A FRVITFULL SERMON PREACHED in Christs-Church the 13. of julie. Anno 1589. By Anthony Tyrell sometime a Seminary Priest. But by the great mercy of God made a true professor of the Gospel, and Preacher of his holy word: containing an admonition unto virtue, and a dehortation from vice. Taken by Characterye. 2. Pet. 2.21. Better it had been for a man not to have known the way of righteousness, then after that he hath known it, to turn from the holy commandment that was given unto him. AT LONDON Printed by john Windet, and are to be sold at the sign of the Sun in Paul's churchyard by Abraham Kitson. TO THE MOST reverend Father in God john Archb. of Canterb. his humble Suppliant Anthony Tyrell wisheth abundance of all spiritual graces, and blessings from God the Father, of our Lord jesus Christ both in this world, and in the world to come. I Stood in doubt somewhile (Right Reverend and my especial good Lord) whether I might presume to make dedication of so simple and slender a matter unto your grave and learned Grace: but knowing how much I stood bound unto your great and exceeding charity: and considering with what favour you do affect a simple and well meaning mind, and how religiously you have prosecuted my irreligious demeanour, in receiving me as a lost & strayed sheep unto the fold of Christ again, and weighing therewithal, that notwithstanding my true and unfeigned return, yet every sleight action of mine may seriously be Censured of such as are not given to speak the best, but inclined to judge the worst, I thought it expedient for mine own comfort to fly unto your Lordship's patronage, and I hope for the causes before considered that I may boldly do it without presumption, not doubting but that thereby I shall safely be defended from the sinister opinion of all my adversaries. May it please you therefore to vouchsafe to accept this simple Sermon, which for the utility of many, and for the hurt of none I have caused to be published in print, a matter though small in substance, yet great in good will, and the grateful acceptance thereof at your Lordship's hands may be an encouragement to greater endeavours. It was not my purpose and meaning at the first to put this forth in print, but upon an occasion as your Lordship may understand in the Preface, and since it hath so fallen out that I did determine it to come abroad, I thought I could not do better then to shroud it under the covert of your wings. And in an other respect I am glad that the occasion hath been offered me to set this forth in public, that withal I might publish unto the world yet once again the constancy of my faith, which by reason of my former inconstancy hath been hardly Censured of many as well Protestants as Papists. The Papist thinking that I was ashamed of my late public action at Paul's Cross, and the Protestant thinking that I did it but dissemblingly. To the first I answer with the Apostle S. Paul. Non erubesco evangelium: Rom. 1.16. Est enim virtus Dei in salutem omni credenti. I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to all believers. And to the other I do answer with our Saviour. Nolite judicare, Mat. 7.1.2 ut non iudicemini: in quo enim judicio iudicaveritis, iudicabimini. judge ye not, that yeè be not judged: For with what judgement you do judge, you shall be judged. And therefore leaving the true discussion thereof unto the everlasting judge that knoweth the secrets of all men's hearts, and shall lay open to all the world in the latter day the privity of a man's conscience, I will say no more but this, that I may satisfy him that standeth in doubt of me, if I can. That I do profess myself to be no otherwise in heart, soul, and conscience, than I do set down here by pen, namely a true servant of jesus Christ, one that hath been by his mercy called and reclaimed from the floods of errors, Idolatry, and superstition, wherewith I have been heretofore overwhelmed, and that mine eyes are opened, and do behold my Lord and Saviour Christ jesus in his Gospel, and do receive & embrace him in his word, and that I obey and serve him in that true manner & form that he hath prescribed in the same. And that I do from my heart, as I have heretofore testified, relinquish and abandon the Pope and the sea of Rome so far forth as it maintaineth Idolatry, favoureth superstition, nourisheth schism and division, teacheth disobedience both to God and Princes. And I do renounce him for God's Vicar on earth, which rebelleth against the Lord in Heaven, in overthrowing kingdoms, murdering of anointed Princes, removing subjects from their due and natural obedience, and all to maintain himself in pride and Antichristian government, acknowledging no other Church but the universal Church of Christ dispersed throughout the world, nor any other head of the same then Christ jesus, by the merits of whose passion I hope to be saved, and in whose faith I purpose to live and die. This being my public and outward testimony, yet once again by this occasion uttered, I hope all good and Godly men will rest fully satisfied, and as for the mouths of the ungodly in time the Lord shall stop them. I needed not (my good Lord) unto your Paternity have used this protestation, and yet I hope the renewal thereof with the continuance shallbe no small comfort unto you, who thirsteth the health of my soul as your own. The cause chiefly why I did it, was to stop the tongues of such as are always itching to hurt and prejudice other men. I have said my mind, it resteth that I pray for them, to grant me patience to bear the rebuke, and that I may have grace to remain irreprovable unto the end: for the which I doubt not but your Lordship of your Charity will vouchsafe to say Amen. To trouble your Lordship farther by way of Preface I thought not need: wherefore beseeching your Grace to pardon my bold attempt, to accept of my poor endeavour, I conclude, praying God continually to bless you, to make you a careful and vigilant Pastor over his flock, to endue you with all graces necessary for the government of the same. And so kissing the hand of your Paternity, with all humility I take my leave. From my chamber in London. novemb. 1589. Your Grace's most humble and daily Orator. Anthony Tyrell To the Christian Reader. IT was not my meaning I must confess truly (Good Christian Reader) to have this short and brief exortation which I made for my private exercise to come forth thus in public, partly for that I knowing mine own ignorance and imperfection might seem a great deal more bold than wise to set forth so simple and slender an action unto the view of wise and learned men, and partly lest I might be condemned of many, either for want of discretion in not judging of spiritual actions more maturely and soberly, or that I gaped after vain glory, which would condemn me of greater folly among all Godly men, but chiefly for that I had no just or good occasion to induce me to the same. The cause therefore why it is come forth, in brief was this. At the time I made my exhortation publicly in Christ his Church in London, my words were no sooner out of my mouth but a young youth had penned my Sermon verbatim by Characterie, an art newly invented. It was this youths pleasure, for the manifesting of his skill in that swift kind of writing, to publish my Sermon in print, yet honestly he came unto me, to inform me first of the matter. He was to me a mere stranger, of whom, after I had understood his intent and purpose, I craved respite to pause of the matter before I would give my consent. I considered first of myself what might be thought or spoken, & rather I should be esteemed foolish and vainglorious than to deserve commendation of any man. secondly that the youth did it but to show his skill and cunning in the dexterity of his own handewriting, and that it was not simply for the health of souls or spiritual profit of any man, and after I had debated thus to & fro with myself, I was determined to have stayed his copy, and to have let all alone. Yet remembering myself, that the works of the Lord are wonderful, and that he useth such means for bringing of things to pass which are very strange and to me unknown, That the matter might perhaps be profitable unto some, that whereas I being but newly converted, & of many suspected for my sincerity in religion, it might be an occasion to give some farther testimony than I have done, and that some things it may please the Lord to work by this simple action for the benefit of his Church, which unto me was unknown, I altered my purpose and intent, so far forth as I would not be judge of mine own doing, but commit it to some other. I did write my letters therefore unto a grave & learned man, I told him what had happened, and I set down mine own mislike, for fear that things might not be well & orderly done, subjecting myself and my matter unto his virtuous, wise, and learned censure. It pleased him to return me my copy again approved: what should I do? should I conceal it? so I might perhaps contristate the holy Spirit. For the coming of it forth might yield perhaps some devout and penitent soul some comfort and profit. For thy sake therefore (good Christian Reader) who so ever thou art, without all other respect I have permitted this slender endeavour of mine to come to light, in hope that although I may be subject unto blame of many, yet I may do some good thereby to few. To teach them how they ought to detest and hate sin, to walk warely before the face of the Lord, that receiving the manifold graces & mercies at his hands, they be not ungrateful, & having once thrown out the foul spirit of sin out of their souls by true repentance, they permit him not to return again by their great fault and negligence, for if they do, what will follow thereof they shall understand by the future discourse. Thus having given thee a full satisfaction of the cause of the publishing of this present discourse, I am to admonish but one other thing, and so I end. He that penned my Sermon as I uttered it in Pulpit, did it most exactly, writing it word for word: Yet when I perceived that it should come to the print, I did only peruse it again, altering some words, but nothing of the matter: and thus much I thought good to advertise, lest they that heard me when I pronounced it, should think it was not the same, but some other. And this being all that I am to say at this time by way of preface, if any spiritual comfort redound thereby unto thy soul, God's name be glorified, and it is all that I require: and so I commit thee unto the Lord, & myself to thy good prayer. From my chamber in London. 1589. 1. novemb. Thy faithful Brother, and fellow-labourer in Christ, Anthony Tyrell. A FRVITFULL SERMON Containing the nature and vileness of sin, preached at Christ his Church, by Anthony Tyrell. Math. Chap. 12. vers. 43.44.45. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh throughout dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house, from whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he & taketh 7. spirits worse than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this froward generation. THE Occasion of these our Saviour his words (Right Worshipful and dearly beloved in our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ) of divers men is diversly considered. Some think that they are generally meant of the whole multitude of the jews, who after they had received the law of Moses (being brought out of Egypt when the Devils had possessed them with great blindness and superstition) and were taught a peculiar and true manner of worshipping the Lord according to his holy will and pleasure, Exod. 20. that then the Devil departed from the jews and traveled dry and desert places, never resting until he came among the Gentiles, whom he corrupted in such vile and gross manner, as losing both common sense, human reason and understanding, they fell into all blindness, idolatry, and superstition, and wallowed and continued in the same until such time as our Lord and Saviour was incarnate, and preached the truth of his holy Gospel among them, the which glad tidings the Gentiles embraced, believing in Christ jesus and forsaking the gross errors, whereas the jews, unto whom the promise most properly belonged, & to whom Messiah peculiarly was promised, remained most obstinate, Gen. 12.3 18.18. and would neither receive him or believe in him. Satan then with all the foul troop of his filthy family being cast out of the Gentiles by the faith they had in jesus Christ, and having then no rest, said he would return unto the place from whence he came, namely to the uncredulous jews, and finding their Synagogue empty, that is the Scribes, Pharisees, and principal teachers of the Law to be void of faith, to contradict all that they might jesus Christ who was come into the world for their salvation and comfort, and that it was also garnished, that is to say, stuffed and filled with a number of blind ceremonies, & pharisaical traditions contrary unto that that the Lord had either taught or commanded them, in so much as our Saviour pronounced his terrible woes, as you may read at large in S. Math. Gospel. Mat. 24. The devil (I say) finding this opportunity and advantage, returneth back unto them again, & repossesseth them, taking seven spirits with him worse than himself, in so much as the end is become much worse than the beginning, they being now in farther bondage and captivity then ever they were under Pharaoh, having no proper country, or place to remain or abide in, but are made vagabonds throughout the world; as it appeareth plainly of them at this day: and well may it be said that their end is worse than their beginning, for better it had been that Christ had never been incarnate, then being incarnate, they will not now receive him. Other some apply these our Saviour his words as spoken of heretics, who being of Infidels and Pagans, by the mercy of Christ made Christians, and the Devil expelled from them by faith in jesus Christ, and falling again by Apostasy into heresy or infidelity, the Devil returneth to make his re-entry again, bringing with him seven worse than himself, and repossesseth them, & then it cometh to pass that their end is worse than the beginning, for of an infidel there remaineth some hope that he may be converted and believe, but of an apostate, or an obstinate heretic there is scarce any hope at all. Although this application be not amiss, yet here it agreeth not with the literal sense. Other some therefore (and they in my judgement come nearer to the letter) think that these words of our Saviour were directly spoken unto the Scribes and Pharisees, who seeing & beholding the wonderful miracles that our Lord and Saviour had wrought, and namely that, notable miracle the is mentioned in this present Chapter, Math. ●● 22. of the man that was both blind and dumb, out of whom our Saviour did cast out a Devil, and by the power of his Godhead made him both to see and to speak, whereupon the common multitude seeing & beholding it, forthwith glorified and magnified God, but the Scribes and Pharisees, who ought to have had more knowledge and understanding, became thereby more malicious and obstinate, and these miracles that could not come but by the power of the divinity, most blasphemously they did attribute them to proceed from the power of Satan, saying that through the power of Beelzebub the prince of devils he did cast out other devils. Math. 1.24. Whereupon after Christ had defended himself and proved invincibly, the power of his Godhead by an argument of of a kingdom divided against itself that it cannot long stand, Math. 12.5. & thereof concluding, that if Satan were divided against Satan, than his kingdom could not stand, but should in short time be consumed and over thrown. In the end he addeth these words that I have recited for my text, whereby he proveth that those miracles that he had wrought amongst them should serve for their farther condemnation, and proveth by that example of an unclean spirit going forth, how he returneth with more strength back again, and repossessing them from whom be departed maketh their end to be worse than the beginning, and therefore the conclusion was, that the state of those Scribes & Pharisees was now much worse than if no miracles had been wrought amongst them, or grace offered unto them. Finally it is thought, & not unprobable, that these our saviour his words were particularly directed unto that man, Mat. 12. v. 22. out of whom he had cast the devil, and to whom he had restored both his speech and his sight, that having received these benefits and graces at the Lords hands, he should not become either ungrateful or unthankful, or by thinking himself secure, live any thing the more loosely, but to walk before the Lord with all humility, fear and circumspection, lest by overmuch, negligence or misdemeanour the devil should return back again, and so alleging that example should show, that if it chanced so to fall out, his end would become much worse than his beginning. The like caveat or warning our Saviour gave unto the diseased man whom he cured at the pool of Betheisda, Io. 5. v. 2. whom he finding in the temple said unto him, verse. 14 behold thou art made whole: sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee. This caveat might also serve for the standers by, and may serve also for us at this time, and make us so much the more happy, if by other men's harms we can learn to beware. Having (as I think) said so much as may be for the understanding of the meaning of the letter, and of the end and scope whereunto our Saviour uttered the forementioned words. It resteth now that for our particular utility and profit that shall either hear or read them, we may understand what benefit we are to take by them, and the benefit will be this, if we make it an example unto ourselves, for that it may serve very well, for so much as there is none of us all but have received innumerable benefits and graces at the lords hands, more than mind can conceive, or tongue can utter, for all which if we should show ourselves ungrateful, as that man did, the Devil having been once already by God's grace cast out of us, might return again, and returning again bring other seven worse than himself, and then woe unto each of us, for our end should be much worse than our beginning. Wherefore, for memory and methods sake I shall divide the whole matter into 4. parts. In the first I will show how Satan departeth from the soul of man or woman, and how he demeaneth himself when he is departed. In the second I will show the presumption of Satan in returning again to see if he can make any reentrance into that man or woman from whom he went out of; and therewithal I shall show the causes that move the Devil to make re-entrance. In the third I will show how strongly he re-entereth and maketh the place whereinto he is so entered his habitation or dwelling place. Fourthly and lastly I will show how the end of that man so repossed is worse than the beginning, with the reasons and causes. As touching the first which is the devils departure and his demeanour after he is departed, Part 1 it is contained in these words. When an unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh dry & desert places seeking rest, and findeth none. In these words is contained both his departure & demeanour. Now to come unto every thing in order you must first consider what is meant by an unclean spirit. This word spirit is in holy Scripture indifferently taken, sometime it signifieth the holy spirit which is the third person in Trinity, sometime it signifieth the soul of man, sometime the air, or the life of any creature. When so ever you shall read or find in holy scripture this word spirit, set down simply without any other word to express the meaning thereof, it is commonly taken in the better part, as when S. Paul in the 5. to the Gal. reckoneth up the fruits of the spirit, naming them, Gal. 5.22. Charity, joy, Peace, and the like, it is meant there of the holy spirit. Rom. 8.26 And in the 8. to the Rom. where he saith, the spirit helpeth our infirmity, and the like; he meaneth also of the holy spirit. But being set down with his adjective, the nature & quality of the adjective will show what thing the substantive is, as when it is said, holy spirit, good spirit, or the like. Likewise the Devil who is the wicked spirit is always certainly set down by his adjective, as in the first of Sam. the 15. chap. it is said that evil spirit vexed or tormented Saul; 1 Sam. 15. v. 15. ●●t 12. whereby is meant the Devil. And likewise here in this place our Saviour naming an unclean spirit, he meaneth the devil. Now that we understand what spirit is spoken of or meant in this place, it followeth that we understand why he is called unclean. The Devil being a spirit, as he is the creature of God he was created in great excellency, for there was nothing that the Lord had made which he approved not to be very good, as may appear in the first of Genesis. Gen. 1. v. 31. And especially the Angels who were of all other creatures the most noble. But Lucifer the chief of the Angels not being content with those excellent gifts of nature which the Lord had bestowed on him, but aspiring unto the majesty of God, & usurping (as it were) the glory of his divinity, was therefore worthily dejected, and so many as consented unto him, & became of all creatures the most vile and abominable, not vile in nature but in condition and quality, for being cast down into eternal misery himself irreparable without all redemption, he endeavoureth all that he may to make man in as bad estate as himself, and that he can not do but in tempting him to sin: the which being a vile and an abominable thing in the sight of the Lord, and a thing most impure and unclean unbeseeming the nature and condition of Angel or man, and for that he laboureth continually, tempting us to bring us into this impurity, the devil is said to be an unclean spirit, unclean (I say) by operation, not by creation. This unclean spirit being departed from a man. It followeth to know how and in what manner he departeth. Sure and certain it is that the unclean spirit Satan never departeth from man or woman by his good will, for such is the envy and malice that he beareth unto man, that he never ceaseth labouring to bring him unto eternal destruction, as witnesseth S. Pet. in his first epist. 5. Chap. verse. 8. saying. 1 Fet. 5.8. Be ye sober & vigilant, for your adversary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour, whom you must resist being strong in faith: surely he goeth about continually watching & prying where he may get a pray, and such is the malice and hatred that he beareth towards man, First in respect that he is created unto the image and similitude of God, to possess that place from whence he is dejected, and in respect of the curse that was given him in Paradise, Gen. 3. and that it was told him that the seed of the woman should bruise his head, that he prosecuteth mankind with an implacable hatred, and seeketh to destroy us all that he can. By his good will therefore he never departeth from us, and he tarrieth or abideth with no man for any goodness, but to bring him to mischief or destruction. Every man therefore that is in sin, he is accounted to possess: for so many as are wilful & obstinate sinners, they are under the devils subjection. If any man be called from his sin by the grace and mercy of God and true repentance, than the devil is said to departed, which departure, (as I said) it is not of the devils accord, but by the force of God's Spirit that expelleth him by true repentance out of a sinner's heart, for other wise he would never departed: And therefore Satan, of our Lord and Saviour in holy scripture is called Inimicus homo, that is, Mat. 13. v. 28 the enemy by a kind of singularity, for that there is no enemy comparable unto him in hatred that seeketh the destruction and loss of our body and soul for evermore, Yet as envious as he is, and as malicious, he dwelleth no longer or abideth in us more than we remain in sin, & so soon as it pleaseth the Lord to call us by his grace unto repentance, will he, nil he, he must departed away from us, for sure and certain it is, according to the rules in Logic, two contraries can not agree at one time together in one subject, but as virtue cometh in, vice must go out, and as grace appeareth, sin fleeth, and where the holy spirit taketh possession, the unclean spirit must pack out. I followeth, When an unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh, etc. Hitherto hath been discussed so much as I thought necessary for the time & place, what the unclean spirit is, how he departeth from a man, it cometh now in order to show, his demeanour is to walk throughout dry places. The walking of Satan through dry places is but a metaphor taken from a dry ground wherein is no moisture of water whereby it can yield or bring forth any fruit, for as almighty God hath his orchard and vineyard that bringeth forth good fruit, so the devil hath his orchard and vineyard to bring forth fruit agreeable unto his appetite. The fruit that the devil gapeth after is nother but the spoil and destruction of man, which he proveth by his temptations, and the corruptions of our flesh: & first he seeketh to destroy the soul of man, being sure that if once he can come to the possession of the soul that the body will come after, & if by God's mercy he be prohibited that he can not hurt us in souls, than he laboureth all that he can to plague and afflict us in body, If he can not in body, then in our temporal goods, if not in our goods, then in any thing that belongeth to the health & comfort of man, as birds of the air, fishes in the sea, plants, herbs and trees, beasts or any other cattle. And if by the permission of God he be not suffered to hurt us in any of these, them he is said to to walk dry and desert places then, is in places where he can make no fruit: for all those labours of his he acounteth fruitless wherein he may do no manner of mischief either to man himself, or to the things that belong to man. And thus you know now what it is to walk in dry and desert places. It followeth, Seeking rest, and findeth none. What rest think you is that that the Devil seeketh? Is it possible that Satan the enemy of God, and mortal enemy of man should have any rest? doth he seek to be reconciled unto God, or to leave tempting of man? can he ever be at any rest that carrieth always his hell about him? no such matter. The rest the Satan seeketh is no more than how he may accomplish his malicious mind, & put his devilish practices in execution: Even as a man that is given to wrath and envy, who never is at quiet until he have revenged himself, or shown his malice upon him that he persecuted with hatred, and then he seemeth in that degree to be at rest, so is the Devil is accounted to be at rest when he hath brought his malicious mind unto any devilish accomplishment or execution: so many souls as the Devil can bring by any wicked suggestion or sinister means unto destruction, so much mischief as he may utter against any man or woman, so much rest he taketh in the accomplishment of his will, although otherwise he sustain grievous torments and punishment at the Lords hands for the same, wherefore every man or woman is here to take heed that they make not themselves like unto the Devil in this point, as all they undoubtedly do that do bear with themselves revenging minds, and never are at quiet until they trouble or vex their neighbour, or have taken revengement on their enemy, who so ever doth so, doubtless he showeth himself to be the child of Satan, and if he seek, after Satan for such rest, he shall have that rest that Satan hath that is, to be tormented with the intolerable pains of hell fire for evermore, and never shall he come to any other rest, much less unto that rest that is prepared for the children of God to live and remain in eternal bliss for evermore. And thus much of Satan's departure and his demeanour in seeking rest and finding none. It followeth. Then he saith, Pars 2. I will return into my house from whence I came out, and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished. This is the second part wherein I purposed to note unto you the presumption of the devils return, saying I will return into my house from whence I came: and when he is come what causes he findeth to force him make a re-entry, and they are three, namely, that the house is empty, that it is swept, and garnished. I will entreat briefly of every point in order. First the Devil having departed and walked dry and desert places, seeking rest and finding none, he saith that he will return unto the house from whence he came. Here is to be noted the boldness & the malice of Satan, let him be expelled and repulsed never so much, yet he will return again: whereby we are taught never to be too secure or void of fear, but always to stand upon our guard, for as fast as one temptation goeth, an other cometh, so soon as one misery is passed, forthwith cometh an other, a man never remaineth (as job saith) long in one estate, job. 14. v. 2. but now are we merry, and by and by sad, now rich, then poor, now free, by and by oppressed with temptation again. I will return (saith he) unto my house from whence I came. The soul of that man or woman that the Devil possessed for sin, and by grace was expelled out, the devil calleth his house, not his properly by creation, for so every man or woman is properly the Lords, for he hath made us, Psal. 95. and not we ourselves: but the Devil calleth the soul of a sinner his house by possession, for so long as we remain in the estate of grace, we are the children of God, and our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost, but so soon as we give ourselves over unto sin, forthwith we become the slaves of Satan, and our bodies are made an habitation and a receptacle for Devils. Here would be noted the dignity of man or woman the feareth the Lord and that walketh in his ways how he is the temple of the holy Ghost. and the indignity of every sinner that maketh himself the bondslave of Satan, and a receptacle of foul and unclane spirits. I will go into my house from whence I came out. The Devil desireth rather to go unto his own house that he possessed before, then to a strange house which before was none of his: every wicked spirit hath his proper house, the spirit of pride he harboureth in the proud man, the spirit of Envy in the envious man, the spirit of gluttony and drunkenness in the glutton or drunkard, the spirit of uncleanness in the unchaste and fleshly man, the spirit of covetousness in the covetous man and usurer, and so consequently every sin hath his proper and peculiar spirit. Now when he saith: I will go into my house from whence I came. Every spirit seeketh to go into his own house, into that house whereof in former time he had possession, out of the which houses, that is, out of the souls of sinners, these foul and unclean spirits by the mercy of God have been cast out, some of gluttons and Drunkards, being made sober and temperate, some of envious men being made meek and charitable, some of proud men being made humble, some of fornicators and adulterers being now made chaste, some of covetous persons being made liberal and charitable, and so of the like. Thus have you heard the devils boldness and presumption, to put you in a wariness and good caution, now let us come to the causes that he findeth for his reentrance. After that the unclean spirit was returned, he found his house empty, swept & garnished. Three causes sufficient to make him make reentrance, he watched his time and opportunity, & so soon as any occasion was given, he plieth him, he looseth it not, but takes it for his most advantage. It standeth therefore dearly beloved us upon to have a vigilant and watchful eye unto all the parts of our soul, to rule and govern well all the senses of our body, all the motions and desires of the mind, and especially to preserve our heart pure and clean from the consenting unto any corruption or sin. Omni custodia custodi cor tuum (saith Solomon) quia ex ipso vita procedit: Prou. 4.23. With all diligenece keep well thy heart, for out of it proceedeth life. Three causes or occasions the unclean spirit found out in this wretched person which gave him means to re-enter again. The first whereof was, for that he found his house empty. The soul of that man from whom Satan was expelled remained empty: what is it to be empty? To be empty is to be void of faith, and he that is empty and void of faith, it can not be but he must be empty also of all good works. For I do not here distinguish faith from good works, as the Papists commonly do, for when I speak of faith I mean a justifying faith which can not be without good works, no more than life can remain in a man's body without a soul. I mean not a dead faith, or a devilish faith, jac. 2. such a faith as S. james doth mention in his Epist. This justifying faith (I say) who so ever hath not, he is empty no doubt of all goodness, & without that faith as S. Paul saith 11. to the Hebr. vers. 6. It is impossible to please God. This emptiness of faith, Heb. 11.6. and consequently of all good works, proceedeth of a kind of idleness which is the mother and nurse of all kind of mischief, and him I account to be idle, that is not well occupied, for all such as occupy themselves in vain and tristinge business, as in carding, dicing, unlawful gamings or exercises, (unless it be for an honest & moderate recreation) I say) those labours are no better than idleness, for that they be childish, there is no profit in them. And such actions or labours which contain in them manifest and apparent evil, I say those are devilish, & worse then if a man were childishly occupied or idle altogether. That man or woman that wanteth a true and perfect faith, that is fruitful by good works, can never be well occupied. It is not enough for a man by faith to apprehend Christ jesus our Saviour, as he is merciful, as he hath redeemed us, and paid for us the price of our redemption, but we must apprehend him also as he is just, as he hateth sin, crutifiing it in his own flesh, and contemning it in us, and us for sin: we must apprehend him as he is risen again from death to life, with whom we must also arise again from death to life, Colos. 3. by dying to the world, and living unto him by crucifying old Adam with all his concupiscences, and putting on the new, in justice and righteousness, for he that is not partaker of the first resurrection, which is to rise from sin to grace, shall never be partaker of the second, to rise from death to everlasting life. Let us not therefore deceive ourselves with the bare name and title of faith, 2. Pet. c. 1. v. 10. but let us rather as Peter saith, by good works endeavour to make our vocation and election certain. Let us always be working and labouring like good and painful servants in the vineyard of the Lord, every man in his vocation. That we should so do, we are admonished by that wéekly labour that the children of Israel had in the desert, where every day by the commandment of the Lord they were commanded to gather Manna, Exod. 16. only the Sabaoth they should rest. Surely so with us, we ought all the week days of this our pilgrimage, & short and transitory life to be gathering of Manna, of spiritual food for our souls: so long as we remain in this world we must not be Idle, nor séelt for any rest, until our Sabaoth cometh, which is the day of our joyful resurrection, when as with body and soul we shall remain in the Kingdom of our Father for evermore, there we shall rest, and then we shall rest, and not before. The second cause that moved Satan to make reentrance was, for that he found his house swept, and as our Text hath it, it was swept with a Besom. A house that hath been long unswept and contracted great corruption, it is impossible with a Besom sweeping it to make it clean, for the dirt and filth being baked on the ground, and hardened, is not so easily taken away, in such a case it is necessary and requisite, that a man use the help of a paring-knife, or a scraping-iron, for if a man do but superficicially sweep it with a broom, assuredly it will be little the better. Even so it fareth with the soul of a sinner: how many sins by long continuance have we contracted in our house? how many ways have we defiled ourselves with vile and filthy thoughts? how many foul and unsavoury words have we breathed out of our mouths, to argue the uncleanness of our Souls within? how many lewd and abominable acts have we daily committed, and do commit from time to time? and do we think with a sleight and small repentance to be pardoned and forgiven? do we think by knocking once or twice upon our breast, and saying, Lord forgive me, Lord have mercy upon me, our sins shall be remitted and taken clean away? What should then that noble king Ezechias mean when he lay sick of an infirmity, isaiah. 38. v. 10.15. so to cry out, and say, in the moiety of my years, I will descend into the grave, and to say that he would call to remembrance all his years in the bitterness of his soul? What meant the Prophet David, Psal. 51. v 1. after he had committed adultery, to cry out, and say, Have mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy? And in another place to say, I have laboured in sighing, Psal. 6. v. 7 I shall wash my bed every night, and water my Couch with tears. Such and the like signs of repentance used this noble King and Prophet. What manner of repentance was that of Magdalen, when she entered into Simon the pharisees house, bathed our Saviour his feet with tears, Luc. 7. and washed them with the hairs of her head? O Lord how far are we in these days from this sorrow for our sins? We think it enough if we cry once unto the Lord for mercy, we never study to take revenge of sin in our own flesh, we are not minded with the Ninivites to repent in Sackcloth and Ashes, jonas 3.6. when as our sins are no less grievous than theirs, and as many in number, if not more. We think perhaps that Christ mocked, when he said: contend ye to enter in at the narrow gate, Luc. 13.24. for many (I say unto you) shall seek to enter in & cannot: or that he spoke not in earnest when he said: The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and they that get it, must get it by violence. I know not surely how we practise now a days to get heaven by violence, unless eating and drinking, banqueting, and sporting, dancing, and vising, swearing, and staring, be violence. If this violence, or the like kind would get heaven, perhaps a number should come to Heaven, who for using the same shall be assured never to come there, but violently to be thrust into hell where they shall remain and abide for evermore. There be many now a days when they are reprehended of sin, and persuaded to holiness of life, can be content to say it is a good thing, it is meet it should be so, but to study as they should amendment of their lives, to pluck sin by the roots out of their heart, there are few that will do so. Let a man cut his hair never so short, yet in short time it will grow long again, and why? surely there is no other reason, but for that the roots be left in the skull still, so let us clip our sins never so short, and swéep our houses never so much, unless we pluck up the roots, and pair away the dirt with a sharp paring iron, it will be never the better, in short time all things will return unto their former loathsomeness again. And this is the second cause or occasion of the devils reentrance when he findeth our houses but swept. It followeth, And he findeth his house garnished. This is the third and last cause that moveth Satan to make reentrance either into man or woman, namely when he findeth his house garnished. This garnishing of the house is no more but the corrupt affections and desire of sin, which remain still in the heart of man or woman, although the sin be done away, which is an occasion of returning or falling again unto sin so soon as any cause of sinning shallbe offered, 1 Thef. 5.23. And therefore Saint Paul, to prevent this mischief, exhorteth us not only to abstain from evil, but from all occasion or show of evil. For it is not enough for a man to abstain from the out ward act of sin, unless he mortify in himself the inward desire and affection: for if he entertain and nourish that, no doubt at one time or other he will come to the accomplishment, and that is a sufficient garnishing for to invite the Devil to make a reentrance. A notable example of this matter I may produce out of Exodus, Exod. 10. of Pharaoh King of Egypt, who having kept the children of Israel a long time in his subjection, at what time that Moses was sent by the Lord to move Pharaoh for their departure out of his Country, unto the desert, Pharaoh being loath to forego so great a multitude, whom he used as slaves in all servile lahours, resisted a long time, until at the last being terrified by sundry plagues that the Lord sent upon him, he called Moses and Aaron unto him in the end, saying. Ite & sacrificate Domino Deo vestro, oves tantum vestrae, & armenta remaneant, paruuli vestri eant vobiscum, Go ye (saith he) and sacrifice ye unto the Lord your God, & take your little Children with you. Let only your sheep and cattle remain behind. What was Pharaos' meaning in this, think you? Had he such a desire of the sheep and cattle that he esteemed them more than the Israelites themselves? no verily, he was a Prince and a King, and of the Israelites goods he stood in no need, but he had a farther meaning and that was this, he thought the Israelites had covetous minds, and that when they should come into the desert, and find the want of necessary provision, and be pinched with penury, they should remember their cattle that they left behind them in Egypt, and thereby be moved to come back again, the which Pharaoh thought he might easily bring to pass, if he might reserve still in his hands, but such a pawn. This was the drift and purpose of Pharaoh: even so it fareth with Satan and a sinner, the sinner whom Satan a long time hath had in subjection, if by Moses & Aaron he be commanded to departed out of Egypt, that is, if by the preachers of God's word be moved to forsake his sin, and to travel into the desert of repentance, Satan is loath he should go, and hardly he will let him departed, unless the Lord do plague Satan, that is by giving such grace and strength unto the sinner, that maugre Satan's spite, he will desist from sin, he will frame himself unto an exchange of life, he will frequent the Church, he are God's word, read God's word, converse among good & godly persons of whom he may be instructed, learned, and taught: all which things although Satan be loath he should do, as by experience each of us may find in ourselves how loath Satan is that we should serve the Lord, or be at any time well & virtuously occupied, and layeth all the impediments and blocks in our way that he can to make us desist and leave of our good purpose and intent, yet (I say) when he seethe there is no other remedy, but that the grace of the Lord is so strong in us that we break the devils bonds a sunder, and that we release ourselves out of his bondage whether he will or not, he can be content then with Pharaoh to say. Ite, & sacrificate Domino Deo vestro. etc. Go ye, and Sacrifice ye unto the Lord your God, he can be content we should come to the Church, hear the word preached, read it at home in our houses, talk of it at our tables, and the like: only he craveth at our hands but a pawn, that is, that we leave our sheep and cattle behind us with him in keeping, that is, that we retain still but the affection and desire of sin, that we would retain but in our memory the pleasures that we had in the world, that when we are in the desert, the remembrance of the turpitudes of our flesh, may bring us back again as S. Peter saith like dogs unto our vomits. 2 Pet. 2.22 But (dearly beloved) in this case we must answer Satan as Moses answered Pharaoh, Cuncti greges pergent nobiscum: non remanebit ex eis ungula. All our cattle shall go with us, we will not leave behind us so much as an hoof. So must we answer the Devil in the act of our repentance, that we will return unto the Lord with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all our souls, we will serve him with our bodies, lives and goods, all our cattle, that is, all our desires and affections shall go with us, we will not leave so much as a hoof in the world, so much as a desire to return back again unto sin, which we purpose to forsake, unless it happen to us as it happened unto Lot's wife, Goe 19.26 to be transformed into a salt stone. Who soever shall do this, he shall keep his soul ungarnished, and the Devil by that occasion shall never find means to make reentrance, the which the Lord for his mercy grant us grace that we may perform. And thus much of the second part which was the return of Satan to make a repossession, and the causes the moved him unto the same. Now it followeth to show that when Satan being returned, Pars. 3. and finding his house, as I said, empty, swept, and garnished, how he taketh possession and entereth in more strongly than ever he did before, and therefore thus it followeth in the text. Then goeth he and taketh seven spirits worse than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. Now are we come to the repossession of the enemy, whereby we have to understand, that that man or woman that hath received God's grace, and afterward falleth unto his former accustomed wicked life, that man or woman doth give the Devil an occasion to make a re-entry, and coming again he cometh with an army of other seven spirits worse than himself, and they all enter in and dwell there. 2 Pet. 2.21. Oh better had it been (as Peter saith) never to have known the way of righteousness, then after a man hath known it, to turn from the holy commandment that was given unto him. Hebr. 10.26. And as the Apostle Paul witnesseth, if we sin willingly, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a fearful looking for of judgement, and violent fire, which shall devour the adversaries. Let us take heed therefore dearly beloved, how we behave ourselves after that we have received the grace of God, least for our ingratitude & negligence, our Candlestick be removed, Apoc. 2.7. & our grace taken from us & given to an other that shall bring forth better fruit. To come to my Text, that it is said, that he taketh seven spirits worse than himself, they are counted worse, in that they come furnished with greater malice to seek the destruction of the soul of man. In that he nameth a number of 7. I suppose the Evangelist meaneth a number of perfection, that is to to wit, the Devil returneth with an absolute power, for under this number 7. all power that the Devil can use is contained. So we read that Marie Magdalene was possessed with 7. spirits, & that our Saviour cast out of her seven Devils, Luc, 8.2.3 which signifieth all kind of sin. So that the number of 7. importeth that Satan if he come back and repossess either man or woman again, he will omit no occasion to hinder them that they shall never return unto God again, and therefore the matter is most dangerous and diligently to be looked unto. And where it is said in our text that all these spirits do enter in and dwell there. You must understand how and in what manner the devild welleth in a body, he doth not dwell as the Philosophers say, tanquam corpus locatum in loco, as a body placed in a place for the Devils are spirits, and not contained in any place. Nor yet tanquam forma in materia, as the soul of a man doth dwell in a body. For the Devil is a simple substance of himself, and not composed or joined to any matter, but the devils dwelling is only by his power or operation: where he hath power, there he exerciseth his strength, & there he is said to dwell. The Lord defend us from his power, and that he dwell not so among us. I have been too long I fear me in my former parts, I will now hasten to the fourth and last part, & so make an end. It followeth in the text. And the last state of that man is worse than the first. Pars 4. This is the fourth part of my division wherein I am to show, how that after a man hath received the grace of God and that the foul & unclean spirit that led and tempted him to all wickedness by the great mercy of God was cast out of him, if after he look not well unto himself, avoiding as near as he can all occasions and causes of sin, but leaving his house empty, that is, his soul void of a true faith, and good works, & that for all his abominable sins that he hath committed, he hath but swept his house, that is, made a superficial sorrow or repentance for his sins, and that which is worse, leaveth his house garnished, that is, retaineth still the remembrance, desire, & affection of his former concupiscence: unto such a man Satan doth soon return again, and in returning he bringeth seven worse spirits than himself, and they enter in and dwell there, than it can not be, according unto our Saviòur his testimony, but that the end of that man must be worse than his beginning. Wherefore that you may understand how much worse the state of that man shall be in the end, it shall not be amiss if you know how bad the estate of a sinner is in the beginning. And that you may the better judge of the vileness and deformity of the first sin I know not which way I may make you to comprehend it better than to lay before your eyes the excellency of virtue. For every thing (as the Philosopher saith) is best known being compared by his contrary. What man is he that can tell the commodity of health so well as he that hath been afflicted with sickness? or who knoweth so well the sweetness of liberty as he that hath had experience of captivity? To know therefore the vileness of an evil thing, we must consider the nature and condition of a good thing, for the deformity of a crooked line will appear best if it be measured by a right rule or square. The Philosophers defined that there was nothing that could be good which had not all, or at least one of these three properties, that is, if it were not honest, profitable, or delightful, and although the wiser sort of them defined certainly, that nothing could be good that was not honest, yet that thing which in his own nature is not honest, if it be either delightful or profitable, it carrieth at the lest a resemblance of goodness. And thereof it cometh, that no man would commit any sin, but the it carrieth some show of goodness: for although sin in the judgement of the committer be no honest thing, yet he judgeth it at the least to be either profitable or delightful, or else he would never do it. The fornicator or adulterer he knoweth the sins of the flesh, that they are not honest, yet he thinketh them delightful. The usurer or covetous man he knoweth, that bribery and extortion is nought and not honest, yet he thinketh it profitable. So that I say, every sin that the sinner committeth, he doth it under the colour of some good, or else he would never do it. Goodness therefore in itself cannot be but an excellent thing. And look how much the more it doth participate of all the three properties that is to wit, honesty, profit, and delight, so much better it must be. Virtue therefore is an excellent thing, for it is both honest, profitable, and delightful. And that thing what soever it be that is most honest, most profitable, and most delightful, must needs be most excellent & be that which is called Summum bonum, the chiefest good, which all men naturally do desire. And who is most honest, most profitable, and most delightful, but only God: God therefore is summum bonum, the end that every man ought to seek, and such an end, that he that findeth it shall be blessed for evermore. Now at the last we have found out our rule and square of goodness to measure the crookedness of vice, and to see the deformity thereof. As the thing that is most honest, most profitable, & most delightful is most good. That thing that is opposite and contrary unto the greatest good, must needs be the greatest evil. That thing that depriveth a man or woman from the greatest good of all other, which is God, must needs be the greatest of all evils, and that evil is called sin: for sin depriveth a man of the chiefest good, which is God, and therefore sin must be the greatest evil of all other. Will you see how sin is opposite and contrary unto the three properties of good, (and so by consequence unto God) namely unto honesty, profit, and delight, then give you me leave a little to examine each property apart, and with patience and attention hearken what I shall say. First of all, Sin, as the Philosophers define it, being no positive thing but a privation or taking away, it is as much to say, it hath in it nothing that is good, but taketh from a man all that is good. And the chiefest property wherein goodness consisteth, and without the which there can indeed be no goodness, is honesty, and that sin depriveth a man of, for sin in his own nature is shameful and opposite unto honesty, in so much as it is written, Qui malè agit, odit lucem. He that doth evil, he hateth the light. Sin is a work of darkness, it feareth to be seen, it is loath to come to the light, it seeketh dark places, and secret corners. Examples of this matter we have great store; every man can witness it in his own conscience. Adam so seen as he had sinned in Paradise, Gen. 3. & that he saw himself to be naked, was he not ashamed? did he not hide himself from the presence of the Lord? What shall we say of David, that after he had committed adultery with Bethsabe, in sending for Urias' home, in procuring him to go home to sleep with his wife, in giving him meat and drink apt for that purpose, was it for any other thing but that he was ashamed of his fact, he would feign have had the matter covered, but it would not be, the Lord did bolt it out, sending Nathan the Prophet to him, who reprehended him of his fault, 2 Sam. 11. than he could cry, Peccatum meum coram me est se mper, My sin is always in my sight, Psal. 51. I am ashamed O Lord of that which I have done. This may you see how opposite a thing sin is unto honesty, that it bringeth with it nothing else but confusion and shame. Let us now see how it cotrarieth the second property of goodness, which is profit. How unprofitable a thing sin is. To speak of the disprofit that sin bringeth, if I should say so much as might be said I should never make an end, what greater disprofit can it be to a man or woman, them to lose their soul eternally. In so much as our Saviour himself saith: Mat. 16.26. What shall it profit a man to have gained the whole world and after shall sustain the loss of his soul? or what exchange or commutation can a man make for his soul? Shall I briefly discurre unto you, what loss sin did bring? Note first in the Angels themselves, Gen. 1. who for sin were deprived for ever from the vision of God, and are now damned for evermore. For sin Adam and Eve were exiled Paradise, Gen. 3. and all their posterity made subject to death & misery. For sin the whole world was drowned, Gen. 7. 8. persons excepted. For sin Sodom and Gomorrha with other Cities there adjacent were consumed and burnt by fire, Gen. 19 and all the people perished. For sin the Children of Israel were carried twice captive, 2 Reg. 17. once under Salmanasar king of the Assyrians, and an other time under Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, besides a number other plagues and losses the came to them through sin. 2 Reg. 25. Finally sin brought such a loss unto mankind, as the ransom thereof was never able to be paid, but by the death and passion of jesus Christ, the only son of the living God. Let this at this time suffice for the loss or disprofit that cometh unto man or woman by sin. Perhaps this matter or loss may be requited with the delight that sin bringeth with it, and so great may be the delight the a man careth neither for honesty nor profit. If it be so, then let us consider the delight that sin bringeth a part, and see what is the pleasure that a man receiveth in the committing of sin. And that is the third property of goodness that I have to speak of, namely delight. And now shall you see how opposite a thing sin is unto delight also. Sin (as I said) is a thing opposite unto that part of good which is called delight, for it is a most sad and sorrowful evil full of grief and pensiveness. Sin is so sad and pensive a thing, that it doth not only bring a man unto eternal death, but it leaveth a man full of trouble and grief also in this life. The justice of God can not suffer the guilt of sin to be unpunished. And therefore the Prophet jeremy gave us to understand the evil of sin in this point, jer. 8. when he said. Know thou, and see how evil and bitter a thing it is to have forsaken the Lord thy God. For beside the eternal and everlasting punishment which exceedeth all other punishments, and I have no leisure to stand to discourse upon at this time, I will reckon up four great evils that it bringeth unto a man or woman in this life, which no man what soever he be, can by any means avoid. The first is the sting of a man's conscience which he hath pricking within after he hath committed the sin. Of all other things how sweet soever sin seemeth in the beginning, it hath the vilest end, yea such an end, that it bringeth many a man or woman unto desperation after they have committed a wicked fact. When a man hath satisfied his filthy lust, what loathsomeness doth he find remaining in his soul and conscience? a fit example I cannot give you, than Amon David's son, who falling in love with his Sister Thamar in such wise, 2 Sam. 13 as he almost perished for love and lust, yet when he had accomplished his will and purpose, there remained such a loathsomeness behind of sin that he could never abide to look upon Thamar afterward. And this I dare be bold to say, that there is no sinner alive, let him be never so shameless and impudent in his sin, let him face and brave it out with never so desperate a mind, yet he can not so extinguish that touch of conscience, but his soul at one time or other shall find the torment of the same. The second evil that sin bringeth to a man or woman to contrary delight, is shame: of the which, for that I have touched it already, I will spare to speak any more of it, but come unto the Text. The third evil that sin bringeth in this life to contrary delight, is fear of punishment, for the sinful man after he hath committed a naughty fact, he is by and by afraid. He knoweth there is a God above that will revenge all sin, and he is afeard of God's judgements, and of sudden death. This fear remaineth of inferior Magistrates that are administers of God's justice. For if a Thief after he have committed a robbery be brought before a justice to be examined forthwith he feareth, and faultereth in his speech & answers, & a guilty conscience bewrayeth itself, so that he that sinneth is always fearful, and as Solomon saith, Prou. 28.1. the wicked man he fleeth when no man persecuteth him. In so much as sin is a continual hangman that tormenteth a man's conscience where so ever he goeth. The fourth and last evil that sin bringeth contrary to delight, is a continual combat and conflict between reason and sensuality. In so much as when sensuality enticeth us to a thing that is nought, reason saith, do it not, sensuality saith, do it. And such a contrariety a man shall find in himself, that oft times he is forced to cry out, and say with job. Factus sum mihimetipsi gravis, job. 7.20. I am become troublesome unto myself. Thus have I made a brief description of the vileness and crookedness of sin, which if it be laid to the right rule of goodness that is honesty, profit, and delight: You may see how vile a thing it is, and far from all goodness, that hath in it neither honesty, profit, nor delight. And depriving a man of all honesty, profit, and delight, which is the greatest good that may be, and contained in God himself, from whom sin excludeth us. Also it cannot be but we must necessarily conclude, that sin is the greatest evil that may be, and that there is no evil to be compared or matched with sin. Thus having found out the vileness of the first evil, it resteth that we know how the second evil may be worse than this, for that it is said in our text. The last state of that man is worse than the first. A man would think that the first is so bad, as lightly there could be no worse: but how the last becometh worse than the first, in few words I shall show. If we respect sin in his own nature, it is always evil & so evil, as it can not be worse. But if we respect it as it is renewed in action, the more an ill thing is renewed, the worse still it is, by reason of the ingratitude that remaineth in the offender. As for example. A man committing a trespass once, he is pardoned of his Prince, and after committeth the same offence again in the same nature, both the offences in their own nature are bad, and neither worse than the other, but in respect of the ingratitude of the offender, who being pardoned once, would not take heed the second time. And so forth of all other sins that so shall be renewed, the more they are renewed the more hainons they are by reason of the ingratitude. Now where our Text saith, that the last state of such a one shall be worse than the first, I will show you briefly also how that may be meant, and the is for three respects. First in respect of the Devil that tempteth a man to sin. Secondly in respect of the offender that committeth the sin. Thirdly in respect of God that punisheth sin. All these I shall make plain by a familiar example. And first in respect of the Devil that tempteth unto sin. I will show you how the last evil is worse than the first. Take the example of a jailor that taketh a man to prison, the man being committed but for debt, or some such other trespass, is indifferently well used, and entreated in Prison, he hath as much liberty as the Prison can yield him, and as much favour as the jailor can show him: But if this Prisoner watching his opportunity, do happen to break forth, and to make an escape, how doth the jailor than rage and fume, and how doth he threaten and lay about him, saying that if ever he catch that Prisoner again, he will use him, and so forth. So as you see, it standeth the Prisoner upon that is so broken away, to look unto himself, for otherwise it had been better for him that he had remained in Prison still, and made no escape. It cometh to pass that he is taken again, how is this poor wretch then used, he is laid in Bolts, he is kept under lock and key, he goeth not out of his chamber, he is continually watched, you see how his last imprisonment is worse than the first, by reason of the cruel usage of the jailor. Even so it fareth with a sinner, who as long as he is in sin, is in the devils keeping, and so long as he continueth in sin, the Devil letteth him alone, doth not trouble him much, but letteth him enjoy the liberty of the Prison, that is the pleasures of this world, and suffereth him to go from one to an other without contradiction. But if this sinner chance at any time to be moved by grace to forsake sin, and the pleasures of this world, and to break prison, that is to give the Devil the slip, and meaneth to return to the service of Almighty God; it standeth this man upon to look well unto himself, and to think that the Devil hath a continual eye upon him, and if ever he can catch him again, and bring him within the compass of his Prison, let him be assured he will keep him more warily the second time, and remove from him all the occasions that brought him to goodness, and lock him up fast in a close dungeon, where he shall see nothing, and feel nothing but continual temptations and allurements unto sin, and shall be so watched & guarded that he shall hardly make any escape again. And thus you see how the second estate of a sinner is worse than the first, in respect of the Devil by comparison of a jailor. The last estate of a Sinner is worse than the first also in respect of the sinner himself; for experience and natural reason teacheth, that many actions do at the last come to be an habit, and long custom in any thing doth alter nature, wherefore that man or woman that frequenteth much sinning, in time can come to do nothing else. We see by daily experience that a Child that hath been virtuously or well brought up when he cometh to years, and beginneth to see the corruptions of the world, how at first not being experienced with the filthiness of sin, he accounteth it an abominable thing, but if after he fall into ill company, among whom sin is boldly used, by little and little he may be drawn to commit it once: If he have committed sin one time, he will be the more easily drawn to the second, and so to the third, and at last he will be as bold in sin as the best, and as shameless as the rest. And thus you see how the last state of a sinner is worse than the first, by reason of the Sinner himself. Finally the last state of a sinner is worse than the first in respect of God who punisheth sin. For the order of justice requireth that the more graces and benefits that a man receiveth at the lords hands, and the more he contemneth and abuseth them, that the more severe and grievous shall be his punishment. And therefore it standeth every man and woman upon to take heed that he receive not the grace of God in vain. That we abuse not God's mercy by adding now sins to our old. For as the Apostle saith, Rom. 2.4. because the Lord is merciful, patiented & long suffering: shall we therefore make this an occasion of sin, God forbidden. I deny not but in what hour soever a sinner shall repent and turn from his wicked ways, that the Lord will receive & take him to mercy, if he repent indeed from his heart and have a full purpose by the help & assistance of God's grace to sin no more: the which purpose and intention if the sinner have not, and when he hath it, unless he put in practice, and execute it, his repentance is no repentance, he doth but dally and mock with God Almighty, he feareth not his judgements, and therefore he shall never be partaker of his mercy. And thus ye see how the last estate of a sinner is worse than the first in respect of God himself. The conclusion of the whole is this. So shall it be with this wicked generation. By these words we may perceive that our Saviour Christ meant that, the hath been spoken, of the Scribes and Pharisees, who contemned and maligned him for all his miracles and wonders that he wrought among them. Let us (dearly beloved) for our profit and benefit apply them to ourselves, and think that they are spoken unto every one of us here in particular: let us not abuse the graces and mercies that the Lord hath bestowed among us, as the Scribes and Pharisees did, least according to the example of the repossessed man, we be accounted among that wicked and perverse generation. If I should reckon unto you the benefits and graces wherewith the Lord hath blessed our Country, and the above other nations, I should hold you over long. Of an infinite number take a few, and besides the common benefits note the particular, and so I make and end. We were all possessed with the Spirit of blindness as all other nations who tempted us to all uncleanness, to Idolatry and superstition, in as vile and as wicked manner as ever the Gentiles or Pagans were. It pleased the Lord to expel this spirit of darkness from us, and to send us the light of his Gospel by the which he hath illumined us, that there is no nation at this day under heaven that hath it more bright. He hath sent us besides a most gracious Queen and Prince, under whose most happy government we have lived these 30, years in great peace & tranquillity more than any Nation round about us: he hath mightily & miraculously defended both her and us from the invasion of our enemies that thought to have swallowed and devoured us up quick. What shall I say, what mercy hath he not showed us, what wonders hath he not wrought amongst us. And yet behold, are we not become almost unmindful of these benefits? do we not abuse these mercies of almighty god in promising unto ourselves peace & security, and thereby remain in our former sins and wickedness? Be our lives any thing amended, our manners and behaviours bettered, whereby the Lord may be the more glorified, and ourselves comforted? I fear me no; How doth sin abound yet amongst us? how doth every one walk after his own wicked concupiscence? How doth sin show herself almost with uncovered face? If I should enter into the particulars, I should amaze you. Pride aboundeth, lechery overfloweth, covetousness rageth, and not in any small portion, but in summo gradu, in the highest degree. Is it not to be feared, if it so continue, but the the unclean spirit will return again: and that if he come, do you not think that he will bring seven worse than himself, and that God for our unworthiness will permit him to make reentrance? So should our end be worse than the beginning. So should we have the malediction of that wicked generation. That the wrath of the Lord may be averted from us, in this I can say no more, but repent & amend, for the day of the Lord is at hand. For the which the Lord grant us all grace to prepare ourselves to be in a readiness. But for as much as no man is able to make this preparation of himself without the especial grace of God, let us with humble and penitent hearts crave of our heavenly Father for his Son our Saviour jesus Christ his sake, that he would vouchsafe of his infinite goodness and mercy to take from us our stony hearts, and put into us fleshy hearts, that may be pliable unto his holy will, and so to be governed by his holy Spirit, that in all the assaults of our enemy, he may have no power over us, but that by his power and might we may vanquish and overcome him, and that we may be so fortified, that no adversity put us down, no prosperity puff us up, and that on every side we being fenced by the Lords most heavenly protection, Satan that goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour, may make no reentry. Grant this O heavenly Father for thy dear son jesus Christ his sake, together with the holy spirit. To whom being three Persons in Trinity and one in unity be all glory, praise, power and dominion both now and evermore. Amen. Imprinted at London by john Windet, dwelling at the Sign of the Cros-keys, by Paul's wharf.