Those darts are seconded by Ioabs followers each man tries his weapon vpon so faire a marke One death is not enough for Absalom he is at once hanged shot mangled stoned Iustly was he lift vp to the Oke who had lift vp himselfe against his father and soueraigne Iustly is he pierced with darts who had pierced his fathers heart with so many sorrowes Iustly is he mangled who had dismembred and diuided all Israel Iustly is he stoned who had not only cursed but pursued his owne parent Now Ioab sounds the retrait and calls off his eager troupes from execution howeuer he knew what his rebellious countrimen had deserued in following an Absalom Wise commanders know how to put a difference betwixt the heads of a faction and the misguided multitude and can pittie the one whiles they take reuenge on the other So did Absalom esteeme himselfe that he thought it would be a wrong to the world to want the memoriall of so goodly a person God had denied him sonnes How iust it was that hee should want a sonne who had robd his father of a sonne who would haue robd himselfe of a father his father of a Kingdome It had beene pitty so poysonous a plant should haue beene fruitfull His pride shall supply nature hee reares vp a stately piller in the Kings dale and cals it by his owne name that he might liue in dead stones who could not suruiue in liuing issue and now behold this curious pile ends in a rude heape which speakes no language but the shame of that carcasse which it couers Heare this yee glorious fooles that care not to perpetuate any memory of your selues to the world but of il-deseruing greatnesse the best of this affectation is vanity the worst infamy and dishonour whereas the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed and if his humility shall refuse an Epitaph and chose to hide himselfe vnder the bare earth God himselfe shall ingraue his name vpon the pillar of eternity There now lies Absalom in the pit vnder a thousand graue-stones in euery of which is written his euerlasting reproch well might this heape ouer-liue that pillar for when that ceased to be a piller it began to be an heape neither will it cease to be a monument of Absaloms shame whiles there are stones to bee found vpon earth Euen at this day very Pagans and Pilgrims that passe that way cast each man a stone vnto that heape and are wont to say in a solemne execration Cursed be the paricide Absalom and cursed be all vniust persecutors of their parents for euer Fasten your eies vpon this wofull spectacle ô all ye rebellious and vngratious children which rise vp against the loynes and thighes from which ye fell and know that it is the least part of your punishment that your carcasses rot in the earth and your name in ignominie these doe but shadow out those eternall sufferings of your soules for your foule and vnnaturall disobedience Absalom is sped who shall report it to his father Surely Ioab was not so much afraid of the fact as of the message There are busie spirits that loue to carry newes though thanklesse though purposelesse such was Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadock who importunately thrusts himselfe into this seruice wise Ioab who well saw how vnwelcome tydings must be the burden of the first post disswades him in vaine hee knew Dauid too well to imploy a friend in that errand An Ethiopian seruant was a fitter bearer of such a message then the sonne of the Priest The entertainment of the person doth so follow the quality of the newes that Dauid could argue afar off He is a good man he commeth with good tidings Oh how welcome deserue those messengers to be that bring vs the glad tidings of saluation that assure vs of the foile of all spirituall enemies and tell vs of nothing but victories and Crownes and Kingdomes If we thinke not their feet beautifull our hearts are foule with infidelity and secure worldlinesse So wise is Ahimaaz growne by Ioabs intimation that though he out-went Cushi in his pace he suffers Cushi to out-goe him in his tale cunningly suppressing that part which hee knew must be both necessarily deliuered and vnpleasingly receiued As our care is wont to bee where our loue is Dauids first word is not how fares the host but how fares the young man Absalom Like a wise and faithfull messenger Cushi answers by an honest insinuation The enemies of my Lord the King and all that rise against thee to doe thee hurt be as that young man is implying both what was done and why Dauid should approue it being done How is the good King thunder-strooke with that word of his Black-moore who as if he were at once bereaued of all comfort and cared not to liue but in the name of Absalom goes and weepes and cries out O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom Would God I had died for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne What is this we heare that he whose life Israel valued at ten thousand of theirs should be exchanged with a traytors that a good King whose life was sought should wish to lay it downe for the preseruation of his murtherer The best men haue not wont to be the least passionate But what shall wee say to that loue of thine ô Sauiour who hast said of vs wretched traytors not Would God I had died for you But I will dye I doe dye I haue died for you Oh loue like thy selfe infinite incomprehensible whereat the Angels of Heauen stand yet amazed wherewith thy Saints are rauished Turne away thine eyes from mee for they ouercome me Oh thou that dwellest in the Gardens the companions hearken to thy voyce cause vs to heare it that wee may in our measure answere thy loue and enioy it for euer Shebaes Rebellion IT was the doome which God passed vpon the man after his owne heart by the mouth of Nathan that the sword should neuer depart from his house for the bloud of Vriah After that wound healed by remission yet this scarre remaines Absalom is no sooner cast downe into the pit then Sheba the sonne of Bichri is vp in armes If Dauid be not plagued yet he shall be corrected First by the rod of a sonne then of a subiect He had lift vp his hand against a faithfull subiect now a faithlesse dares to lift vp his hand against him Malice like some hereditarie sicknesse runs in a bloud Saul and Shimei and Sheba were all of an house That ancient grudge was not yet dead The fire of the house of Iemini was but raked vp neuer throughly out and now that which did but smoke in Shimei flames in Sheba Although euen through this chastisement it is not hard to discerne a Type of that perpetuall succession of enmitie which should be raised against the true King of Israel O Sonne of Dauid when didst thou euer want enemies How wert thou designed by thine
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
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
wont to tell Nathan what he meant to doe in his holy and most important ciuill affaires There are cases wherein it is not vnfit for Gods Prophets to meddle with matters of State It is no disparagement to religious Princes to impart their counsels vnto them who can requite them with the counsels of God That wood which a single yron could not riue is soone splitted with a double wedge The seasonable importunitie of Bathsheba and Nathan thus seconding each other hath so wrought vpon Dauid that now his loue to Adonijah giues place to indignation nature to an holy fidelitie and now he renewes his ancient oath to Bathsheba with a passionate solemnitie As the Lord liueth who hath redeemed my soule out of all aduersitie euen as I sware vnto thee by the Lord God of Israel saying Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me and he shall sit vpon my throne in my stead so will I certainly doe this day In the decay of Dauids body I finde not his intellectiue powers any whit impaired As one therefore that from his bed could with a perfect if weake hand stere the gouernment of Israel he giues wise and full directions for the inauguration of Salomon Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet and Benaiah the Captaine receiue his graue and Princely charge for the carriage of that so weightie a businesse They are commanded to take with them the royall gard to set Salomon vpon his fathers Mule to carry him downe in state to Gihon to anoint him with the holy oile of the Tabernacle to sound the trumpets and proclaime him in the streets to bring him backe with triumph and magnificence to the Court and to set him in the royall Throne with all the due ceremonies of Coronation How pleasing was this command to them who in Salomons glorie saw their owne safetie Benaiah applauds it and not fearing a fathers enuie in Dauids presence wisheth Salomons throne exalted aboue his The people are rauished with the ioy of so hopefull a succession and breake the earth and fill the heauen with the noise of their Musicke and shoutings Salomons guests had now at last better cheere then Adonijahs whose feast as all wicked mens ended in horror No sooner are their bellies full of meat then their eares are full of the sound of those trumpets which at once proclaime Salomons triumph and their confusion Euer after the meale is ended comes the reckoning God could as easily haue preuented this iollitie as marred it But he willingly suffers vaine men to please themselues for the time in the conceited successe of their owne proiects that afterwards their disappointment may be so much more grieuous No doubt at this feast there was many an health drunke to Adonijah many a confident boast of their prospering designe many a scorne of the despised faction of Salomon and now for their last dish is serued vp astonishment and fearefull expectation of a iust reuenge Ionathan the sonne of Abiathar the Priest brings the newes of Salomons solemne and ioyfull enthronization now all hearts are cold all faces pale and euery man hath but life enough to run away How suddenly is this brauing troupe dispersed Adonijah their new Prince flies to the hornes of the Altar as distrusting all hopes of life saue the Sanctitie of the place and the mercie of his riuall So doth the wise and iust God befoole proud and insolent sinners in those secret plots wherein they hope to vndermine the true sonne of Dauid the Prince of peace he suffers them to lay their heads together and to feast themselues in a iocund securitie and promise of successe at last when they are at the height of their ioyes and hopes he confounds all their deuices and laies them open to the scorne of the world and to the anguish of their owne guiltie hearts Dauids end and Salomons beginning IT well became Salomon to begin his raigne in peace Adonijah receiues pardon vpon his good behauiour and finds the throne of Salomon as safe as the Altar Dauid liues to see a wise sonne warme in his seat and now hee that had yeelded to succession yeelds to nature Many good counsels had Dauid giuen his heire now hee summes them vp in his end Dying words are wont to be weightiest The Soule when it is entring into glory breathes nothing but diuine I goe the way of all the earth How well is that princely heart content to subscribe to the conditions of humane mortalitie as one that knew Soueraigntie doth not reach to the affaires of nature Though a King he neither expects nor desires an immunity from dissolution making not account to goe in any other then the common tracke to the vniuersall home of mankinde the house of age Whither should earth but to earth and why should wee grudge to doe that which all doe Be thou strong therefore and shew thy selfe a man Euen when his spirit was going out he puts spirit into his Sonne Age puts life into youth and the dying animates the vigorous He had well found that strength was requisite to gouernment that he had need to be no lesse then a man that should rule ouer men If greatnesse should neuer receiue any opposition yet those worlds of cares and businesses that attend the chayre of State are able to ouer-lay any meane powers A weake man may obey none but the strong can gouerne Gracelesse courage were but the whet-stone of tyranny Take heed therefore to the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his wayes and to keepe his Statutes The best legacy that Dauid bequeathes to his heire is the care of piety himselfe had found the sweetnesse of a good conscience and now hee commends it to his successor If there be any thing that in our desires of the prosperous condition of our children takes place of goodnesse our hearts are not vpright Here was the father a King charging the King his sonne to keepe the Statutes of the King of Kings as one that knew greatnesse could neither exempt from obedience nor priuiledge sinne as one that knew the least deuiation in the greatest and hiest Orbe is both most sensible and most dangerous Neither would he haue his sonne to looke for any prosperity saue onely from well-doing That happinesse is built vpon sands or Ice which is raised vpon any foundation besides vertue If Salomon were wise Dauid was good and if old Salomon had well remembred the counsell of old Dauid hee had not so foulely mis-carried After the precepts of pietie follow those of iustice distributing in a due recompence as reuenge to Ioab and Shimei so fauour to the house of Barzillai The bloudinesse of Ioab had lien long vpon Dauids heart the hideous noyse of those treacherous murders as it had pierced heauen so it still filled the eares of Dauid He could abhorre that villanie though hee could not reuenge it What hee cannot pay he will owe and approue himselfe at last a faithfull debtor Now he
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
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