Ans In many things wee sinne all and 1. Ioh. 1 8. If we say we have no sinne wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Yet the divell dwelleth not alike in all for those which with consent of heart entertaine his suggestions hee hath full hould of them but the godly when they give place to him through infirmity they let him come into the Suburbs and out places but Christ by his Spirit dwelleth in their hearts by faith from which he forces him to retire As for the wicked if Sathan get advantage as hee will be restlesse in his temptations as you have heard so hee will be in his torments hee will spare none old nor young as you may see Luk. 9. 39. 42. and if hee be so cruell to children which for want of knowledge have done him no hurt how cruell will hee be to those which have set themselves against him He taketh with him seaven other spirits more wicked The spirits are described by their number they are seaven which is a certaine number put for an uncertaine by which is meant a number of capitall sinnes These Divells are lestlesse when Sathan entred into Iudas he gave him no rest till hee had betrayed his Master hee called and allured him by covetousnesse to get the money and when hee had it he stirred up such stormes in his conscience that hee could not be at rest till he had hanged himselfe These spirits are more wicked than the former because they make those whom they possesse more wicked and sinne may be increased and made more wicked and that in divers respects and that 1. In the greatnesse of the mercy offered thus Iudas his sinne in betraying his Master was worse than the Iewes in conspiring his death Iudas had many watchwords to take heede of the treason and yet for all this hee would not rest till hee had brought the blood of his Saviour upon his owne soule Sinne is increased in regard of the mercy offered How shall we escape if we neglect so great Heb. 2 3 1 Sam. 2 17. salvation Thus the sinnes of Elies sonnes was greater than the peoples because they should have exceeded them in holinesse 2. Sinne is aggravated in regard of the tendernesse of Gods love without any difference of respect or desert God invites all wearie and Math. 11 28. Esa 55 â— heavy laden soules To come unto him againe Every one that thirsteth and hath made a firme promise that they shall not come in vaine I will ease you Math. 11 29. and you shall finde rest to your soules and therefore hath sent his servants to 2 Cor. 5 29. 2 Cor. 6 entreat men to be reconciled unto God And not to receive The grace of God in vaine And therefore hee laments the folly of men that they will neglect grace when it is offered O that they were wise that they understood â—ut 32 this that they would consider â—l 8 13 their latter end Now when the patience â— 48 18 and mercy of God is thus neglected and abused sinne is augmented and this sottish negligence is inexcusable because they doe reject such gracious favour when it is offered 3. Sinne is made worse in respect of the time Thus to sport and play and follow our worldly businesse upon the Lords day is a great sinne because the time is holy and ought to be imployed in his service which must be an item to victualers and Inhoulders that they doe not set open their doores to receive idle companions to drinke and tipple in their houses when Gods house stands open to receive his servants to heare his word Else if they doe they open their doores to the contempt of Gods ordinance 4. Sinne is made worse in regard of the place for swearing and fighting in a Church or Church-yard is worse than in a Taverne or other place for God will have even the skirt of his Sanctuary kept holy Levit. 19 30 Then out of the premisses wee may conclude that if sinne may be augmented in regard of circumstances then by the same reason seaven new spirits may make a sinner more wicked than he was when the first left him The more meanes any one hath to escape the snares of the divel the greater shall be their punishments if they neglect the meanes to escape them Then hee taketh to him seaven spirits worse than the former Hence then wee may learne that there is a difference of sinnes sinners and consequently of punishments The first was said to be an uncleane spirit yet the latter are seaven worse Sinne is very fruitfull how many Quot criâ— mina tot demonâ—â— evills therebe so many divells There is alwayes a fruitfull croppe â—ccati fruâ—fera seget â—â— de morâ—l of sinne If covetousnesse be rooted up lust springeth up if lust be vanquished ambition succeedeth and so one sinne followes another hand in hand according to the Proverbe An evill weede growes apace Now these sinnes encrease from one degree of comparison unto another and creepeth like a Canker which commeth to maturity by degrees Sinne getteth strength by committing as figures in Arithmeticke by numbring The first figure standeth but for one the second for ten the third for one hundred and so increasing their value according to their places so it is in sin â—atth 5 Anger without cause is liable to judgement Exasperating gestures to the punishment of a Counsell but railing speeches are worthy of hell fire Iudas was first a cunning dissembler Secondly a close fisted theefe Thirdly a bloody traytour And lastly which is worst of all a desperate reprobate But I would not so be understood as if I did lessen and extenuate sinne for The wages of sinne is Rom. 6 23. death yet some sinnes shall feele the â—orments of death more than other Baâ—abas murther was great but Iudas vilâ—any in betraying his Master was greaâ—er in so much that it had bin good â—or him if he had never beene borne If sinne be so fruitfull and bee increased Vse by circumstances then let it â—e our wisedome in time to roote â—p those plants whose increase is so dangerous and whose sappe is so veâ—emous About holy matters let all In rebus sacris nulla sit deliberatio Cyp. delay bee absent Secondly seeing sinne proceedeth from footing to rooâ—ing and from rooting unto shooting forth to encrease let us weaken the â—bility of sinne by taking away the â—rops and sustainements of sinne If â—he currents and passages bee stopt â—hat leadeth to a Lake it will at â—ast be dryed up take away the props and foundation of a house and it will at last fall of it selfe So sinne if it be not cherished will quickly bee extinguished But if men will not make use of the meanes and mercies God hath given them to withstand sinne but will give the reines unto their affections to wallow in sinne with greedinesse not resting till they have gon
in power a spirit and in nature and condition an uncleane spirit one that for his pride and rebellion was cast out of Heaven therefore woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth for hee will doe as much mischiefe as he can he knowes his time is but short and therefore he will loose no opportunitie but will labour by all meanes to make all mankinde as filthy as himselfe Thus he made Caine swell in envie Gen 4 8. to his brother and to bathe his hands with cruelty in his blood Achan with theft Gehazi and Annanias Iosu 7. 1. 2 King 5. 22. Act. 5. 1. and his wife with lying and dissembling Thus hee defiles all men with sin and pollutes the land Ezek 23. 18. with transgressions For every sinne as it dishonours God so it holds the sinner in perpetuall bondage For whosoever committeth Iohn 8. 34. sinne is the servant of sinne Then in this bondage and Captivitie all naturall and unregenerate men remaine bound under the curse of the Law untill the custome of sinne hath taken away the sence of sinne and then this Tyrant plunges them under the curse of God before they are aware As every sinne is uncleane in the Concreat so there is a sinne called uncleannesse in the Abstract as if it were in a speciall manner breathed out of the mouth of this uncleane spirit This uncleane and filthy sinne is the sinne of Adulterie and Fornication which though it seeme a Paradise to the desire yet it is a Purgatory to the purse and a hell to the soule and dishonours the noble name of a Christian And though the wanton minions of this age extenuate it and say it is but a tricke of youth yet let them know that it is a sinne hatefull in the sight of God who will not let them goe unpunished for whoremongers and Adulterers Heb. 13. 14. God will judge But of the filthinesse and fearefulnesse of this sinne I have spoken at large in a Treatise Intituled The Worldlings looking Glasse When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none In these words is contained Sathans departure and demeanour when he is gon In his departure observe these particulars 1. The manner of his going out 2. The measure of his going out First for the manner of his going out Sathan will not depart but by compulsion for he keepes possession like a strong armed man which will not be amooved till a stronger even the strength of Israel come against him he alone and none but he can Math. 17 19 master and subdue him The disciples were unable to doe it and by his owne good will he will never depart Math. 8 29 Mark 5. 7. He loves his dwelling so well that he accounts it no lesse than a Torment to be cast out And so envious hee is to mankinde that he will never leave him till hee have brought him to destruction because he is greeved that mankinde should enjoy that happinesse he himselfe hath lost Secondly In regard of the curse that was given him in Paradise that the seede of the woman should bruise Gen. 3 15. his head Therefore he pursues mankinde with deadly hatred and implacable malice that either he may frustrate the truth of Gods word or bring mankinde into perpetuall bondage Yet for all his power and malice there is a time when he must be gon and that is when the Lord by the powerfull working of his Spirit dispelleth the blindnesse of nature and the sinfull corruptions thereof out of the hearts of his children and doeth inlighten them with the saving knowledge of himselfe This he doeth when by the ministery of the Law he convinceth their consciences of sinne and sheweth them the heynousnesse and fearefulnesse thereof and then the grievous punishments due to them for the same which are Levit. 26. Deut. 28. not onely all the plagues and punishments denounced in the Law but also the eternall torments of Hell for ever and ever And that no mortall man is able to free them from this condition no not all the world is able to make satisfaction for one soule for The Earth is the Lords and all that is Psal 24 1 therein Nay if all the Angells in Heaven should offer themselves they were unable to deliver one soule because they are ingaged to God for their creation and they were created but a finit temporarie good are not able to make satisfaction for infinite sinnes committed against the majesty of a most holy and glorious God Thus when the Lord hath 1 King 19. 11 12. brought his children to the gates of Hell and by the strong winde of his wrath hath broken their hearts and by the Earthquake of his judgement awakened their soules and by the fire of his spirit ransackt their consciences and by the ministery of his word hath plowed up the fallow ground of their hearts and by the terrours of conscience made them to despaire of salvation in respect of themselves Then he makes them to heare the still voyce of his Spirit by which he revealeth to them his infinit mercy and free grace and his eternall love to â—hem in Christ Iesus with all his meâ—its then he worketh in their soules â—aith whereby they apprehend Christ â—nd rest upon him alone for their salvation and in their judgements a wonderfull esteeme of Gods mercies and Christs merits from whence and by whom they receive and obtaine remission of all their sinnes This assurance of Gods favour worketh in their soules a hungering and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnesse and in their wills a constant resolution to rest upon him alone for justification and salvation And in the whole course of their lives a detestation and hatred of all sinne whatsoever And stirres up in them a care and conscience to use all good meanes whereby they may be assured that they shall have their part in the mercies of God and in the merits of Christ Then God joyneth them unto him as the head unto the body and then as soone as Christ is joyned to them they are made members of his body who by his Spirit reneweth their will and affections and frameth in them a spirituall life that they may serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Luk. 1. 74. all the dayes of their life Thus the Lord by these meanes casteth this uncleane spirit out of the hearts of his children so that he shall never totally regaine his former possession for it is a certaine Maxime in Philosophie that two contraries cannot stand together at one time in one and the same subject There can be no agreement betweene light and darkenesse God and Belial but when grace comes in vice must goe out When the holy Spirit taketh possession the uncleane spirit must packe away So then from the truth of the premisses wee may conclude That Sathans power must give place Doctr. to Christs This was
of the holy Ghost and yet fall away then by the same reason Sathan may bee said to goe out of a man and yet still remaine in him Therefore wheresoever we finde such phrases of Scripture as these of Sathans going out or of being made partaker of the holy Ghost and yet by the sequell of the words wee reade of their Apostacie and falling away we must not thinke that such men were ever effectually called and indued with the Spirit of God but that the Lord would have us take notice of the riches of his merâ— offered unto hypocrites in the outâ—ard meanes of salvation as the â—ord and Sacraments for the casting â—t of Sathan out of them And also â—e may see what a desperate judgeâ—ent they bring upon themselves â—hich neglect and contemne the â—eanes God offers for their delivery Mat. 23 37 â—nd this made our blessed Saviour â—ourne for the hardnesse of the Iewes â—earts that looked for a Saviour â—hich should free them out of their â—isery and when he was come to seeke â—nd to save the lost sheepe of the house of â—srael then they scorned and contemâ—ed him This uncleane spirit may bee sayd â—o farre to goe out of a man and yet â— reprobate as the good spirit of God may be said to depart from a Childe of God and yet still remaine the chosen of the Lord. That the spirit of God may seeme to depart from a Childe of God let David a man after Gods owne heart speake heâ— prayes Cast me not away from thy presence Psal 51 11. and take not thy holy Spirit froâ— mee And in another place he bewailes the absence of Gods Spirit Psal 77 8. yet for all this hee had it still For The gifts and callings of God arâ— Rom. 11 29. without repentance yet they may lyâ— hid without feeling as fire under â— heape of ashes which cannot beâ— seene or perceived till the ashes beâ— stirred so this uncleane spirit may lye hid a while till hee be stirred up by some scandalous sinne or other 2. So farre may this uncleane spirit seeme to goe out as the minde iâ— inlightned this the Apostle affirmes may be in a reprobate Hee may bee inlightned and yet fall away Seâ— this in Herod he amended many things at the Preaching of Iohn and this uncleane spirit seemed to begon out in regard of outward reformation forâ— when an hypocrite hath understanding of Gods word hee may acknowledge the truth as Balaam did and leave his sinnes for a time as Simon Magus did his Sorcery when hee beleeved and was Baptized and may humble himselfe for his sinnes as Pharaoh and Ahab did yet for all this hee may lye frozen in the dregges of his sinnes and this â—ncleane spirit may keepe possession for an hypocrite will not part with his darling sinne but rather part with his first borne yea loose his owne Micha 6 6. soule rather than leave it as may be seene by the love which Herod bare to his Herodias An hypocrite will cleave unto Christ so farre as the world will â—et him and if hee may share with him in his benefits and not bee hindred in his profits and pleasures but â—f he must part with them this is so hard a saying that they cannot abide â—t By which we may see that their obedience is but for feare of Gods â—udgements and their understanding â—s but inlightned with historicall faith which consists in quickenesse of wiâ— and plausibility of speech this faitâ— is effectuall to inlighten the understanding but not to save the soule Now so farre as this speculative faitâ— is admitted so farre this uncleane spirit is sayd to goe out God in thâ— knowledge regards not the quantitâ— so much as the quality an Hypocritâ— may exceede a childe of God in thâ— gifts of nature which God esteeme no better than shining sinnes Mistake me not I would not have knowledge vilified but rather rectified anâ— vertue added to knowledge else the gifts of nature if they be not sanctified by grace are fit preyes for the Divell 3. So farre this uncleane spirit iâ— gon out of an hypocrite as he hath received some sparckles of conversion For by the illumination of his mindâ— hee may behold the kingdome oâ— Christ to be glorious and in many degrees to exceede the glory of thâ— world This made the mother of Zebedees children thinke that if she could procure a place for her sonns that one might sit at Christs right hand and the Mat. 20 21. â—ther at his left in his kingdome shee would have beene abundantly satisfied Another thought him a happy Luk. 14. 15. man that might eate bread in the kingdome of God This also made Balaam earnestly desire to dye the death of Num. 23 10. the righteous and that his last end might be like theirs Now what may bee the reason of this that hypocrites are so ravished with the apprehension of future glory and happinesse Surely this they perceive that Gods kingdome is full of happinesse and they see a possibility of obtaining this happinesse for themselves for they have tasted of the heavenly gifts floting in their braines which makes them imbrace the Gospell and to doe many things that they are commanded therefore they hope they shall be saved On the contrary they see this sinfull world to bee full of trouble and vexation and they feare that there will bee great bitternesse in death Therefore hearing of a full deliverance by Christ from these dangers they are content to yeeld obedience to the Word but yet for want of the Ioh. 5 34 sappe of grace this abides with them but for a season And so for all their outward conformity they may bee rotten and unsound For they doe not love the truth for the truths sake but for some private ends as to gaine estimation of men and to be accounted good Common wealths men and so thought fit to live in a societie As for their desire after the Word it is either with Eve to get knowledge or with Simon Magus to make gaine of it or with the Pharisees to get a name by it for they discover themselves in the time of temptation and are either allured with the baits of prosperity or pinched with crosses and afflictions so that at last they fall away and become Apostates from the faith 4. This uncleane spirit is so farre gone out of a man as he lies hid and covered Hee may keepe his hold though he doe not shew himselfe in hostile manner he can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and will make a shew of holinesse that he may doe the more wickednesse he cares not though Abimelech entertayne Abraham and give him the best of his land if he can but make him to commit adultery with his wife Hee cares not though Iudas become a Disciple and a professor of Christ if he can fill his heart with covetousnesse to betray his Master Hee cares not though Annanias and
godlinesse then they are fit houses for him when the feare of God is choaked in mens hearts and the remembrance of Gods judgements is not before their eyes When the house is swept from all godinesse and vertue garnished with the damnable sins of swearing lying all maner of wickednes then behold these are trimmed houses for Sathan to roost in Sathan delights to have his house garnished that thereby hee might seeme Gods 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 possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour God will have the beames of his house Cedar and the Galleries firre hee will have sanctification for the groundworke holinesse of life for the ornament So the devill he will have his house garnished also but the beames of his house are the ougly workes of darkenesse and the galleries sin and all manner of prophanenesse Now if hee can get this house whited over with a counterfeit it shew of Religion then this is a house well trimmed and garnished for him to dwell in Sathan will allow his servants sometime to make shew of sanctity that thereby they may doe the more mischiefe and to pretend Religion in shew that they may act wickednesse in substance He is loath to discourage his servants therefore he will gratifie them a little sometime give them the bridle in their hands Thus hee was contented Abimelech should entertaine Abraham in the best of his land and that Iudas should be Christs disciple he cared not seeing he could allure the one to Adultery and perswade the other to betray his Master If he can alluâ—â— any to the love of any one sinne â—en he is well enough Sathan deâ—â—es with sinfull men as Pharaoh did with the Israelits when he was compelled by the judgement of God to let them goe then hee would have some pawne to remaine in his hand goe saith he and sacrifice to the Lord your God but leave your sheepe and your cattell behind you What had Pharaoh any neede of their goods No no it was not their goods that hee aymed at hee had a further reach He knew that the Iewes were covetous and worldly minded and therefore if they should bee punished with want in the Wildernesse hee knew they would remember their cattell in Egypt and quickly come backe againe for them So Sathan deales 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 powerfull preaching of Gods word to let the Lords people goe and come out of the Egypt of their sinnes and to travell in the desert of repentance then how many blocks and hinderances doth he cast how many stormes doth hee raise to discourage them and to hinder them in their journey to the Caelestiall Canaan And if he cannot hinder us then hee labours to make our mindes wander after our profits and pleasures but as Moyses and Aaron were resolute that they would not leave any of their goods behinde them to please the King but were resolved to obey the Lords commaund so must wee when God calls unto us to come out of sin wee must not retaine any of them to please Sathan but must keepe the temples of our bodies pure that they may be a garnished house for the Lord to dwell by his Spirit He findes it garnished Wee have heard how a garnished house pleases Sathan and how an hypocrite may be sayd to be a garnished house we will notwithstanding all that hath beene sayd spend a little more time in examining what is meant by the word Garnished by the garnished house wee may not unfitly understand also the occasions of sin for the occasions of sinne are Sathans â—aites whereby he is invited to make re-entry therefore the Apostle would â—ave us not only abstaine from sinne but also from the appearance of evill 1 Thes 5 22. If we cast out sinne and doe not cast but the occasions of sinne we leave a Pignus aâ—ud damonem relinquimus pledge in the devils hands which he knoweth we wil at one time or other returne backe to fetch again and then he will surely hould us captived Take heede then of the occasions of sin for â—t is the occasion that makes the theefe Occasio faecit furem If by the mercy of God thou hast repented thee of thy sinnes take heede of the occasions of sinne Hast thou beene a whoremaster Now take heed of wanton company alluring harlots â—ascivious talking amorous songs wanton pictures idlenesse and the â—ike which are occasions of sinne If â—hou hast forsaken the damnable custome of swearing and by the mercy of God hast bound thy tongue to the good behaviour shunne also the company of prophane swearers If thou have forsaken the beastly sinne of drunkennesse abandon also thy boone companions for the occasions of sinne are the divells baites which he layes to ensnare silly soules Iron is hard yet at last fire will dissolve it so a holy man by familiarity with sinners will quickly be brought to sinne 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 againe so every little occasion will make a godly man breake out into sinne Familiarity with sinners giveth occasion to sinne See this in Ioseph a holy and Familiaritas saepe occasionem dedit godly man his mistresse could not allure him to follie but yet the prophane Courtiers of Pharaoh quickly taught him to lye and dissemble and to sweare by the life of Pharaoh How Gen. 44. quickly did the daughters of Moab intice the Children of Israel to sinne for which the judgement of God brake out upon many thousands of â—em Our nature is like unto dry Num 25. 1. â—ood which is apt to kindle as soone â—s fire is put to it Occasion is the way Occasioâ—nim iter est quod ducit ad peccatum â—hat leadeth unto sinne There needs â—o divell to tempt us for if any occaâ—on be offred we are ready to tempt â—ur selves Thus Moses knew well Nemâ— lâ—ditur nisi ase â—nough therefore when the people â—ad committed Idolatry with the golden calfe which Aaron had made Eoxd 32. â—e burnt it in the fire and ground it â—o powder and strewed the ashes upon the water and then made the people drinke it He would not have any remembrance left which might put them in minde of their former Idolatry When godly Hezekiah saw that the people burnt incense to the brazen 2 King 18 4. serpent though it were made by Gods appointment yet when it was abused by Idolatry hee brake it in peeces and called it Nehushtan a peece of Brasse Our Savious Christ teacheth us that if our right eye offend us we must
Matth. 18 19. plucke it out In many places of Scripture we finde how carefull the Saints have beene to shunne the occasions of sinne Iob to prevent Adulterie made Iob 31 1. a covenant with his eyes that hee would not looke upon a maid Happy had it beene for David if he had done the like Solomon to prevent drunkennesse would not have men looke 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 hee had received a commission from the high priests to persecute all that call on the name of the Lord Iesus and to bring them bound backe to Ierusalem But being converted Act. 9 19 from heaven and made a chosen vessell to carry the Lords name before the gentiles see how carefull he was to shun the occasions which might coole his zeale and hinder him in his holy intendments hee did not goe backe to the High priests which had set him a worke for they would have befooled him as they did the souldiers which they sent to apprehend Christ What will you be one of his disciples which he knew well enough therefore hee joynes himselfe to the Disciples that hee might bee the more strengthened in the knowledge of God So Abraham the Father of the faithfull having received Gods commandement to offer in sacrifice his Sonne his onely Sonne the Sonne of the promise hee 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 himselfe ready to obey Gods Commaundement When Peter Matth. 27. that godly man had denyed his Master in the High priests Hall amongst those wicked servants when hee came to the sight of his sinne he fled away out of their company as if it had beene for his life So when Ioseph was tempted to Adultery by his uncleane Mistresse he shunnes the occasion by rushing out of her presence whose practise and example teacheth Mora dat vires the godly to take heede of the occasion of sinne and to stop the course thereof in the beginning least by entertayning them they are plunged over head and eares in sinne before they are aware One sinne drawes Non Solum gravia sed et levâ—a peccata sunt cavenda Multa enim levia vnum grande efficient Bernard on another and great sinnes spring out of small occasions bee carefull then to avoyd the least occasion of sinne least it usher on a greater and the occasions of sinne also the garnishing of the house for this uncleane spirit to roost in Then how may we lament the carelesnesse of many in our age that are so farre from shunning the occasions of sinne as that they lay themselves open to all manner of temptations and so become dangerous instruments for Sathan to tempt others to sinne like Thamar that sate in the highway Gen. 38 to tempt Iudah her father in law to whoredome and like the whoorish woman which saluted the young man Pro. 7 13 in a bould and wanton manner and to entice him to take his fill of love with her But let us learne to stop the course of sinne in the beginning and to crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof and to say with the spouse in the Canticles I have put off my coate Cant. 5 3. how shall I put it on againe I have washed Qui minima asperniâ—cadit in maiora Peccatum nulluÌ„ adeo parâ—um est quod non cresâ—at neglectum August de vera falsa penitentia cap. 8. Flumina magna viâ—es parviâ— de fontibuâ— orta Ovid. my feet how should I defile them againe If God have washed thee by his Spirit and pulled from thee the filthy raggs of sinne take heede of alluring objects For hee that despiseth small sinnes doth easily fall into greater For there is no sinne so little but if it be neglected it will increase The drops of raine are but little in quantitie yet they cause great floods which beares all before them We see by experience that little Parva scintellâ— câ—ntempta magnum excitavit incendium Quâ—t Curt. Ephe. 4 19 sparkes of fire neglected cause great burning Therefore if wee would not commit sinne with greedinesse let us learne to take heed of the beginnings of sinne If there bee nothing but a a little dust in our Chamber a broome will sweepe it away but if the dirt and filth be hard and baked on there must bee a spade to dig it out so if sin be resisted at the first it will not easily grow and encrease Wee must not give sinne entertainement least it prove our ruine As men are carefull to kill Serpents in the shell Ravens in the nest so must we doe with our sinnes we must strangle them in the birth and not suffer them to grow to perfection else if wee doe not wee shall remaine a garnished house for Sathan Motives to induce us to shunne the occasions of sinne Nature hath made the creatures carefull to prevent bodily danger The horse that hath beene plunged in a Quagmire will not easily come into it againe but will shun it with all his might The fish which hath beene Ictus Pisciâ— fugit hamum wounded with the hooke will warily shunne the baite Then if the creatures by natures light shunne the occasions of danger what a shame is it for man which hath not onely natures light but also is indued with reason and hath the light of Gods word to be a Lanthorne to his feete and a light to his steps if hee doe not shunne the occasions of sinne And thus much for Sathans entertainement he findes his house empty swept and garnished Then goeth hee and taketh with himselfe Vers 45. seven other spirits more wicked than himselfe 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 Sathans policy to fortifie himselfe hee encreases his strength his confederates are heere 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 prevaile they enter in and take possession 5. The issue and event the lamentable estate of that man is not onely 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 unrighteousnesse and if we consent unto them then wee entertaine them When Ananias and Iudas consented to the wicked motions that the divell inspired into them the divell is sayd to fill the hearts of the one Act. 3. and to enter into the other Luk. 22. 3. So all those that walke in evill evill hath possession of them But it may bee replyed and said Quest What man is there that doth not sin and so give place to the divell