Saviour of the world of whom it was foretold by the Prophet that He Esay 35. 6. should open the eyes of the blinde and unstop the eares of the deafe Then Sathan this uncleane spirit was forced to goe out of them also But the Iewes unto whom Christ the Saviour of the world was sent opposed and disgraced him in his workes and miracles and by all means laboured to withstand him Sathan finding this opportunity returned backe againe unto these stubborne Iewes whose Religion he found stuffed with a number of blinde Ceremonies and pharisaicall traditions contrary to the Law of God In the Temple in stead of Pastors to teach the word he found Drovers Brokers making of sale In stead of pues for prayer tables for Vsurers money changers and in stead of a Congregation for the Saints he found a denne of Theeves Sathan I say finding this opportunity enters into them and houlds them in blindnesse and ignorance so that their last end is worse than their beginning For now they are deprived of their Temple and liberty and are as vagabonds upon the face of the earth as appeares this day By which we may see what a wofull judgement all those are liable unto which oppose the grace of God when it is offered unto them They doe as much as in them lyes lay themselves open to the malice of Sathan who having gained any opportunity will hardly be driven from them Thus having sayd as much as is needefull for the understanding of this present Parable yet that we may receive the greater profit by it we will for methods sake which is memories guide reduce the matter therein contayned under these foure heads 1. Wee will shew the manner and the measure of Sathans departure from the soule of man and then how he demeaneth himselfe when he is gone 2. His diligence to regaine his former possession with the reasons that induce him thereunto 3. When he hath regained possession how forciblie hee sences himselfe to prevent expulsion 4. The miserable estate of all those hee repossesses how and wherein their end is worse than their beginning These 4. points by Gods grace shall be the substance of my ensuing discourse of which in their order We will begin with the first contayned in these words When the uncleane spirit is gone out c. In these words is contained the uncleane spirits departure and demeanour when he is gone This uncleane spirit is here described 1. By his essence he is a spirit 2. By his quality or condition an uncleane spirit He is a spirit The word spirit in Scripture sometime doth signifie the essence of the god-head as God is a Spirit Iohn 4. 24. 1 Iohn 5. 6. Sometimes the third person in the Trinity called the Spirit of truth Sometime the gifts and graces of the Spirit as the Angell did foretell of Iohn that he should be Luk. 1 15. filled with the holy Ghost Sometime it signifies the soule Luk. 23. 46. Psal 3 1 5. of man as Father into thy hand I commend my Spirit But that wee may not spend our time about the divers acceptation of the word Spirit we are to know that whensoever wee finde the word Spirit set downe without any other word to expresse the meaning of it then we are to know that the third person in the Holy Trinity is meant as Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit helpeth our infirmity But when it is set downe with his adjective the nature and quality of his adjective will easily demonstrate what the substantive importeth as the evill spirit vexed 1 Sam. 16 15. Saul that is the Divell And in this place he is called An uncleane spirit whereby his nature is expressed to be uncleane And thus much for his essence He is a Spirit Come wee now to speake of his quality and condition He is uncleane The divell is an uncleane spirit but not in regard of his creation but in respect of the condition hee brought upon himselfe The Scriptures teach that the Divell was not created evill For God saw every thing that he had Gen. 1. 31. made and behould it was very good He was created an Angell of Light and a spirit without mixture of body immortall without feare of corruptiō intellectuall with exceeding promptnesse of wit free that nothing could force his will wise with fulnesse of naturall knowledge powerfull above all inferiour creatures wholy decked with admirable vertues capable of seeing God clearely with promise of this glory if he persevered in his service But not being content with this his estate but seeking to pry into the majesty of the deity Esay 14. 12. and to usurpe the glory of his maker was therefore dejected and cast into hell and so from being a blessed Angell in Heaven he is become a damned devill in hell As he derived his nature from God so he is good but this depravation of his nature is from himselfe An Angell he was of Gods making a divell of his owne And now being deprived of the glory of God he delights in all uncleannesse is an utter enemie to all holinesse Therefore he useth all meanes to make mankinde as unhappie as himselfe and to wrappe every mothers Childe under the curse of God As soone as our first Parents were set in Paradise though they were furnished with the invincible army of innocencie and righteousnesse so that he was not able to conquer them by force and violence yet out of an inveterate hatred which he bare to the Image of God shining in them and out of envie to their happinesse hee entered into a treacherous parlie with our Grandmother Eve and so bewitched her sences with flattery that he caused her to wandor from the truth of Gods Word and to intice her husband to transgresse Gen. 3 16. the Commandement of God whereby they put off the Armour of innocencie and righteousnesse and entertayned into their soules a troupe of his ambitious tentations and then having gayned the possession he sought for presently he ransacked their soules and deprived them of all spirituall graces and brought them like inferiour Captives under his dominion And that he might the more securely keepe them under subjection he did not onely kill and wound Gods graces in their soules but in stead of them hee placed a strong Garison of carnall corruptions and fleshly lusts which should be as a Porter to open passage to his temptations whensoever he please to make any entrance Thus having so poysoned the fountaine and head spring of all mankinde all men now they are conceived in sinne and brought forth in iniquitie And are deprived Psal 51. 5. Rom. 3 23. of the glory of God And remaine under the governance of this uncleane spirit And in this miserable condition every one had remained if the wisedome of God had not found out a way to redeeme us out of this his bondage and servitude Thus we have discovered our adversarie to be
in power a spirit and in nature and condition an uncleane spirit one that for his pride and rebellion was cast out of Heaven therefore woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth for hee will doe as much mischiefe as he can he knowes his time is but short and therefore he will loose no opportunitie but will labour by all meanes to make all mankinde as filthy as himselfe Thus he made Caine swell in envie Gen 4 8. to his brother and to bathe his hands with cruelty in his blood Achan with theft Gehazi and Annanias Iosu 7. 1. 2 King 5. 22. Act. 5. 1. and his wife with lying and dissembling Thus hee defiles all men with sin and pollutes the land Ezek 23. 18. with transgressions For every sinne as it dishonours God so it holds the sinner in perpetuall bondage For whosoever committeth Iohn 8. 34. sinne is the servant of sinne Then in this bondage and Captivitie all naturall and unregenerate men remaine bound under the curse of the Law untill the custome of sinne hath taken away the sence of sinne and then this Tyrant plunges them under the curse of God before they are aware As every sinne is uncleane in the Concreat so there is a sinne called uncleannesse in the Abstract as if it were in a speciall manner breathed out of the mouth of this uncleane spirit This uncleane and filthy sinne is the sinne of Adulterie and Fornication which though it seeme a Paradise to the desire yet it is a Purgatory to the purse and a hell to the soule and dishonours the noble name of a Christian And though the wanton minions of this age extenuate it and say it is but a tricke of youth yet let them know that it is a sinne hatefull in the sight of God who will not let them goe unpunished for whoremongers and Adulterers Heb. 13. 14. God will judge But of the filthinesse and fearefulnesse of this sinne I have spoken at large in a Treatise Intituled The Worldlings looking Glasse When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none In these words is contained Sathans departure and demeanour when he is gon In his departure observe these particulars 1. The manner of his going out 2. The measure of his going out First for the manner of his going out Sathan will not depart but by compulsion for he keepes possession like a strong armed man which will not be amooved till a stronger even the strength of Israel come against him he alone and none but he can Math. 17 19 master and subdue him The disciples were unable to doe it and by his owne good will he will never depart Math. 8 29 Mark 5. 7. He loves his dwelling so well that he accounts it no lesse than a Torment to be cast out And so envious hee is to mankinde that he will never leave him till hee have brought him to destruction because he is greeved that mankinde should enjoy that happinesse he himselfe hath lost Secondly In regard of the curse that was given him in Paradise that the seede of the woman should bruise Gen. 3 15. his head Therefore he pursues mankinde with deadly hatred and implacable malice that either he may frustrate the truth of Gods word or bring mankinde into perpetuall bondage Yet for all his power and malice there is a time when he must be gon and that is when the Lord by the powerfull working of his Spirit dispelleth the blindnesse of nature and the sinfull corruptions thereof out of the hearts of his children and doeth inlighten them with the saving knowledge of himselfe This he doeth when by the ministery of the Law he convinceth their consciences of sinne and sheweth them the heynousnesse and fearefulnesse thereof and then the grievous punishments due to them for the same which are Levit. 26. Deut. 28. not onely all the plagues and punishments denounced in the Law but also the eternall torments of Hell for ever and ever And that no mortall man is able to free them from this condition no not all the world is able to make satisfaction for one soule for The Earth is the Lords and all that is Psal 24 1 therein Nay if all the Angells in Heaven should offer themselves they were unable to deliver one soule because they are ingaged to God for their creation and they were created but a finit temporarie good are not able to make satisfaction for infinite sinnes committed against the majesty of a most holy and glorious God Thus when the Lord hath 1 King 19. 11 12. brought his children to the gates of Hell and by the strong winde of his wrath hath broken their hearts and by the Earthquake of his judgement awakened their soules and by the fire of his spirit ransackt their consciences and by the ministery of his word hath plowed up the fallow ground of their hearts and by the terrours of conscience made them to despaire of salvation in respect of themselves Then he makes them to heare the still voyce of his Spirit by which he revealeth to them his infinit mercy and free grace and his eternall love to â—hem in Christ Iesus with all his meâ—its then he worketh in their soules â—aith whereby they apprehend Christ â—nd rest upon him alone for their salvation and in their judgements a wonderfull esteeme of Gods mercies and Christs merits from whence and by whom they receive and obtaine remission of all their sinnes This assurance of Gods favour worketh in their soules a hungering and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnesse and in their wills a constant resolution to rest upon him alone for justification and salvation And in the whole course of their lives a detestation and hatred of all sinne whatsoever And stirres up in them a care and conscience to use all good meanes whereby they may be assured that they shall have their part in the mercies of God and in the merits of Christ Then God joyneth them unto him as the head unto the body and then as soone as Christ is joyned to them they are made members of his body who by his Spirit reneweth their will and affections and frameth in them a spirituall life that they may serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Luk. 1. 74. all the dayes of their life Thus the Lord by these meanes casteth this uncleane spirit out of the hearts of his children so that he shall never totally regaine his former possession for it is a certaine Maxime in Philosophie that two contraries cannot stand together at one time in one and the same subject There can be no agreement betweene light and darkenesse God and Belial but when grace comes in vice must goe out When the holy Spirit taketh possession the uncleane spirit must packe away So then from the truth of the premisses wee may conclude That Sathans power must give place Doctr. to Christs This was
thou art freed out of this miserable condition Ply Christ with thy prayers and take no nay at his hands till he set thee free hee hath the Keyes of Heaven and hell and if Revel 1 18 Ioh 8 30 he make thee free thou art free indeede Confesse thy selfe to bee a wretched creature and without his helpe undone powre forth thy soule in sence of thy misery before the Throne of grace and say Father I have sinned Luk. 15 18 against heaven and against thee and not worthy to be called thy sonne O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for my iniquities are increased over my head and my trespasse is growne up into the heavens Ezra 9. 6. crying for vengeance to fall downe upon me Lord I am a sinfull creature and thou art a God of infinite puritie and holinesse Sinne hath left me no good thing all is wounded all is poysoned how shall I appeare before thee whose glory the Angels cannot behold I was conceived in sinne borne in sinne and all my daies have lived in sinne My heart is a seed-plot of sinne and corruption my eyes the windowes of vanity my eares the eares of folly my mouth the mouth of deceipt my hands the hands of iniquity and every part of my body and faculty of my soule which thou hast created for thy service hath dishonoured thee My understanding apprehendeth nothing but sinne my will delighteth in nothing but wickednesse my memory retaines nothing but evill things which dishonours thee As for thy holy precepts and heavenly ordinances I have not observed but have prophaned thy Sabbaths contemned thy Sacraments and lived in contempt of thy providence all my dayes I have beene so farre from keeping any part of thy law that I have added transgression unto blindnesse malice to ignorance and rebellion to sinne And because thou hast spared mee and wayted for my repentance and hast suffered me with such patience to run on in my sinnes and because thou hast beene so mercifull unto me and multiplyed thy favours towards mee I have tooke liberty to my selfe to commit great sinnes against thee so that the same medicine which thou hast appointed to purge out my sinnes I have made a provocation unto sinne Yet Lord for thy names sake thy mercy sake thy truths sake take away all mine iniquities and magnifie thy mercy in the pardoning of my sinnes which I have committed against thee mine owne knowledge and many motions of thy Spirit and purposes of my heart I doe acknowledge I have beene dull and unprofitable in thy service I have not had care and zeale which I should have had to serve thee I have beene weary of well doing and have not taken to heart my misery as I should nor mourned for my transgressions against thee my God as becommeth such a notorious offender as I am but have hardned my heart against thy judgements and have walked stubbornly before thee in the light of thy countenance Psal 90. But though I am full of wickednesse yet thou art full of goodnesse Lord thou madest me at the first of nothing save mee now I pray thee which am worse than nothing It is thou O Lord which knowest my heart and it must bee thou which must renew and change it Take it therefore into thy owne hand and take from it the hardnesse deadnes and dulnesse which the custome of sinne hath brought upon it and frame it according to thy owne liking cast out of it all the cursed fruits of the flesh which fight against thy grace and my soule Enlarge my understanding and encrease my knowledge that being guided by thy wisedome and assisted by thy Spirit I may understand and perceive those things which may please thee and refraine those things which may dishonour thee that so being directed by thy grace and guided by thy Spirit I may clearely see what thou requirest of mee and what may make for my peace and future happinesse Lord this must bee thy worke for I confesse that my reason is blinde my will is froward my wit is crafty ready to deceive me my understanding is quite estranged from thee but Lord dispell these clowds of errour and ignorance and rectifie the perversnesse of my understanding and indue me with thy holy Spirit of grace and wisedome that my soule may be cleansed from the corruption of this sinfull world and the eyes of my understanding opened to embrace the mystery of redemption by Iesus Christ Make thy word unto me like the starre which led the wisemen to my Saviour in the time of his infancy make thy benefits and graces like the Pillar which conducted thy people to the land of promise Kindle thy love in my heart that in respect of thee and thy service I may despise whatsoever is against thee and thy truth Confirme my faith in thy promises that by thy Spirit I may be assured that thou hast forgiven my sinnes and that thou wilt not reject me a poore sinner that relyeth wholly upon thee Lord thou desirest not the death of a sinner but hast promised that if I repent thou wilt bee pleased thou onely canst raise me out of the grave of sinne for I am dead and buried in trespasses and sinnes quicken mee by thy grace that I may praise thy name Let mee not want any mercy whereby I may be fitted for thy service and so dispose and guide the remainder of my life in such manner as that thou mayest bee honoured and my soule comforted which grant unto me for the Lord Iesus Christs sake my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Amen Thus wee have proved the truth â—f the proposition that Sathans â—ower must give place unto Christ We have also confirmed it by Scripâ—ure proved it by reasons and have made use and application of it to our selves In the next place wee are to examine the measure of his going out Sathan is so expelled out of the godly as that hee shall never returne againe But he goeth out of hypocrites so as that he still remaineth For if hee were once reallie cast out as wee have heard he could never returne againe But this speech of going out is rather a forme of speaking than a reall action This phrase of speech is used with other of like signification as Heb. 10. 6. If wee sinne willingly after wee have received the knowledge of the truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinne Againe the same Author saith It is impossible for those which were once inlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gifts and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted Heb. 6. 4. the good word of God and of the power of the world to come if they fall away to renew them by repentance Then from hence I reason thus If a man may receive the truth and yet sinne willingly and then forsake the truth be inlightned and tast of the heavenly gift and be made partakers
of the holy Ghost and yet fall away then by the same reason Sathan may bee said to goe out of a man and yet still remaine in him Therefore wheresoever we finde such phrases of Scripture as these of Sathans going out or of being made partaker of the holy Ghost and yet by the sequell of the words wee reade of their Apostacie and falling away we must not thinke that such men were ever effectually called and indued with the Spirit of God but that the Lord would have us take notice of the riches of his merâ— offered unto hypocrites in the outâ—ard meanes of salvation as the â—ord and Sacraments for the casting â—t of Sathan out of them And also â—e may see what a desperate judgeâ—ent they bring upon themselves â—hich neglect and contemne the â—eanes God offers for their delivery Mat. 23 37 â—nd this made our blessed Saviour â—ourne for the hardnesse of the Iewes â—earts that looked for a Saviour â—hich should free them out of their â—isery and when he was come to seeke â—nd to save the lost sheepe of the house of â—srael then they scorned and contemâ—ed him This uncleane spirit may bee sayd â—o farre to goe out of a man and yet â— reprobate as the good spirit of God may be said to depart from a Childe of God and yet still remaine the chosen of the Lord. That the spirit of God may seeme to depart from a Childe of God let David a man after Gods owne heart speake heâ— prayes Cast me not away from thy presence Psal 51 11. and take not thy holy Spirit froâ— mee And in another place he bewailes the absence of Gods Spirit Psal 77 8. yet for all this hee had it still For The gifts and callings of God arâ— Rom. 11 29. without repentance yet they may lyâ— hid without feeling as fire under â— heape of ashes which cannot beâ— seene or perceived till the ashes beâ— stirred so this uncleane spirit may lye hid a while till hee be stirred up by some scandalous sinne or other 2. So farre may this uncleane spirit seeme to goe out as the minde iâ— inlightned this the Apostle affirmes may be in a reprobate Hee may bee inlightned and yet fall away Seâ— this in Herod he amended many things at the Preaching of Iohn and this uncleane spirit seemed to begon out in regard of outward reformation forâ— when an hypocrite hath understanding of Gods word hee may acknowledge the truth as Balaam did and leave his sinnes for a time as Simon Magus did his Sorcery when hee beleeved and was Baptized and may humble himselfe for his sinnes as Pharaoh and Ahab did yet for all this hee may lye frozen in the dregges of his sinnes and this â—ncleane spirit may keepe possession for an hypocrite will not part with his darling sinne but rather part with his first borne yea loose his owne Micha 6 6. soule rather than leave it as may be seene by the love which Herod bare to his Herodias An hypocrite will cleave unto Christ so farre as the world will â—et him and if hee may share with him in his benefits and not bee hindred in his profits and pleasures but â—f he must part with them this is so hard a saying that they cannot abide â—t By which we may see that their obedience is but for feare of Gods â—udgements and their understanding â—s but inlightned with historicall faith which consists in quickenesse of wiâ— and plausibility of speech this faitâ— is effectuall to inlighten the understanding but not to save the soule Now so farre as this speculative faitâ— is admitted so farre this uncleane spirit is sayd to goe out God in thâ— knowledge regards not the quantitâ— so much as the quality an Hypocritâ— may exceede a childe of God in thâ— gifts of nature which God esteeme no better than shining sinnes Mistake me not I would not have knowledge vilified but rather rectified anâ— vertue added to knowledge else the gifts of nature if they be not sanctified by grace are fit preyes for the Divell 3. So farre this uncleane spirit iâ— gon out of an hypocrite as he hath received some sparckles of conversion For by the illumination of his mindâ— hee may behold the kingdome oâ— Christ to be glorious and in many degrees to exceede the glory of thâ— world This made the mother of Zebedees children thinke that if she could procure a place for her sonns that one might sit at Christs right hand and the Mat. 20 21. â—ther at his left in his kingdome shee would have beene abundantly satisfied Another thought him a happy Luk. 14. 15. man that might eate bread in the kingdome of God This also made Balaam earnestly desire to dye the death of Num. 23 10. the righteous and that his last end might be like theirs Now what may bee the reason of this that hypocrites are so ravished with the apprehension of future glory and happinesse Surely this they perceive that Gods kingdome is full of happinesse and they see a possibility of obtaining this happinesse for themselves for they have tasted of the heavenly gifts floting in their braines which makes them imbrace the Gospell and to doe many things that they are commanded therefore they hope they shall be saved On the contrary they see this sinfull world to bee full of trouble and vexation and they feare that there will bee great bitternesse in death Therefore hearing of a full deliverance by Christ from these dangers they are content to yeeld obedience to the Word but yet for want of the Ioh. 5 34 sappe of grace this abides with them but for a season And so for all their outward conformity they may bee rotten and unsound For they doe not love the truth for the truths sake but for some private ends as to gaine estimation of men and to be accounted good Common wealths men and so thought fit to live in a societie As for their desire after the Word it is either with Eve to get knowledge or with Simon Magus to make gaine of it or with the Pharisees to get a name by it for they discover themselves in the time of temptation and are either allured with the baits of prosperity or pinched with crosses and afflictions so that at last they fall away and become Apostates from the faith 4. This uncleane spirit is so farre gone out of a man as he lies hid and covered Hee may keepe his hold though he doe not shew himselfe in hostile manner he can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and will make a shew of holinesse that he may doe the more wickednesse he cares not though Abimelech entertayne Abraham and give him the best of his land if he can but make him to commit adultery with his wife Hee cares not though Iudas become a Disciple and a professor of Christ if he can fill his heart with covetousnesse to betray his Master Hee cares not though Annanias and
house is you have partly heard how that a little counterfeit repentance will not serve the turne to get out the dirt and filth which is baked and seated in nature A house that is made foule and filthy by much resort of people will not bee made cleane by a little sweeping there must be paring and scraping with a paring Iron else the filth will hang on and will not be remooved Even so these temples of our bodies these earthly houses will not bee clensed and purged from the corruption of sinne with the beasome of counterfeit repentance but the sharpe knife of the law must be set on worke there must be a searching of the heart a plowing up of the fallow ground there must bee a mortifying of the fruits of the flesh there must be a de 〈…〉 of our selves in our profits plea 〈…〉 s and delights a little crying of God mercy will not serve the turne 〈◊〉 there must bee an aggravation of 〈…〉 e by circumstances sinne must be â—mâ—lified in regard of the meanes that we had to resist it if we had had grace to use them aright therefore when we have failed in using our spirituall weapons then we must condemne our selves and take a holy revenge upon our nature which did inâ—ice us to such and such sinnes Wee Luk 1â— must doe as Mary Magdalen did shee had abused her eyes to wantonnesse and her haire to pride therefore upon her repentance shee tooke revenge of her selfe she made her eyes a fountaine of teares to wash her Saviours feete and her haire a towell to wipe them so must we if wee have offended by gluttony or drunkennesse wee must bring under our bodies by fasting and humiliation Thus did David when he had sinned against his neighbour in giving way to sinfull lusts and uncleannesse so when he had desired to drinke of the waters of Bethleem 1 Chro. 11 18. and after hee did see it was brought with the jeopardie of the lives of his three Worthies then he tooke a holy revenge of himselfe hee would not drinke of it but powred it out as a sacrifice before the Lord. Thus the cunning men being converted by the preaching of the word and brought to repentance burned their Bookes Act. 19 19 that were deere unto them for a revenge upon themselves for their sinne by which they shewed both an indignation in their affections and a just revenge in their actions thus if men would judge themselves they should 1 Cor. 11 37. not be judged of the Lord. Man is made miserable quickely but hee is not so soone made happie againe Esau suddenly lost his birth-right but hee could not gaine the blessing with many teares A swept house will not serve the turne it must bee a sorrowfull and contrite heart that God delights to dwell in Let us then set uppon our sinnes and up with them by the rootes downe with pride covetousnesse and all manner of sinne that offends God and grieves our neighbour else we are but deceiptfull hypocrites and garnished and swept houses for Sathan If swept houses will not serve the Vse turne then how may we bewaile our times wherein so many slovens delight themselves in all manner of sin and prophanenesse How many are there to bee found in our dayes that thinke it an easie matter to be saved But brethren deceive not your selves these filthy soules which have beene defiled with so many sinnes will not be so easily cleansed We have many wayes defiled our selves with vaine and unsanctified thoughts many foule and unsavory words have proceeded out of our mouthes and doth not this shew that wee have filthy soules Againe how many lewde and sinfull acts have wee committed and doe commit from time to time and will a small repentance make amends for all these transgressions No no there must be striving and preassing to enter in at the straight gate The Luk. 13 24. kingdome of heaven suffers violence and the violent take in by force But alasse how many of us sit still sporting our selves in our pleasures and delights If eating and drinking swearing and swilling would send us to heaven there are a great many would come thither There are many also to be found that when they are rebuked for their sinnes and perswaded to amend their lives they will give good words and wish that they could doe as they should but how few of many are willing to plucke up their sinnes by the rootes Many will use the broome of repentance in sweeping the house of their soule lightly and superficially but they will leave still behind their evill customes and wicked habit of sinne which cleaveth fast to them and is as deare as their right eye Wee see by experience that many griping Vsurers will hate adultery make conscience of swearing and forswearing c. these cobwebbes they will sweepe away but for the filthy habit and wicked trade of Vsury because it is a gainefull sinne and brings them an easie life the broome shall not come so farre So againe many Adulterers though well monied hate Vsury because it is unlawfull and condemned by God Psal 15. Ezek. 18 but for adultery their beloved sinne this dirte this filth must remaine unswept The like may bee said of all other sinnes Thus hypocrites will indent with God as if he kept a court of Faculties to dispence with their darling their beloved sinnes which they are loath to forgoe But brethren marke I pray you the policy of Sathan If he can keepe but one corner in this spirituall temple it shall suffice him he knowes how to keepe possession well enough but brethren deceive not your selves if the divell have any part in your heart God will have none he will not admit of a Corrivall he will be aut Caesar aut nihil he will have the whole or else let the divell take all therefore learne wee to use violence against our beloved sinnes and let the divell have no crevisses to looke into our hearts lest he circumvent and surprise us before we are aware as he hath and doth many deceiving them daily with outward shewes and the leaves of religion without substance and through-reformation of the heart but if we will be a swept house for the Lord wee must cast away all our sinnes outward shewes will not delight him he cannot endure a divell in Samuels Mantle It is garnished The house swept and garnished is a similitude borrowed from the use and custome of men who delight to have all things handsome cleane and comely when they are to entertaine their friends But the divell hee delights in no such matter this uncleane spirit hee delights in all manner of filthinesse and all manner of ungodlinesse nothing pleaseth him better The beastly drunkard the abominable swearer the lustfull talker the filthy liver these men are garnished houses for him These men are as a princely pallace for him to domineere in When men have bidden farewell to God and all
Ans In many things wee sinne all and 1. Ioh. 1 8. If we say we have no sinne wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Yet the divell dwelleth not alike in all for those which with consent of heart entertaine his suggestions hee hath full hould of them but the godly when they give place to him through infirmity they let him come into the Suburbs and out places but Christ by his Spirit dwelleth in their hearts by faith from which he forces him to retire As for the wicked if Sathan get advantage as hee will be restlesse in his temptations as you have heard so hee will be in his torments hee will spare none old nor young as you may see Luk. 9. 39. 42. and if hee be so cruell to children which for want of knowledge have done him no hurt how cruell will hee be to those which have set themselves against him He taketh with him seaven other spirits more wicked The spirits are described by their number they are seaven which is a certaine number put for an uncertaine by which is meant a number of capitall sinnes These Divells are lestlesse when Sathan entred into Iudas he gave him no rest till hee had betrayed his Master hee called and allured him by covetousnesse to get the money and when hee had it he stirred up such stormes in his conscience that hee could not be at rest till he had hanged himselfe These spirits are more wicked than the former because they make those whom they possesse more wicked and sinne may be increased and made more wicked and that in divers respects and that 1. In the greatnesse of the mercy offered thus Iudas his sinne in betraying his Master was worse than the Iewes in conspiring his death Iudas had many watchwords to take heede of the treason and yet for all this hee would not rest till hee had brought the blood of his Saviour upon his owne soule Sinne is increased in regard of the mercy offered How shall we escape if we neglect so great Heb. 2 3 1 Sam. 2 17. salvation Thus the sinnes of Elies sonnes was greater than the peoples because they should have exceeded them in holinesse 2. Sinne is aggravated in regard of the tendernesse of Gods love without any difference of respect or desert God invites all wearie and Math. 11 28. Esa 55 â— heavy laden soules To come unto him againe Every one that thirsteth and hath made a firme promise that they shall not come in vaine I will ease you Math. 11 29. and you shall finde rest to your soules and therefore hath sent his servants to 2 Cor. 5 29. 2 Cor. 6 entreat men to be reconciled unto God And not to receive The grace of God in vaine And therefore hee laments the folly of men that they will neglect grace when it is offered O that they were wise that they understood â—ut 32 this that they would consider â—l 8 13 their latter end Now when the patience â— 48 18 and mercy of God is thus neglected and abused sinne is augmented and this sottish negligence is inexcusable because they doe reject such gracious favour when it is offered 3. Sinne is made worse in respect of the time Thus to sport and play and follow our worldly businesse upon the Lords day is a great sinne because the time is holy and ought to be imployed in his service which must be an item to victualers and Inhoulders that they doe not set open their doores to receive idle companions to drinke and tipple in their houses when Gods house stands open to receive his servants to heare his word Else if they doe they open their doores to the contempt of Gods ordinance 4. Sinne is made worse in regard of the place for swearing and fighting in a Church or Church-yard is worse than in a Taverne or other place for God will have even the skirt of his Sanctuary kept holy Levit. 19 30 Then out of the premisses wee may conclude that if sinne may be augmented in regard of circumstances then by the same reason seaven new spirits may make a sinner more wicked than he was when the first left him The more meanes any one hath to escape the snares of the divel the greater shall be their punishments if they neglect the meanes to escape them Then hee taketh to him seaven spirits worse than the former Hence then wee may learne that there is a difference of sinnes sinners and consequently of punishments The first was said to be an uncleane spirit yet the latter are seaven worse Sinne is very fruitfull how many Quot criâ— mina tot demonâ—â— evills therebe so many divells There is alwayes a fruitfull croppe â—ccati fruâ—fera seget â—â— de morâ—l of sinne If covetousnesse be rooted up lust springeth up if lust be vanquished ambition succeedeth and so one sinne followes another hand in hand according to the Proverbe An evill weede growes apace Now these sinnes encrease from one degree of comparison unto another and creepeth like a Canker which commeth to maturity by degrees Sinne getteth strength by committing as figures in Arithmeticke by numbring The first figure standeth but for one the second for ten the third for one hundred and so increasing their value according to their places so it is in sin â—atth 5 Anger without cause is liable to judgement Exasperating gestures to the punishment of a Counsell but railing speeches are worthy of hell fire Iudas was first a cunning dissembler Secondly a close fisted theefe Thirdly a bloody traytour And lastly which is worst of all a desperate reprobate But I would not so be understood as if I did lessen and extenuate sinne for The wages of sinne is Rom. 6 23. death yet some sinnes shall feele the â—orments of death more than other Baâ—abas murther was great but Iudas vilâ—any in betraying his Master was greaâ—er in so much that it had bin good â—or him if he had never beene borne If sinne be so fruitfull and bee increased Vse by circumstances then let it â—e our wisedome in time to roote â—p those plants whose increase is so dangerous and whose sappe is so veâ—emous About holy matters let all In rebus sacris nulla sit deliberatio Cyp. delay bee absent Secondly seeing sinne proceedeth from footing to rooâ—ing and from rooting unto shooting forth to encrease let us weaken the â—bility of sinne by taking away the â—rops and sustainements of sinne If â—he currents and passages bee stopt â—hat leadeth to a Lake it will at â—ast be dryed up take away the props and foundation of a house and it will at last fall of it selfe So sinne if it be not cherished will quickly bee extinguished But if men will not make use of the meanes and mercies God hath given them to withstand sinne but will give the reines unto their affections to wallow in sinne with greedinesse not resting till they have gon