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
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 looke over my failings with an eye of compassion and to cover my slippes and infirmities with the mantell of Charity for Bernardus non videt omnia So shall I remaine thankefull to you and will endevour to provide some better Present whereby I may declare the sincerity of my affection towards them that feare the Lord. In the meane time I commend you to God and this present worke to your charitable Censure and my selfe to your Christian prayers and alway rest Yours in the Lord to be commanded Edmund Cobbes A TOPICALL INDEX OR TABLE Alphabeticall pointing out the materiall heads contained in the whole Booke A ACtions A godly man will not justifie himselfe in any sinfull action Page 29 The Devill ready to hinder good actions 67 He is Gods Apo. 33 He gets advantage by mans carelesnes 84 He hath many Agents 74 75 Is a purgative to the purse 17 Adultery A hell to the Soule ibid. Hatefull to God ibid. Destroyes the noble name of a Christian ib. Hatefull to God ibid. A sinfull trick of youth ibid. Adulterer is the Devils house 118 A great helpe 60 Admonition Apostacy Exceeding dangerouse 89 166 167 Makes men loose all their labours 89 Preservatives against it 168 Satans walkes 89 Ale-houses Places of wickednesse 74 Will make men climbe to honour by bas◠Ambition meanes 115 Barrennesse under the word armes 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 Citty 157 Tale-bearers are archers 81 Archers B DAngerouse 155 Backsliding Dishonours God 167 Backesliders loose all their labours 167 Naturall men Satans bond-men 16 133 Bond-men Ignorant Reasons why Christ frees his children from Satans bondage 25 The Devill deceives men with sugred baites Baites 115 Vnder the preaching of the Word armes Satan Barrennes 174 Christians must be better and better 16 Mens callings subject to Satans temptations Calling 84 85 Conscionable walking in a mans calling brings comfort Carding and dicing no meanes to bring comfort 91 The bane of Charity 82 Envy C MEn are carelesse amids dangers 86 Carelesse Carelesnesse gives the Devill advantage 84 Hypocrites are covetous 74 Covetous A covetous man will digge downe to hell for wealth 115 They have the Devill in them 55 The Devill observes mens constitutions 66 Constitut Constancy required 87 Prophane Company dangerouse 91 137 Satans conditions dishonourable 103 Gods children must be valiant 103 They shew their weakenesse in the time of danger 104 Conference very profitable 162 The Devill cannot indure it ibid. Custome of sinne takes away the sence of sinne 16 It must be forsaken 123 God will have no Corrivall 131 Violence not so dangerous as craft 3 How wrought 19 It is a supernaturall worke 41 19 20 26 135 Satan envies it 19 Christ foyled Sathan 22 Reasons why 22 26 How Satan is foyled 25 What it is 53 Civility Wherein it consists ibid. Civill 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 Devill in thē 56 Devill cruell 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 counsell to be remembred 169 Sinne against conscience fearefull 170 D DArling sinnes must be pared away 109 The Devill will not let men take notice of them 31 Gods ape 133 Devill He is a Spirit 10 11 12 He was an angell of Gods making and a Devill of his owne 13 His sinne 12 He is an enemy to godlinesse 13 Good actions 67 He hates man for Gods cause 74 He envies mans happinesse ibid. 18 His malice endlesse 84 70 Restlesse 64 No place free from his temptations 84 He feares none 66 He is a continuall tempter 66 64 He gets advantage by mens carelesnesse 84 He is a murderer 64 Worse than a theefe 83 He stirres up sinfull dreames 66 He spreades his net over all the world 83 70 His circuit 84 He dwels in wicked men 158 He deludes the sences 114 He knowes mens nature what they love or hate 115 He knowes the tide of mens affections 74 He will make a shew of holinesse 51 He is ready to ensnare men by their vertues or their vices 67 He will be cast out in one sinne to bee entertained in another 52 He will let men performe holy duties and why 51 He will gratifie 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 certifie one another what is done in all places 71 They discourage ministers 67 And people 69 Dangerous to come in Satans walks 89 Or to be idle 91 A drunkard loath to part with the Divell 35 A drunkard is Belphegors stie 118 The Divels garnished house 132 To discourage men in the practise of piety very fearefull 166 Devill 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 Satans bondage 25 ad 30 Ministers duties 29 Private mens duties ibid. Defending of sinne a signe of a gracelesse man 30 Wicked men will rather part with Heaven than their sinnes 35 Decay in grace dishonours God and shames Religion 167 Popery great darknesse 173 Dry places what they signifie 61 62 E ENvie the doore of iniquity 82 The bane of Charity ibid. The corruption of health ibid. They are sencelesse fooles 92 An envious man the Devils cage 118 He hath a Devill in him 118 The Devill is encouraged by mans weakenesse 114 He knowes not who are elected 106 Wicked men run from one extreame to another 78 He hath good entertainement among them 123 Empty what it signifies 108 Words must tend to edification 5 Examination how it must be made 172 Sinne must have no entertainement 144 F FAith invincible 172 Historicall Faith 48 Wherein it consists 48 Triall of Faith is obedience 172 Ioyned with good workes 108 The Devill opposes it 92 Envious men sencelesse fooles 82 The Devill deceives under the name of friendship 113 To fall from piety to prophanesse a great fall 165 A fornicatour hath a Devill in him 55 G GAming house Satans walk 89 Garnished what it signifies 110 133 136 Why pleasing to the Devill 132 133 The Gentiles had many Gods 6 Their Idolatry 7 How Christ prevailed with them 6 7 The Devill laboures 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 Devill an enemy to
Saviour of the world of whom it was foretold by the Prophet that He Esay 35. 6. should open the eyes of the blinde and unstop the eares of the deafe Then Sathan this uncleane spirit was forced to goe out of them also But the Iewes unto whom Christ the Saviour of the world was sent opposed and disgraced him in his workes and miracles and by all means laboured to withstand him Sathan finding this opportunity returned backe againe unto these stubborne Iewes whose Religion he found stuffed with a number of blinde Ceremonies and pharisaicall traditions contrary to the Law of God In the Temple in stead of Pastors to teach the word he found Drovers Brokers making of sale In stead of pues for prayer tables for Vsurers money changers and in stead of a Congregation for the Saints he found a denne of Theeves Sathan I say finding this opportunity enters into them and houlds them in blindnesse and ignorance so that their last end is worse than their beginning For now they are deprived of their Temple and liberty and are as vagabonds upon the face of the earth as appeares this day By which we may see what a wofull judgement all those are liable unto which oppose the grace of God when it is offered unto them They doe as much as in them lyes lay themselves open to the malice of Sathan who having gained any opportunity will hardly be driven from them Thus having sayd as much as is needefull for the understanding of this present Parable yet that we may receive the greater profit by it we will for methods sake which is memories guide reduce the matter therein contayned under these foure heads 1. Wee will shew the manner and the measure of Sathans departure from the soule of man and then how he demeaneth himselfe when he is gone 2. His diligence to regaine his former possession with the reasons that induce him thereunto 3. When he hath regained possession how forciblie hee sences himselfe to prevent expulsion 4. The miserable estate of all those hee repossesses how and wherein their end is worse than their beginning These 4. points by Gods grace shall be the substance of my ensuing discourse of which in their order We will begin with the first contayned in these words When the uncleane spirit is gone out c. In these words is contained the uncleane spirits departure and demeanour when he is gone This uncleane spirit is here described 1. By his essence he is a spirit 2. By his quality or condition an uncleane spirit He is a spirit The word spirit in Scripture sometime doth signifie the essence of the god-head as God is a Spirit Iohn 4. 24. 1 Iohn 5. 6. Sometimes the third person in the Trinity called the Spirit of truth Sometime the gifts and graces of the Spirit as the Angell did foretell of Iohn that he should be Luk. 1 15. filled with the holy Ghost Sometime it signifies the soule Luk. 23. 46. Psal 3 1 5. of man as Father into thy hand I commend my Spirit But that wee may not spend our time about the divers acceptation of the word Spirit we are to know that whensoever wee finde the word Spirit set downe without any other word to expresse the meaning of it then we are to know that the third person in the Holy Trinity is meant as Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit helpeth our infirmity But when it is set downe with his adjective the nature and quality of his adjective will easily demonstrate what the substantive importeth as the evill spirit vexed 1 Sam. 16 15. Saul that is the Divell And in this place he is called An uncleane spirit whereby his nature is expressed to be uncleane And thus much for his essence He is a Spirit Come wee now to speake of his quality and condition He is uncleane The divell is an uncleane spirit but not in regard of his creation but in respect of the condition hee brought upon himselfe The Scriptures teach that the Divell was not created evill For God saw every thing that he had Gen. 1. 31. made and behould it was very good He was created an Angell of Light and a spirit without mixture of body immortall without feare of corruptiō intellectuall with exceeding promptnesse of wit free that nothing could force his will wise with fulnesse of naturall knowledge powerfull above all inferiour creatures wholy decked with admirable vertues capable of seeing God clearely with promise of this glory if he persevered in his service But not being content with this his estate but seeking to pry into the majesty of the deity Esay 14. 12. and to usurpe the glory of his maker was therefore dejected and cast into hell and so from being a blessed Angell in Heaven he is become a damned devill in hell As he derived his nature from God so he is good but this depravation of his nature is from himselfe An Angell he was of Gods making a divell of his owne And now being deprived of the glory of God he delights in all uncleannesse is an utter enemie to all holinesse Therefore he useth all meanes to make mankinde as unhappie as himselfe and to wrappe every mothers Childe under the curse of God As soone as our first Parents were set in Paradise though they were furnished with the invincible army of innocencie and righteousnesse so that he was not able to conquer them by force and violence yet out of an inveterate hatred which he bare to the Image of God shining in them and out of envie to their happinesse hee entered into a treacherous parlie with our Grandmother Eve and so bewitched her sences with flattery that he caused her to wandor from the truth of Gods Word and to intice her husband to transgresse Gen. 3 16. the Commandement of God whereby they put off the Armour of innocencie and righteousnesse and entertayned into their soules a troupe of his ambitious tentations and then having gayned the possession he sought for presently he ransacked their soules and deprived them of all spirituall graces and brought them like inferiour Captives under his dominion And that he might the more securely keepe them under subjection he did not onely kill and wound Gods graces in their soules but in stead of them hee placed a strong Garison of carnall corruptions and fleshly lusts which should be as a Porter to open passage to his temptations whensoever he please to make any entrance Thus having so poysoned the fountaine and head spring of all mankinde all men now they are conceived in sinne and brought forth in iniquitie And are deprived Psal 51. 5. Rom. 3 23. of the glory of God And remaine under the governance of this uncleane spirit And in this miserable condition every one had remained if the wisedome of God had not found out a way to redeeme us out of this his bondage and servitude Thus we have discovered our adversarie to be
thou art freed out of this miserable condition Ply Christ with thy prayers and take no nay at his hands till he set thee free hee hath the Keyes of Heaven and hell and if Revel 1 18 Ioh 8 30 he make thee free thou art free indeede Confesse thy selfe to bee a wretched creature and without his helpe undone powre forth thy soule in sence of thy misery before the Throne of grace and say Father I have sinned Luk. 15 18 against heaven and against thee and not worthy to be called thy sonne O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for my iniquities are increased over my head and my trespasse is growne up into the heavens Ezra 9. 6. crying for vengeance to fall downe upon me Lord I am a sinfull creature and thou art a God of infinite puritie and holinesse Sinne hath left me no good thing all is wounded all is poysoned how shall I appeare before thee whose glory the Angels cannot behold I was conceived in sinne borne in sinne and all my daies have lived in sinne My heart is a seed-plot of sinne and corruption my eyes the windowes of vanity my eares the eares of folly my mouth the mouth of deceipt my hands the hands of iniquity and every part of my body and faculty of my soule which thou hast created for thy service hath dishonoured thee My understanding apprehendeth nothing but sinne my will delighteth in nothing but wickednesse my memory retaines nothing but evill things which dishonours thee As for thy holy precepts and heavenly ordinances I have not observed but have prophaned thy Sabbaths contemned thy Sacraments and lived in contempt of thy providence all my dayes I have beene so farre from keeping any part of thy law that I have added transgression unto blindnesse malice to ignorance and rebellion to sinne And because thou hast spared mee and wayted for my repentance and hast suffered me with such patience to run on in my sinnes and because thou hast beene so mercifull unto me and multiplyed thy favours towards mee I have tooke liberty to my selfe to commit great sinnes against thee so that the same medicine which thou hast appointed to purge out my sinnes I have made a provocation unto sinne Yet Lord for thy names sake thy mercy sake thy truths sake take away all mine iniquities and magnifie thy mercy in the pardoning of my sinnes which I have committed against thee mine owne knowledge and many motions of thy Spirit and purposes of my heart I doe acknowledge I have beene dull and unprofitable in thy service I have not had care and zeale which I should have had to serve thee I have beene weary of well doing and have not taken to heart my misery as I should nor mourned for my transgressions against thee my God as becommeth such a notorious offender as I am but have hardned my heart against thy judgements and have walked stubbornly before thee in the light of thy countenance Psal 90. But though I am full of wickednesse yet thou art full of goodnesse Lord thou madest me at the first of nothing save mee now I pray thee which am worse than nothing It is thou O Lord which knowest my heart and it must bee thou which must renew and change it Take it therefore into thy owne hand and take from it the hardnesse deadnes and dulnesse which the custome of sinne hath brought upon it and frame it according to thy owne liking cast out of it all the cursed fruits of the flesh which fight against thy grace and my soule Enlarge my understanding and encrease my knowledge that being guided by thy wisedome and assisted by thy Spirit I may understand and perceive those things which may please thee and refraine those things which may dishonour thee that so being directed by thy grace and guided by thy Spirit I may clearely see what thou requirest of mee and what may make for my peace and future happinesse Lord this must bee thy worke for I confesse that my reason is blinde my will is froward my wit is crafty ready to deceive me my understanding is quite estranged from thee but Lord dispell these clowds of errour and ignorance and rectifie the perversnesse of my understanding and indue me with thy holy Spirit of grace and wisedome that my soule may be cleansed from the corruption of this sinfull world and the eyes of my understanding opened to embrace the mystery of redemption by Iesus Christ Make thy word unto me like the starre which led the wisemen to my Saviour in the time of his infancy make thy benefits and graces like the Pillar which conducted thy people to the land of promise Kindle thy love in my heart that in respect of thee and thy service I may despise whatsoever is against thee and thy truth Confirme my faith in thy promises that by thy Spirit I may be assured that thou hast forgiven my sinnes and that thou wilt not reject me a poore sinner that relyeth wholly upon thee Lord thou desirest not the death of a sinner but hast promised that if I repent thou wilt bee pleased thou onely canst raise me out of the grave of sinne for I am dead and buried in trespasses and sinnes quicken mee by thy grace that I may praise thy name Let mee not want any mercy whereby I may be fitted for thy service and so dispose and guide the remainder of my life in such manner as that thou mayest bee honoured and my soule comforted which grant unto me for the Lord Iesus Christs sake my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Amen Thus wee have proved the truth â—f the proposition that Sathans â—ower must give place unto Christ We have also confirmed it by Scripâ—ure proved it by reasons and have made use and application of it to our selves In the next place wee are to examine the measure of his going out Sathan is so expelled out of the godly as that hee shall never returne againe But he goeth out of hypocrites so as that he still remaineth For if hee were once reallie cast out as wee have heard he could never returne againe But this speech of going out is rather a forme of speaking than a reall action This phrase of speech is used with other of like signification as Heb. 10. 6. If wee sinne willingly after wee have received the knowledge of the truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinne Againe the same Author saith It is impossible for those which were once inlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gifts and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted Heb. 6. 4. the good word of God and of the power of the world to come if they fall away to renew them by repentance Then from hence I reason thus If a man may receive the truth and yet sinne willingly and then forsake the truth be inlightned and tast of the heavenly gift and be made partakers
Saphirah sell their goods for the Churches good if he can make them lye and dissemble Hee cares not though many of us come to Church to heare Gods word if hee can make our mindes wander after our profits and pleasures then hee knowes he can wrap us under the curse of the Lord in doing his worke negligently Hee will be content to bee expelled out of an ignorant heart if so be he can corrupt his knowledge with faction and Schisme He can be content to bee cast out in one sinne if he can be entertained in another He cares not if he be cast out of an Idolatrous heart if he can keepe possession by prophane Atheisme then he hath as much as he desires And by this one sin he markes them for his owne 5. This uncleane spirit may be cast out in the opinion of the partie in whom he dwells and not in the worlds account for every man is ready to deceive himselfe in this particuler seeming pure in his owne eyes though he be not washed from his filthinesse Pro. 30. Let us see how nature occasions this deceipt and how many delude themselves in thinking they are some Gal. 6 3 body when as indeede they are no body 1. Deceipt is to make a man thinke he is a good Christian because hee leades a civill life and is just and upright in his dealings This is indeede an excellent vertue in it selfe and a good step to Christianity and it were to be wished that all Gods Children would be carefull to walke unblameably in respect of the world But yet for all this this Commendable vertue is made evill by accident so becomes a dangerous outward meanes to exclude grace For civill honesty if it be severed from true piety is nothing else but glorious iniquitie For the ornament thereof is to rest in the performance of outward actions as to deale justly and uprightly with their neighbours and to be free from the reproachfull crimes of the world Now here they rest and thinke themselves good Christians though all this while they bee ignorant of the true God and the grounds of his worship And in their honest dealing with men they ayme not at Gods glory that by their unblameable conversation his name may be magnified yet for all this because the world cannot condemne them they rest contented with a probable errour 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 onely stirre up against themselves many thundring stormes and the contemptuous Censures of this spitefull world but also from the bottome of hell many disturbances and fearefull temptations therefore Sathan labours to keepe them in this estate and perswades them that this civill righteousnesse 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 workes make a glorious shew in the sight of men yet they are odious in Gods sight if they bee not done in obedience to his Commandements and in zeale for his glory 2. Men will not be perswaded they are so bad as indeed they are Will you see how this deceipt is also occasioned It is because they compare themselves with those that are Sathans outragious revellers whom they doe excell in regard of their civill moderation and morall cariage now finding themselves in a better condition they are in their owne opinions Canonized Saints and so neede no reformation Thus it comes to passe that the proud man will not be perswaded that hee hath a filthy Lucifer in him The covetous man will not be perswaded that Mammon rules in him The fornicator and Adulterer will not be perswaded that Asmodeus a filthy and uncleane spirit reignes in him The envious man will not be perswaded that Beelzebub an irefull divell governes him The contentious man he will not beleeve that Baalberith a troublesome Divell is in him The drunkard hee will not beleeve that Beelphegor a beastly Divell domineers in him The idle person he doth not thinke that Astaroth a lazie Divell is in him Thus all men are ready to deceive themselves but we must know that where the workes Vbi opera â—bi operans are the workemaister is at hand And though the world cannot detect them for their sinnes yet the Allseeing God is privie 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 righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse Mat. 5 20. of the Scribes and Pharisees yee shall in no case enter into the kingdome of Heaven These men were carefull to abstaine from such sinnes as the world takes notice of but the Lord Iesus the wisedome of his Father detects Mat. 23. them of much hypocrisie So he knowes these Iusticiaries well enough and though they bee not Papists in ignorance and prophanenesse or in Idolatry making their good meaning their God their wit and policie their God nay peradventure their money or their belly their god And Phil. 3 19. for all their civill honesty Sathan sees them make little conscience of prophaning the Sabboth swearing by their faith or troth Masse or our Ladie Now because they count these small sinnes the devill holds them fast enough as his vessales and slaves 3 Many men deceive themselves because upon some good motions of Gods Spirit by the powerfull ministerie of the Word their consciences are awaked and they brought to a sight of their sinnes so that they begin to hate those sinnes they delighted in and to performe some holy duties and so now they thinke that this uncleane spirit is gone out of them but for want of watchfulnesse he comes againe and allures them to the committing of one sinne or other or else by covetousnesse sets them as deepe in their gainefull sinne of Vsury deceipt gaming and the like as ever they were so with Iudas they receive the soppe and the Divell againe and so their former righteousnesse is but a morning dew and their unrighteousnesse by little and little returnes againe and they become as disordered in their courses and as sinfull in their practices as ever they were 6. This uncleane spirit may seeme to bee cast out in the opinion of the godly and not of the partie himselfe Thus the Disciples had a good opinion of Iudas because of his outward conformity to the word and because Christ had put him in trust with the bagge therefore when our Saviour told them that one of them should betray him they suspected themselves rather than Iudas and yet all this while Christ knew he would prove a Traitor to him and a butcher to himselfe and Iudas himselfe knew that he had a covetous envious
house is you have partly heard how that a little counterfeit repentance will not serve the turne to get out the dirt and filth which is baked and seated in nature A house that is made foule and filthy by much resort of people will not bee made cleane by a little sweeping there must be paring and scraping with a paring Iron else the filth will hang on and will not be remooved Even so these temples of our bodies these earthly houses will not bee clensed and purged from the corruption of sinne with the beasome of counterfeit repentance but the sharpe knife of the law must be set on worke there must be a searching of the heart a plowing up of the fallow ground there must bee a mortifying of the fruits of the flesh there must be a de 〈…〉 of our selves in our profits plea 〈…〉 s and delights a little crying of God mercy will not serve the turne 〈◊〉 there must bee an aggravation of 〈…〉 e by circumstances sinne must be â—mâ—lified in regard of the meanes that we had to resist it if we had had grace to use them aright therefore when we have failed in using our spirituall weapons then we must condemne our selves and take a holy revenge upon our nature which did inâ—ice us to such and such sinnes Wee Luk 1â— must doe as Mary Magdalen did shee had abused her eyes to wantonnesse and her haire to pride therefore upon her repentance shee tooke revenge of her selfe she made her eyes a fountaine of teares to wash her Saviours feete and her haire a towell to wipe them so must we if wee have offended by gluttony or drunkennesse wee must bring under our bodies by fasting and humiliation Thus did David when he had sinned against his neighbour in giving way to sinfull lusts and uncleannesse so when he had desired to drinke of the waters of Bethleem 1 Chro. 11 18. and after hee did see it was brought with the jeopardie of the lives of his three Worthies then he tooke a holy revenge of himselfe hee would not drinke of it but powred it out as a sacrifice before the Lord. Thus the cunning men being converted by the preaching of the word and brought to repentance burned their Bookes Act. 19 19 that were deere unto them for a revenge upon themselves for their sinne by which they shewed both an indignation in their affections and a just revenge in their actions thus if men would judge themselves they should 1 Cor. 11 37. not be judged of the Lord. Man is made miserable quickely but hee is not so soone made happie againe Esau suddenly lost his birth-right but hee could not gaine the blessing with many teares A swept house will not serve the turne it must bee a sorrowfull and contrite heart that God delights to dwell in Let us then set uppon our sinnes and up with them by the rootes downe with pride covetousnesse and all manner of sinne that offends God and grieves our neighbour else we are but deceiptfull hypocrites and garnished and swept houses for Sathan If swept houses will not serve the Vse turne then how may we bewaile our times wherein so many slovens delight themselves in all manner of sin and prophanenesse How many are there to bee found in our dayes that thinke it an easie matter to be saved But brethren deceive not your selves these filthy soules which have beene defiled with so many sinnes will not be so easily cleansed We have many wayes defiled our selves with vaine and unsanctified thoughts many foule and unsavory words have proceeded out of our mouthes and doth not this shew that wee have filthy soules Againe how many lewde and sinfull acts have wee committed and doe commit from time to time and will a small repentance make amends for all these transgressions No no there must be striving and preassing to enter in at the straight gate The Luk. 13 24. kingdome of heaven suffers violence and the violent take in by force But alasse how many of us sit still sporting our selves in our pleasures and delights If eating and drinking swearing and swilling would send us to heaven there are a great many would come thither There are many also to be found that when they are rebuked for their sinnes and perswaded to amend their lives they will give good words and wish that they could doe as they should but how few of many are willing to plucke up their sinnes by the rootes Many will use the broome of repentance in sweeping the house of their soule lightly and superficially but they will leave still behind their evill customes and wicked habit of sinne which cleaveth fast to them and is as deare as their right eye Wee see by experience that many griping Vsurers will hate adultery make conscience of swearing and forswearing c. these cobwebbes they will sweepe away but for the filthy habit and wicked trade of Vsury because it is a gainefull sinne and brings them an easie life the broome shall not come so farre So againe many Adulterers though well monied hate Vsury because it is unlawfull and condemned by God Psal 15. Ezek. 18 but for adultery their beloved sinne this dirte this filth must remaine unswept The like may bee said of all other sinnes Thus hypocrites will indent with God as if he kept a court of Faculties to dispence with their darling their beloved sinnes which they are loath to forgoe But brethren marke I pray you the policy of Sathan If he can keepe but one corner in this spirituall temple it shall suffice him he knowes how to keepe possession well enough but brethren deceive not your selves if the divell have any part in your heart God will have none he will not admit of a Corrivall he will be aut Caesar aut nihil he will have the whole or else let the divell take all therefore learne wee to use violence against our beloved sinnes and let the divell have no crevisses to looke into our hearts lest he circumvent and surprise us before we are aware as he hath and doth many deceiving them daily with outward shewes and the leaves of religion without substance and through-reformation of the heart but if we will be a swept house for the Lord wee must cast away all our sinnes outward shewes will not delight him he cannot endure a divell in Samuels Mantle It is garnished The house swept and garnished is a similitude borrowed from the use and custome of men who delight to have all things handsome cleane and comely when they are to entertaine their friends But the divell hee delights in no such matter this uncleane spirit hee delights in all manner of filthinesse and all manner of ungodlinesse nothing pleaseth him better The beastly drunkard the abominable swearer the lustfull talker the filthy liver these men are garnished houses for him These men are as a princely pallace for him to domineere in When men have bidden farewell to God and all