ouerly repentance and garnished with hypocrisie and with our old affections to sinne still 5. Take we heed he will come with seauen spirits more wicked then the former and giue vs a fiercer assault But our helpe is in the name of GOD who hath made heauen and earth in whose mercy we trust because his compassions faile not Our owne strength is no confidence for vs but the grace of that strongest man who is alone able to keepe out Satan Let vs adhere to Him by a true faith and serue him in an holy integrity of conuersation and our latter end shall bee better then our beginning Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace Our end shall bee better heereafter when GOD shall wipe away all teares from our eyes when sorrow and sicknesse and death shall bee no more when Senacherib cannot rage nor the Leuiathan of hell assault vs. Peace shall enuiron vs Heauen shall containe vs Glory shall crowne vs. Our trouble woe mourning haue beene momentany but our ioyes peace blisse shall haue no intermission no mutation no end Now He that perfects all good workes make our latter end better then our beginning To whom three persons one eternall God be all praisâ—… and glory for euer and for euer Amen FINIS LYCANTHROPY OR THE WOLFE worrying THE LAMBES By THOMAS ADAMS Matthew 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes cloathing but inwardly they are rauening Wolues TERTVLL Quaenam sunt istae pelles ovium nisi nominis Christiani extrinsecus superficies Hic dolus est magnus Lupus est qui creditur agnus LONDON Printed by William Iaggard 1615. TO THE TRVEly vvorthy Gentleman M. HENRY FORTESCVE Esquire a fauourer of vertue and good Learning SIR I haue put vp the VVolfe though not hunted him as iudging my selfe too weake for that sport-earnest It is no desertlesse Office to discouer that subtle and insatiate Beast to pull the Sheepe-skinne of Hypocrisie ouer his eares and to expose his feming malice and sanguisugous cruelty to mens censure and detestation Let those hands strike him that haue darts of authority put into their Quiuers Our Land is no Forrest literally or metaphorically vnderstood but whether for Church or Common-wealth profession or soile an Orchard of Gods owne planting fruitefull in goods and good workes VVolues we haue none but some Mystical ones whose ferocity is yet hidden vnder the habites and cases of those Lambes they haue deuoured These I haue set in view or at least meant my best to do it I haue seldome pretended that common poyse that by their owne report sets so many mad pens like wheeles a running Importunacy of friends I haue willingly published what I had hope would do good published Onely this I feared to keep from the Presse lest it should steale thither another way Being there I could not with better confidence fasten vpon a knowne Patron then your selfe who can both vnderstand it and will reade it not onely the Epistle but the whole Booke Though
out of this ill That supreme and infinite goodnesse deswades his Children from affecting it by their experienced tartnesse of it So the Nurse embitters the dugge when she would weane the Infant How easily had Solomon bene drowned in this Sea had hee not perceiued the distastfulnesse when his vnderstanding sense concludes All is vexations his affections must needs begin to abhorre it Gods lets his looke into the world as some go to Sea to be Sea-sicke that finding by experience what they would not credit by relation they may loath this troublesom world and long to be in the Land of Promise He that once throughly feeles the turbulencie of the Sea wil loue the ◅ry land the better whiles he liues Our better spirituall health is not seldome wrought by being first Sea-sicke disquieted with the worlds vexations Salt water hath sometimes done as much good as sweet hard things as soft as stones as well as cotten are good casting for a hawke The crudities of sin in Dauids soule were vomited vp by a draught of this bitter water That profuse Sonne would haue beene a longer stranger to his Fathers house if the World had not put him to a Hogges dyet Peter no sooner sees the billow but he eiaculates to Christ a short but substantiall prayer Lord saue me For this cause is the world made to vs so full of afflictions Christ promiseth to giue a reward but not to take away persecutions Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousnes sake for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen He doth not subtract all suffering but addes a recompence God doth so mingle and compound and make them both of one indifferency and rellish that wee can scarse distinguish which is the meat and which the sawce both together norishing our spiritual health You see the alike distastfulnes of the world and sea This is the second resemblance 3. The sea doth cast forth her dead fishes as if it labourd to purge it selfe of that which annoyes it giuing onely contentfull solace and nutriment to those that naturally liue in it So does the world cōtending to spew out those that are dead to it 1. Cor. 4. We are made as the filth of the world the off-scouring of all things vnto this day No maruel if she pukes when we lye on her stomack A body inured to poisons growes sicke queasie at the receit of wholesome nourishment Ioh. 15. If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne But because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you Not a piece of the world but all the world Math. 10. You shall be hated of all men for my name sake The godly are indeed the very health of the world The Family thriues the better that Ioseph but serues in The City is forborne so long as Lot is in it The whole world stands for the Elects sake And if their number were accomplished it should bee deliuered to the fire Yet oh strange Eliah is said to trouble Israel and the Apostles are thrust out of Cities for turbulent fellowes But saith Ambros. Turbatur illa nauis in qua Iudas fuit The Shippe was troubled wherein Iudas was Christ was in a Ship with the other Apostles without Iudas behold the winds are still the sea is calme the Ship safe Christ was in a Ship with Iudas amongst the rest and Turbatur illa nauis the winde blusters the waues rore and a tempest endangers the vessell to ruine Benefit multis ex societate boni One goodman doth much good to many He is not only as manacles to the hands of God to hold them from the defulmination of iudgements but is also a happy preuention of sin He keepes God from being angry he calmes him when he is angry A godly man is like Dauids Harpe he chaseth away the euill spirit from the company and he doth as it were coniure the Deuill For in his presence as if he could worke miracles Impudence growes ashamed ribaldry appeares chast drunkenesse is sober blasphemers haue their lips seal'd vp and the mouth of all wickednesse is stopp'd This good comes by the good Yet because they are dead to the world it casts them out So the Gergesites did cast Christ out of their borders Math. 8. So the Pharises did cast the Conuert that was born blind out of their Synagogue Ioh. 9. So the Antiochians did cast Paul and Barnabas out of their coasts Act. 12. Like Confectioners that throw away the iuyce of the Orenges and preserue onely the rindes or as certaine Chymists that cast all good extractions to the ground and onely make much of the poison But if you will not bee picked vp of the world you must adhere close to it and with alimental congruence please his stomack Wil you go to the Court you must be proud or you shal be despised Wil you to the city you must be subtle or you shall be cheated Will you to the Country you must partake of their ignorant and blinde dotage and ioyne in their vicious customes or you shall bee reiected If you liue in the world and not as the world this Sea will spew you vp as too holy for their company But let 'hem For God forbid that I should glory saue in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world 4. The Sea is no place to continue in No man sailes there to saile there but as he propounds to his purpose a voyage so to his hopes a returne You hold him a prisoner that is shut vp in close wals the doore of egresse barred against him He is no lesse a Prisoner though his Iaile bee as large as the Sea that must not set his foot on drye ground The banks and shores be his prison walls although he hath roome enough for his body he is narrow'd vp in his desires He findes bondage in liberty the one halfe of the earth is but his prison and he would change his walk for some little Iland The world in like sort is no place to dwell in for euer Selfe-flattering fooles that so esteeme it Psal. 49. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for euer and their dwelling places to all generations therefore they call their lands after their owne names As if the Sea were for mansion not for transition It was a glorious piece of the world which rauished Peter desir'd to build Tabernacles on Math. 17. yet it was perishable earth and it might not be granted Heauen onely hath mansions Ioh. 14. In my Fathers house there are many mansions all the world else is but of tottering Tabernacles And immobile regnum Heb. 12. a kingdome that cannot be shaken when all the kingdomes and Principalities of the earth shall be ouerturned This world then onely is for waftage There is one Sea to all