THE PARABLE OF THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT: Pithily opened, and plainly applied; wherein is showed Satan's possession, his dispossession, and repossession. A work needful for these secure times, in which the most neglect the means of their salvation. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring Lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. August. Epist. 7. Ego ex eorum numero me esse profiteor, qui scribendo proficiunt, & proficiendo scribunt. Preached, and now published, by Edmund Cobs Minister of the Word of God. Printed at London by T. Cotes, for john Bellamy dwelling at the three Golden Lions in Cornhill, 1633. To the Right Worshipful Sir Nathanael Brent Knight, Doctor of the Civil Law, Vicar general in causes spiritual for the Province of Canterbury, Commissary for the Diocese of the same, and Warden of Merton College in Oxford: And to the Right virtuous and honoured Lady, the Lady Martha Brent his wife: The best blessings of this life, and eternal blessedness in the world to come. RIght Worshipful, although God's word can countenance itself, and needs no shelter from the arm of flesh: yet experience shows, that not only the writings of the most, but even some of those sacred books which were breathed from heaven, have been dedicated to renowned Saints on earth. If that heavenly Evangelist, dedicated his ●uke 1: 3: Gospel, and Treatise of the holy Acts of the Apostles unto Acts 1: 1: that most excellent Theophilus: And that eminent pillar of the Church, directed 2 john 1: 1: that heavenly Epistle to that elect Lady whom he loved in the truth: In imitation whereof I have made bold to devote this poor mite (in comparison of that rich treasure) unto your Worships, whose virtues and pieties have also dignified you for the countenance and respect which you bear to religion and learning. The subject of my discourse is divine, answerable to your affections; not unbefitting your place, and most necessary, and so not unworthy your studies. Here I have discovered Satan's inveterate malice against the godly, and for their sakes have prescribed such spiritual Antidotes as Christ the Saint's comforter hath confected. In which if I have passed the bounds of modesty, I humbly crave pardon for the same, relying upon the innate goodness that rests in your nature, I have presumed to offer unto your acceptations a taste of such fruits as my barren orchard could afford; my meaning hereby is not to crave any thankes or praise where none is deserved, but (that so fare as I may) I might make evident to others for imitation, those excellent virtues which God hath made so eminent in you. And also according to my poor ability, leave to the world a testimonial of that duty and respect which I bear unto either of your Worships, for those many favours you have extended towards me, which I have no other way to requite, saving my prayers; which shall be, that you may go forward in your pious courses to serve God, your King, and Country; that you may stand courageously for religion before men, and then it will stand for you before God. Thus shall you gain glory from your God, favour from your King, purchase peace to your conscience, and shame them that say Law and piety cannot stand together, or that greatness is any hindrance to goodness; then shall you cause all them that fear God to love and reverence you; and me among the rest to be your servant in Christ, and remain Your Worships humbly devoted and ready to be commanded, Edmund Cobs. To the Courteous Reader, grace, mercy, and peace. DEarly beloved, you may be pleased to remember, that not long since I set forth a Treatise under this Title, The worldling's lookingglass, In which I promised to publish this present Parable; And seeing promise is counted a due debt, though I have stayed long, before I have performed that which I then undertook, yet at last, as you see, I am as good as my word, and now tender you payment. In this present Discourse, I have laid open the fearful estate of all Hypocrites, who have Christ rife in their mouths, and therefore would seem better than any; when as indeed they are worse than many, for God accounts a devout Hypocrite, no better than a profane Epicure, he cannot endure a Devil though he be in samuel's mantel; and that because they respect not the reward of virtue, but the regard of men; as if virtue were not a sufficient recompense to itself. Happy is that man that can espy this cursed vice in himself; happier that labours by the power of God to purge it out. They that will have help against this spiritual wickedness, must seek unto God, and get directions out of his Word, which is mighty through 2 Cor. 10, 3 God to the pulling down of strong holds. Praying daily for the assistance of his Eph. 6, 18. Spirit, else it will not be enough to fight with God's weapons, unless we borrow his arm. The enemy of our Salvation is powerful, and therefore called the god Eph. 2, 2. of this World, and the Prince that ruleth in the Air: who labours mightily to keep us in league with our sins. And therefore useth innumerable stratagems to hinder us in our journey, to the Celestial Canaan: Working either upon the corruption of our nature, to disturb us in the practice of Piety, or else by disheartening of us under the cross, when we should be most resolute for God's glory: and therefore seeing he is so resolute to work our ruin, it should make us careful to Phil. 2, 12. work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure, and to 2 Pet. 1, 10 let our conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ; that so we may be Phil. 1, 27. blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a Phil. 2, 15. crooked and perverse nation. Else if we neglect the means of our salvation, and spend our days in sensuality, carnal security will seize upon us, and then when we would cast off these bonds, we cannot, because our dalilah's; our own follies have beguiled us. Therefore seeing our enemy is so potent, and malicious, let us not 1 Thes. 5, 7 sleep as do other, but let us watch and be sober. Nature can teach men to care for those things that concern their temporal life; but it is grace that must teach men to mind those things that concern their spiritual life: & seeing that upon the breath of our lives hangs two eternities, the one of endless felicity, the other of easeless and endless pains; what manner of persons ought we to be passing the time of our pilgrimage herein fear, and with job, 14. 14. to wait all the days of our appointed time, till our change come? Happy will that servant be whom his Master when he cometh shall find so doing. But lest I should seem monere memorem, more laborious than need requires, I surcease, desiring you to accept of this simple scarce ripe fruit of these my Meditations, and to look over my failings with an eye of compassion, and to cover my slips and infirmities with the mantel of Charity, for Bernardus non videt omnia. So shall I remain thankful to you, and will endeavour to provide some better Present, whereby I may declare the sincerity of my affection towards them that fear the Lord. In the mean time I commend you to God, and this present work to your charitable Censure, and myself to your Christian prayers, and always rest, Yours in the Lord to be commanded, Edmund Cobs. A TOPICAL INDEX, OR TABLE Alphabetical, pointing out the material heads contained in the whole Book. A actions. A godly man will not justify himself in any sinful action. Page. 29 The Devil ready to hinder good actions. 67 He is Gods Apo. 33 He gets advantage by man's carelessness. 84 He hath many Agents. 74, 75 Is a purgative to the purse. 17 Adultery. A hell to the Soul. ibid. Hateful to God. ibid. Destroys the noble name of a Christian. ib. Hateful to God. ibid. A sinful trick of youth. ibid. Adulterer is the Devil's house. 118 A great help. 60 Admonition. Apostasy, Exceeding dangerous. 89, 166, 167 Makes men lose all their labours. 89 Preservatives against it. 168 Satan's walks. 89 Alehouses. Places of wickedness. 74 Will make men climb to honour, by bas● Ambition. means. 115 Barrenness under the word, arms Satan. 174 Of innocency put off by Satan. 14, 74 Armour. It is complete. 156 Invincible. 98 It must be buckled on. 86 Without it a man is like an unwalled City. 157 Tale-bearers are archers. 81 Archers. B Dangerous. 155 Backsliding Dishonours God. 167 Backesliders lose all their labours. 167 Natural men Satan's bondmen. 16, 133 Bondmen. Ignorant Reasons why Christ frees his children from Satan's bondage. 25 The Devil deceives men with sugared baits. Baits. 115 Under the preaching of the Word arms Satan. Barrenness: 174 Christians must be better and better. 16 men's callings subject to Satan's temptations. Calling. 84, 85 Conscionable walking in a man's calling brings comfort. Carding and dicing, no means to bring comfort. 91 The bane of Charity. 82 Envy. C MEn are careless amids dangers. 86 Careless. Carelessness gives the Devil advantage. 84 Hypocrites are covetous. 74 Covetous. A covetous man will dig down to hell for wealth. 115 They have the Devil in them. 55 The Devil observes men's constitutions. 66 Constitut. Constancy required. 87 Profane Company dangerous. 91, 137 Satan's conditions dishonourable. 103 Gods children must be valiant. 103 They show their weakness in the time of danger. 104 Conference very profitable. 162 The Devil cannot endure it. ibid. Custom of sin takes away the sense of sin. 16 It must be forsaken. 123 God will have no Corrival. 131 Violence not so dangerous as craft. 3 How wrought. 19 It is a supernatural work. 41, 19, 20, 26, 135 Satan envies it. 19 Christ foiled Satan. 22 Reasons why. 22, 26 How Satan is foiled. 25 What it is. 53 Civility. Wherein it consists. ibid. Civil men will not ransack their hearts. 55 They are well conceited of themselves. ibid. Their conceit proved a deceit. 55, 56 They reject admonition. 6 Contemners of grace great sinners. 45 Contentious men have the Devil in them. 56 Devil cruel to children that have not offended him. 147 Christians must strive to be better and better. 168 They must lay a good foundation. 169 Good counsel to be remembered. 169 Sin against conscience fearful. 170 D DArling sins must be pared away. 109 The Devil will not let men take notice of them. 31 Gods ape. 133 Devil. He is a Spirit. 10, 11, 12 He was an angel of Gods making, and a Devil of his own. 13 His sin. 12 He is an enemy to godliness: 13 Good actions. 67 He hates man for God's cause. 74 He envies man's happiness. ibid. 18 His malice endless: 84, 70 Restless. 64 No place free from his temptations. 84 He fears none. 66 He is a continual tempter, 66, 64 He gets advantage by men's carelessness. 84 He is a murderer. 64 Worse than a thief. 83 He stirs up sinful dreams. 66 He spreads his net over all the world. 83, 70 His circuit. 84 He dwells in wicked men. 158 He deludes the senses. 114 He knows men's nature, what they love or hate. 115 He knows the tide of men's affections. 74 He will make a show of holiness. 51 He is ready to ensnare men by their virtues or their vices. 67 He will be cast out in one sin to be entertained in another. 52 He will let men perform holy duties, and why. 51 He will gratify his servants, 51, 134 What he teaches them. 134 He hath his Agents. 74 Who they be. 79 There are infinite number of Devils. 71 They certify one another what is done in all places. 71 They discourage ministers. 67 And people. 69 Dangerous to come in Satan's walks. 89 Or to be idle. 91 A drunkard loath to part with the Devil. 35 A drunkard is Belphegors sty. 118 The Devils garnished house. 132 To discourage men in the practice of piety very fearful. 166 Devil when expelled. 6, 7 How expelled. 18, 22 His power must give place to Christ. 22 Reasons why. 23, 25 How he foiled him. 23 Duties of them that are delivered from Satan's bondage. 25, ad 30 Ministers duties. 29 Private men's duties. ibid. Defending of sin, a sign of a graceless man. 30 Wicked men will rather part with Heaven than their sins. 35 Decay in grace dishonours God, and shames Religion. 167 Popery great darkness. 173 Dry places what they signify. 61, 62 E Envy the door of iniquity. 82 The bane of Charity. ibid. The corruption of health. ibid. They are senseless fools. 92 An envious man the Devil's cage, 118 He hath a Devil in him. 118 The Devil is encouraged by man's weakness. 114 He knows not who are elected. 106 Wicked men run from one extreme to another. 78 He hath good entertainment among them. 123 Empty what it signifies. 108 Words must tend to edification. 5 Examination how it must be made. 172 Sin must have no entertainment. 144 F FAith invincible. 172 Historical Faith. 48 Wherein it consists. 48 Trial of Faith is obedience. 172 joined with good works. 108 The Devil opposes it. 92 Envious men senseless fools. 82 The Devil deceives under the name of friendship. 113 To fall from piety to profaneness a great fall. 165 A fornicator hath a Devil in him. 55 G GAming house Satan's walk. 89 Garnished what it signifies. 110, 133, 136 Why pleasing to the Devil. 132, 133 The Gentiles had many Gods. 6 Their Idolatry. 7 How Christ prevailed with them. 6, 7 The Devil labours to dishonour God. 93 And to destroy the godly. 95 Yet they are preserved. 101 They must have an eye to his malice. 102 The Devil an enemy to Godliness. 13 The Godlies' infirmities their triumphs. Of the Devil and his instruments. 75, 79 He bends his forces against them. 94 Yet he cannot prevail. 94 The Devil is a chargeable guest. 159 Grace of God must be stirred up. 156 Dangerous to oppose the Grace of God. 8, 170 Hindrances in God's service a grief to the Godly. Godly. 29 Wicked men's conversation their grief. 29 They will not justify themselves. 29 It is a sign of a graceless man to plead for sin. 30 Gifts of Nature, if they be not sanctified by grace, fit preys for the Devil. 48 Gospel a great blessing. 173 The means to expel Satan. 174 H THe Devil labours to hinder the Godly. 135 He envies their happiness. 74 The Devil knows what men love and hate. 71 He knows the heart by outward signs. 73 God requires the heart. 131 Man's heart Satan's den. 118 Full of filthiness. 109 Ready to open to Satan. 119 Tale-bearers compared to Hell. 82 Wicked men hardened in profanes. 123 Happiness of the Godly, a grief to Satan. 19 Heaven would be full, if sinful pleasures would send them thither. 129 Men must take great pains to get thither. 36, 37 Hypocrites are covetous. 7 They are garnished with hypocrisy. 110 They are Satan's house. 118 They have all manner of furniture to entertain him. 110 They are his resting place. 108 They are a swept house. 108 They have room enough for many sins. 160 They Indent with God for a dispensation. 131 They will not part with their darling sins. 45 They are temporisers. 4, 7, 50 How fare they may go. ibid. 49, 51 They deceive the world. 162 Their moral virtues. 47 They discover themselves. 50 Hypocrisy odious. 132 Swept what it signifies, 108 Godly never empty houses and why. 125 I Jews ingratitude. 2 Their Religion full of blind Ceremonies. 7 Their malice paid home. 172 How they profaned their temple. 7 Ignorant men Satan's bondmen. 32 Their estate fearful. 32 Idleness the Devil's pillow. 90, 118 The mother of mischief. 123 A fit subject for the Devil to work upon. 123, 124 Condemned by the heathen. 124 God severely punishes it. 123 Inconstancy in Religion fearful. 171 K KNowledge and practice must go together. 171 God regards not the quantity but the quality. 48 It must not float in the brain. 172 But men must make use of it. 172 L LAw how it prepareth the heart. 19 Satan's power limited. 22 Lets and hindrances in God's service a grief to the godly. 29 To pretend Religion, and intent villainy, one of the Devils lessons. 134 lukewarmness dangerous. 170 To forsake our first love fearful. 170 Makes Men lose all their labours. 89 Fleshly Lusts Satan's porter. 14 M THe Devil's malice is to destroy. 12, 15, 83 He is a murderer. 64 A bloody midwife. 95 The godly have must an eye to the Devil's malice. 162 Wicked men's malice limited. 96, 99 Disappointed. 101 Tale-bearers malice to the godly. 81 Ministers how tempted. 67, 87, 113 Their duty. 29 Mercy despaired damnable. 121, 173 Man quickly made miserable. 128 He perceives not his misery. 36, ad 40 N SLuggish Nature to be awakened▪ 88 The Devil by observing our Nature tempts us to sin. 115 Natural men Satan bond men. 16, 38 Negligence dangerous. 4 O Wicked men oppose the grace of God. 8 They use variety of objects to satisfy their lusts. 78 The Devil wakes by outward objects. 66 He waits his opportunity. 7, 8 Original sin. 15, 38 Universal obedience a sign of sineerity. 28 The trial of Faith. 172 The only way to be approved of God. 31 Occasions of sin Satan's bait. 136 They must be avoided. 139 Stopped. 143 P THe Devil deceived our first parens. 14 Perseverance crowns Religion. 168 Piety rewarded. 119 Profane men will do that in God's presence which they are ashamed to do in man's. 90 Their company dangerous. 91 They are hardened in sin. 123 The Devil labours to batter our patience. 92 His power limited. 95 He hath no power but from God. 103 He cannot prevail against the godly. 95, 22 There is an hour appointed for the power of darkness. 99 Gods children are precious in his sight, 98 He miraculously preserves them. 96, 99 Their prayers are very profitable. 163 Persecuters lose their labours. 168, 106 They fight against God. 106 Heaven would be full if sinful pleasures send men thither. 129 Sinful lusts Satan's porter. 14 The devil in Adam poisoned all man kind. 15 He will keep a pawn and pledge in his hand, and why. 135 Dangerous not to profit under the Word. 174 Popery darkness. 173 Q HOw the Devil may be said to be gone out of a man and yet remain in him. 44, 45 He labours to quench men's zeal. 87 How the Devil can tempt all man kind. 71 R SAtan restless to do mischief. 64 What rest he seeks. 62 Hypocrites his resting place. 108, 109 Repentance a hard work. 169 It gins when sin is forsaken: 27 Sergeant repentance. 4 Swept house. 125 Of no worth. 130 Men must be reform, or else they have not repent. 130 Relapses dangerous. 270 Men must make a league with Religion. 171 Religion whence it came first. 144 Men must resolve to come out of their sins. 136 Piety rewarded. 87 Men must learn of the Devil to be resolute▪ 87 Covetous men will dig to hell for riches. 115 Revengeful man Baalberiths palace. 118 It is a dangerous thing to be ashamed of Religion. 123 jews religion full of blind ceremonies. 7, 8 Man's redemption wonderful. 19, 20 S PRophaners of the Sabbath loath to forsake their sin. 35 Soul must be committed unto God in well doing. 172 It is no easy thing to be saved. 129 The best time must be spent for it. 88 Wicked men have filthy souls. 172 It hath enemies. 93 Security in sin dangerous. 154, 156 Satan dwells in sinners, 158 What he works in them. ibid. He sets a false varnish on sin. 159 Sin will not be cleansed with sweeping. 125 It poisons all good things. 37 Penitents must take revenge on themselves. 127 Sinners are slovens. 128 Darling sins are the Devils windows. 130 Original sin. 3● Sin how aggravated. 149 How made worse. 150, 151 It gets strength by committing. 152 Props of sin must be removed. 152 Compared to the sores of the body. 169 The Devil hath a great band of soldiers 70 His instruments allure to sin. 74 The Devil lays his snares over all the world 83 Solitary places Satan's walk. 90 His undaunted courage. 111 His great strength. 111 Upon what he relies. 113 Security dangerous▪ 119 The Devil makes men secure. 115 He is a spirit. 10 His sin. 12 T TAle-bearers the Devils Champions. 79 They are archers. 81 They carry their swords in their mouths. 81 They are worse than Crows. 81 Compared to hell. 82 Their malice to the godly. 81 Temples of our body must be kept holy. 136 Wicked men's trade is to draw one another in sin. 32, 74 Devil worse than a thief. 83 No place free from his temptations. 11. 6 He began to tempt. 84 He is never weary. 113, 64, 66, 116 Wicked men tempt themselves. 143 Evil thoughts are stirred up by Satan. 66 Trial of a man's state how made. 26, 27, 28 Time cannot be better spent than upon God, to glorify him; and upon our souls, to save them. 87 Time servers are miserable. 171 Men must not conform themselves to the sinfulness of the times. 171 A sin of times. ibid. Satan is the head of Tyrants. 111 Their malice limited. 99 God hath a hook in their nostrils. 100 Their malice cannot compel the fire to burn us. ibid. Thankfulness opens God's hand, 154 Gods Talents must be employed to his honour. 171 V THe Devil will ensnare men by their Virtues or their Vices. 67 Saints virtues are to be imitated. 171 The Devil is a vanquished slave. 104 Usury unlawful. 130 unbelievers miserable: 32 W Walk, what it signifies. 61 The Devil walketh any way to do mischief. 76 His walks are dangerous. 89 Where his walk are, 86, 90 Watchfulness needful. 87, 112 Required. 92, 93 Why neglect of it full of danger. 116, 117 Wicked men's trade is to draw men to sin. 70. 74 They are restless in sin. 77 They are the Devils standards bearers. 70 They rejoice at the fall of the godly. 75, 79 They are enemies to godliness. 75 They are hateful to God, and hurtful to men 32 They are quiet among themselves. 160 They use variety of objects to satisfy their pleasure 78 They run from one extreme to another. 78 The world is the Devil circuit. 84 He knows how to handle his weapons. 157 Man's weakness encourages him. 114 Spiritual weapons must be used. 126 It is not enough to fight with God's weapons unless we borrow his arm. 105 Gods children show their weakness in dangers. 104 Words must be weighed in the balance of wisdom, and tend to edification. 45 Gods Word is the star that leads to Christ. 41 Y ADultery a sinful trick of Youth. 17 Z THe Devil labours to cool and undermine our Zeal. To decrease our Zeal dangerous. 171 FINIS. ERRATA. men's works have faults since Adam first offended. And those in these are thus to be amended. PAge 57 l. 8 supply, Papists in profession, yet many of them are Papists in ignorance, and profanes, etc. p. 67. l. 1. r. jehosuah. p. 62. l. 6. put out Satan seek. l. ult. r. bodies. p. 66. l. 18. r. so now. p. 81. in margin r. habeo & meum. p. 110. p. 24. Courage. l. 4, r. ploughing. p. 144. in the margin, r. scintilla. p. 144. r. after evil spirits. q. 148. l. 8. r. restless. THE PARABLE OF THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT. Matth. 12. 43. When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out, & when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Our Saviour Christ in great humility and mercy, came to save and to seek the lost sheep of Israel; unto whom he came, not empty handed, neither did he lead an unprofitable life among them: but all his works were witnesses of his love, to their souls and bodies, in curing the one, and feeding the other; for he went about Act. 10. 38. doing good, curing all that were oppressed of the devil. Yet for all his manifold mercies & manifest miracles which he wrought among these stubborn jews, they requited him with inveterate hatred, and maliciously interpreted his works, to be wrought by the power of the Devil; for so they say, This fellow doth not cast Vers. 24. out Devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the Devils. But our blessed Saviour knowing their cursed malice and obstinate wickedness, by sound arguments confutes their calumnies, and discovers their intolerable blasphemy. So that in this Story, the holy Evangelist doth lay open a double conflict ofour Saviour; the first is against Satan the enemy of mankind, in the body of a poor man; the other in the tongue of these obstinate pharises. In the one, he was a blind & dumb devil, in the other a seeing and perverse adversary. Now, because violence doth not make an enemy so dangerous as cunning and crafty: therefore our Saviour casts him presently out of the blind and dumb man. Where in he shown himself by force; but out of these subtle and malicious Pharises, he did not so easily cast him out, but is forced to come from sound arguments (which might have stopped their mouths) to pass a doom upon them in the conclusion of Verse 45. this Parable; Even so shalt it be also to this wicked generation. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man. Whether these words were directed to the poor man, out of whom the devil was gone out, or to the stubborn jews, may seem a Question. No doubt but it may very fitly be applied to the former, that having received so great a benefit, he should not be unthankful to the Lord for his deliverance, or grow secure and careless; least by his negligence and misdemeanour, the devil which now was cast out of him, should return and take possession of him again; and so his last end should be worse than the beginning. Or else these words may serve to be a witness against these perverse Scribes and Pharises, to seal up their further damnation: It may serve for both, and be as a pattern for the godly to imitate; to teach them to order their speech, that their words being weighed in the balance of wisdom, and powdered with the salt of discretion, may tend to edification, and minister grace to the Col. 4. 6. hearers. For, many times the standers by, do more heedfully mark what is delivered, than those unto whom the speech is directed. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man. This unclean spirit which keeps possession by the power of sin, was after a sort formerly cast out of the jews, when they received the Law of Moses, and so were taught to worship the true God aright; then this unclean spirit, with his filthy troop, being destitute of so convenient a lodging, walked through dry places, amongst the Gentiles to seek rest, whom he corrupted in such a vile manner, that he made them lose both sense and humanity, and fall into all manner of blindness and Idolatry, as we may see Rom. 1. 24. in so much, that being seduced by him, they worshipped and served him, with manifold Idolatries; so that at the last, he had so fare infatuated their understanding, that they also worshipped Cats, Serpents, and other filthy creatures, as may appear by the testimony of diverse historians. Hesiod (as Eusebius observes) saith, There was worshipped upon the earth 30. thousand gods. In which Idolatry the Gentiles continued, until the Lord jesus preached the truth of his Gospel amongst them; which glad tidings they embraced, and forsook their former errors, and believed in him, and when they saw his miracles, they spoke very honourably of him, and acknowledged him to be Saviour of the world; of whom it was foretold by the Prophet, that He Esay 35. 6. should open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf. Then Satan this unclean spirit, was forced to go out of them also. But the jews, unto whom Christ the Saviour of the world was sent, opposed and disgraced him in his works and miracles, and by all means laboured to withstand him. Satan finding this opportunity, returned back again unto these stubborn jews, whose Religion he found stuffed with a number of blind Ceremonies and pharisaical 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 Usurers & money changers; and in stead of a Congregation for the Saints, he found a den of Thiefs. Satan I say, finding this opportunity, enters into them, and holds them in blindness 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 appears this day. By which we may see, what a woeful judgement all those are liable unto, which oppose the grace of God, when it is offered unto them. They do as much as in them lies, lay themselves open to the malice of Satan; who having gained any opportunity, will hardly be driven from them. Thus having said as much as is needful 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 contained under these four heads. 1. We will show the manner and the measure of Satan's departure from the soul of man; and then how he demeaneth himself, when he is gone. 2. His diligence to regain his former possession, with the reasons that induce him thereunto. 3. When he hath regained possession, how forcibly he senses himself to prevent expulsion. 4. The miserable estate of all those he repossesses, how and wherein their end is worse than their beginning. These 4. points by God's grace shall be the substance of my ensuing discourse, of which in their order. We will begin with the first, contained in these words, When the unclean spirit is gone out, etc. In these words is contained the unclean spirits departure, and demeanour when he is gone. This unclean spirit is here described: 1. By his essence, he is a spirit. 2. By his quality or condition, an unclean spirit. He is a spirit. The word spirit in Scripture, sometime doth signify the essence of the godhead, as God is a Spirit. john 4. 24. 1 john 5. 6. Sometimes the third person in the Trinity, called the Spirit of truth. Sometime the gifts and graces of the Spirit, as the Angel did foretell of john, that he should be Luk. 1▪ 15. filled with the holy Ghost. Sometime it signifies the soul Luk. 23. 46. Psal. 3 1, 5. of man, as Father, into thy hand I commend my Spirit. But that we may not spend our time about the diverse acceptation of the word Spirit, we are to know, that whensoever we find the word Spirit set down without any other word to express the meaning of it, than 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 down with his adjective, the nature and quality of his adjective will easily demonstrate what the substantive importeth; as the evil spirit vexed 1 Sam. 16, 15. Saul; that is, the Devil. And in this place he is called An unclean spirit, whereby his nature is expressed to be unclean. And thus much for his essence. He is a Spirit. Come we now to speak of his quality and condition; He is unclean. The devil is an unclean spirit, but not in regard of his creation, but in respect of the condition he brought upon himself. The Scriptures teach, that the Devil was not created evil; For, God saw every thing that he had Gen. 1. 31. made, and behold it was very good. He was created an Angel of Light, and a spirit without mixture of body; immortal without fear of corruption; intellectual with exceeding promptness of wit; free that nothing could force his will, wise with fullness of natural knowledge; powerful above all inferior creatures: wholly decked with admirable virtues; capable of seeing God clearly, 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 usurp the glory of his maker, was therefore dejected and cast into hell; and so from being a blessed Angel in Heaven, he is become a damned devil in hell. As he derived his nature from God, so he is good; but this depravation of his nature is from himself. An Angel he was of Gods making, & a devil of his own. And now being deprived of the glory of God, he delights in all uncleanness, & is an utter enemy to all holiness. Therefore he useth all means to make mankind as unhappy as himself, and to wrap every mother's Child under the curse of God. As soon as our first Parents were set in Paradise; though they were furnished with the invincible army of innocence and righteousness, so that he was not able to conquer them by force and violence; yet out of an inveterate hatred which he bore to the Image of God shining in them, and out of envy to their happiness, he entered into a treacherous parley with our Grandmother Eve, and so bewitched her senses with flattery, that he caused her to wandor from the truth of God's Word; and to entice her husband to transgress Gen. 3, 16. the Commandment of God; whereby they put off the Armour of innocence and righteousness, and entertained into their souls a troop of his ambitious tentations; and then having gained the possession he sought for, presently he ransacked their souls, and deprived them of all spiritual graces, and brought them like inferior Captives under his dominion. And that he might the more securely keep them under subjection, he did not only kill and wound God's graces in their souls, but in stead of them, he placed a strong Garrison of carnal 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 poisoned the fountain and head spring of all mankind; all men now they are conceived in sin, and brought forth in iniquity. And are deprived Psal. 51. 5. Rom. 3, 23. of the glory of God. And remain under the governance of this unclean spirit. And in this miserable condition, every one had remained, if the wisdom of God had not found out a way to redeem us, out of this his bondage and servitude. Thus we have discovered our adversary, to be in power a spirit, and in nature and condition an unclean spirit, one that for his pride and rebellion was cast out of Heaven: therefore woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth, for he will do as much mischief as he can; he knows his time is but short, and therefore he will lose no opportunity, but will labour by all means, to make all mankind as filthy as himself. Thus he made Cain swell in envy 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 he defiles all men with sin, and pollutes the land Ezek, 23. 18. with transgressions. For, every sin, as it dishonours God; so it holds the sinner in perpetual bondage. For, whosoever committeth john 8. 34. sin, is the servant of sin. Then in this bondage and Captivity, all natural and unregenerate men remain, bound under the curse of the Law, until the custom of sin hath taken away the sense of sin; and then this Tyrant, plunges them under the curse of God before they are ware. As every sin is unclean in the Concreat; so there is a sin called uncleanness in the Abstract; as if it were in a special manner breathed out of the mouth of this unclean spirit. This unclean and filthy sin, is the sin of Adultery and Fornication, which though it seem a Paradise to the desire, yet it is a Purgatory to the purse; and a hell to the soul, and dishonours the noble name of a Christian. And though the wanton minions of this age extenuate it, and say, it is but a trick of youth; yet let them know, that it is a sin hateful in the sight of God, who will not let them go unpunished; for, whoremongers and Adulterers Heb. 13. 14. God will judge. But of the filthiness and fearfulness of this sin I have spoken at large in a Treatise, Entitled The Worldlings looking Glass. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. In these words is contained Satan's departure, and demeanour when he is gone. 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; Satan will not departed but by compulsion; for he keeps 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 do it; and by his own good will, he will never departed. Math. 8, 29, Mark. 5. 7. He loves his dwelling so well, that he accounts it no less than a Torment to be cast out. And so envious he is to mankind, that he will never leave him till he have brought him to destruction; because he is greeved that mankind should enjoy that happiness he himself hath lost. Secondly, In regard of the curse that was given him in Paradise, that the seed of the woman should bruise Gen. 3 15. his head. Therefore he pursues mankind with deadly hatred and implacable malice, that either he may frustrate the truth of God's word, or bring mankind into perpetual bondage. Yet for all his power and malice, there is a time when he must be gone; and that is when the Lord by the powerful working of his Spirit, dispelleth the blindness of nature, and the sinful corruptions thereof, out of the hearts of his children, and doth enlighten them with the saving knowledge of himself. This he doth, when by the ministry of the Law he convinceth their consciences of sin; and showeth them the heinousness and fearfulness thereof, and then the grievous punishments due to them for the same; which are Levit. 26. Deut. 28. not only all the plagues and punishments denounced in the Law, but also the eternal torments of Hell for ever and ever: And that no mortal man is able to free them from this condition, no not all the world is able to make satisfaction for one soul; for The Earth is the Lords, and all that is Psal. 24, 1, therein. Nay, if all the Angels in Heaven should offer themselves, they were unable to deliver one soul, (because they are engaged to God for their creation; and they were created but a finite & temporary good) are not able to make satisfaction for infinite sins 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 wind of his wrath hath broken their hearts, and by the Earthquake of his judgement awakened their souls, and by the fire of his spirit ransacked their consciences, and by the ministry of his word hath ploughed up the fallow ground of their hearts, and by the terrors of conscience made them to despair of salvation in respect of themselves: Then he makes them to hear the still voice of his Spirit, by which he revealeth to them his infinite mercy and free grace, and his eternal love to ●hem in Christ jesus with all his me●its; than he worketh in their soul's ●aith, whereby they apprehend Christ, ●nd rest upon him alone for their salvation; and in their judgements a wonderful esteem of God's mercies and Christ's merits, from whence and by whom they receive and obtain remission of all their sins. This assurance of God's favour, worketh in their souls, a hungering and thirsting after Christ and his righteousness; 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 sin whatsoever. And stirs up in them a care and conscience, to use all good means whereby they may be assured that they shall have their part in the mercies of God, and in the merits of Christ. Then God joineth them unto him as the head unto the body, and then as soon as Christ is joined to them, they are made members of his body, who by his Spirit reneweth their will and affections, and frameth in them a spiritual life that they may serve him in holiness and righteousness Luk. 1. 74. all the days of their life. Thus the Lord by these means casteth this unclean spirit out of the hearts of his children, so that he shall never totally regain his former possession; for it is a certain Maxim in Philosophy, that two contraries cannot stand together at one time, in one and the same subject. There can be no agreement between light and darkness, God and Belial; but when grace comes in, vice must go out. When the holy Spirit taketh possession, the unclean spirit must pack away. So then from the truth of the premises we may conclude: That Satan's power must give place Doctr. to Christ's. This was promised, that The seed of the woman should bruise his head. Gen. 3, 15, This Christ performed in his temptations, Luk. 4. 8. for which the devil doth fear him so much, Matth. 8. 29. His chiefest labour in the days of his flesh was to overthrow his kingdom and cast him out, Matth. 9 33. Luk. 11. 14. joh. 12. 31. Act. 10. 38. which was a Type of this spiritual deliverance. This was foretold, that he should bring out the prisoner from the Prison, Esa. 43, 6, and them that sat in darkness out of the prison house, and proclaim liberty to Esa. 61. 1. the captives, and the opening of prison Luke 11, 22, to them that are bound. Hereby he manifested his power prevailing against the strong man; whose power Gamaliel acknowledged. Act. 5, 39, This he performed by his death, when he spoilt Principalities and powers, Col. 2, 15, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them. And led captivity Ephe, 4, 8, captive. And by his death destroyed him that had the power of death, Heb, 2, 14, joh▪ 10, 29, that is, the devil. Hereby he shown himself greater than all; and stronger than all. For, all power is given him Math. 28, 18, in heaven and earth. And hath made good his power by the preaching of his word, which Satan was not able Act. 6, 10, Act▪ 8, Revel. 12. 15. to resist, though he raised up persecution, and cast out floods to drown his children; and by sorceries, laboured to turn away their hearts from him; Yet he pulled his children Act, 8, 9, out of his hands, and daily Added Act. 4, 4, to the Church such as he had appoinpointed to be saved. And for all his power and malice, at the last he will give his children power to tread him Rom, 16, 20▪ under their feet. And thus we have confirmed the truth of the doctrine, by evidence of Scriptures, that Satan's power must give place to Christ's. The ground of this truth is; 1 For this very purpose the Son of 1 joh, 3, 5, 8 God was manifested in the flesh, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Esa, 49, 1, 5 And take away the captives from the Luk, 1, 74, mighty, and deliver his subjects out of his hand; for the Lord is stronger than Satan, and hath a better title to his children than he. 2 Satan is his enemy, and labours to set up the kingdom of sin, which Ephe. 2, 2, 3 he hates; and to govern his subjects in all righteousness. 3 His honour is deeply engaged for the delivery of his Church, because Satan labours to overthrow his kingdom, and continually annoys his subjects by persecuting Revel, 2, 10, Math. 13, 25, them, and corrupting them. And if he should not deliver them, it would be a great disgrace for him, to let his subjects be overcome by his mortal enemy. And if he did not preserve his servants, he could not be king of his Church, nor rule his subjects in peace. 4 If he did not deliver his children, he should want a people to call upon his Name, for they cannot serve him, till they be freed from the devil's power. Thus also we have proved the truth of the point, by evidence of reasons. Come we now to make use and application. This doctrine is useful, and that in Use. a threefold respect. 1. For examination and trial. 2. For comfort and consolation. 3. For Terror. We will begin with the first. Must Satan's power give place unto Christ? then examine thy heart and try thy ways, whether this unclean spirit be cast out of thee or no? Thou must try it by the means which God useth to make entrance, and to take possession of his children for his own service; which is by the ministry of the word of God. For when the flesh with the lusts thereof are terrified with the canon shot of legal threatenings, making a great breach into the heart and conscience, wounding and smiting it, for the breach of God's Commandments; which works fear and shame in the soul, for offending so gracious a God: and then by the Trumpet of the Gospel, remission of sins, and eternal salvation is offered to all that believe and repent; and when the humbled soul doth embrace the grace of God when it is offered; then this triumphant Captain maketh his entrance, and taketh possession of his soul for a Temple for himself to dwell in. 2. We may try whether this unclean spirit be cast out of us, by the reformation of our lives and conversations; for by virtue of the sanctification of the heart, God's children are brought to a sight of the danger of their natural estate, and what need they have of repentance and of Christ, and of inward purging from their corruptions. Regeneration gins at repentance, and repentance gins when sin is forsaken; let every one of us then consider our thoughts and actions, and try our sanctification thereby: consider I say, thy thoughts and thy actions when thou art alone, is thy care then to meditate upon God's righteous judgements; and dost thou strive with thyself, how thou mayst advance God's glory and benefit his Church? Dost thou strive by all means, to cast out this unclean spirit out of thy soul, whose power consists in the corruption of nature, the main pillar whereof is ignorance and unbelief? And dost thou labour for knowledge and sanctification, that thereby thou mayst be enabled to yield obedience to all the commandments of the Lord, though they cross thy nature, and curb thee in thy profits and delights; yet for all this thou strivest to walk in all God's ordinances without reproof, Luk, 1, 75, and dost so walk in thy calling towards the world, as if God's eye did always behold thee, and were privy to all thy actions? Again, dost thou so carry thyself with reverence to the glorious majesty of God, in thy private devotions, as if the eye of man did always behold thee? Dost thou labour also to subvert the kingdom of Satan in others? If thou be a private man, in love and Charity, by exhortation to move to good works, showing thyself by practice in obedience to God and Tit. 2, 7, the king; a pattern of all goodness. If thou be a Magistrate, to restrain from evil by the power of the sword: If a Minister, to allure to virtue, by the power of the word, and unblamable conversation. Art thou troubled and greeved in thy mind, when thou meetest with hindrances and lets, whereby thou canst not serve God, in such manner as thou wouldst? And dost thou carefully redeem the time for thy souls good? Is it a vexation & grief for thee to live among such people as have not the fear of God before their eyes, and are careless to use those means which God hath appointed for their salvation? If at any time thou hast fallen into some scandalous sin, how stands the case between God and thy soul, dost thou extenuate or defend thy faults, and so justify thyself in thy transgression? or, on the contrary, canst thou not be quiet and at rest, till thou hast humbled thyself before God, and craved pardon for thy sins? And then canst thou more comfortably rejoice in the favour of God, than in any earthly blessing whatsoever? Then if thou canst find these or the like marks of salvation in thy soul; then I pronounce unto thee out of the word of God, that this unclean spirit is gone out of thee. For if he held thee under his bondage, he would not suffer thee to take notice of thy darling sins, but rather to justify thyself in thy transgressions. He would not have thee question thy want of faith, inward pride, malice, covetousness, or foolish speaking, conforming thyself to the corruptions of the time. These with many other sins he would not have thee take notice of, by which thou mayst conclude that God in mercy hath freed thee from the bondage of this Tyrant. Hath Christ by the powerful work of his Spirit, cast this unclean spirit out of thee? Use 2 Then be exhorted all ye that fear God, to submit yourselves unto Christ, to be guided by his word, for he is able to 2 Tim, 1, 22, Rom. 14. 18, keep that which is committed to him. And by this means ye shall be accepted of God, and approved of men; else we shall be in danger to revolt, and then we may see our 2 Pet, 2, 21, fearful case and condition. Therefore having received so great a benefit, let us be sure to give God the Revel. 12, 10, praise of his mercies, for he deserves it, and it is all that he looks for; and Psal, 50, 15, there is great reason he should have it Gratiarum Actio est ad plus dandum in vitatio. Chry●. in Gen. Hem. 52. because we shall need his help another time. And thus much for the former uses. Come we now to the latter, which is an use of terror unto all that are under Satan's bondage. Use 3 Come hither and behold thy fearful estate and condition, thou whoever thou be, that remainest in this fearful bondage and slavery: Satan is their god which hath blinded 2 Cor. 4, 4, the eyes of all unbelievers, lest the light of the Gospel of Christ should shine unto them. He is thy Father; and joh. 8, 44, works his own work in thee; and 1 joh. 3. 8, makes thee to resemble him in pride and disobedience, and to fight for him, against God and his word, which he makes thee to hate, and to oppose, and to draw others from the worship of God, and to lay a stumbling block Revel. 1, 15, in their ways, to cause them to sin. Deut. 32, 33, And so makes thy best works like the poison of Dragons, hateful unto God, and dangerous unto men. Besides all this, he holds thee as a slave, and keeps thee in ignorance, and Ephe. 4, 18, 2 Cor, 2, 14, Luk, 8, 12, robs thee of the use of God's word. And while thou remainest in this miserable estate, there is no goodness in thee, nor nothing good can come from thee. Thy reason is blind, thy heart is rebellious, and thy wisdom is enmity against God; and Rom. 8, 7. art uncapable of the means of salvation; and art given over to a reprobate sense; to work all uncleanness with greediness. And remaining in Ephe. 4, 19 this estate, thou art without Christ, and so a stranger from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. So long as thou continuest in this estate, thou art under the rigour of the Law, which exacteth at thy hands the performance of all it requires; and also the blessings of the Lord, they tend to thy damnation, for so he saith, I will Mal. 2, 2, curse your blessings, yea I have cursed Pro. 1, 32, them already. Again, The prosperity of fools destroyeth them. And as All Rom. 8 28 things work for good to God's children; so all things work thy hurt and ruin, Thy table is made a snare; and that Psal. 69, 22 which should have been for thy welfare Rom. 11. 9 is become a trap. Yea Christ himself, which is unto the godly a sweet smelling savour of life, is unto thee a stumbling stone and a rock of offence. Rom. 9, 23, Crosses and afflictions which God useth to purge out the sins of his children; these work in thee hatred against God, & stirs up thy corruptions, to murmur & to be impatient; and still to shun the gracious presence of God, and to hate the means of salvation. Thus we see the miserable estate of all those which are under Satan's bondage; how miserable they are in this life, and how miserable they shall be in the world to come. But alas, how may we lament the desperate estate of many in our age, who though they remain in so fearful an estate, yet they are unwilling to come out of it. Tell the drunkard that this unclean spirit must be cast out of him, else he shall not inherit the kingdom of God; and he will for your pains give you a squib, or, watch opportunity to do you a mischief. Tell the Profaner of the Lords Sabbath, and the filthy livers of our time, that this unclean spirit must be cast out of them, and you shall hear them roar like the devil in the Gospel, that they will not be tormented before their time. Oh! what a lamentation may we take up for the desperate sins of our time, which furiously march to hell under Satan's colours, and will not be reclaimed? God hath offered them the means, and hath showed them the way how they may be freed from this fearful bondage, and yet they will not, but had rather be Satan's vassals in the Egypt of sin, than the Lords freemen in the land of Canaan: The servant under the Law, that would not be free from his master's service when he might, was to have his ear boared through with an all, and so to be made a servant for ever. So it is just with God, to let such willing and careless men to be slaves to Satan for ever. Question. But may some say, if their state be so miserable, how comes it to pass, that they do not see and feel their miserable condition? Answer. Satan blinds their eyes with the pleasures and profits of sin (which are very agreeable to their nature) that they never consider of their miserable condition, and so at last the Custom of sin takes away the insuetudo occandi ●llit sensum ●eecate. feeling of sin. Again, they were never sensible of any better estate, and therefore no marvel if Satan hoodwinkes them to their destruction. Let the consideration here of move all men to labour in time to see their miserable condition, and to repent, lest they be plunged under God's judgements, before they are ware. Spare no pains then and give no rest unto thy soul, until thou art assured that 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; he hath the Keys of Heaven and hell, and if Revel. 1, 18, joh, 8, 30, he make thee free, thou art free indeed. Confess thyself to be a wretched creature, and without his help undone; power forth thy soul in sense 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 son. 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 trespass is grown up into the heavens: Ezra. 9 6. crying for vengeance to fall down upon me. Lord, I am a sinful creature, and thou art a God of infinite purity and holiness. Sin hath left me no good thing, all is wounded, all is poisoned; how shall I appear before thee, whose glory the Angels cannot behold? I was conceived in sin, borne in sin, and all my days have lived in sin. My heart is a seed-plot of sin and corruption; my eyes the windows of vanity, my ears the ears of folly, my mouth the mouth of deceit, my hands the hands of iniquity; and every part of my body, and faculty of my soul, which thou hast created for thy service, hath dishonoured thee. My understanding apprehendeth nothing but sin, my will delighteth in nothing but wickedness, my memory retains nothing but evil things which dishonours thee. As for thy holy precepts and heavenly ordinances, I have not observed; but have profaned thy Sabbaths, contemned thy Sacraments, and lived in contempt of thy providence all my days; I have been so fare from keeping any part of thy law, that I have added transgression unto blindness, malice to ignorance, and rebellion to sin. And because thou hast spared me, and waited for my repentance, and hast suffered me with such patience, to run on in my sins, and because thou hast been so merciful unto me, and multiplied thy favours towards me; I have taken liberty to myself to commit great sins against thee; so that the same medicine which thou hast appointed to purge out my sins, I have made a provocation unto sin. Yet Lord for thy name's sake, thy mercy sake, thy truth's sake, take away all mine iniquities, and magnify thy mercy, in the pardoning of my sins which I have committed against thee, mine own knowledge, and many motions of thy Spirit, and purposes of my heart. I do acknowledge I have been dull and unprofitable in thy service; I have not had care and zeal which I should have had to serve thee; I have been 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 becometh such a notorious offender as I am; but have hardened 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 wickedness, yet thou art full of goodness. Lord, thou madest me at the first of nothing, save me now I pray thee, which am worse than nothing. It is thou (O Lord) which knowest my heart, and it must be thou which must renew and change it. Take it therefore into thy own hand, and take from it the hardness, deadness, and dulness, which the custom of sin hath brought upon it; and frame it according to thy own liking; cast out of it all the cursed fruits of the flesh which fight against thy grace and my soul. Enlarge my understanding, and increase my knowledge, that being guided by thy wisdom and assisted by thy Spirit, I may understand and perceive those things which may please thee; and refrain those things which may dishonour thee; that so being directed by thy grace, and guided by thy Spirit, I may clearly see what thou requirest of me▪ and what may make for my peace and future happiness. Lord, this must be thy work, for I confess that my reason is blind, my will is froward, my wit is crafty, ready to deceive me, my understanding, is quite estranged from thee; but Lord dispel these clouds of error and ignorance, and rectify the perverseness of my understanding, and endue me with thy holy Spirit of grace and wisdom, that my soul may be cleansed from the corruption of this sinful world, and the eyes of my understanding opened to embrace the mystery of redemption by jesus Christ. Make thy word unto me like the star 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. Confirm my faith in thy promises, that by thy Spirit I may be assured that thou hast forgiven my sins, and that thou wilt not reject me a poor sinner, that relieth wholly upon thee. Lord, thou desirest not the death of a sinner, but hast promised that if I repent thou wilt be pleased; thou only canst raise me out of the grave of sin, for I am dead and buried in trespasses and sins, quicken me by thy grace, that I may praise thy name. Let me 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 be honoured, and my soul comforted; which grant unto me for the Lord jesus Christ's sake, my blessed Saviour and Redeemer, Amen. Thus we have proved the truth ●f the proposition, that Satan's ●ower must give place unto Christ. We have also confirmed it by Scripture, proved it by reasons, and have made use and application of it to ourselves. In the next place we are to examine the measure of his going out. Satan is so expelled out of the godly, as that he shall never return again. But he goeth out of hypocrites so, as that he still remaineth. For if he were once really cast out, (as we have heard,) he could never return again. But this speech of going out, is rather a form of speaking, than a real action. This phrase of speech is used with other of like signification, as Heb. 10. 6. If we sinne willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin. Again the same Author saith, It is impossible for those which were once enlightened, 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 sin willingly, and then forsake the truth; be enlightened and taste of the heavenly gift, and be made partakers of the holy Ghost, and yet fall away: then by the same reason Satan may be said to go out of a man, and yet still remain in him. Therefore wheresoever we find such phrases of Scripture, as these of Satan's going out, or of being made partaker of the holy Ghost, and yet by the sequel of the words, we read of their Apostasy and falling away, we must not think that such men, were ever effectually called, and endued with the Spirit of God, but that the Lord would have us take notice of the riches of his mer● offered unto hypocrites in the outward means of salvation, as the ●ord and Sacraments for the casting ●t of Satan out of them. And also ●e may see what a desperate judgement they bring upon themselves, ●hich neglect and contemn the ●eanes God offers for their delivery; Mat. 23, 37, ●nd this made our blessed Saviour ●ourne for the hardness of the jews heart's, that looked for a Saviour, ●hich should free them out of their misery, and when he was come to seek ●nd to save the lost sheep of the house of israel, than they scorned and contemned him. This unclean spirit may be said ●o fare to go out of a man and yet ● reprobate, as the good spirit of God may be said to departed from a Child of God, and yet still remain the chosen of the Lord. That the spirit of God may seem to departed from a Child of God; let David a man after Gods own heart speak; he● prays, Cast me not away from thy presence, Psal. 51, 11. and take not thy holy Spirit fro● me. And in another place, he bewails the absence of God's Spirit Psal. 77, 8. yet for all this, he had it still▪ For, The gifts and callings of God ar● Rom. 11, 29. without repentance, yet they may ly● hid without feeling, as fire under ● heap of ashes, which cannot be● seen or perceived till the ashes be● stirred; so this unclean spirit may lie hid a while, till he be stirred up by some scandalous sin or other. 2. So fare may this unclean spirit seem to go out as the mind i● enlightened; this▪ the Apostle affirms, may be in a reprobate: He may be enlightened, and yet fall away. Se● this in Herod, he amended many things, at the Preaching of john, and this unclean spirit seemed to begun out, in regard of outward reformation; for● when an hypocrite hath understanding of God's word, he may acknowledge the truth, as Balaam did; and leave his sins for a time, as Simon Magus did his Sorcery, when he believed and was Baptised; and may humble himself for his sins, as Pharaoh and Ahab did: yet for all this, he may lie frozen in the dregges of his sins, and this ●ncleane spirit may keep possession; for an hypocrite will not part with his darling sin, but rather part with his first borne; yea lose his own Micha. 6, 6. soul, rather than leave it, as may be seen by the love which Herod bore to his Herodias. An hypocrite will cleave unto Christ so fare as the world will ●et him, and if he may share with him in his benefits, and not be hindered in his profits and pleasures; but ●f he must part with them, this is so hard a saying, that they cannot abide ●t. By which we may see, that their obedience, is but for fear of God's ●udgements, and their understanding ●s but enlightened with historical faith, which consists in quickness of wi● and plausibility of speech; this fait● is effectual to enlighten the understanding, but not to save the soul Now so fare as this speculative fait● is admitted, so fare this unclean spirit is said to go out. God in th● knowledge regards not the quantity so much as the quality; an Hypocrite may exceed a child of God in th● gifts of nature, which God esteem no better than shining sins. Mistake me not, I would not have knowledge vilified, but rather rectified, an● virtue added to knowledge, else the gifts of nature, if they be not sanctified by grace, are fit preys for the Devil. 3. So fare this unclean spirit i● gone out of an hypocrite, as he hath received some sparkles of conversion For by the illumination of his mind● he may behold the kingdom o● Christ to be glorious, and in many degrees to exceed the glory of th● world. This made the mother of Zebedees' children think, that if she could procure a place for her sons that one might sit at Christ's right hand and the Mat. 20, 21. ●ther at his left in his kingdom, she would have been abundantly satisfied. Another thought him a happy Luk. 14. 15. man that might eat bread in the kingdom 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 be the reason of this that hypocrites are so ravished with the apprehension of future glory, and happiness▪ Surely this; they perceive, that God's kingdom is full of happiness, and they see a possibility of obtaining this happiness for themselves; for they have tasted of the heavenly gifts floating in their brains, which makes them embrace the Gospel, and to do many things that they are commanded; therefore they hope they shall be saved. On the contrary, they see this sinful world to be full of trouble and vexation, and they fear that there will be great bitterness in death. Therefore hearing of a full deliverance by Christ from these dangers, they are content to yield obedience to the Word; but yet for want of the joh. 5, 34, sap of grace, this abides with them but for a season. And so for all their outward conformity, they may be rotten and unsound. For they do not love the truth, for the truth's sake, but for some private ends; as to gain estimation of men, and to be accounted good Common wealth's men, and so thought fit to live in a society. As for their desire after the Word, it is either with Eve to get knowledge, or with Simon Magus to make gain of it, or with the Pharisees to get a name by it; for they discover themselves in the time of temptation, and are either alured 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 unclean spirit is so fare gone out of a man, as he lies hid and covered; He may keep his hold, though he do not show himself in hostile manner; he can transform himself into an Angel of light, and will make a show of holiness, that he may do the more wickedness; he cares not though Abimelech entertain Abraham and give him the best of his land, if he can but make him to commit adultery with his wife. He cares not though judas become a Disciple and a professor of Christ, if he can fill his heart with covetousness to betray his Master. He cares not though Annanias and Saphirah sell their goods for the Churches good, if he can make them lie and dissemble. He cares not though many of us come to Church to hear God's word, if he can make our minds wander after our profits and pleasures, than he knows he can wrap us under the curse of the Lord, in doing his work negligently. He will be content to be expelled out of an ignorant heart, if so be he can corrupt his knowledge with faction and Schism. He can be content to be cast out in one sin, if he can be entertained in another. He cares not if he be cast out of an Idolatrous heart, if he can keep possession by profane Atheism, than he hath as much as he desires. And by this one sin he marks them for his own. 5. This unclean spirit may be cast out in the opinion of the party in whom he dwells, and not in the world's account; for every man is ready to deceive himself in this particular, seeming pure in his own eyes, though he be not washed from his filthiness. Pro. 30. Let us see how nature occasions this deceit, and how many delude themselves, in thinking they are some Gal. 6, 3, body, when as indeed they are no body. 1. Deceit is to make a man think he is a good Christian, because he leads a civil life, and is just and upright in his dealings. This is indeed an excellent virtue in itself, and a good step to Christianity, and it were to be wished, that all God's Children would be careful to walk unblamably in respect of the world. But yet for all this, this Commendable virtue is made evil by accident, & so becomes a dangerous outward means to exclude grace. For civil honesty, if it be severed from true piety, is nothing else but glorious iniquity. For the ornament thereof is, to rest in the performance of outward actions, as to deal justly and uprightly with their neighbours, and to be free from the reproachful crimes of the world; Now here they rest and think themselves good Christians, though all this while they be ignorant of the true God, and the grounds of his worship. And in their honest dealing with men they aim not at God's glory, that by their unblameable conversation his name may be magnified; yet for all this, because the world cannot condemn them, they rest contented with a probable error of being in the state of grace; and the rather because they know that if they should step forwards in religion, and labour for inward sanctification, they should not only stir up against themselves many thundering storms and the contemptuous Censures of this spiteful world, but also from the bottom of hell, many disturbances and fearful temptations; therefore Satan labours to keep them in this estate, and persuades them, that this civil righteousness will carry them to heaven; and that God will exact this precise and strict obedience at the hands of the Preachers and those which are better learned than themselves. But these men must know, that though their works make a glorious show in the sight of men, yet they are odious in God's sight, if they be not done in obedience to his Commandments, and in zeal for his glory. 2. Men will not be persuaded they are so bad, as indeed they are. Will you see how this deceit is also occasioned? It is, because they compare themselves with those that are Satan's outrageous revellers, whom they do excel in regard of their civil moderation and moral carriage: now finding themselves in a better condition, they are in their own opinions Canonised Saints, and so need no reformation. Thus it comes to pass, that the proud man will not be persuaded, that he hath a filthy Lucifer in him. The covetous man will not be persuaded that Mammon rules in him. The fornicator and Adulterer will not be persuaded that Asmodeus a filthy and unclean spirit reigns in him: The envious man will not be persuaded that Beelzebub an ireful devil governs him. The contentious man he will not believe, that Baalberith a troublesome Devil is in him. The drunkard he will not believe that Beelphegor a beastly Devil domineers in him. The idle person, he doth not think that Astaroth a lazy Devil is in him. Thus all men are ready to deceive themselves; but we must know that where the works Vbi opera ●bi operans. are, the workmaster is at hand. And though the world cannot detect them for their sins; yet the alseeing God is privy to their corruptions. The Scribes and Pharisees were just and upright men to the world, in regard of their austere life and strict observations, but yet our Saviour tells his Disciples, and in them us; That except your righteousness exceed the righteousness Mat. 5, 20. of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven. These men were careful to abstain from such sins, as the world takes notice of; but the Lord jesus the wisdom of his Father, detects Mat. 23. them of much hypocrisy. So he knows these justiciaries well enough, and though they be not Papists in ignorance and profaneness, or in Idolatry; making their good meaning their God, their wit and policy their God, nay, peradventure their money or their belly their god. And Phil. 3, 19 for all their civil honesty, Satan sees them make little conscience of profaning the Sabbath; swearing by their faith or troth, Mass, or our Lady. Now, because they count these small sins, the devil holds them fast enough as his vessales and slaves. 3 Many men deceive themselves, because upon some good motions of God's Spirit, by the powerful ministry of the Word, their consciences are awaked, and they brought to a sight of their sins, so that they begin to hate those sins they delighted in, and to perform some holy duties, and so now they think that this unclean spirit is gone out of them: but for want of watchfulness, he comes again, and allures them to the committing of one sin or other, or else by covetousness sets them as deep in their gainful sin of Usury, deceit, gaming and the like, as ever they were; so with judas they receive the sop, and the Devil again; and so their former righteousness, is but a morning dew, and their unrighteousness by little and little returns again, and they become as disordered in their courses, and as sinful in their practices as ever they were. 6. This unclean spirit, may seem to be cast out in the opinion of the godly, and not of the party himself. Thus the Disciples had a good opinion of judas, because of his outward conformity to the word, and because Christ had put him in trust with the bag: therefore when our Saviour told them, that one of them should betray him, they suspected themselves rather than judas, and yet all this while Christ knew he would prove a Traitor to him, and a butcher to himself, and judas himself knew that he had a covetous, envious devil within him. Thus we have seen how fare an hypocrite may go by nature's light, and how they may attain to much knowledge, and so may shine in outward profession; and yet for all this gallop to hell under Satan's colours. And though they are well persuaded of their own estate, yet God's Word doth discover, that they are miserable, and are hoodwinked of Satan to their own destruction; Because by the shining lamp of outward profession, and standing upon the goodness of their nature, and their correspondency with the world, they deprive themselves, of the benefit of godly admonition, which is a notable means ordained of God to reclaim many desperate sinners, from their sinful courses, and to bring them home by repentance. Now because they post off this to others which are more scandalous to the world, and so do not feel that they stand in need of Christ to purge them from their sins; therefore they remain strangers from the covenant of Ephe. 2, 2, promise, and without God in the world. And thus we have seen the measure of Satan's going out of an hypocrite; he so seems to go, as that he always continewes. We are now to consider of his demeanour when he is gone, contained in these words, He walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. In which words observe: 1. His labour, he walks. 2. His station, in dry places. 3. The end of his walking, he seeks rest. 4. The issue or event, he finds none. He walketh through dry places, etc. We will first endeavour to free the words from obscurity, and then draw such conclusions as may be profitable for our edification. He walketh. This word is a metaphor or borrowed speech taken from Travellers, who out of a desire they have to come to their journeys end, put forth all their strength to the end they may the more speedily obtain their desires. And this speech being applied to other actions, noteth celerity and continuance of that thing unto which it is applied. Which speech being applied unto Satan, noteth his restless diligence; he doth not Arentia lota dicuntur respect● Sathanae; illa talia sunt omnia, quae eum excludunt, quali● sunt ●ector● fidelium Aret. in locum. go drowsily or sleepily, but courageously and constantly, for so much the word walketh importeth. He walketh through dry places, is also a metaphor taken from dry ground which for want of moisture cannot bring forth fruit; so that by dry places, as afterwards shall appear, is meant the hearts of God's children; his banishment from them is as uncomfortable to him, as a dry wilderness is to a thirsty Traveller seeking rest. What rest doth he seek, Satan seek? Doth he seek to be reconciled unto God? No. Would he be reconciled unto man whom he hath so much wronged? No. What rest doth he then seek? Surely this, to do all the mischief he can do to mankind, to deface God's Image in our souls, and to wrap all mankind under the curse of God. The hearts of God's children which are watered with faith and repentance, whereby he is excluded with all his temptations, are said to be dry places because they yield him no moisture, whereby he may set his temptations a working; so that when he cannot hurt us in our souls, than he labours by all means to plague us in our bodies. If he cannot mischief us in our bodies, than he labours to hurt us in our states; and if he cannot hurt us in our substance, than he will vex us in our good names and reputations; and cast out floods of reproaches against us; and if he cannot prevail against us herein, than he will destroy the fruits of the earth, fish in the Sea; and if he cannot hurt us in them, than he will corrupt and infect the air, that thereby he may infect our bodies with noisome diseases; and if God will not give him leave to annoy us in these or the like, than he is said to walk in dry places, for he accounts all those places dry and uncomfortable to him, in which he can do no mischief. And thus you have the sense and meaning of the words. When the unclean spirit is gone out Doct. of a man, he walketh through dry places seeking rest. Hence learn, That Satan 1 Pet. 5. 8. is very diligent, to watch all opportunity to do as much mischief as he may to mankind; therefore he is said to walk about like a 1 Pet 5, 8. roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour. He goes not about as a king in Progress for delight; but his going about is to devour. He is no idle spectator, but a diligent tempter; he is one that will never be weary, for he will never give over his temptations, till there be an end of time. He began early, as soon as our first Parents were created; he set upon them, and rested not till they were turned out of Paradise, and wrapped under the curse of God. Yet for all this he was not content, but as soon as Adam had two sons, by whom mankind might be increased, he laboured to destroy the body of one of them, and the soul of the other. Therefore he filled Cain's heart with envy, and made him kill his innocent brother. And then the first age of the Gen. 4. world, he so corrupted and filled with iniquity, which did so provoke the Lord, that he drowned all the world. And after the world was to be repaid by Noah and his Family, presently he filled it with Idolatry; Gen. 6, and ever since he hath showed himself an enemy that is never wearied with toiling, nor weakened with watching, but at all occasions is pliant and watchful, and labours by all means to molest the godly, and make himself sure of the wicked. His hand like Ismaels' is against every man, but especially against the godly. He beguiled Evah in the likeness of a Gen. 3, Serpent, and deceived Saul in samuel's mantle. He is very forward to offer his service; if God call, Who shall 1 King. 2●, 22, go forth to deceive Ahab? He is at hand, and says, Send me; for now still he is at hand to tempt all men. He puts into our hearts evil thoughts into our mouths lewd speeches, into our members sinful actions. When we are awake, he stirreth us up to unlawful deeds; and when we are asleep, he stirreth up in us filthy dreams. If we be merry, than he maketh us wanton; if sad and melancholy, than he labours to bring us to despair. He tempts all men and in all places; and by outward objects he stirs up inward corruptions. He tempted our Saviour Christ presently after his Baptism; he was not afraid of the holiness of his person, though he were proclaimed from heaven to be the Son of God. He tempted David, a man after Gods own heart, to number the people; Peter to deny and forswear his Master. Neither the holiness of the place nor action can hinder his temptation. He set upon judas, in the presence of his Master; and is always at hand to hinder the word of God, Lest the Math. 13. 13. people should be converted and saved; therefore he labours to corrupt the word; or to turn away our hearts from Act. 13, 8. 2 Cor. 4, 4, it; or to blind our understandings. Let a man betake himself to any good action, he will presently be at his elbow to hinder him. When joshua the high Priest began to pray, Satan stood Zach. 3, 1, at his right hand to resist him. If he cannot hinder us in the performance of holy duties, than he labours to makes us overween ourselves, and to be proud of those things which are none of our own; & if he cannot overcome us by his own vices, he labours to ensnare us by our virtues; therefore he fills our hearts with boasting, that thereby we might be arrogant in our own eyes. He persuades the Minister not to preach, because the people do not regard him nor his doctrine; & if he cannot dissuade him from preaching, than he will persuade him to preach pleasing things, that thereby he may be admired for his gifts & learning. Then he comes to the people, & persuades them not to hear; and tells them the Preacher either is no Scholar, or else he vents his own fancies, and lays open their sins out of envy, to disgrace them; and if he cannot hinder them from hearing, than he steals away their hearts, and fills their mind with wandering thoughts; he compasses their eyes with shows, their ears with sounds, their senses with sleep, their thoughts with fancies; and all to make them forget what they hear, and so to wrap them under the curse of the Lord, doing his work negligently. He labours to discourage men from the practice of piety, by persuading them that to be too strict in their life, savours too much of singularity. If he meet with profane wicked men, as drunkards, swearers and fornicators, he tempts them to the contempt of God and his worship, and to defend their graceless courses, and to glory in their sins, Phil. 3, which should be their shame. He makes those which have cast off the fear of the Almighty, to scorn and despise the Spirit of grace, in the Children of God, and to become his Standard-bearers, to march furiously against the Majesty of God, to their own destruction, by discouraging and disgracing, vexing and perplexing his children, whom he means to honour. Satan is a cunning Merchant and a crafty Sophister, he knows how to use riches and poverty, sickness and health, and make them instruments to serve his purpose. He is continually in motion, and hath all those which are without Christ, at his beck and command, to take up arms against their Saviour, either by ignorance, not knowing him, or by a negligent life not following him, or by violence resisting him. He walks any way to destroy; he tempts the godly to destroy them, and the wicked that they may tempt others. If jonah will run away from his God, he shall not want a ship to carry him to Tarshish. The Tyrant shall not want a flatterer, the Thief a receiver, the wanton a minion. He hath a sack full of oaths for the swearer, a budget full of lies and excuses for the Lyar. Whither can a man walk, but Satan will find him out? He dares enter into the Church to hinder the word; Nay climb up into the Pulpit, and broach sects and schisms. He will not leave any means unattempted to work our ruin. He deals with us in our temptations as he did when he destroyed jobs children; the Text saith, he raised a wind from all the world; if the East wind failed, than the West might effect his purpose; if the West did not, than the North and South might. So if he cannot overcome us by the East wind of prosperity, than he will try what he can do by the West wind of adversity; If he cannot prevail by Idolatry, he will see what he can do by vain glory and popular applause. If he cannot overcome by drunkenness, than he wil● see if he can allure by adultery. If he cannot prevail by carelessness, he will try by distrust. If he cannot overcome by despair, he will see what he can do by presumption. If a man be zealously affected, he will see if he can make him factious. He is always in one extreme or other; and by lesser temptations he makes way for greater. Ob. How is it possible that the Devil Quest. can tempt all mankind? Answ. There are infinite troops of Devils, a whole Legion in one man, which according to the learneds Computation is 6666. And if there were so many in one man, there must needs be many more. Now these Devils fly about by troops in the Air, & certify one another what is done in all places. They know every man's nature, by observing their manners, company and employment; They know what men love and hate, what they want▪ and what they desire; and so they fit their temptations according. And though it be God's Prerogative to know the heart, yet by outward actions, the Devil comes to rove at the inward: for when he sees men inflamed with anger and wrath, and their eyes sparkle, their nostrils The devil conjectures our affections by our actions, and our inward thoughts by out outward looks▪ smoke, their mouths breathe out fiery, and railing speeches; by these and the like, he knows what is within▪ murder and revenge, and then he hales them forwrd unto all mischief. Thus he saw judas repine at the ointment which was spent upon his master, and accounts it waste, because it came not to his purse; therefore he filled his heart with covetousness, and gave him no rest, till he had sold his master for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a Slave. Thus also he saw Ananias and Saphirah covetous in their hypocritical devotion, and therefore he filled their hearts with dissimulation to lie to the holy Ghost. He saw Abimelech ambitiously affected, therefore he tempts him to murder his brethren, that he may make himself sure of the Kingdom. He knows the tide of all our affections, and therefore he labours to drive us violently to all manner of sin, and to draw us from God's service, unto his own. Thus we have seen, how malicious our enemies are to destroy us. Rea●▪ Come we now to examine the reasons that make and induce him thereunto. He bears an inveterate hatred to mankind, partly for God's cause, and partly for our own. 1. He hates us for God's cause, because If he cannot hurt his deity, he will vex his humanity. he hath justly cast him out of Heaven for his pride & rebellion, and judged him to torments in hell: now because he cannot offer violence to his sacred Majesty, he will persecute his Image, man, with deadly hatred. 2. He envies mankind because he is ordained to that happiness he hath lost. He hates all mankind, but especially the Children of God, and tha● because they are contrary to him, an● Gal. 4, 4. Revel. 12, 9 fight against him, and were once hi● vassals; therefore he envies the mean● of their salvation, and labours to hinder the proceeding of the Gospel, and to withstand the Ministers of the Word on every side, and therefore he labours to winnow them and to buffet 1 Thess. 2, 18. Luk. 22. 31 2 Cor. 12. 7. them. And what he cannot effect by himself, he hath his instruments and servants at hand courageously to fight under his colours, and to allure to draw men from God and godliness. Thus he had Elymas at hand to dissuade Act. 13, 10. the Governor from the faith. And what a number of Devils hath he now in the world, which are continual instruments of wickedness, to draw men from the practice of Piety? their trade is nothing else but to allure men unto evil; such are they that draw men into the Alehouse, and entice them to drink to excess; such are they that draw men to gaming houses, and stir up men to brawling and contention. What a number of agents hath he in every place, to hinder men's salvation? Some disgrace the Ministers and raise up ill reports against them, to make their doctrine stink in the eyes of the people; or else to persecute them, that either they may remove them out of their places, or else be quickly weary of well doing. And if they take a godly man tripping in some small error in his carriage, and that peradventure but some misprision of their conceit, than they raise matter not only of triumph and insultation, but take occasion to applaud and encourage themselves in their sinful courses. What could the devil do more if he were present? He is an enemy to all goodness, so are they: he is an accuser of the brethren, so are Revel. 12. 2 Tim. 3, they: Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood, Pro▪ 4, 16 they cannot sleep till they have done mischief. And the more God opposes them by the power of his word, to set himself against them, the more restless they. See this in the Sodomites; how restless were they to commit filthiness: young and old came from all places of the City; they could not sleep till they had done their villainy; and when Lot persuades them to desist, than they were the more furious; and when the Angel Gen. 19, 45. had smitten them with blindness, yet they sought all night for the door: they strove and contended who should have the mastery in sin, therefore they work all uncleanness Eph. 4, 19, with greediness. How restless were the jews, and how did they thirst after Christ's blood? They send out in the night to take him; and though Christ's by his word lay them on their backs, yet the more eager they are and restlessly cry out, his blood be upon us and our Children. They had rather Gods judgements fall upon them and their Children, than give over and obey the truth. See how resolute those were, that had Bound Act. 23, 14▪ themselves with an oath, not to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And are there not many to be found in our age, that are as bold and impudent in sin? Some sell themselves to commit iniquity as Ahab did. How violently are some carried in their riotous courses of drinking, swaggering and dissembling; as if they were swine carried by the Devil into the lake of all manner of filthiness? Let the Magistrate and Minister seek to reclaim them, they will rage's and foam, like the Devil in the Gospel, and like desperate wretches, will follow their lusts, though they go to hell for it. These men show themselves as restless as their father the Devil. Now leas● they should grow weary of their sinful courses, they will use variety of objects, to take away tediousness. When they are weary of gaming they will fall to drinking, and from drinking to swearing, from swearing to quarrelling, and from quarrelling to fight; and from one extreme they will fall into another, drinking down sin like water, and make it a pastime to commit iniquity. But of all the sworn soldiers of the devil's band, none serve him better than the talebearer and the envious man. We will begin with the flattering talebearer; he is also a busy walker, the devil walks in the greater circuit to do mischief, and he in the little; he can quickly go from one man to another, with tales and accusations, to make enmity and debate, and to charge men openly or secretly, with things utterly untrue and false; sometimes blazing infirmities, which love would have covered; and sometimes aggravating of facts or speeches, of which charity would give a better construction. But if these wretches can fasten any thing upon God's Children, then are they the devil swiftest Dromedaries to carry news, & to make it pass through Taverns and Alehouses, Gath and Ascalon, fare and near, as currant and authentical, under the seal of their good fellowship, never to be controlled until the matter be determined by that everlasting judge at his general session and Gaol delivery, at that great and terrible day when the thoughts of all hearts shall be disclosed. There is no name given to the Devil, but that may be applied to him. The Devil is a liar, so is the talebearer: he is an accuser, so is the talebearer; he is an enemy to all goodness, so is the talebearer. A second property of the devil is to roar in his walk; so doth the talebearer, he roars like a Lion, and bellowes like a bull; and rather than fail, if he think he shall not be heard, he will tell his tale over and over, and deprave the truth, by adding or substracting, to or from his neighbour's words; though peradventure his speeches hang together, like a sick man's dream. Again, the devil in his walks seeks to devour, so doth the talebearer, he devours a man's good name. There is (saith Pro. 30, 14. Agur) a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth. Other enemies carry their swords by their sides, these carry theirs in their mouths, that they may shoot them out at their pleasure. These men are worse than the Crows, for they feed on dead carcases, but these on living men. If Serpents sting us and mad dogs bite us, there may be some remedy found; but against the tongue of the slanderer, there can be none. To whom shall I liken this filthy generation, they are like an Archer, men are their mark, and evil report their arrows; Their tongue is an arrow shot out. Hell and the tale bearers are much alike; the one is never satisfied with sinners, nor the other with slanders. The second Champion, for the devil is the envious man, who, saith Salvian, Lib. 5. de gubernat dei. esteems another's good, his hurt. Parum est si ipse sit faelix, nisi alter fuerit infaelix. Therefore when Bion saw an envious man sorrowful, he would Laertius in vita Bion. ask him whether some evil had happened to him, or good to his neighbour. Envy is ostium iniquitatis, the door of iniquity, by which death entered into the world. By this Habel was persecuted of his brother, jacob of Esau, David of Saul, and Christ of the jews. 2. Envy is Toxicum charitatis, the bane of Charity; for if it were not for envy, every one would rejoice at another good, and grieve for their harms. Therefore Augustine saith, Take away envy; and that which I Tolle in vidiam, tuum est quod habeot, emeum est quod habes. have is thine, and that which thou hast is mine. 3. Envy is putredo sanitatis the corruption of health, for by envying Diez Con. 1. ●n festo joa. Bapt. others, men consume themselves. And therefore one saith well, An envious man hath a great deal of less wit in his malice than the brute beasts; for whereas no fowls nor fishes are taken in a snare without baits, the spiteful wretch is brought to the devil's hook without any pleasant bait. The voluptuous man hath a little pleasure, for his soul. The covetous man, a little profit for his soul. The ambitious man a little honour for his soul. But the envious man hath nothing of the devil for his soul, but a little heart's grief, and yet for all this the wretch toils out himself in Satan's service. Thus you have heard how Satan hath his servants at command to work the ruin of God's Children, and he is restless in his own endeavours, as you have heard. He hath many byways to bring men to hell, and therefore he hath set infinite snares before our feet, and hath filled all Eoce tete●. dit ●●te pe● nostros laequeos infint●s, & omn● vias nostra decipulis r●ple vit ad c●piendas an●mas nostra & quis eff●giet? Laqueos p● suit in div● tijs, laqueo posuit in p●pertate, laqueos tete● dit in cibo● in potis & ● August. So●loq. cap. 1 our ways with traps to catch our souls; and who can escape them? He hath set snares in riches, snares in poverty; he hath laid snares in our meat, in our drink, in our pleasure, in our sleep. Nay he lays snares for us in our best works, in the duties of godliness which we perform, and is ready to make us proud of our knowledge, & overween ourselves, as you have heard before. All his malice tends to this end, to deprive us of happiness. Thiefs and robbers steal our goods to enrich themselves, but Satan he labours to deprive us of grace, not to do himself any good, but to do us mischief. Thus you have seen the truth of the doctrine, that Satan watches all opportunity to do mischief. This doctrine is also useful and that for exhortation, reprehension, and direction. 1. Seeing the whole world is Satan's Use. circuit, then remember in what danger we are in by reason of his malice. There is no place, but that he watches his opportunity in, to do us mischief. There are but two places in the world, where men may be safe, and they are the places of God's worship, and the place of our particular callings. The former because God is present in the Congregation of his Saints, and the latter because he hath promised to keep his in all their ●sal. 91. ways. Yet for all this, Satan is not afraid to set upon us at Church in the time of God's worship, and to divert our thoughts from that we hear, and fill our minds with sleepiness and drowsiness; and after we have heard, by casting other thoughts into our hearts before the seed of the word is harrowed by meditation. Now this advantage he hath against us, by our own carelessness, because we do not by prayer and meditation prepare our hearts, before we come into God's presence; and when we are come, do not so reverently carry ourselves as we should. Hence it comes to pass, that God hath no delight in our Sacrifice; and therefore gives Satan leave to deprive us of the benefit of the word. 2. He tempts us in our particular callings, and makes us careless in them, or to use some indirect courses to raise ourselves by unlawful means, that thereby he may deprive us of the Lords protection. In each of these places we had need to look about us, as if the devil were always at our elbows, and with fear and trembling check ourselves for giving way to such a dangerous enemy; and when we feel his temptations begin to work, then say to our souls, Surely this unclean spirit is here, and I was not ware. Use 2 This doctrine is useful for reprehension, seeing Satan is so malicious & for estlesse in his temptations; then this reproves many, that make light account of such an adversary, whose power is so great, Ephe. 6 12. and therefore called a roaring Lion, 1 Pet. 5. 8. A red Dragon, Revel. 12. 1. A Prince of the air, Ephe. 2. 2. The God of the world, 2 Cor. 4. 4. having great interest in us by reason of our sins, which mightily take his part: and yet for all this, they will walk without their spiritual armour, and carelessly thrust themselves into the midst of his armed soldiers, and so with Peter in the high Priests Hall, fall fearfully before they be ware; and so their case becomes fearful, because they have had so many watch words, and yet will not be warned. Use 3 This doctrine is useful for direction, seeing Satan and his instruments are so resolute to do mischief, and will not be hindered in their enterprises; if they cannot prevail one way, they will try another: Let us learn of them to be resolute in well doing, and not to be discouraged or driven back from any good purpose and intendment. This is a point necessary to be urged in these times, wherein the devil labours to cool zeal, & to hinder us in the practice of piety; sometime he puts on the sheep's skin to hide his woolvish nature; he comes to the Minister and persuades him to pity himself, and not endanger his health and life, by preaching so often; and the rather because the people do not regard it, and would think better if he preached not at all, or preached pleasing things. But against these temptations Gods children must take examples of his vassals, who are diligent and constant in his service; who will reward them here with shame, and eternal torments hereafter. Then should not God's servants be resolute in their Master's cause? who in his mercy will cover their sins, and crown their weak endeavours, which he himself worketh in them, in such a manner as that a cup of cold water, shall not go unrewarded. The consideration hereof should make us diligent in our callings; for can we spend our time better, than to glorify God, and save our souls? therefore let every one of us? say to our souls, as once the Prophet did to Ahab; Get thee up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of much rain. So should we say to our sluggish natures, up and be doing; Get thee to thy study, to preaching and praying, lose no time; for there is a sound of much trouble. We may be deprived of the word, before we are ware; we may be stopped in our courses and pious intendments suddenly, we may be deprived of our lives in a moment; the night of sickness, adversity & death will come, and then we cannot work. Oh what a comfort will it be to our souls when death approacheth, if then we can say in sincerity of heart with godly Hezekiah, Remember ●sa 38, 3. O Lord, I have walked before thee with an upright heart! Therefore be not weary of well doing; remember it is a fearful thing to begin in the spirit and to end in the flesh; therefore let every one of us say to Satan and his discouraging Instruments, as once Nehemiah did to his crafty Counsellors, What, should such a one as I fly? Nehem. 6, 11. No? I will not lose my labour and that crown of life, that is promised to all them, that are faithful to the Revel. 2, 10, death, to please Satan and his instruments. 2. Seeing Satan is so restless in his temptations, and is so diligent a walker; be exhorted to keep out of his walks: though he walk in all places, yet he frequents some places more than the rest; and, they are the Alehouses, the gaming houses, and the whore house: unto which he hath other walks, and they are gardens of pleasure, and solitary walks; in these places he eyes us, and many times finds them fit places to set his temptations on work; in these places he prevailed over Eve, Lot, David, etc. These places like him well, and into such places he drove those which he possessed, Luk. 8. 29. and there usually shows himself to witches: Solitary places be his walks, and in these he delights, because he is the Prince of darkness, and hates the light because his works are evil: he knows how ready man is to sin when he is alone, and when man's eye is not over him to hinder him; he knows that many dare do that in the dark, in the presence of God, which they would blush and be ashamed to do in the presence of a mortal man. Therefore the godly must be careful to shun and avoid idleness which is Satan's pillow, by which he takes many tripping, and lulls them asleep to their eternal destruction. Therefore when we are alone let us always be speaking to God, by our prayers, or praises, or meditating of his good●esse; hereby we shall be fitted for ●ur callings, and made more watchful over our ways: thus if we be ●mployed, though Satan be always walking, and in continual action, let him walk whither he will, for we are ●n our calling, walking with God. And if at any time he set upon us in our solitary walks, let us take the benefit of company as soon as we can, but herein learn wisdom; Let your company be good, and such as fear God; else wicked and profane company are worse than solitariness. For we hear of many, who when they are troubled by Satan, run to sinful company, and spend their time in Carding, dicing, drinking, and so think to cast out the devil by Beelzebub the Prince of devils; but therein they deceive themselves, and harden their hearts against the means of their salvation. 3. Seeing Satan goes about to tempt, and to do what mischief he can, let God's children take the quite contrary course, and endeavour to do as much good as they can, by provoking one another to good works, and showing themselves patterns of all goodness. For, shall our enemy watch for our destruction, and shall not we watch for our preservation? Satan is a Fox, and therefore subtle; he lays siege to the Castle of our souls, and labours mightily, either to scale the walls of our faith, or to batter the Bulwark of our patience, or to undermine the Turrets of our zeal and fortitude; or one way or other to drive us from our hold, and then by some Stratagem or other to surprise us before we are ware. We had need therefore to look about us, and say to our souls as Dallilah did to her husband, Up Samson, the Philistines be upon thee. So O my soul, stand upon thy guard, and look to thyself. What? hath thy purse enemies on the highway, and ●hy goods enemies about thy house, ●nd hast thou no enemies for thy ●oule? Satan is malicious, therefore ●e will spare none; strong, therefore ●e will fear none; up therefore and ●and upon thy guard. Satan is walking to do thee a mischief; therefore be thou watching and praying, ●o resist and withstand all his temptation's. For Satan is vigilant and watchful, ready and cunning to abuse ●ll outward objects to our hurt. He ●abours by all means to dishonour God, and to cross him in his providence, and to deprive all mankind ●f happiness. Therefore he labours ●o draw such to sin which have most ●eanes to withstand it, and have had ●ore mercies to encourage them to ●oe forward in God's service; and if ●ee can overcome them by his temp●ations, he knows how to dishonour God in a high degree. If he can get ●dam to sin in Paradise, he knows how to fill the world with sinners quickly. If he can tempt David (● man after Gods own heart) to commit adultery and murder, he is su● he can make The name of God to b● 2 Sam. 12, 24. blasphemed, 2 Sam. 12. 24. If he ca● make judas one of the twelve to betray his Master, he thinks he hat● shaken Christ's kingdom; and if he● can make Peter that great Champion to deny and forswear him, than h● doubts not but to lay his honour i● the dust. So at this day, if he ca● make the professers of the Gosp● careless and profane, he thinks h● hath notably dishonoured God; i● making his ordinance unfruitful a● unprofitable. Seeing therefore he● is so malicious and so diligent, let ● labour to resist him steadfastly and constantly, jam. 4, 7. and then he will fly from ● And thus much for his labour a● diligence, he walketh through d● places, seeking rest. Come we now to the issue an● event, he findeth none. He walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Hence than we may learn, That though Satan seek the godlies Doctr. overthrow, yet he shall be prevented, he shall be disappointed of his expectation. Though Satan be strong and mighty whose power no mortal man is able to resist, yet the victorious Lion of the Tribe of judah is stronger, and will rescue his servants, and make him know, that his chosen are kept by the power of God 1 Pet. 1. 5. through faith unto salvation. And though the godly be as sheep appointed to destruction by the malice of Satan, yet they are not so in the purpose of God. Though Satan stand like a bloody Midwife, ready to devo●●e the Child the woman brings forth; Revel. 12. 4: yet the Lord prospered her in her travel, and when earth could not secure the manchild she brought forth, God took up the Revel. 1●, 5. child unto his throne. Though Satan laboured by all means to overthrow jobs faith, yet the Lord stood by him & gave him deliverance. Though Herod that crafty Fox pretended to adore Christ in his infancy, when he intended to murder him, he may travel in his mischief, but he shall not effect it; for the watchful eye of God, shall warn joseph to fly for the Babes safety. Though the Devil Act. 23, 31. (If they had kept their vow, they had fasted to death. 1 King. 17, 5. make the jews to bind themselves with a curse, that they will not eat nor drink till they have killed Paul, yet they were disappointed; the Lord delivered him out of their hands▪ Though jezabel vowed the death of the Prophet Elijah, and send hue and cry after him; yet rather than she shall do his Prophet any hurt; he will hide himself in a Cave at Hore● the mount of God. Though Hama● plot the ruin of God's people, and maliciously accuse them as seditious and Traitors; yet he that never slumbers nor sleeps, will laugh him to scorn, and hang him upon the Gallows, Ester 7, 10. which he had prepared for Mordecai the king's friend. Though Saul persecute David, and labour by subtlety to take away his life, because he thinks he would be an hindrance to his son's preferment to the Crown; yet see how the Lord disappoints him of his hope. Saul lays violent hands on himself, and so prepares way for David to come to the Crown; And thus you have this truth confirmed, that though Satan and his instruments do seek the godlies overthrow, yet they shall be prevented: And reasons prove the same. 1. Because God's care and providence Reason. is over his Children, and his eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong 2 Cron. 16, 9, in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him. And though the Lord do not presently free them from the exercise of troubles, yet he leaveth them not till he hath delivered them. 2. He that is with us is stronger than he that is against us. And for ●uk. 11, 22. ephas. 1, 19 ●ol. 1, 11, this end the Son of God undertook our nature and temptations, Heb 2. 8. And for this very end he sanctified himself, joh. 17. 19 therefore he hath provided an invincible armour for his children, and exhorts them to stand Ephe. 6, 10, 11. fast. And therefore he says unto them, Fear not. Lam. 3. 57 for he is with them, Esay 43. 1. 2. For if one piece of this armour, namely faith, be able to quench all his fiery darts, what will the whole do? 3. God's promise is, that he will not suffer his to be tempted above that they are ble to bear, therefore at length he will deliver them, and make them see the salvation of the Lord, & that because they are precious in his sight, and he Za●h. 2, 8, Deut. 32, 10. that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye. And therefore lest the wicked should think that he is an idol, he shows himself strong in the defence of his Children. Again, he would have his Children know, that though Satan assaults them furiously, by himself, and by his instruments; yet their power is limited: there is an hour appointed for the power of darkness to work in; and till that hour come, and no longer than it last, shall they molest and vex the godly. God in his providence, hath limited Satan and his instruments their time sometime longer, as Israel in Egypt 400. years: sometime shorter, as in the Babilonish Captivity 70. years, sometime shorter than so. Ye shall suffer persecution 10. days; and than though heaviness may endure for a night, yet joy shall come in the morning. Tyrants which are Satan's Instruments, shall not live ever. Where is proud Pharaoh, railing Rabshekah? Where is cruel Nero, bloody Bonner? Are they not gone, and their honour laid in the dust? God hath spoken to them in his wrath, and vexed them in his sore ●d. 2. displeasure. And though the Church's enemies are malicious; yet God hath a hook in their nostrils, to pull them back, and will not suffer them to execute their malice upon his Children. Though the King of Babylon cast the three Children into the fiery Oven, yet he cannot command the abilon. fire to burn them. And though he cast Daniel into the Lion's den, yet he cannot compel the hungry Lions to devour him. The worst that Tyrants can do, is to send us to heaven in a Chariot of blood, they can do no more than God pleases; he knows how to deliver his Israel out of all their troubles. This doctrine is useful, and that Use. for consolation to the people of God: though they have a vigilant enemy which pursues them with a deadly hatred, as Laban did jacob; yet the Lord will step in, and command him not to hurt them: though the godly live among wicked men, who like ravenous Woolves thirst after their blood; yet the Lord will not give his children as a prey to their teeth. Though every wicked man in whom Satan ruleth, be like a Canaanite to the Israel of God, yet he will not let their furious floods carry them away. Though the godly lie open to the snares of Satan, and they like silly birds are ready to be carried away; yet for all this, when Satan and his instruments, seem to have made most sure of them, than his snares are suddenly broken and they escaped, by the providence of God. When Herod had maliciously cast Act. 12, 3. Peter into Prison, and that for no offence, but to please the jews; while he was sleeping between two Soldiers, bound in chains, the Lord delivers him miraculously out of his hands. Seeing God is a present help in the time of need, and able and ready to deliver his children from the malice of wicked men. The consideration hereof, should make them go on cheerfully in the works of their callings, and not to fear what man can do to them. Therefore as they must look up to God for help and deliverance in the time of their troubles; so also they must have an eye to Satan's malice to expect it, and to be resolved not to shrink for all his temptations and cunning Stratagems. Shall the Israelits return back to Egypt, because Pharaoh pursues them? No no, but let them make the more haste to the land of Canaan; So let every one of us resolve with ourselves, not to give over any good action, because the world hates us and reproaches us for it; No no, let us not neglect any good duty which God and a good conscience requires at our hands, to please the world or to stop the devil's mouth. For if we study to please men rather than God, than we cannot be the servants of God; Let us then courageously show ourselves on Christ's side by taking his part against the enemies of his truth, because there is no peace to be expected with Satan or his instruments, unless it be upon dishonourable conditions. Satan is like to Nahash the Ammonite, that would not 1 Sam. 11, make a league with the men of jabesh Gilead unless he might put out their eyes; so Satan will not admit of any conditions, unless he may cool our zeal, and hinder us in the means of our Salvation, and therefore we had need to stand upon our guard: for if he prevail, he will lead us captive unto sin, and enthral our bodies and souls to miserable bondage; and therefore let us show ourselves valiant, and encourage one another, as the Philistines did, and quite our 1 Sam. 4, selves like men and fight it out; away with base cowardice, we shall prevail. Satan hath no power but from God; nor is able to molest us without his permission; to encourage us to fight, let us remember he is but a vanquished slave. Christ our Captain hath overcome him, Heb. 2. 14. with all his aids the world, joh. 16. 33. the flesh, Rom. 8. 1. Again, he hath promised we shall prevail, and that if we resist the devil he shall fly from ●m. 4, 7. us; and hath promised to tread him under foot, Rom. 16. 26. as he hath been by the godly before us, 1 joh. 2. 14. This is a point necessary to be considered in our days, wherein Satan and his instruments so much prevail over God's people abroad: the consideration hereof makes many a poor soul stagger, as if God had cast off the care of his people; and therefore they discourage themselves with needless fears, and begin to fawn and curry favour with Satan and his instruments, Papists, Atheists and the like; as if God were like to have the worst, and his Children were like to go to the wall. But let us renew the battle, for Christ seems to ●ll from heaven as jehu once, Who is ●n my side? Who? Let us then cry to ●od for help, and manfully use those weapon's he hath sanctified for that purpose, the word which is mighty ●rough God to the pulling down of ●rong holds, 2 Cor. 10. 4. The shield of ●aith whereby we shall be able to quench ●ll the fiery darts of the wicked, Ephe. 6. ●6. And remember above all things, ●hat it is not enough to fight with God's weapons, unless we borrow his Arm; and therefore when we prevail, let him have the glory, Psal. 50. 51. 2. This doctrine is useful for terror to all Satan's instruments that march under his colours against God's Children; they do but lose their labour, and kick against the pricks; for God must prevail, and will disappoint all his enemies of their hopes, and let the world see they do but lose their labour, and pluck down vengeance upon their souls, for God will speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore dispeasure. Psal. 2, 5, And thus much for Satan's departure and demeanour when he is gone, He walketh through dry places seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my Vers. 44. house from whence I came out, & when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished. We are now come to the second general point propounded, wherein we are to observe Satan's diligence to regain his former possession, and to examine the reasons that induce him thereunto. Then he saith, I will return to my house. The devil being ignorant of God's secrets, and so not knowing whose names are written in the Book of life, hopes to gain the day upon the best of God's Children; and if he cannot prevail, he will not cease to be an enemy, but will come on with more and more malice; and if he cannot prevail by policy, he will see what he can do by fury. Then he saith, I will return. In the words observe these particulars. 1. Satan's undaunted resolution contained in these words, I will return. 2. The Terminus ad quem or place whither, To my house, which he exemplifies by the affection he bears to it; My house whence I came out. 3. The reasons that induce him to make his reentry, and they are described by 3. adjuncts. 1. The house is empty. Empty Per pigritiam et negligentiam. 2. It is swept. 3. It is garnished. We will first endeavour to free the words from obscurity, and then according to the method proposed, gather such instructions as naturally arise. He findeth it empty. Ob. What is meant by this? An. To be empty, is to be void of faith, and he that hath no faith, is also empty of good works. For true faith is never alone, though in the work of justification, it justifies alone without any dependency of good works; yet in the declaration and manifestation thereof, it is always joined with good works, jam. 2. which are inseparable companions of faith. But hypocrites are empty of faith, the mistress, and good works the handmaid, and so being empty of both, they are fit places for Satan to set up his rest. 2. He findeth it swept. Ob. What Swept. Per consuetudinem peccati. is meant hereby? An. Hypocrites content themselves, with a little counterfeit repentance, and to make show of a little humiliation for the sins which the world takes notice of. These are swept over slightly, and superficially, with the bosom of hypocrisy; but the sins of profit and pleasures, these are baked on: but if we will be a swept house for God, than all our darling and pleasing sins, must be scraped and pa●ed away, by greater labour than sweeping. A stained and defiled cloth ●s not easily made clean, there must be washing and cleansing and great pains. An old inveterate sore (saith the wise man) troubleth the Physician. So old inveterate sins, which are baked and caked to our nature, will not easily be sweeped away; it is a hard matter, to bring men to repentance which are died in grain in sin, there must be much scraping and digging, to cast out this filth; sweeping will not serve the turn; for sin by long continuance have defiled these houses which are our bodies. How will this appear, may some say? Do but consider how much rotten and unsavoury communication proceeds out of our mouth; how much envy and malice boiles in our hearts; doth not this show, that there is much filthiness within? and do we then think a little counterfeit repentance will serve the turn? no, no, there must be powing, paring and scraping out of the uncleanness of our nature, much purging out of the dross out of our souls; else we are but swept houses of Satan. It is garnished. Ob. What is that? An. The hypocrites heart is Garnished, Per hypocrysim. garnished with hypocrisy and counterfeit holiness, his heart is empty of faith and good works, swept and slighted over with counterfeit repentance, to blear the eyes of the world, and garnished with counterfeit holiness; so that Satan shall have room enough, it is empty. He shall have it pleasing and delightful, it is swept and garnished, it hath all manner of furniture fit to receive him. And thus you have the sense and meaning of the words. Then he saith, I will return to my house. Here we may see the carriage and boldness of Satan, though he be expelled and have received the foil, ●et he will return. He is audacious ●nd will ask no leave; though he ●e chained by his maker, yet he will ●oe as fare as he can, he will fear ●o colours. Would you know the reason's why he is so bold and audacious. The reasons are these two. 1. He relies upon his own strength. 2. He takes advantage of man's weakness. 1. He is able to do much by his own strength, therefore he is called the God of this world and the Prince that ruleth in the air, and hath all wicked men at his beck and command, which daily he musters up to take part against God and his children; he is the head of all Tyrants and wicked men, and makes them do as Athaliah did, kill and persecute the godly that he may rule himself: therefore this powerful enemy knowing his own strength, and his Soldier's courage and fidelity, is so confident, that by one means or other he shall prevail; and so desperate and venturous, that he will return to his house again, nothing shall cross and hinder him. Good Lord, what will not Satan do? If thou O triumphant Lion of the Tribe of judah do not hinder him, his malice is against thee and thy glory, and cannot abide that thou shouldst be glorified by thy people; he hates thy worship, and therefore labours to defile it: therefore show thyself strong to perserve thy children, and to save them from his malice, and to keep them always in thy fear. Seeing then Satan is so watchful and diligent to do mischief; this must teach us to be watchful and always to stand upon our guard and be prepared to resist his temptations: for as soon as one is gone he will come with another; he will return to his house one way or other; and what he cannot effect by force, he will perform by flattery. Thus many times under the name of friend, he allures us to some one sin or other; thus he stirred up Peter to move his master to pity himself, and not to die when he might live. So he persuades many Ministers of the word, to pity themselves, and not to wear out themselves in Preaching and studying, as many do; telling them that many good Ministers take their pleasure, and yet discharge their duty well enough. But in this case, we must say to him as our Master once: Get thee behind me Satan, for thou Matth. 16. art an adversary and enemy to God's glory, and his people's salvation. And if he cannot prevail with friendly terms, than he persuades them, they take too much upon them, the Lords people are holy enough, and that there needs not so much ado. If he cannot prevail this way, than he will see if he can make them proud of their gifts; so to make them rob God of his glory. He spends all his time in open rebellion against God, and persecuting his children. He works wonderfully in the Children of disobedience. Ephe. 2, 2. Thus he wrought upon the profane heart of Esau to sell his birthright for a mess of pottage; upon the covetous heart of judas to betray his master. As he is cunning in his secret temptations, so he is very crafty to delude the senses by outward objects. Thus he deceived Saul in samuel's mantle; so in the time of ignorance he deceived many, by entering into the corpse of some dead body, making them speak what he pleased. Thus we have seen the malice of our enemy, and how he is emboldened by his own strength. In the second place we are to see how our weakness gives him advantage: he observes our negligence and sinful backesliding, therefore like a cunning thief, he often comes to view the house, and to spy out the weak places before he make any entry; he looks whether we be fallen into those sins which before we made a show of repentance, and when he finds a man fallen into his old sins again, then behold a swept house for Satan. He knows our nature, what we love, delight, and hate, and so fits his temptation accordingly. Thus he can make the covetous man dig to Hell for riches: The ambitious man to use many indirect courses to climb to honour and preferment: The wanton to commit fornication and adultery. With these sugared baits he hath not only deceived the wicked, as Achan, Gehazie, Saul, Annanias, but even Gods dear children, as Noah, Lot, David, Peter, and many in our days. Thus by knowing our nature he provokes us ●o sin, he stirs up the choleric man to anger and revenge; the melancholy man to despair, and distrust, and to take things in the worst sense. So he persuades all mankind to sinful security, and that they have time enough to repent and amend their lives; and so wraps them under the curse of God, before they are ware. I will return. Satan he thinks there is none so holy, but that he may pervert; he knows the just falls seven times a day, and therefore may take them tripping at one time or other; and make them abuse the mercy of the Lord. Again he knows that there is none so sinful, but that he may be converted, and therefore he tempts all good and bad; and rather than he will fail of his temptations, he will raise up a tempest from all the four corners of the world, as he did when he blew down jobes' house and killed his children. If the East wind of prosperity cannot puff up God's children, he will see what he can do by the west wind of adversity; he labours always and by all means to dishonour God, and to bring mankind to ruin: and had not we need to stand upon our watch, and to take heed of security, lest he deal with us as jael did with Sisera, nail us to the posts of Hell before we are ware? He always stands armed, so let us; let us not then let our armour lie rusty, but by prayer buckle it on; let us always keep in our calling, and then we are under God's protection, and then we may boldly crave his assistance. Let us remember we have a crafty devil to deal withal, that will watch us at all turns and times; he hath his terms and vacations, his doings and come, though sometime by Gods restraining power he may stay away a long time, yet he will return; therefore be not secure, but prepare for his coming, he hath not done with us, he will by one means or other labour to get possession, and therefore we had need to have a vigilant eye over all the parts and faculties of our souls and bodies, lest they become windows to let in Satan to take possession. And thus much for his courage and resolution, contained in these words, I will return. Come we now to the Terminus ad quem, or whither he will return. I will return to my house. Satan calls the hypocrites heart his house, and so it is indeed, but not by creation. So every man is God's house, 1 Cor. 3. 16. & cap. 6. 19 but by the wilful refusal of God's mercies, they then become denns for Satan to lodge in. Thus the proud man's heart is a house for Lucifer to lodge in. The Adulterers heart, an Inn for Asmodius to roost in. The envious man's heart a Cage for Beelzebub to lurk in. The revengeful man's heart is a palace for Baalberith to domineer in. The drun●ards heart a sty for Beelphegor to reside in. The idle man's heart is a Turret for Ashtaroth to keep Rande vows in. Though men may flatter themselves, and think they are in good case, yet while they live and remain in their sins, they are in Gods account no better than unclean houses for Satan to roost in; though they far daintily and have sumptuous houses, yet all this while, they are but filthy Parlours for Satan. Here we may take up a bitter lamentation, Heu dom●s antiqua, etc. and with jeremy weep day and night for the miseries which are befallen the sons of men. Man was created holy and for God's service; but now these glorious houses are become denns for Satan to dwell in. Where pride and malice domineers and carnal security bears sway, vice and all manner of wickedness let in, and piety and the fear of the Lord shut out: Pride and carnal security hath barred the door against the Lord the holy one of Israel; he stands knocking, but we will not let him in. If pride, malice and revenge knock, we are ready to open, and willingly embrace them; but the motions of God's Spirit we chocke and grieve, and will not entertain them; The Lord lay not our sins to our charge. The Lord hath wooed us by his Ministers, invited us by his mercies, and drawn us by the bands of love, and would have married us to himself; ose. 2, 20. but we like desperate wretches and despiteful creatures, will marry ourselves to our pleasures, to our delights, to our sins, nay to Satan himself. O! consider this all ye that forget God, and so prefer hell before Heaven. The Gaderens were branded for infamous wretches, for preferring their swine before Christ the Saviour of the world: And the jews accursed for choosing Barrabas a filthy murderer, before jesus a meek Saviour. But O alas! how shall we be registered for infamous wretches, if we neglect so great salvation? Let the consideration hereof move every one of us, to consider of these things which belong to our peace, and now to make up an agreement with our adversary; while we are in the way with him. It follows, I will return to my house. See here what love Satan bears to his former house, and his wisdom and policy to provide him a resting place; if he may not be where he would, yet he will be where he may. If he cannot be a king in heaven, he will reign as a god in earth; and if he cannot rest in the hearts of God's Children, than he will domineer in the children of disobedience; He had rather be in any place, than in hell; therefore he will consider his future place, before he will leave his former habitation; he would not go Math. 8, 31. out of the man he possessed, before he had liberty to go into the swine. He had rather be in the hogs, than no where. While he is in earth, he torments others, but while he is in hell he is tormented himself. And therefore like an envious wretch, he thinks he finds rest if he can revenge himself upon mankind, or any thing that belongs to man. He can find no rest in a Papist or Atheist, for he knows that their worm-eaten consciences lacks nothing but searing with the hot Iron of God's wrath; he is sure enough of them, because they are hardened in their profaneness, and so the custom of sin hath taken away the sense of sin; yet for all this, if he cannot prevail against God's Children, he will to his old house again, there he is like to have good entertainment, which is better to him, than to walk in dry places, where he finds so much resistance. Come we now to see what entertainment he finds; the house is empty, that is, void of the graces of God's Spirit; he finds the hypocrite after he is enlightened, fit to receive him than he was before, he finds the house empty. The Devil shall never want room wheresoever he comes; he shall not be troubled with inmates, nor with any thing which shall offend him. There are many professors now adays, will cast off good motions and the performance of many good duties, to please Satan and his Instruments, rather than they would be termed Puritans and Precisians. Lord lay not this sin to their charge. He finds it empty both of faith and good works. Now this emptiness proceeds from idleness, which is the mother of all mischief. An empty house is a cage for all uncleanness; So an idle man is a fit subject for Satan to work upon; he knows God cannot endure idleness, but punished it in the men of Sodom, Gen. Ezek. 16. 49. 19 24. and the men of Laish, judg. 18. 27. And wise men in all ages have condemned it. Cato by nature's light tells jomines ●ihil again ●o, discunt ●alo agere. us that men by doing nothing learn to do evil: and Themistocles termed idleness, the Tomb or grave of such as are alive; and said, that there was little difference between an idle man and one that is dead, for none of them do any good. Therefore the ancient Romans would not suffer men to walk in the Streets, unless they carried their manual instruments with them; all which shows how they hated idleness. When men are idle, then Satan hath most advantage against them. When David was walking 2 Sam▪ 11. upon the roof of his house, than Satan stirred up lust in his heart, and made him go to his neighbour's bed, and so caused the name of God to be blasphemed: so that hence we may conclude, that the end of laziness, is the beginning of lewdness▪ When Satan finds his house empty, tennantlesle; no marvel if he make it a cage for all filthiness. Satan cannot find this emptiness in the children of God, for their hearts are filled with the grace of God's Spirit; faith stands as a Porter armed with the sword of the Spirit, which drives back all the temptations of the Devil. The next thing that moved Satan to make his reentry is, he finds the house swept; what a swept house is you have partly heard, how that a little counterfeit repentance will not serve the turn to get out the dirt and filth which is baked and seated in nature. A house that is made foul and filthy, by much resort of people, will not be made clean 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 be cleansed and purged from the corruption of sin, with the beasome of counterfeit repentance; but the sharp knife of the law must be set on work, there must be a searching of the heart, a ploughing up of the fallow ground, there must be a mortifying of the fruits of the flesh, there must be a de 〈…〉 of ourselves in our profits, plea 〈…〉 s and delights; a little crying of God mercy will not serve the turn, 〈◊〉 there must be an aggravation of 〈…〉 e by circumstances, sin must be amplified in regard of the means that we had to resist it, if we had had grace to use them aright; therefore when we have failed in using our spiritual weapons, than we must condemn ourselves, and take a holy revenge upon our nature, which did in●ice us to such and such sins. We Luk▪ 1●. must do as Mary Magdalen did, she had abused her eyes to wantonness, and her hair to pride; therefore upon her repentance she took revenge of herself; she made her eyes, a fountain of tears to wash her Saviour's feet, and her hair a towel to wipe them; so must we, if we have offended by gluttony, or drunkenness, we must bring under our bodies, by fasting and humiliation. Thus did David when he had sinned against his neighbour in giving way to sinful lusts and uncleanness: so when he had desired to drink of the waters of Bethleem, 1 Chro. 11, 18. and after he did see it was brought with the jeopardy of the lives of his three Worthies, than he took a holy revenge of himself; he would not drink of it, but poured 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 Books, Act. 19, 19, that were dear unto them, for a revenge upon themselves for their sin; by which they shown, 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 quickly, but he is not so soon made happy again. Esau suddenly lost his birthright, but he could not gain the blessing with many tears. A swept house will not serve the turn, it must be a sorrowful and contrite heart that God delights to dwell in. Let us then set upon our sins, and up with them by the roots; down with pride, covetousness, and all manner of sin that offends God and grieves our neighbour; else we are but deceitful hypocrites, and garnished and swept houses for Satan. If swept houses will not serve the Use. turn, then how may we bewail our times, wherein so many slovens delight themselves in all manner of sin and profaneness? How many are there to be found in our days, that think it an easy matter to be saved? But brethren deceive not yourselves, these filthy souls which have been defiled with so many sins, will not be so easily cleansed. We have many ways defiled ourselves with vain and unsanctified thoughts, many foul and unsavoury words have proceeded out of our mouths; and doth not this show that we have filthy souls? Again, how many lewd and sinful acts have we committed and do commit from time to time? and will a small repentance make amends for all these transgressions? No, no, there must be striving and pressing to enter in at the strait gate. The Luk. 13, 24. kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take in by force. But alas! how many of us sit still, sporting ourselves 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 sins, and persuaded to amend their lives, they will give good words, and wish that they could do as they should, but how few of many are willing to pluck up their sins by the roots? Many will use the broom of repentance in sweeping the house of their soul lightly and superficially; but they will leave still behind their evil customs and wicked habit of sin which cleaveth fast to them, and is as dear as their right eye. We see by experience, that many griping Usurers will hate adultery, make conscience of swearing and forswearing, etc. these cobwebs they will sweep away; but for the filthy habit, and wicked trade of Usury, because it is a gainful sin, and brings them an easy life, the broom shall not come so fare. So again, many Adulterers (though well moneyed) hate Usury, because it is unlawful and condemned by God, Psal. 15. Ezek. 18: but for adultery their beloved sin, this dirt, this filth must remain unswept. The like may be said of all other sins. Thus hypocrites will indent with God as if he kept a court of Faculties, to dispense with their darling, their beloved sins, which they are loath to forgo. But brethren mark (I pray you) the policy of Satan: If he can keep but one corner in this spiritual temple, it shall suffice him, he knows how to keep possession well enough; but brethren deceive not yourselves, if the devil have any part in your heart, God will have none, he will not admit of a Corrival; he will be, aut Caesar aut nihil, he will have the whole, or else let the devil take all; therefore learn we to use violence against our beloved sins, and let the devil have no crevisses to look into our hearts, lest he circumvent and surprise us before we are ware, as he hath and doth many, deceiving them daily with outward shows and the leaves of religion, without substance and through-reformation of the heart; but if we will be a swept house for the Lord, we must cast away all our sins; outward shows will not delight him, he cannot endure a devil in samuel's Mantle. It is garnished. The house swept and garnished, is a similitude borrowed from the use and custom of men, who delight to have all things handsome, clean and comely, when they are to entertain their friends. But the devil he delights in no such matter, this unclean spirit he delights in all manner of filthiness, and all manner of ungodliness, nothing pleaseth him better. The beastly drunkard, the abominable swearer, the lustful talker, the filthy liver; these men are garnished houses for him; These men are as a princely palace for him to domineer in. When men have bidden farewell to God and all godliness, than they are fit houses for him, when the fear of God is choked in men's hearts, and the remembrance of God's judgements is not before their eyes. When the house is swept from all godinesse and virtue, & garnished with the damnable sins of swearing, lying, & all manner of wickedness then behold these are trimmed houses for Satan to roost in. Satan delights to have his house garnished, that thereby he might seem God's Ape; for God will have his house garnished, saith the Apostle: For this is the will of God, even our 1 Thess. 4, sanctification, that every one should know how to possess his vessel in holiness and honour. God will have the beams of his house Cedar, and the Galleries fir; he will have sanctification for the groundwork, & holiness of life for the ornament; So the devil, he will have his house garnished also, but the beams of his house, are the ugly works of darkness, and the galleries sin and all manner of profaneness. Now if he can get this house whited over with a counterfeit it show of Religion, than this is a house well trimmed and garnished for him to dwell in. Satan will allow his servants sometime to make show of sanctity, that thereby they may do the more mischief; and to pretend Religion in show, that they may act wickedness in substance. He is loath to discourage his servants, therefore he will gratify them a little, & sometime give them the bridle in their hands. Thus he was contented Abimelech should entertain Abraham in the best of his land, and that judas should be Christ's disciple; he cared not, seeing he could allure the one to Adultery, and persuade the other to betray his Master. If he can allu●● any to the love of any one sin ●en he is well enough. Satan de●●es with sinful men as Pharaoh did with the Israelits, when he was compelled by the judgement of God to let them go; then he would have some pawn to remain in his hand: go, saith he, and sacrifice to the Lord your God, but leave your sheep and your cattles behind you. What, had Pharaoh any need of their goods? No no, it was not their goods that he aimed at, he had a further reach. He knew that the jews were covetous and worldly minded, and therefore if they should be punished with want in the Wilderness; he knew they would remember their cattles in Egypt, and quickly come back again for them. So Satan deals with those he hath a long time kept in bondage, if at any time he be commanded by Moses and Aaron, that is, by the powerful preaching of God's word, to let the Lords people go, and come out of the Egypt of their sins, and to travel in the desert of repentance; then how many blocks and hindrances doth he cast, how many storms doth he raise to discourage them, and to hinder them in their journey to the Celestial Canaan? And if he cannot hinder us, than he labours to make our minds wander after our profits and pleasures: but as Moses and Aaron were resolute, that they would not leave any of their goods behind them to please the King, but were resolved to obey the Lords command: so must we when God calls unto us to come out of sin, we must not retain any of them to please Satan, but must keep the temples of our bodies pure, that they may be a garnished house for the Lord to dwell, by his Spirit. He finds it garnished. We have heard how a garnished house pleases Satan, and how an hypocrite may be said to be a garnished house: we will (notwithstanding all that hath been said) spend a little more time in examining what is meant by the word (Garnished:) by the garnished house, we may not unfitly understand also the occasions of sin, for the occasions of sin are Satan's ●aites, whereby he is invited to make reentry: therefore the Apostle would ●ave us not only abstain from sin, but also from the appearance of evil. 1 Thes. 5, 22. If we cast out sin, and do not cast but the occasions of sin, we leave a Pignus a●ud damonem relinquimus. pledge in the devil's hands, which he knoweth we will at one time or other return back to fetch again, and then he will surely hold us captived. Take heed then of the occasions of sin, for ●t is the occasion that makes the thief. Occasio faecit furem. If by the mercy of God, thou hast repent thee of thy sins, take heed of the occasions of sin. Hast thou been a whoremaster? Now take heed of wanton company, alluring harlots, lascivious talking, amorous songs, wanton pictures, idleness and the ●ike, which are occasions of sin. If ●hou hast forsaken the damnable custom of swearing, and by the mercy of God, hast bound thy tongue to the good behaviour, shun also the company of profane swearers. If thou have forsaken the beastly sin of drunkenness, abandon also thy boon companions, for the occasions of sin are the devil's baits, which he lays to ensnare silly souls. Iron is hard, yet at last fire will dissolve it; so a holy man by familiarity with sinners, will quickly be brought to sin. It fares with our corrupt nature as it doth with a little fire, which though it be almost out, yet a little Gunpowder or Brimstone will revive it and make it flash out again; so every little occasion will make a godly man break out into sin. Familiarity with sinners giveth occasion to sin. See this in joseph a holy and Familiaritas saepe occasionem dedit. godly man, his mistress could not allure him to folly; but yet the profane Courtiers of Pharaoh quickly taught him to lie and dissemble, and to swear by the life of Pharaoh. How Gen. 44. quickly did the daughters of Moab entice the Children of Israel to sin, for which the judgement of God broke out upon many thousands of ●em. Our nature is like unto dry Num▪ 25. 1. ●ood, which is apt to kindle as soon ●s fire is put to it. Occasion is the way Occasio●nim iter est quod ducit ad peccatum. ●hat leadeth unto sin. There needs ●o devil to tempt us, for if any occa●on be offered, we are ready to tempt ●ur selves. Thus Moses knew well Nem● l●ditur nisi ace. ●nough, therefore when the people ●ad committed Idolatry with the golden calf which Aaron had made, Eoxd. 32. ●e burnt it in the fire, and ground it ●o powder, and strewed the ashes upon the water, and then made the people drink it. He would not have any remembrance left which might put them in mind of their former Idolatry. When godly Hezekiah saw that the people burned incense to the brazen 2 King. 18, 4. serpent (though it were made by God's appointment) yet when it was abused by Idolatry he broke it in pieces and called it Nehushtan, a piece of Brass. Our Savious Christ teacheth us, that if our right eye offend us, we must Matth. 18, 19 pluck it out. In many places of Scripture we find, how careful the Saints have been, to shun the occasions of sin. job to prevent Adultery, made job 31, 1. a covenant with his eyes, that he would not look upon a maid. Happy had it been for David if he had done the like. Solomon to prevent drunkenness, would not have men look upon Pro, 23, the wine in the Cup when it is red: and to prevent gluttony, would have men offer a knife to their throat. Paul when he had received a commission from the high priests to persecute all that call on the name of the Lord jesus, and to bring them bound back to jerusalem. But being converted Act. 9, 19, from heaven and made a chosen vessel to carry the Lords name before the gentiles; see how careful he was to shun the occasions which might cool his zeal, and hinder him in his holy intendments; he did not go back to the High priests which had set him a work, for they would have befooled him, as they did the soldiers which they sent to apprehend Christ, What, will you be one of his disciples? which he knew well enough; therefore he joins himself to the Disciples, that he might be the more strengthened in the knowledge of God. So Abraham the Father of the faithful, having received God's commandment, to offer in sacrifice his Son, his only Son, the Son of the promise; he did not consult with flesh and blood, Gen. 22, 2. nor with his wife Sarah, but early in the morning to prevent any occasion that might hinder him, he makes himself ready to obey God's Commandment. When Peter, Matth. 27. that godly man, had denied his Master in the High priests Hall amongst those wicked servants, when he came to the sight of his sin, he fled away out of their company, as if it had been for his life. So when joseph was tempted to Adultery by his unclean Mistress, he shuns the occasion by rushing out of her presence; whose practice and example teacheth Mora dat vires. the godly to take heed of the occasion of sin, and to stop the course thereof in the beginning, least by entertaining them, they are plunged over head and ears in sin before they are ware. One sin draws Non Solum gravia sed et lev●a peccata sunt cavenda, Multa enim levia unum grande efficient Bernard. on another, and great sins spring out of small occasions; be careful then to avoid the least occasion of sin, lest it usher on a greater: and the occasions of sin, also the garnishing of the house for this unclean spirit to roost in. Then how may we lament the carelessness of many in our age, that are so fare from shunning the occasions of sin, as that they lay themselves open to all manner of temptations, and so become dangerous instruments for Satan to tempt others to sin; like Thamar that sat in the highway Gen. 38, to tempt judah her father in law to whoredom; and like the whorish woman which saluted the young man Pro. 7, 13, in a bold and wanton manner, and to entice him to take his fill of love with her. But let us learn to stop the course of sin in the beginning, and to crucify the flesh, with the lusts thereof, and to say with the spouse in the Canticles, I have put off my coat, Cant. 5, 3. how shall I put it on again? I have washed Qui minima asperni●cadit in maiora. Peccatum nullum adeo par●um est quod non cres●at neglectum. August. de vera & falsa penitentia cap. 8. Flumina magna vi●es parvi● de fontibu● orta. Ovid. my feet, how should I defile them again? If God have washed thee by his Spirit, and pulled from thee the filthy rags of sin, take heed of alluring objects. For he that despiseth small sins, doth easily fall into greater. For there is no sin so little, but if it be neglected it will increase. The drops of rain are but little in quantity, yet they cause great floods which bears all before them. We see by experience that little Parva scintell● c●ntempta, magnum excitavit incendium. Qu●t, Curt. Ephe. 4, 19, sparks of fire neglected, cause great burning. Therefore if we would not commit sin with greediness, let us learn to take heed of the beginnings of sin. If there be nothing but a a little dust in our Chamber, a broom will sweep it away: but if the dirt and filth be hard and baked on, there must be a spade to dig it out: so if sin be resisted at the first, it will not easily grow and increase. We must not give sin entertainment, lest it prove our ruin. As men are careful to kill Serpents in the shell, Ravens in the nest, so must we do with our sins: we must strangle them in the birth, and not suffer them to grow to perfection; else if we do not, we shall remain a garnished house for Satan. Motives to induce us to shun the occasions of sin. Nature hath made the creatures careful to prevent bodily danger. The horse that hath been plunged in a Quagmire, will not easily come into it again, but will shun it with all his might. The fish which hath been Ictus Pisci● fugit hamum. wounded with the hook, will warily shun the bait. Then if the creatures by nature's light shun the occasions of danger, what a shame is it for man which hath not only nature's light, but also is endued with reason, and hath the light of God's word to be a Lantern to his feet and a light to his steps, if he do not shun the occasions of sin? And thus much for Satan's entertainment; he finds his house empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he and taketh with himself Vers. 45. seven other spirits, more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first. In these words we may observe Satan's policy, to fortify himself, he increases his strength; his confederates are here described: 1. By their essence, they are spirits. 2. By their number, they are seven. 3. By their malice, they are more wicked. 4. By their victory, they prevail; they enter in and take possession. 5. The issue and event, the lamentable estate of that man is not only miserable, but it is worse than the first. The enemies that strive for possession are spirits, and so unresistable; they come in the suggestion of unrighteousness, and if we consent unto them, than we entertain them. When Ananias and judas consented to the wicked motions that the devil inspired into them, the devil is said to fill the hearts of the one, Act. 3. and to enter into the other, Luk. 22. 3. So all those that walk in evil, evil hath possession of them. But it may be replied and said; Quest. What man is there that doth not sin, and so give place to the devil? Ans. In many things we sinne all, and 1. joh. 1, 8. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Yet the devil dwelleth not alike in all; for those which with consent of heart entertain his suggestions, he hath full hold 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 Satan get advantage, as he will be restless in his temptations, as you have heard; so he will be in his torments; he will spare none, old nor young; as you may see, Luk. 9 39 42. and if he be so cruel to children, which for want of knowledge have done him no hurt, how cruel will he be to those which have set themselves against him? He taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked. The spirits are described by their number, they are seven; which is a certain number put for an uncertain, by which is meant a number of capital sins. These Devils are lestlesse; when Satan entered into judas, he gave him no rest, till he had betrayed his Master; he called and alured him by covetousness, to get the money, and when he had it, he stirred up such storms in his conscience that he could not be at rest, till he had hanged himself. These spirits are more wicked than the former, because they make those whom they possess more wicked: and sin may be increased and made more wicked and that in diverse respects, and that, 1. In the greatness of the mercy offered; thus judas his sin in betraying his Master, was worse than the jews in conspiring his death. judas had many watchwords to take heed of the treason, and yet for all this, he would not rest till he had brought the blood of his Saviour upon his own soul. Sin 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 sins of Elies' sons was greater than the peoples, because they should have exceeded them in holiness. 2. Sin is aggravated in regard of the tenderness of God's love, without any difference of respect or desert. God invites all weary and Math. 11▪ 28. Esa, 55, ● heavy laden souls To come unto him; again, Every one that thirsteth; and hath made a firm promise that they shall not come in vain: I will ease you, Math. 11▪ 29. and you shall find rest to your souls; 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 vain. And therefore he laments the folly of men, that they will neglect grace when it is offered. O that they were wise, that they understood ●ut, 32, this, that they would consider ●l, 8, 13, their latter end! Now when the patience ●, 48, 18, and mercy of God is thus neglected and abused, sin is augmented, and this sottish negligence is inexcusable, because they do reject such gracious favour when it is offered. 3. Sin is made worse in respect of the time: Thus to sport and play, and follow our worldly business upon the Lord's day, is a great sin, because the time is holy, and aught to be employed in his service; which must be an item to victuallers and Inhoulders, that they do not set open their doors, to receive idle companions to drink and tipple in their houses, when God's house stands open to receive his servants to hear his word; Else if they do, they open their doors to the contempt of God's ordinance. 4. Sin is made worse in regard of the place: for swearing and fight in a Church or Church-yard, is worse than in a Tavern or other place; for God will have even the skirt of his Sanctuary kept holy. Levit. 19▪ 30, Then out of the premises we may conclude, that if sin may be augmented in regard of circumstances, then by the same reason seven new spirits may make a sinner more wicked than he was when the first left him. The more means any one hath to escape the snares of the devil, the greater shall be their punishments, if they neglect the means to escape them. Then he taketh to him seven spirits worse than the former. Hence than we may learn, that there is a difference of sins, sinners, and consequently of punishments. The first was said to be an unclean spirit; yet the latter are seven worse. Sin is very fruitful, how many Quot cri● mina tot demon●●. evils therebe so many devils. There is always a fruitful crop ●ccati fru●fera seget. ●●. de mor●l. of sin; If covetousness be rooted up, lust springeth up; if lust be vanquished, ambition succeedeth, and so one sin follows another, hand in hand, according to the Proverb, An evil weed grows apace. Now these sins increase from one degree of comparison unto another, and creepeth like a Canker which cometh to maturity by degrees. Sin getteth strength by committing as figures in Arithmetic by numbering. 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. ●atth. 5, Anger without cause is liable to judgement: Exasperating gestures, to the punishment of a Counsel; but railing speeches are worthy of hell fire. judas was first a cunning dissembler. Secondly, a close fisted thief. Thirdly, a bloody traitor. And lastly, which is worst of all, a desperate reprobate. But I would not so be understood, as if I did lessen and extenuate sin, for The wages of sin is Rom. 6, 23. death; yet some sins shall feel the ●orments of death more than other. Ba●abas murder was great, but judas villainy in betraying his Master was grea●er; in so much, that it had been good ●or him, if he had never been borne. If sin be so fruitful, and be increased Use. by circumstances, then let it ●e our wisdom, in time, to root ●p those plants, whose increase is so dangerous, and whose sap is so venomous. About holy matters, let all In rebus sacris nulla sit deliberatio. Cyp. delay be absent. Secondly, seeing sin proceedeth from footing to roo●ing, and from rooting unto shooting forth to increase; let us weaken the ability of sin, by taking away the ●rops and sustainements of sin. If ●he currents and passages be stopped, ●hat leadeth to a Lake, it will at ●ast be dried up; take away the props and foundation of a house, and it will at last fall of itself. So sin if it be not cherished, will quickly be extinguished. But if men will not make use of the means and mercies God hath given them to withstand sin▪ but will give the reines unto their affections, to wallow in sin, with greediness, not resting till they have gone through Genera singulorum the kinds of all sins, and Singula generum the particulars of all those kinds; leaving if it were possible no sin for others to commit, retaining still Voluntatem peccandi a will of sinning, though for age or sickness they have not facultatem peccare, ability to sin; yet for all this, they are willing to engross it into their own hands: such men deserve to be given up to a reprobate sense, and to be pestered with seven spirits more wicked than the former. God will severely revenge himself upon unthankful persons that abuse his grace and mercy, and squares out his judgements according to the proportion of the blessing conferred and abused. As the seven spirits are the re●ard of him that makes much of one ●ad and unclean one; so are seven ●ood spirits bestowed on him that ●seth one good spirit well. God ●ownes his own graces in his chil●en, and when he finds thankfulness for his mercies, he opens his ●and wider: he is delighted to see ●is graces flourish and increase in his children, therefore he that is righteous, let him be righteous still, and Revel, 2, 11, ●ee that is holy, let him be holy still. God delights to have his graces increased; Then if we stand still or ●oe backward in the practice of piety, ●e may fear the doom of the unprofitable servant that hide his talon ●n a napkin, whose sentence was to ●e bound hand and foot, and to be ●ast into utter darkness. God cannot endure drones in his service, but will have his grow more and more therefore those which are dull scholars in his school, may justly fear● that they are in the number of thos● whom he hath rejected; for if he ha● had a love to them, he would hav● increased his graces in them. Th● Apostle exhorted godly Timothy, t● stir up the gifts of God that wer● in him, 2 Tim. 1. 6. intimating unto us▪ that the graces of God's spirit, are like unto fire, and fire will quickly be extinguished, unless it be cherished and blown up. Satan labours by all means to blow out the fire of our zeal, and therefore we must use al● means to keep it burning; else the more inexcusable we are, if we have experience of his policy, and have no grace to resist it. And they enter in, and dwell there, Vers. 45. and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Hear we may see the miserable estate of a careless and secure sinner: for want of watchfulness Satan en●ers in, and gains possession without ●ny resistance. God hath provided ● complete armour for to defend his children, as you may see described, Ephe. 6. 14. 15. 16. Stand therefore, ha●aving your loins girt about with truth, ●nd having on the breastplate of righteousness: And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. Above ●ll, take the shield of faith, wherewith ye ●hall be able to quench all the fiery darts ●f the wicked. This armour is firm, ●and able to secure those that buckle it ●on, from all dangers, if they will play the men and quit themselves valiantly; but this backslider hath not a piece of it to ward off the least blow. Satan is a cunning fencer, which knows how to handle his weapons, but this silly wretch hath never a weapon to defend himself, and offend his enemy; but is like an unwalled City, exposed to the malice of his enemy. No marvel then if these foul spirits enter in & take possession, seeing there is no opposition made to resist them, nor desire to repel them. His misery now follows: They enter in and dwell there. They that are fallen from common graces and illumination, are twice more subject to Satan than they were before. He dwelleth in them Non tanquam corpus locatum in loco, as the Philosophers say, as a body seated in a place; for the Devils are spirits, and not contained in any place. Nor yet Tanquam forma in materia, as the soul doth dwell in the body; but the devil's dwelling is by his power and operation. He dwelleth in them by working in them. Would you know what he works? The Philosopher saith, Omne agens sibi simile agit. Every Agent worketh like himself, that is, he maketh them as proud, cruel, envious, and unclean as himself. Would you know how he works in them? Satan cannot compel or enforce any man to wickedness; yet he is able to work upon the affections, and by a spiritual power to dar●en the minds of the ungodly, That ●he light of the Gospel of Christ should not 2 Cor, 4, 4, ●hine unto them, 2 Cor. 4. 4. Hardening ●heir hearts, that being past feeling, they ●ight give themselves over unto lasci●iousnesse Ephe, 4, 19, to work all uncleanness with greediness. Hardening their hearts from ●he fear of God's judgements, and so trea●ure Rom, 2, 5, up wrath against the day of wrath. Satan sets an edge upon the affection's, and stirs them up to desire and ●oe evil. Thus he makes the wedge ●f gold glister in the covetous man's ●ght, the red wine in the glass plea●ant to the drunkard's sight: As he ●ets a false varnish upon sin, so also ●e makes the way of virtue hard and ●npleasant, so that where Satan doth ●ule and reign, there he is said to ●well. The Lord defend us from his ●ower, that he may never dwell so among us, for he is an unreasonable guest, he will not be gone till he hath eaten his Landlord out of house and home. They enter in and dwell there. There is room enough in an hypocrites heart for many sins; Marry Magdalen had seven, but this wretch hath eight. Absalon had pride, treason, ambition, incest, and ingratitude; all these lodged in a small piece of flesh. He that will carefully observe how much filthiness our blessed Lord discovers lodged in one heart, which sends out evil thoughts, Murders, Matth. 15, 19 Adulteries, Fornication, Theft false witness bearing, Blasphemies; cannot but wonder, how so small a thing could contain, so great a quantity; yet here we see that innumerable sins are involved in one man. The devils know that a kingdom divided, cannot stand, and therefore they are quiet among themselves. Would God the factious spirits of our age would consider this; then there would not be so much contention for things indifferent, as there is. The last state of that man is worse than the first. His state was bad enough before, but now it is worse, by reason of the strong possession he had; but one devil before, but now he hath eight; which will the sooner work out his damnation. The last state of such a man is worse than the former, and that in a threefold respect: 1. Of the Devils. 2. Of the Sinner. 3. Of God. 1 In respect of the devil, who now will use him worse than before; he let him enjoy his pleasures and his vanities before; but seeing him in any good mood, he fears lest he get from him; he cannot endure that a man should repair to the place of God's worship or converse with good company; he knows, the power of the word and godly conference are to convert a desperate sinner; therefore if he can find his opportunity, he will remove him from all means whereby he might be saved; and harden his heart, and dead his affections, till he hath plunged him under the wrath of God unrecoverablie. 2. His state is worse in regard of himself, while he was mantled under the garment of piety, and was clothed with the lamb skin of outward profession, so long he enjoyed a good estimation among the godly, and enjoyed the benefit of their prayers: but when his counterfeit holiness appears to be double wickedness, as before his hypocrisy deceived the world, so now his Apostasy hath deceived himself; therefore his estate is worse. As before he did but counterfeit his repentance, so now he hath got not only a whore's forehead that he cannot blush; but also, jer. 3. 3. he hath gotten a brazen face, that he can no more blush, than a black dog. 3. His estate is the worse in respect of God, who will turn him out of his protection: when God seethe that he esteems the dung, husk and trash of this world above him; then he forsaketh his dwelling being so injuriously used, and will not let his providence any longer take charge of him, but let him wallow in his sins with all greediness; and so, the further he goes from God's mercy, the nearer he comes unto his justice. God cannot endure backeslyding, but will severely punish it. Carnal men, they think nothing of the slacking of their zeal, but God accounts it as a grievous thing; if any draw back, his soul shall have no pleasure in him, Heb. 10. 38. Nebuchadnezzers Dan, 4, fall was great when he was stripped of his Empire, and in stead of ruling men, was turned into the Wilderness to live among the beasts; but Apostates and backeslyders, they go from the society with the godly, to wicked Atheists worse than beasts; yea to the company of devils. Nabuchadnezzar for all his fall, had a stump Vers. 13. left in the ground, which after seven years should sprout out again, and so should return to a better estate than he had before; but those that are revolters and backsliders, have no stumps at all left in the ground but are unrecoverable. For if we sinne willingly, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for Heb. 10. 26, 27. sins, but a fearful looking for of judgements and fiery indignation. Nothing doth so provoke the vengeance of God against men as Apostasy doth. For a man to fall from riches to poverty, from honour to abasement, is a matter of nothing; God loves a man never the worse for his abasement in the world, as may be seen in job on the dunghill, or Lazarus at the rich man's gate; but when a man falls from piety to profaneness, from the society with the Saints, to be companions with devils; this is a lamentable thing. Against these men the Lord complains, because they have changed their glory jer. ●. 11. for that which doth not profit. Therefore he tells them, Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reproove thee; know therefore and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou baste forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts. How fearful was judas fall, to come Vers. 19 from a Preacher to be a Traitor? Demas from a gospeler to be a worldling? So fearful is the case of all those which have entered into the way of Godliness and have made a good beginning, and yet leave off the race in the midds; such men as they are not worthy of the crown, so also they disgrace not only themselves, but also the godly, and procure to them great reproach. For when a man falls from the profession of the truth, the world sees he was but a painted hypocrite when he was at the best; hence it comes to pass that they lose their honour, and their glory is turned into shame. And if shame rested upon them alone, it were well; but their falls opens the mouths of profane men to insult and triumph and say, These are your professors, and Scripture men, they are as bad as any are; therefore I will trust none of them, for such a man's sake. Now if the spies which brought an evil report upon the land of Canaan, were never suffered to enter into the land because they discouraged the people; so the Apostate because he hath laid a stumbling block in Gods children's way, deserves to be shut out of the Lords rest, whereof the land of Canaan was a type. Thus you have seen the fearfulness of sin, let us now make application of it to ourselves. Is the decay of grace in the soul Use. the greatest decay, and to fall from religion the greatest fall, because the things that are lost, are the most precious, and the ruins of the soul which is the most noble and excellent, produces dishonour to God, and shame to religion? then what a controversy hath the Lord with many of us which with the Church of Ephesus have forsaken our first love? How many are there to be found which formerly have shined like the morning stars by their bright profession, which now are turned retrograde like wand'ring Planets, and so their glory hath ended in shame, because like the foolish Galathians, they began in the spirit, and ended in the flesh. If a righteous man turn from his righteousness & committeth iniquity, all his righteousness shall be forgotten, Ezek. 18. 24. Lot's wife, had been as good have stayed in Sodom, as to have gone out and be turned into a pillar of salt for looking back. 2. Seeing the sin of Apostasy is so dangerous, then be exhorted all ye that fear God, if ye would not have a great and shameful fall, then take direction from jude the servant of jesus Christ, to Build up yourselves in your ●de 20: most holy faith, striving every day to be better and better, for we are like a boat that goes against the stream; if we do not labour with might and main, to row upward, we shall be carried by the stream of our affections downward; therefore if we would receive the crowns of life, we must continue faithful unto the death. For he that continueth unto the end shall ●evel. 2, 10. ●ath. 24, ●3. he saved. Therefore in the compass of our profession we must go a puncto ad punctum, from point to point, from Alpha to Omega, from the first to the last. Let us dig deep and lay a good foundation, that we may be able to ●ould out when the storms of poverty, affliction, disgrace and contempt beat upon us. For these many times come like a wirlewinde, and will be ready to overturn us, if we be not well grounded; therefore that we may stand fast, make use of these or the like directions. 1. Be careful to avoid the least sin, lest it usher in a greater; for sin and Satan, as you have heard, wind themselves in by some small temptations, till at the last like the sores of the body, which at first are vicious humours, than swelling tumours, and after that impostumate, and so become uncurable; so the sores of sins wax greater and greater till they breed & bring eternal death: therefore when thou art fallen, think of our Saviour's counsel; remember whence Revel. 2, thou art fallen, repent and amend, confess your sins daily and crave pardon for them. Let a man turn by Redcat h●●o ●er quotidian●●●menta unde corruit per van● d●lecta ment●, Aug. de temp. Ser. 182. daily lamentations, to that from which he is fallen, by vain delectation. Take heed of lukewarmness in religion, and of backsliding. If Christ have washed thee in his blood, bathed thee in his wounds, and cured thee with his stripes, and took off this burden from thy shoulders; take heed of lading thyself again by new transgressions, but if thou be made whole, sinne no more, lest a worse thing happen joh, 5, 14, unto thee. 2. Take heed of sin in general, so in a special manner; take heed of vilifying the work of grace that shines in God's servants, and is made evident to your consciences by the word or work of God. This was the fearful sin of the jews, that daily saw the divine power of Christ shining in their consciences, yet they did oppose themselves against him, and charged him that he borrowed help of the devil, and that he cast out devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils. 3. Take heed of in constancy in religion, and of time-serving. Some think that if they be young Saints, they may prove old devils; therefore they slack their zeal in youth, to conform themselves to the time, and resolve to be more religious in their old age; but we see such flutter with Noah's Raven, and hardly recover themselves again: but if we find our affections running with an irregular motion, let us stay ourselves, and make a league with religion, as Ruth did with Naomi, resolve never to part. 4. What virtue soever you find in the Saints, endeavour to imitate, and what God reveals unto you, be careful to practise; God looks that his talents should be employed to his glory, therefore let not your knowledge swim idly in your brains for vain speculation, but let it be fruitful in your lives for others imitation. 5. Labour for the Spirit of prayer and supplication, for this is an invincible bulwark against Satan's darts; Crave daily the Lords assistance, and commit your souls unto him daily in well doing, and daily examine your heart by the rule of God's word, by which try whether you have faith to believe God's promises, & if you have it will make you careful to obey his Commandments; thus he that keeps the fort of faith towards God, and a clear conscience towards the world, Satan may assault him, but shall never Oppugnat diaboluine●●●●ugnal. subdue him; for whosoever can practise these directions shall be sure to stand fast and firm. The application doth now follow, Even so shall it be to this wicked generation. We have at large shown you God's mercy to the jews, and their ingratitude to him again, and that God hath paid them home, and made them spectacles of his wrath, for all ages to look upon; therefore we will leave them unto G●ds mercy, and in his good time to open their eyes, that they may behold their crucified Saviour, and see what may make for their everlasting good; and apply this doctrine to our own souls. If I should begin to number the mercies the Lord hath continued unto the Land in general, I might spend much time and yet not report the one half; of an infinite number take a few. We were all possessed with the spirit of blindness, as other nations were, and were tempted to as much uncleanness as ever the Pagans were; but yet it pleased the Lord to expel the darkness of Popery, and to send the light of the Gospel amongst us, which we have enjoyed in peace and purity, this threescore and thirteen years; so that we have had peace within our walls, and prosperity within our palaces, and no complaining in our streets. And by the powerful preaching of the Gospel, Satan this unclean spirit hath been cast out of us; now let us take heed lest he creep into us again by hypocrisy, and unthankfulness for the Lords mercies; and so make us think that our religion stands in shows, and consists in outward formality, lest we abusing the Lords mercies, and grow lean and ill favoured after we have devoured so many years of store and plenty under the powerful preaching of the word, we arm our enemy against us, who regaining entrance, brings seven spirits worse than he did before, and so fortify his habitation with hypocrisy and other foul sins (for our unthankfulness for the Lords mercies) and then there shall be more profaneness than there was before. But that this fearful judgement may not overtake us, let us speedily amend our lives, and turn to the Lord with all our hearts; and then our latter end shall be better ●han our beginning. Walafridus Strabo, lib. de rebus Ecclesiasticis. Siquid in hoc (Lector) placet, assignare memento. ●d Domino: quicquid displicet, hocce mihi. What here is good, to God ascribed be, What is infirm, belongs of right to me. FINIS.