Obser. & doctri.

1 THis fearefull spectacles of the possessed, setteth before our eies the great malice and power of Sathan, which by Gods permission inuadeth the liuing bodies of men, mi­serably afflicted, horriblie tormen­teth, and deformeth them: as it appea­teth in the possessed with a dumbe spi­rite, Mar. 9. in the lunaticke, Mat. 17. in the possessed with a legion of Diuels most cruellie, Luc. 8. and diuers other, he goeth about like a roaring Lyon, 1. Pet. 5. as a hunter to lay snares, Ps. 91.3. as a Fowler to spred his net, and snares to catch soules, Ps. 124. desiring to winnow vs as wheate, Luc. 22. and la­boureth to draw vs to horrible sinne and wickednesse, hauing great wrath. Apoc. 12. Infomuch, Vt si tantum nocere posset quantum vellet, aliquis iustorum non remaneret. Aug. Wee are here to note, that the Diuel tormented this man but [Page 4]by the permission of God, for he could not enter into the heard of Swine without the leaue of Christ. Mat. 8. Therefore it is said. 1. Sam. 16. that the euill spirit of God came vpon Saul, be­cause he is the creature of God, and his minister, so that without the licence of God, hee cannot so much as shake one leafe from a tree. And this permis­sion God giueth him, both in the god­ly, and in the wicked, as it appeareth in Iob. 2. Hee many times afflicteth them both, but for diuers respects and ends: the wicked for their punishmēt & cor­rection; the godly for their triall, good and increase of their glorie. Here learn, that for many causes God permitteth the Diuell to possesse and afflict men in this life.

1 That hauing before our eyes how tyrannously and cruelly hee dealeth with vs, we should prosecute him with extreame hatred, hold euer enmitie with him, much lesse to hearken to his counsailes and suggestions, and by these externall persecutions, to consi­der how much more grieuously he de­sireth [Page 5]to afflict the soule: and for this cause God permitteth him to appeare sometime in horrible and vgly shapes, that we should detest and flie from him as from a most pernicious pestilence.

2 That setting before our eies the crueltie of this infernall Leuiathan, we should be sober and watch, 1. Pet. 5. and at euerie moment commende our selues to God, and whether we rise or lie downe, to pray vnto God for his de­fence and protection, and say with Chrysostome, Renuncio tibi diabole; et do­me tibi Christe.

3 That with the swinish Epicures, we should not thinke these things to be inania terriculamenta, nor at euerie three words, and light occasion (as the manner of some prophane persons is) to imprecate, curse, or deuote our selues or others to the Diuell. Which surely is a thing so much the more greatly to be lamented, as we see it common in the world, that seeing the Diuell is such an enemie vnto man, any should haue his odious & detestable name euer in their mouths, yea the verie infants following [Page 6]the wicked example of their elders, e­uen from their cradles, in cursing and banning (reiecting the sweete name of Iesus) tosse too & fro this odious name in their mouthes.

4 That as often as we behold any possessed, deafe, dumbe, that we should call to minde the filthinesse of sinne, which is cause that such power is giuen vnto the Diuell vpon men; and learne to detest sinne, quae vita sunt diaboli, Ori­gin. For as long as sinne raigneth in a man, tamdiu victus a diabolo possidetur, & vexatur. Aug. To conclude this; when we haue a sound and perfect bodie, let vs giue God thankes, and vse the vigor both of minde and members, godly, to his praise and glorie.

2 The corporall possession of the Diuell in this wretched man, putteth vs in minde of the spirituall possession of heart, which this enemie of man­kind effecteth in the hearts of them, through his fraude and deceits: for he made this wretched man, not onely dumbe, but also blind and deafe: that is, depriued him almost of all his senses; [Page 7]all which hee spiritually effecteth, in those whom through sinne he holdeth captiue. For as the spirit of God where it resteth, maketh men dumbe, deafe, and blinde, to earthly and carnall things, that they may giue themselues to the contemplation of the things a­boue: so this wicked spirit laboureth to make them dumbe, deafe, & blinde, to all spirituall things, that without all feare of God, and remorse of consci­ence, they might wholy giue them­selues to all filthinesse. First, euen as the Wolfe when he prayeth vpon the Sheepe, catcheth him first by the throate, that he might not crie, least the Shepheard being awaked, should reskue the poore Sheepe from his iawes: so this hellish infernall Wolfe, maketh many mute, that they neuer call vpon God, pray, or euer haue in their mouthes, any godly and spirituall cōmunication, which if they knowe or heare any infirmitie by their neigh­bour, forget this rule of Christ. Mat. 18. If thy brother trespasse, &c. And that of the Apostles, Gal. 6. Brethren, if a man [Page 8]be fallen, &c. But are talkatiue enough, to publish it to the infamie and hurt of their brother: such are all vniust aduo­cates, which are mute in the poore mās cause, but in the cause of the rich, &c. Such are all periured false witnesse-bea­rers, which conceale the truth for a re­ward, &c. Another sort there are, whom the Diuell maketh dumbe, like such as are naturally borne dumbe: for as those that are borne blinde, doe make shewe and signes, for what they would haue: so all hypocrites seeke for the glorie & praise of men, onely by the outward shewes of vertues, they come to Church, shewe themselues zealous, &c. All but only in shewe, all but in signes; but if thou put them to the touchstone of Christianitie, shewe me thy faith by thy workes, Iac. 2. Thou shalt find all to bee but in dumbe shewes and signes, all counterfeit copper and drosse: looke into their workes, and there you find a worme-eaten conscience, with the canker of vsurie, the viper of enuie, with the serpents of detraction, back biting, &c. Crocadils in dissimulation, 2. Lyons [Page 9]in their furie, worse then the verie Ty­gers in reuenge, in secreate stinging likes scorpions, &c. All these the diuell maketh mute, &c.

2 The Diuell also maketh them whom he spiritually possesseth, blind, that they may not see their sinne, and the daunger they are in; like the Wolfe, he taketh him by the throate, that hee may not call vnto the true Sheapheard Iesus Christ for succour, and as a raue­nous Vultur, he seeketh to picke out his spirituall eies, that the sinner may not see the filthinesse of sinne, nor the imminent daunger he is in. The coue­nant which this enemie requireth of his seruants, is like that which proude and cruell Nahash the Ammonite, de­manded of the Gileadite, 1. Sam. 11. that he might pull out all their right eies. In like manner the Diuell seeketh to pull out the eies of our minde, that the sinner seeing, might not see, for their owne wickednesse hath blinded them. Wis. 2. The sinfull man and woman, when they are most blinded in their wicked­nesse, they thinke that they haue Lyn­ceos, [Page 10]oculos. Like the foole Harpastes, that Sen. 6. lib. Epist. 52. speaketh of, who being suddainly depriued of her sight, nescet se esse caecam, paedagogum rogat vt migret, domum tenebrosam esse. This which we laugh at in her (saith hee) we practise in our selues: nemo se auarum esse intelligit, ne cupidum, yet worse then the blind in this; they seeke a guide, nos sine duce erramus, et dicimus, non ego ambitiosus sum, I am not couetous, nor luxurious, &c. It is not my vice that I am rash, angrie, it is the fault of my youth: and therefore we are hardly cured, quia nos aegrotare nescimus, nec me­dicum quidem quaerimus: should we not thinke him to be mad or blind, who being intent in doing some thing, one should runne vnto him with a naked sword, and minace him death, if hee presently left not off; and notwithstan­ding without any feare hee goeth on with his worke? would we not thinke him to be blinde, which feeth not the sword drawne to strike him? And what is the cause (I pray you) that some men giue themselues ouer vnto so many [Page 11]sinnes, and securely wallow in their fil­thinesse, and some others liue soberly, warily, and laboureth to auoide euen the smallest sinne? Surely the reason is, because the one hath the spirituall eies of his minde blinded so, that hee seeth not how great and greeuous euill hang ouer his head, which that high iudge reserueth for him against the day of vengeance: the other setting Gods iustice before their eyes, and the seueritie of the eternall torments, which the iust iudge inflicteth vpon these short & fading pleasures of sinne, by all meanes endeuoureth to refraine the same. O that men were not distitute of these eies of their minde, that they might contemplate vpon the miseries and torments which are layd vp in hell for the wicked, that they might betime betake them to newnesse of life, and come out of the snares, wherewith this prince of darknesse holdeth them cap­tiue; and will in the end (vnlesse they repent) cast thē for euer into vtter dark­nesse, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The Diuell now stoppeth their [Page 12]eies with earth, that is, with the vile cor­ruptible, & abiect things of the world, for the loue whereof they make small reckoning of the life to come: but then to their perpetuall griefe, they shall perceiue how they were blinded, and confesse too late, we haue erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteous­nesse hath not shined vnto vs, Wis. 5.

Now let vs see how the Diuell ma­keth the sinner also deafe: whē ye see a man warned, counselled, exhorted, per­swaded by many that he should in his iourney turne, and decline from such a way, for ther are theeues lying in wait to take away his money and life: hee harkeneth to none of them, goeth boldly on his iourney, the way infested with Theeues, falleth into their hands, is robbed and slaine, would yee not think this man to be deaf, or out of his wits? In like manner when God by his word, Preachers, diuine inspirations, &c. Incessantly warneth, and calleth vnto the sinner, knocketh at the doore of their hearts, desireth, craueth, and beg­geth them to open vnto him, his head being [Page 13]full of deawe, and his locke of the droppes of the night. Cant. 5.2. Sheweth him the dangerous course he taketh, the pit of destruction he is falling into, the way he goeth leadeth to eternall torments, &c. Notwithstanding, hee will not heare, but goeth on still the broade way that leadeth vnto hell: shall we doubt but that the Diuell hath stopped the spirituall eares of such?

Thus yee see how the Diuell maketh the sinner dumbe, deafe, and blind, that he may the more quietly keepe posses­sion of his soule. Euen as a man that would quietly sleepe and take his rest, commandeth his seruants and familie to keepe silence, that the noise may not disturbe him: 2. hee shutteth the win­dowes that the light may not offend his eies, hee getteth him into a close roome, and if any enquire for him, wil­leth his seruants to denie him to bee within: all these this subtile enemie of mankind causeth in the sinner, that he may sleepe quietly in his sinne, he dili­gently laboureth to stop the entrings and passages of the soule, which are the [Page 14]senses, that no Diuine light should come in at the windowes thereof; to disperce the darknesse, and blindnesse of the minde: as we see in Pharao, and the Scribes and Pharisies, which could not bee wonne nor reclaimed by the myracles they sawe with their cies. And if we beate their eares with neuer so many Sermons, lay before their cyes, the ioyes of the heauenly king­dome, the most horrible torments of hell, they still persist in their life as if they heard nothing at all: so we see many to continue so indurate, in inue­terate hatred, or in vnchast loue, that with no perswasions, no preaching, no counsell, they will be reclaimed from their hatred or filthy lust: who seeth not heere the power of the Diuell in stopping both their spirituall cares and eies, least they should conuert and escape out of his clawes? He stoppeth also their mouths that no spirituall cō ­munication of God, or godlinesse, should proceede from thence, partai­ning to the saluation of their soule, when to scurrilitie, cursing, &c. and all [Page 15]corrupt, and rotten communication, their mouthes are alwaies open and la­uish. If a man should aske them whose mouth ouerrunne with filthy words (like an vncleane Mill that cannot grinde without fowle water) whether they haue had at any time al this yeare, any godly conference concerning God & the saluatiō of their soules: they will answere (if they would confesse the truth) that they neuer had any thought or speech of any such thing: who doth not heere plainly see, that those are al­so dumbe, though otherwise verie tal­katiue? vae tacentibus de te domine: (saith Augustine) quia ipsi loquaces muti sunt cum non tuas laudes dicunt. Aug. in medit. And lastly, he laboreth to keepe thē frō conuersing with good men, least that the light of their good exāples should expell the darknesse of their mindes, their wholsome exhortations rouse thē from the sleepe of sinne, and so they might repent & bee turned vnto God, &c. Take heede therefore (saith Cypri­an) quisathanam habent suggestorem, ha­bebunt etiam tortorem. In ser. de ieiuni.

[Page 16] 3 In this one man 4 myracles, were wrought: the deafe did heare, the dumbe spake, the blind sawe, and the possessed was deliuered. This euident­ly euinceth that Christ is the true Mes­sias, to saue and free vs from the power of Sathan; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the Di­uell, Act. 10. For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God, that he might loose the works of the Diuell. 1. Iob. 3. Let vs therefore flie vnto him in all our dangers and ne­cessities, and he will refresh vs. Mat. 11.

Finis 1. part. vel conc. primae.

Pars 2. vel conc. secunda.

IN this part is described the effect of the myracle, which according to the diuersitie of the subiects was three­folde, and that according to the three diuers opinions and iudgement of the beholders.

1 In the promiscuall companie saith Mat. 12.23. All the people were amazed: that is, they admired the power of God, which shined forth in this myracle, 72. [Page 17]they spake honorably of Christ the Messias, the Author thereof: Is not this the sonne of Dauid? that is, the promised sauiour of the line of Dauid, of whom it was foretolde that he should doe such myracles. Esa. 35.5. And this effect of the myracle it selfe was good, sim­ple, true, and sincere. 2. verse 15. in the Pharisies, which maliciously did slander this Diuine myracle, affirming that the efficient and principall worker thereof was Beelzebub, a most abhominable and filthy Diuell, by whose power Christ as his Minister did cast out Di­uels: which blasphemous slāder against their owne conscience, they did to that end publikely before, deliuer before the people, that by extenuating and diminishing of the miracle, they might withdrawe and alienate the mindes of the simple people from Christ: Beelze­bub signifieth dominum seuregem musca­rum, it was the God or Idoll of Accaron, or Ekron, 2. Rog. 1.3. with whom Ahazi­ah, contrarie to the word of the Lord consulted: Baal was a common name of all the Idols, which were worshipped [Page 18]of the infidell nations that bordered vpon Palestina, or Iurie: the Caldeans called it Bece, adding for difference sake some other name, as Beelphegor, the Idoll of the Moabite, [...]alpear, the Idoll of the Amonite. &c. This Idoll was called Beelzebub, because of the multitude of flies, that swarmed about the Temple of this Idoll, because of the many sacrifices which there were slaine. The Iewes in contempt did call the Diuell by this name, the prince of the Dinels: because he is the prince that ruleth in the ayre, the Prince of the dark­nesse of this world. Ephes. 2. & 6. and had sub Vexillo suo, exercitum diabolorum, like flies swarming in the ayre. 3. verse 16. In others which tempted him, seeking a signe from heauen: and these were of the Scribes and Pharisies, Mat. 12: which were not ashamed by exte­nuating to calumniate this notable myracle, collatione imparium, crauing a more excellent myracle to be shew­ed in the skie, either that he should raise vp thunder, as in the time of Sa­muell, 1. Sam. 12. or to call for fire from [Page 19]heauen as Eliah did, 1. Reg. 18. or to make the Sunne to stand still. Ios. 10. or the Sunne to goe backward, 2 Reg. 20. or to raine downe Manna from heauen as in the Desart: but this they craued to a peruerse end, that they might take occasion hereby to blaspheme, and the more quarrell with him: and ther­fore Christ called them an euil, and ad­ulterous generation, Mat. 12. And these are the effects of this myracle, per acci­dens, proceeding from the peruerse ma­lice and hatred of the Scribes and Pha­risies.

Obser. & Doct.

HEere obscrue, out of the 15. chap. 16. vers. that nothing can bee safe from the viperous teeth of the Sycophaut, as we may see in the diuers iudgements, which the beholders of this myracle had of Christ. The same chaunced to Iohn Baptist, Mat. 11. to Steuen, Act. 7. to Paul, whom for prea­ching of Christ, they sought to kill. Act. 9. and at this day, this is too com­mon [Page 20]in the world, for there are not wanting certaine peruerse, criticall, and malicious, maleuolent, cēsurers, which are readie to giue their peruerse iudge­ments of good men, and to traduce whatsoeuer they speake, or doe well, i­mitating Xoilus heerein: who being asked why hee spake euill of all men: answered, quoniam malefacere, Cum ve­lim non possim. Aelian. va [...]hist. lib. 11. but as long as thou doest well, feare no­thing, the bitings of viperous tongues, thinke that the same measure was of­fered vnto Christ, the seruant is not grea­ter then his Maister, if they haue called the Maister of the house, &c. Mat. 10. imitate Plato heerein, who when it was tolde him that many rayled vpon him, an­swered: At ego sic viuam, vt illis fide [...] non habeatur.

2 Note here the nature of the wic­ked; there is no vertue so excellent, no­thing so well done, nothing so worthi­ly commended, and extolled by the voice of all good-men, which the wic­ked do not carp at, & dispraise: euen as if he put a staffe, or a peece of timber [Page 21]halfe way into the water, that part which is in the water, seemeth crooked and broken, and the other straite, when indeede it is all alike straite: so the same action which to an vpright iudgement, seemeth well done, and praise worthy, to the wicked it seemeth crooked and defectiue; not that it is so, but by reason of their depraued and corrupt iudgement, which deceiueth them, because they looke into the acti­ons of others, through the water of en­uie and malice. If thou be humble and lowly, they will iudge thee abiect and vile; if patient, white-liuered, and a dastard: if studious, an hypocrite: if frugall, a nigard and couetous: if silent, they wil iudge thee a foole: if talkatiue, a babler: if deuoute, a dissembler: if thou doe iustice, they will count thee cruell: if pittifull, remisse, and corrupt: if milde, they will contemne thee: if li­berall, they will count thee prodigall: if sparing, a myzer. &c. And nothing may be so well done, but that enuious and wicked men, will take occasion thereby to backbite and slander thee: [Page 22]euen as a great Riuer, receiueth into it selfe all other Riuers that come: and the fire conuerteth into it selfe all things it taketh: the Serpent eateth the sweete flower, and conuerteth it into poyson, out of which the Bee sucketh honie: so the wicked at the verie same thing take occasion to murmure, and dishonour God; by which the godly are incited to loue, praise, and serue the Lord. For when Christ did many my­racles, the high Priests and Pharisies, consulted how they might put him to death. Now, if thou demand of the high Priests and Pharisies, why they would kill Christ, 1. they will answere, for this man doth many miracles, Io. 11. But if thou aske of Peter, Iames, Iohn, and the rest of the Disciples, why they be­leeue in Christ, forsake all that they haue and follow him; they will also say; because he doth many myracles, which none but the Messias could doe, there­fore we beleeued in him, followe, and serue him. If you aske why the people did praise & extoll Christ; they would say, because the dumbe spake, &c. But if [Page 23]ye ask the Pharisies why they mocke, and blaspheme Christ, they will also say, because the dumbe spake, &c. What is the cause why this one myracle brin­geth forth such contrarie effects? sure­ly because the hearts of both are di­uers, and different. Whereby it com­meth to passe, that what to the one is a medicine and present remedie, to the other is a deadly poyson.

O that many also at this day were not like vnto these Pharisies, which when they should bee conuerted by Christs myracles, wonne with his benefits, and their hearts mollified, and euen melt with the loue of God, they take occasi­on thereby to become worse, and more obdurate in their sinne: Is it not an in­estimable benefite, that when thou committest so many, and great sinnes, yet God patiently suffereth thee, ex­pecting thy conuersion? this goodnes of God which should so enflame thy minde with his loue, & so binde thy af­fection vnto him, that thou shouldest not dare to offend, so louing and mer­cifull a God thou abusest to presume [Page 24]the more boldly to commit the grea­ter sinne, adding without any feare, sinne vpon sinne, and saiest God is mercifull, hee is a good God, he came into the world, suffered death vp­on the crosse to saue sinners. Indeede he is infinitely mercifull, else would he not suffer thee to make his mercie, and goodnesse, an occasion of sinne, and a cause of thy further wickednesse, and the crosse which he endured to destroy the Kingdome of the Diuell; to take occasion thereby, the more boldly to sinne, and to vphold the Kingdome of the Diuell. Knowest thou not (O wrech) that this bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance? but thou after &c. Rom. 2. &c.

3 Heere obscrue; The monstrous ingratitude of man towards God, which may be considered, not onely in that they are made the worse by Gods bene­fits, but also by the circumstance of time: for at that time when they should especially be conuerted, and admire the workes of God, at the same verie time, malice possessing their hearts, [Page 25]they did murmure & blaspheme. The tongue of man is scarce able to vtter how great the vnthankfulnesse of man is; which the greater the benefits are which they receiue, the lesse doe they feare to offend God. So the Israelites while God on the Mount was deliue­ring lawes vnto Moses, for their good; they were making a golden calfe in the Vallie, to prouoke him to wrath with their Idolatrie. So Christ, when he was at his last Supper, instituting the holy Sacrament of his bodie and blood, for the benefit and comfort of man; at the verie same time they were consulting together how to betray him: which time the Ap. 1. Cor. 11. noteth, when he saith, Our Lord Iesus Christ in the same night, &c.

And no lesse monstrous is the ingra­titude of many now adaies, which while they sit at their play, swearing and blas­pheming the name of God, and com­mitting other greeuous sinne; in the meane time is God creating, and pro­uiding for their sustenance and bene­fite the fruits of the earth, and powring [Page 26]his blessings vpon them, whiles they are crucifying the Sonne of God againe to themselues, and making a mocke of him, Heb. 6. O detestable ingratitude, &c.

4 Note heere, how farre different the iudgement of God is from the iudgement of men: The Pharisies in the opinion of men were reputed ho­ly, and righteous men, and the com­mon people, simple, and foolish; yet the spirit of God heere saith, that the Pharisies, were most wicked and blas­phemous sinners. We learne heere, to examine our owne consciences, & not to content our selues with the praise of men, for according to their fauour, or hatred, they approue euill, and con­demne what is good: plebs est morosa lagē ­do, ille bene de te dicet, at ille male: He of­ten erreth in iudgemen which listneth to the voices of the people: hatred and fauour, are 2. partiall iudges. Errat a­mans pariter dum iudicat, errat et osor namque odium fallit, failit & omnis amor. Saith one. I passe very litle to be iudged of you, or of mans iudgement, 1. Cor. 4.

5 The Pharisies, are an example vn­to [Page 27]vs of the wretched and abiect estate of that man which is forsaken of God; how headlong they fall into all grie­uous sinne. This vse let vs make of it, that when we see men to fall into hor­rible sinne, without any feeling of con­science, let vs thinke that we our selues should fall into the same or greater, if God should giue vs ouer, or take his grace from vs: let vs euer haue before our cies these examples of Gods iudge­ments, to stirre vp the feare of God in our hearts, that we may learne to know our selues, how insufficient we are of our selues, if the hand of God-should not hold vs vp; Let him that standeth take heede least he fall, 1. Cor. 10. Where­fore let euery good Christian, pray with the princely Prophet, Ps. 51. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy ho­ly spirit from me: without him we cannot stand, without him we fall into all kind of wickednesse, learne then to hate sinne which separateth betwixt God and vs, and hideth his face from vs. Es. 59.

6 In that the Pharisies lyed, speak­ing contrarie to their owne consci­ence; [Page 28]let vs learne to hate all lying and falshoode. For it is written, Ps. 5. Thou shalt destroy all them that speake lyes: At the generall flood God destroyed the whole world, but saued Noe and his fa­mily, he burned Sodome, but spared Lot. He tooke into his societie Peter, an of­fender, Paule a persecutor, Magdeline a sinner, &c. But we find not that he ad­mitted any lyar.

Hell (saith the wise man) is better then an euill tongue. Ecc. 28. For hell fire tor­menteth but the wicked and the dam­ned, but an euill tongue hurteth both good and bad. Who so harkeneth thereto, shall neuer find rest, nor dwell quietly. Ibid. The heart of fooles is in their mouth, but the mouth of the wise is in their heart, Ecc. 22. The tongue should follow the heart, the heart and reason should goe before the tongue, as the guide to di­rect and gouerne euerie word, least the tongue runne at randome: linqua tan­quam calamus esse debet, qui per se nihil fa­cit, no farther then it is moued by the Scribe, that it be not exorbitant from the rule and order of Christian charitie, [Page 29]and truth, &c.

7 Out of the 14. vers. we learne (in the censure of the people) that not­withstanding the malicious carping of wicked men, there are not wanting some which will iudge truely, and sin­cerely of the sayings and doings of o­thers: for the word of God is neuer preached in vaine, Esa. 55. Our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 1. Cor. 15. Here is a great comfort, to all Preachers, that they be not discoraged in their calling, whē the malignant cōpanie do contra­dict them, slander, hate, and raile vpon them: for alwaies from the beginning the greater part were the worst, which ferrea quadā peruicacia did oppose them­selues against the seruants of God, and lade his Ministers with scoffes, and re­proaches, for reprouing their beloued sinne: Let vs not marueile, nor be dis­maide heereat, seeing Christ himselfe could not be free from such malicious detractors, &c.

Lastly, ex vers. 16. In that they requi­red a signe from heauen, I obserue, There are at this day which expect [Page 30]myracles to confirme the Doctrine of the Gospell: whom with Christ we may answere, Mat. 12. An euill & adulterous generation seeketh asigne, &c. Myracles in the primitiue Church were necessarie, vt quae introitus sunt at fide, (saith Greg. li. 27. Mor. & infidelium causa maxime fiunt. But now we neede them not, because our Doctrine is not new, but confir­med by the Apostles, with diuers signes & myracles, and gifts of the ho­ly Ghost. lib. 2. Whosoeuer therefore (saith Aug. li. 22. de ciuitate dei) prodigia quaerit vt credat, ipse magnum est prodigi­um, cum toto mundo credente non credat. Many such prodigious sinners there are in the world which seeke signes, such are they which wallowing all their life long in their sinne, presume vpon mercie at the last gaspe of their life: these seeke a signe of God at the end of their life: when the generall rule of Gods lawe is, he will reward euerie man according vnto his workes. Rom. 2. Ps. 62.2. Cor. 5. Vt quimale vixit, malo pereat. So when thou hast liued 30.40.60. yeares in all licentiousnesse of life, casting the [Page 31]fear of God behind thee, sinning against thine owne conscience, thou presumest vpon the late repentance of the last houre of thy life, and thinkest that to be sufficient: why doest thou not feare the wrath of God, and perswade thy selfe rather, that thou shalt die in thy sinnes, which all thy life time thou hast frequented? doest thou not knowe, that repentance is the gift of God? and that it is not in thine owne power? why dost thou not repent betime, whils the long sufferance of God inuiteth thee to re­pentance? why doest thou lose the gol­den opportunitie of time, that God of his mercie offereth thee, and in vtram­que aurem dormi, heaping sinne vpon sinne, as if one moments repentance (which yet is not in thine owne power) should make amends for all? Incredi­ble surely is thy madnesse: What is this but to tempt God? 1. What is this but to seeke a signe from heauen? 2. Thin­kest thou that God is tyed to thy plea­sure, to open to thee the doore of hea­uen, which all thy life long didst rebell against him, and hadst thy will alwaies [Page 32]crossing to his?

Pars tertia. Christs Apologie.

FRom the 17. vers. vsque ad. 27. is de­scribed the Apologie of Christ, a­gainst the calumniation of the Pha­risies; impiously ascribing this myracle vnto Beelzebub; Christs generall theme is: I doe not cast out Diuels through Beelze­bub. To the proofe whereof he vseth in order foure arguments. The first whereof is taken ab effectu discordia, consisting traiectione partium, & compli­catione syltogismi, ac porsyllogismi. The principall Syllogisme is thus: If through Beelzebub I cast out diuels, Sathan is deuided against himselfe.

But Sathan is not deuided against himselfe: therefore I cast not out Di­uels through Beelzebub.

The Connex of the proposition is plaine by the nature of contraries, which expell and kill one the other. The assumption hee proueth by a pro­syllogisme thus:

If Sathan bee deuided against him­selfe, [Page 17]his kingdome cannot stand im­moueable, but the kingdome of Sathan standeth immoueable.

Ergo, Sathan is not diuided against himselfe. The proposition of this Pro­syllogisme is proued A genere, per compae­rationem similium, taken from king­domes, or houses which by mutuall diuision and dissention come to mine and destruction. The 2. Arg. vers. 19. Is taken ab exemplo pari, of them which among the Iewes had the gift of casting out Diuels, whom the Pharisies con­fessed to cast out Diuels by the power of God. These were the Apostles, and 70. Disciples: hee calleth them their children, because they were borne and bred among the Iewes; to whom the Lord gaue power ouervncleane spirits. Luc. 9. the argument is thus.

If I by Beelzebub cast out Diuels, then your children also by him doe cast them out: but your children doe not cast them out through Beelzebub.

Ergo, neither doe I.

The consequent of the proposition, is not set downe in expresse words, but [Page 34]yet is insinuated with a figuratiue inter­rogation, by whom, &c. The assumpti­on is omitted, as granted by them­selues, for they themselues affirmed that by the power of God they cast out Diuells. And therefore hee saith, they shall be your Iudges. That is, by their owne confession, and the confession of their children, they be cōuinced in the iudgement, that against their owne conscience, they haue most malicious­ly ascribed this myracle to the Diuell. By the same argument also he conclu­deth that he casteth out Diuells by the power of God: in this manner.

If your children by the power of God cast out Diuells, by the same pow­er doe I cast them out: but your chil­dren by the power of God cast out Di­uels; therefore I by the power of God cast them out.

Which conclusion hee amplifieth, vers. 20. But if I by the finger of God, cast them out, &c. Where, by the finger of God, hee vnderstandeth the spirit of God, as Mat. 12.28. Explaineth it. By the kingdome of God, is vnderstood [Page 35]the kingdome of the Messias. He rea­soneth from the immediate proper effects, to shewe the cause from the be­nefits and myracles, onely proper to the Messias, he proueth himselfe to be the Messias, & so by their owne con­fession he inferreth, because hee cast out Diuells by the finger of God. They ought vndoubtedly to know that the kingdome of the Messias is come vnto them, and is begunne among them.

The 3. argument is conceiued, vers. 21. & 22. And is taken ab effectis, simili­tudine bellica, of a strong man armed, which by a more stronger is expelled and cast out of his Pallace. Where 1. by the strong man armed, is meant the the Diuell, 2. his Pallace, are wicked men, which he hath vnder his gouern­ment; his armour wherein he trusted, is the great power of the Diuell. The argument may bee thus concluded in the 2. figure.

He that ouercōmeth, and casteth out another by his owne power, is stron­ger then he that is cast out and ouer­come: but I by my owne power doe [Page 20]ouercome, and cast out Diuels.

Ergo, I am stronger then the Diuels, and by consequent, I doe not cast out Diuels through Beelzebub.

The 4. argument is taken a contrariis rugnantium personarum studus, & effectis: vers. 23. He that is not with me, &c. It is a prouerbiall gnome, or sentence which sllogisticè in 1. fig. may thus be inferred.

Whosoeuer in al things is against me, and contrarie vnto me, by his power I cannot cast out Diuels: but Sathan in all things is contrarie to me, Ergo, &c.

Betwixt Christ and Sathan, there is alwaies bellum hostile, Christ is the God of truth, the Deuill is the father of lies: what Christ buildeth, the Diuell labou­reth to pull downe: what fellowship then betweene Christ and Beliai? &c. 2. Cor. 6. This also he proueth by an al­legoricall similitude, adorned by a Pro­sopopaeia, of an enemie which with an in­fatigable studie, laboureth to inuade, and take possession of his aduersary. Ab adiuncto pertinaci studio diaboli, et à causis adiuuantibus. vers. 24.25.26. When the vncleane spirit, &c. 1. By the vncleane [Page 21]spirit, hee vnderstandeth the Diuell' which is called vncleane, 1. Ab abiunctis by reason of his naturall vncleannes: 2. Exeffectis, because he maketh them vncleane, whom hee polluteth with finne. 2. Exit iste, he goeth forth, when by the vertue of Christ, and of his word through repentance hee is cast out. 3 Hee walketh through drie places: by drie places, most interpreters vnder­stand, partly the Godly, and partly the wicked and infidels; for in neither of these, he setteth his rest; for when by repentance, and the grace of Christ, he is cast out of the heart of the penitent sinner, hee incessantly walketh about hunting after his prey, and catching af­ter soules, & assaulteth the godly, seek­ing to possesse, and to enter into their hearts: for the hearts of the godly are called (saith one) loca arida, because ni­hil melle, nihil dissolutum habent: sed om­nia solida & firma quae arida & solicita sunt (saith Theophilact) & are warie and carefull of their soules; seeking rest: that is, to batter downe, and to winne the fort of their hearts, and to make [Page 38]it a dwelling place of all wickednesse, but findeth none; they yeelde not to his suggestions, they resist him stedfast in faith. 1. Pet. 5. They stand against the as­saults of the Diuell, being strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephes. 6. They giue no way vnto him. So the hearts of the godly are the solide, firme, and drie places, which will admit no noysome humour of suggestions, whereon the Diuell may fasten his pes­tilent seede of temptations, there is no moisture of dissolute liuing to nourish it, &c. And so minus gratum est hoc daemo­nibus habitaculum, as the drie places are vnfit to inhabite, (saith another.) &c.

They which take loca arid [...] & inaquo­s [...], for the minde and hearts of wicked men, interprete it thus. The hearts of the wicked are called drie places, that we might vnderstand their vnhappie estate and condition, they are compa­red squalentis cremi sterilitati; because there is found in them, no culture of life, no studie of godlinesse, no fruit of good workes, no humor of pietie, mer­cie, deuotion, but all things are drie, [Page 39]barraine, and vnfruitfull. In those the Diuell seeketh rest, and findeth none: for as a couetous man, is neuer satisfied with that he hath, but greedily gapeth after more: (for hee is more grieued with the desire of other mens, then hee reioyceth in that which is his owne) so our ghostly enemie, which is insati­able and greedie of soules, resteth not satisfied with them, whom hee hath made alreadie his owne, but most ea­gerly gapeth after that which belong­eth not vnto him: that is, which per­taine vnto God, he still crieth like the daughter of the Horsleach, affer, affer, Pro. 30. More, more, nec enim illos quae­rit quos iamsubegit, hos enim captiuos te­net: illos pergit lacessere in quibus Chris­tum cernit habitare. Cypri. Now when in these places he findeth no rest (for with infatigable labour, he gapeth and see­keth to insnare and catch others) he re­solueth to returne againe vnto his house whence he came out: and fin­ding it emptie, Mat. 12. swept and gar­nished. That is, made readie & prepared, as a house is trimmed, decked, and a­dorned, inuiteth guests to enter into it: [Page 24]So when the Diuell seeth men secure, negligent of their saluation, when they keepe not their eyes, cares, tongue, nor the rest of their sences, (which are as it were the doores of the soule.) When (I say) they keepe not carefull watch ouer their soules, and are destitute of their spirituall armor, faith, &c. Prayer, diuine meditations. The enemie is hereby inuited, to enter into his former habitation. The 7. o­ther spirits worse then himselfe: are many more infernall spirits, by whose power and operation the hearts of wic­ked men (by the iust iudgement of God, punishing their securitie) are blinded, hardened, and holden cap­tiue. All these hellish armie combine themselues together, euerie one in his place, to assault, & inuade the walles of the spirituall Castle of the soule; one stirring him forward to pride; another pricking him to couetousnesse; ano­ther incensing with a desire of reuenge; another alluring him to lecherie; ano­ther drawing him to enuie, &c. So that this wreched man, if he resist some of [Page 25]these assaults, he may yet be taken with the other. This place containeth a most graue admonition, to beware of carnall securitie: it is directed general­ly vnto all Christians, but especially vnto those which make a reuolt from God, that they should bee carefully carefull to beware of the impudent malice of this so vncleane spirit: The reasons heere he vseth, are 2; 1. ab ad­iuncto studio, of the Diuell and his com­plices, that they haue to seeke the de­struction of mankind. vers. 24. The 2. is a perieuloso euentu. The last state of that man is worse then the first. For if they after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord, and of the Sa. I. C. are yet intangled againe therein, and ouercome, the later end of that man is worse then the beginning. 2. Pet. 2.

Obs. & doct.

EX vers. 17.1. In that Christ knewe their thoughts, he plainly shewed himselfe to be the true God, he is Cardiognostes, he is omniscius, hee sear­cheth euery secret corner of the hart, & hath no need that any should testifie [Page 42]of men. Io. 2. O that the sinner would reuolue this alwayes in his minde, that God seeth all things, euen his se­cret thoughts: There is none so shame­lesse and impudent, that will dare to commit those sinnes before men, which yet without blushing, they feare not daily to commit in the open sight of God; If God knoweth the thoughts of thy heart, how (thinkest thou) shall he be ignorant of thy wicked deedes? Heare (O foolish man) what God saith to Samuel, 1. Sa. 16. God seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward ap­pearance, but God beholdeth the heart. But such is the blindnesse of wicked men, and the stupide foolishnesse that sinne causeth, that seeing he seeth not God, he supposeth that God seeth not him. Elisha was inuironed about with angels, but his seruant saw it not, 2. Reg. 6. So as­sure thy selfe, that whatsoeuer thou doest, God and his Angels beholdeth thee, though thou seest them not. Learne heere to feare the Lord, seeing we haue to doe with him, who is both a iudge and a witnesse, to whom our ve­rie [Page 43]thoughts are manifest, much more our wicked actions, &c. Heerein they are like children, which winking with their eyes see no bodie, they think that they are seene of none. 2. vors. & 17. Euery kingdome diuided, &c. Seeing there is an indissoluble consent of wic­ked spirits in vpholding their King­dome: let vs also be inuincible, and of one minde, in maintaining the vnitie of the Church, through the bande of peace, Eph. 4. Be of like affection one to­ward another. Rom. 12. Be of one minde, liue in peace. 2. Cor. 13. Which inuincible bande of Christian vnitie, as it wonder­fully furthereth the course of the Gos­pell: so dissentions, strife, and conten­tion, greatly hindreth the same: If yee bite and deuoure one another, take heede, &c. Gal. 5. quae priuatae inimicitiae, maximo semper detrimento ecclesiam affe­cerunt, & relligionem in multas sectas disse­cuerunt. As truely saith Nicephorus, lib. 11. Hist. Eccles. Let vs beware therefore (brethren) that through our fault no schismes, and rents, may arise in the Church.

[Page 28] 3 Seeing no Citie, or house or king­dome, if it be diuided against it self can stād. We are taught that cōcord in eue­ry state of life is to be imbraced: as Me­nenius Agippa in Liu. l. 2. a Romane, wise­ly confessed, when by an elegant Apo­logie of the dissention of the members of the bodie, reduced to vnitie the Senate, and people of Rome, being at discord. Againe, King Mycipsa, being about to die, in a fatherly affection, ex­horting his children to concord, com­mended vnto them this sentence, wor­thy to bee written in golden letters: Concordia res paruae crescunt, discordia magna dilabuntur. Salust. Teaching all parents at their death, to bequeath cō ­corde vnto their children, the best le­gacie they may leaue them; As Plut. de garru. reporteth of Scylurus the Scythi­an, who had 80. Sonnes; who at his death bad his Sonnes to bring him a sheafe of arrowes, which he deliuered vnto his Sonnes, commanding each of them, to breake them in peeces all at once: which when not one of them could doe, hee himselfe pulling them [Page 29]out, one, by one, easily brake them be­fore their faces; shewing them by this parable, the truth of that which Salo. teacheth, Pro. 18. That a brother vnited to a brother, is like an impugnable Citie: and their counsailes, like the barre of a Pallace, which cannot be broken: for if their contentions bee such, much more their concorde and vnitie. But to learne this point, I may send you as the Apostle did the Corinthians, to the schoole of nature, 1. Cor. 11. Nonne ipsa vos natura hoc docet? This reciprocall and mutuall concord, nature her selfe teacheth vs in the fabrike and structure of the bodie, for she hath made most parts, 2. or double, germana & gemella, as hands, feet, eyes, eares, nostrils, signi­fying hereby that all these for mutuall help, not hurt, are so distinguished, that they might the better succour & helpe one the other. Now if the hand which God created to helpe one the other, neglecting this, should hurt one the o­ther; or if the feete which were created to beare one anothers burthen, leauing this, should supplāt one the other: or if [Page 46]the eyes which like Caleb, and Iosuah, are fellowe spies in the Microcosme, and little world of the bodie, should not looke for one anothers helpe, but looke asquint at the good of each o­ther, were not this vnnatural and mon­strous in the bodie? how much more monstrous is it for vs, which are bre­thren and Christians, all members of one bodie, to liue in discord, and seeke the hurt one of another? For the nea­rer the cause is of coniunction, the greater must needes bee the wrong which doth dissipate it. The woundes which Brutus his friend gaue to Caesar, went nearer his heart, then all the stabs of his foes: [...], (quoth hee) and thou also my sonne Brutus. This made Dauid complaine, Ps. 55. If mine enemie, &c. So monstrous and barba­rous a thing it is, to beare enmitie, with them especially, to whom we owe most loue and affection. Where­fore as Salo. sent the sluggard to the Emmet to schoole, that hee might learne to laboure, Pro. 6. Esay, the vn­gratefull to the Oxe and Asse, to learne [Page 47]thankfulnesse, Esa. 1. Ieremie the neg­lecter of season, to the storke and crane, the Turtle, and the Swallow, to learne the opportunitie of time, Iere. 8. and our Sauiour the worldling, to the Ra­uens to learne Gods prouidence, and contentation: Mat. 6. So may I send the refractarie, and contentious per­sons to behold the frame of the world, which preacheth concorde and vnitie vnto man. We see the celestiall Orbes and Spheares of heauen, though their motions be diuers, and their reuoluti­ons thwartingly crossing one another (as Eras. in pacis quaerimonia saith) yet are they euer constant in the first coue­nant of peace, wherein the God of vni­tie at first placed them. The Elements though in nature contrarie, and in ope­ration opposite, (as drought and moi­sture, colde and heate) yet concordi pace ligantur: they all conspire together in a friendly temperature for the preser­uation of mans bodie. The beasts of the field, the fishes of the Sea, the fowles of the ayre, in their proper kinds, armentatim pascunt, gregatim na­tant, [Page 32]turmatim v [...]lant (saith he) feede by heards, swimme by companies, flie by flockes, and all to preach concord and vnitie vnto man. The verie Serpents bite not one another. The rauenous fi­shes deuoure none of their owne kind: the most greedie birds and beasts, will not prey vpon their like: and shall man more vnnaturall then all other crea­tures be diuided? seeke the spoyle one of another, and worse then the Tygers, Dragons, and Serpents, worke the de­struction one of another, which yet are bound together by God, with more bands of amitie then all the rest?

When God created man, he created him alone, but vnicum, as a thing of v­nitie without diuision, (when all other creatures were made couples, & twoes, Gen. 1.) Which one though the Creator made 2. by & after creation, yet made he these 2. one againe by coniunction of marriage, vt sciamus quâm concorditer viuere deberenous. Aug. 11. de ciuitate dei cap. 21. that thereby we might knowe how peaceably, we should liue together in one minde. Wherefore (brethren let [Page 33]the san [...]e minde, What? shall I say with the Apostle, the s [...]e minde that was in Christ Iesus, Phil. 2. No I dare not, I am out of hope of it, he was such a louer of men, that he laid downe his most pre­cious life, and suffered the most igno­minious death, to saue man his most re­bellious enemie. But if not the same, yet let the like minde be in you. Be ye fol­lowers of Christ as deare children, & walke in loue, Ephes. 5. Nay let but the mind of beasts to them of their owne kinde, be in you. For where as all mo­tions of enmitie in them be but single, and peculiar to their owne nature, they all concurre togither in one man, as all riuers runne into the sea. Man to man is in heade craftie as a Fox; in greedi­nesse like a Wolfe, in fiercenesse like a Tyger, in tongue as venemous as the Serpent, in their euill eye, as deadly as the Cockatrice; in bloodie hands re­sembling the crueltie of Lions. And whereas the integritie of our forefa­thers brought forth this Prouerbe, Ho­ [...]o homini Deus. This corrupt age hath turned Deus into Lupus, from a preser­uer [Page 34]of man, into a deuourer of man, to spoile one the other: nay, Homo homini Damon, to imitate the Diuel one towards another in enuie, &c.

And surely what should more linke our mindes together, then the verie name of a Christian, if we had spirituall eyes to looke into it? We are all borne of one immortall seede, in one wombe of the Church, growing vp in one bo­die to the full stature of Christ, as mem­bers knit together by one spirit, all tra­uailing to one Chanaan, and hope of our calling, seruing all one Lord, pro­fessing all one faith, hauing all made the same vowe in Baptisme. In rebus tam multis consortium & in vitatam in­explicabile dissiaium: sayeth one, In so many things fellowship, and in life no friendship? all one bodie, and in the members no simpathie? in all one spi­rit, and in the affections no harmonie? all one hope of heauen, and in coheires no simphonie? all one Lord, and in fel­low seruants no vnitie? all one faith, & in opinions no simmetrie? all sworne in one Baptisme, and in fellow souldi­ers [Page 35]no symmachie? all adopted by one father, and among brethren no frater­nitie? so many ones and no vnitie? This of all other is Argumentum maxi­mi monenti, saith a father, the most in­ducing motiue, and strongest argu­ment that may be vnto loue, that we are al by one God & Father made one bo­die, through one spirit, to serue one Lord, in one faith, and consecrated to him by one Baptisme, doe hope all for one glorious inheritance wherevn­to we are called, Ephes. 4. Behold how good, &c. Psal. 133. It is both bonum & iucundum, saith August miscuit vtile dulci he hath mingled pleasantnes to make thee tast, with good to make thee sauor this great blessing of the Lord: for pleasantnesse, he likeneth it to the sweet sauour of Aarons precious oyntment: for the profit thereof vnto deaw of Hermon, and for the happinesse thereof, hee expresseth the promise of blessed­nesse, for there the Lord hath promi­sed his blessing in this life, and life for euermore in the heauenly King­dome.

Which blessed vertue of concorde, as it is required in all Christians, if euer they thinke to be partakers of the eter­nall blessednesse: so especially it is cō ­mended to the wedded estate, for nulli­us reipossessio coniugasi pace possit esse iu­cundior. For they which in this state liue peaceably futurae iam vitae imaginem quandam referunt quae visio pacis appella­tur. (Saith this father) as contrariwise, they which [...]arre among themselues with priuate contentions and strife, in this life they here begin their hell, and shal tast of a double hel, in this life pre­sent, & in the life to come. Whosoeuer would aspire to this peace, let him craue it of God, who only maketh men to be of one minde in an house, and at the beginning of his Church, gathered together a multitude, of the beleeuing in nature discrepant and diuers, that they might be one heart, & one soule, Act. 4. And next, let euerie one re­nounce his owne will and iudgement, especially the wiues, whome God cō ­mandeth to be subiect vnto their hus­bands, otherwise if they will stifly [Page 37]stand vpon their summum ius their peace and safetie cannot long endure. Faelices ter & amplius, quos irrupta tenet copula, &c. Hor. lib. 3. This was the Legacie which Christ bequeathed to his children at his departing, peace I leaue with you, my peace I giue vnto you, Io. 14. For this he prayed especial­ly vnto the father, Io. 17. That they may be one, as thou a father art in me, and I in thee. If any Prince trauailing into a far countrie, should giue vnto his Queene and spouse any precious Iewell, as a pledge of his loue, and she after his de­parting, should contemne and set light by it, were she not worthy to be con­demned of monstrous ingratitude? but this precious iewel Christ gaue be­fore his departing to his father, which we so vilely esteeme that for the least occasion we feare not to violate the same: how then shall we bee thought to haue any part with Christ, what assu­rance that we are his children, or how should we looke to be partakers of his glory, if our wils be so ouer-thwart and crossing to his most holy will and dis­position?

[Page 38] 4 Note that there bee many men now adaies, herein rightly resembling the diuels, which though they liue in perpetuall strife and enmitie among themselues, yet to persecute the godly and innocent, they peaceably combine themselues together. So Herode & Pi­late, though they were at mortall dis­corde, yet they agreed together, to condemne Christ, and were made friends, Luc. 2. So wicked men though in all other things their natures bee crossing, yet conspire they together to doe mischiefe: and euen so as this god­ly peace conserueth, and corroborateth the kingdome of Christ; so the per­uerse peace of the wicked, vpholdeth the kingdome of sathan.

5 Ex verse, 21. We haue this com­fortable Doctrine: that Christ is stron­ger then the diuell, which is called the strong armed man, he hath bruised his head, Gen. 3. He hath iudged him, Io. 16. He hath taken away his power ouer vs, he hath diuided the spoiles, he hath spoyled the principalities, and powers, [Page 39]and made a shew of them openly, Col. 2. Sitting at the right hand of the fa­ther, defendeth our cause against the accuser of the brethren, Reue. 12. This God of peace shall shortly treade sathan vn­der our feete. Rom. 16. Let vs therefore stand fast in the Lord, and feare not, for greater is he that is in vs, then hee that is in the world. 1. Io. 4. Non debet timere hostem fortem qui dominum habet fortiorem, Chrysost.

6 Againe, heere is one thing to bee obserued; in that he saith, when the Diuell keepeth his pallace, the things hee possesseth are in peace. Heere is shewed the nature of this infernall ene­mie, when once he hath possessed the soule of the sinner, he laboureth by all meanes to bring him to securitie, that without feeling hee may rest in his sinne, and as the prouerbe is, in vtram­que aurem dormire, that if it be possible hee may not feele the pricking and sting of cōscience, least by repentance hee should escape out of his clawes; therefore he endeuoureth to hold him still in this deadly sleepe of sinne. And [Page 40]as they that led the Israelites captiue, required of them songs and mirth in their heauinesse, saying: sing vs one of the songs of Sion, Psal. 137. So the diuell whē he hath brought any into the misera­ble seruitude, and captiuitie of sinne, seeketh by all meanes to make him sing, reioyce, play, and rest secure in his sinnes, that so he might forget the danger and miserie he is in. To whom (brethren) let vs answere as it followeth in the same Psalme: how shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land? how, seeing we are inhabitants of heauen, and haue heere no continuing Citie, but we seeke one to come. Heb. 13. How (I say) in this our pilgrimage, in this place of exile, and miserie should we reioyce? how should we sing and Iubilate the song of mirth, and carnall securitie, ha­uing a conscience clogged with sinne? dwelling heere in the Babylon and con­fusion of sinne: when we cal to remem­brāce, the celestiall Ierusalem, the coun­trie of the blessed, how should we choose but with sighings, gronings, and teares in heart, aspire vnto the [Page 41]same? But (alas) there are many [...]o drowned in their sinnes, and detained with such tyrannie in the snares of the diuell, that in this most wreched state they are secure, they reioyce, and sing, they remember neither the heauenly Ierusalem, the countrie of the blessed Saints of God, nor thinke vpon their owne vnhappie seruitude; and thus the the diuell holdeth them in quiet and peaceable possession. O wretched and most cruell peace; This felicitie is most bitter griefe. Esa. 38.17. They shall find this of truth, Ierc. 2.1 [...]. That it is both an euill, and a bitter thing to forsake the Lord their God. For though outwardly they seeme to haue peace with the world and the flesh, yet inwardly they haue alwayes most cruell conflicts, and rest­lesse warre with their passions: they say peace, peace, when there is no peace, Iere. 6. This craftie enemie dea­leth with the sinner, as we vse to doe with our gardens or Orchards: when the Trees are yet budding and bloo­ming, and the fruite not yet come to maturitie and ripenesse, we vse no great [Page 42]care in watching and keeping it: but when the fruite beginneth to come to the expected ripenes, we looke more carefully vnto it. So when thy sinne beginneth to waxe ripe, and to growe towards hardnesse of heart, then this enemie watcheth, and is the more care­full and vigilant of thee, least thou shouldest hearken to the voice of God, knocking at the doore of thy heart; and open vnto his Diuine inspirations, vntill thou be come into profundum peccati into the deepth of sinne, and in­to the ripenesse of iniquitie, and bee made a fit dish for the diuels table

This is the miserable captiuitie wher­in hee holdeth the wicked, which yet willingly subiect themselues vnto him, choose rather to fight vnder his ban­ner, so they may quietly follow their pleasures for a season, then as the good Souldiers of Christ valiantly to resist him. And herein they imitate the Israe­lites, which chose rather to subiect themselues vnto the vniust yoke of cruell Pharoe, then to sustaine a little labour for the land of Promise. Exod. [Page 43]16. Sometime the lewde man, or who­rishwoman, resolue with themselues to giue ouer their filthie life, knowing how odious this sinne is in the sight of God: now the diuell fearing to loose his pray bestirreth him, and suggesteth into the mind of this wretched woman, that if she giue ouer this filthie trade, she shall liue in penurie, and want main­tenance, and that he may in peace pos­sesse them, he layeth before their eies the strictnesse of Gods iudgements, the implacablenesse of his wrath, that re­pentance is now too late, and in vaine, and therefore willeth them to take the present fruit of their pleasures. So hee layeth before the Vsurer, the hardnesse of the times, the sweetnesse of the gaine which without any paines commeth rowling into his bagges, &c. and by no meanes will haue the sinner to forsake his damnable waies. But (my brethren) let vs stoppe our eares to the pestilent counsailes of this hellish fiend, consider that all the pretended impediments of Sathan are in deed but strawes, and fea­thers, they appeare to be somthing, whē [Page 44]they are indeed nothing but shadowes, let him not with these paper-darts shake or weaken our confidence in God: hee cannot lie which said, Psal. 37. Trust thou in the Lord, and be doing good: dwell in the land, and assuredly thou shalt be fed.

7. Vers. 23. He that is not with me is a­gainst me: This gnome of Christ is dili­gently to be noted: we must therefore of necessitie stande on Christs side, or on Sathans, wee must either scrue God or Mammon, assent with Christ or with Belial, 2 Cor. 9. Nullum est hîc ter­tium, here is no third; for what com­muniō hath light with darknes. 2. Cor. 6 Harken to this ye Neutralists which halte betweene two opinions, 1. Reg. 18. Non nascitur ex bono malum, non magis quâm ex ficu olea, good cannot spring of euill, no more then the oliue of the fig­tree. Saith Seneca. 30. Epist. Bonus animus nunquam erranti obsequium accommodat, A good minde neuer reacheth the hel­ping hand to vphold error. Saith he a­gaine. Solon neuer reputeth him a good Citizen, which in a ciuill dissention would associate himselfe to neither [Page 45]part & in dissensions of matters of faith shall we thinke such to bee good men? God will spewe them out of his mouth. Apoc. 3.

8. Vers. 24. When this vncleane spirit walking through drie places could find no rest, to settle his habitation there, he resolueth with himselfe to returne into his house, from whence hee came out: He calleth it his house, not by creation, for all things are Gods, but by possessi­on. Cōsider here (O wretch) what guest thou reiectest, and whom thou recey­uest when thou seruest him: thou re­iectest God, and admittest the Diuell: thou expellest life, and receiuest death: thou fliest light, and entertainest the Prince of darknesse. Euen as through Sauls disobedience the spirit of God departed from him, presently the euill spirit possessed him, which horriblie tormented both his bodie and soule: which inflamed him with the fire of enuie and ambition, which incensed him to persecute innocēt Dauid, & most barbarously to murder the priests of the Lord, and lastly to be his owne butcher: [Page 46]1. Sam. 22 to 31. So (brethren) let vs as­sure our selues, that if we forsake the Lord, he will forsake vs. 2. Chro. 15. If we suffer sin to raigne in vs, the spirit of God will forsake vs, and then pre­sently our hearts are made an habita­tion for the vncleane spirit O (brethrē) how fearefull and miserable is the state of that man which is forsaken of God, the fountaine of all goodnesse, and pos­sessed of the diuell the authour of all euill? What euill is there that this most cruell, and mightie enimie, will not ef­fect in them whome hee possesseth? Note here that the diuel saith not, I will goe into some other house: but I will returne into the house from whence I came. See here the impudent boldnesse of this enemie: he presumeth that the doores of that house are alwayes open vnto him. He knoweth that they which haue euer beene accustomed to sinne, casting aside al feare, wil easily be drawn backe to their vomite, and brought to their olde bias, and when hee commeth hee findeth it emptie, Mat. 12. Swept and garnished, Swept, Per consuetudinem [Page 47]peccati, emptie, of faith, good workes, and all holy exercises, per pigritiam, & nogligentiam, garnished with counterfēit vertues, per hypocrisin: saith an auncient writer.

1. Swept. The Broome swe epeth a­way but the dust, it leaueth the dirt and whatsoeuer sticketh fast, it moueth not that. So many will vse Verriculo pani­tentiae, the Broome of repentance, in sweeping the house of their soule light­ly, and superficially, they leaue still be­hinde their euill customes, and wicked habite of sinne which cleaueth fast vn­to them. We see many Vsurers will hate adulterie, make conscience of swearing and periurie, &c. These Cobwebs they sweepe cleane away, but as for the filthy habite, gainfull custome, wicked trade of Vsurie, because it bringeth profite, they leaue that vntouched, their broome reacheth not so farre. Like­wise, many adulterers (though wel mo­nied) detest Vsurie as vtterly vnlawfull, and forbidden of God, vpon paine of damnation. Psal. 15. Ezech. 18. &c. They will (perhaps) loath lying, craft oppres­sion, [Page 48]&c. but as for Adulterie, their belo­ued sinne, which continuall custome hath brought to an habite, that filthy dirt they leaue vnswept, that cleaueth still fast to the walles of their spirituall house. The like may be said of all other accustomed sinne. These are like hypo­criticall Naaman, 2. King. 5.18. which when he resolued to serue the God of heauen, hee excepted one thing with God, The Lord be mercifull to mee (sayth he) in this point. So the Hypocrites wold faine indent with God, to dispence with their beloued sinne, their gainfull sinne which they are loath to forgoe? But, be­loued, marke here I beseech you, the policie of our ghostly enemie. Sathan will seeme to be (forsooth) very reaso­nable in this point, he saith to the sin­ner, Giue thy heart to God, serue him, leaue me but one part, one little corner in this house, and it shall suffice me. O dearly beloued, this is but one of Sa­thans old tricks, hearken not vnto him, heknoweth wel, that if he hath any part, God will haue none, God will haue all or none, God will not hold any part [Page 65]with Sathan. He will be ant Casar, aut nihil, raigne in thy hart, or haue no part, haue the whole, or let the diuel take al. My sonne giue me thine heart (saith God) Pro. 23. Learne here (brother) to pluck vp the euill seede by the roote, leaue no roote behind of euill custome, least it spring vp to the pestilent weede of a setled habite of sinne, and so this vn­cleane spirit looking into the doore of this spirituall house, seeing it lightly swept ouer, perfunctoriê & velut aliud a­gens, the filth of euill customes, still cleauing fast. This sweeping well plea­seth him, and being inuited hereby, he presumeth to make a reentrie into this house. Let vs therefore (brethren) vse violence to our wicked customes, this requireth no light care, old diseases are not so lightly cured: Non leuiore manu, ferrosanantur & igni. And this let vs doe by opposing the custome of ver­tue, and practise of godlinesse against our former wicked customs, that wee may stoppe the doore of our soules a­gainst this vncleane spirit.

Thus the vncleane spirit seeing his [Page 66]house swept fit for his purpose, looketh further into it, and findeth it also emp­tie, that is voide of faith, good workes, holy meditations, Christian exercises, idle, carelesse, secure, and slouthfull in seruing of God, neglecting to keepe di­ligent watch ouer their soules. So the Cittie Laishe, beeing carelesse and without mistrust, was taken by the children of Dan, Iudg. 18 They are not easily taken in the snare of the diuell, which are intent to any godly exercise. We may see many whom a man would thinke to bee very much busied, they are troubled about many things, they are clogged with many cares, so that they haue searce leysure Caput scalpere, to scratch their head (as it is in the pro­uerb) but if we looke into their acti­ons, we shall finde indeede all this busi­nes to be but meere idlenes, it is but an idle care which maketh not for the life eternal, or profiteth not the soule. Whē we see children busied in making hou­ses with chippes and sticks, we iudge them to be idle, but they thinke them­selues to be verie busie, so when we are [Page 67]plodding and intent to the fading, vaine and momentanie things of the world, neuer fixing our thoughts on the eternall and heauenly things, we may rightly be said to be idle. The true busines indeede is to be occupied in the seruice of the Lord, in prayer, hea­ring the word, and to keepe carefull watch ouer our soule, that the diuell may not finde vs idle. In this life we should be diligent and cast of all slug­gishnes, vntill the wished Sabbath of e­ternall glorie come, when we shall la­bour no more, but enioy for euer the fruits of our labours. Semper aliquid agi­to, vt te diabolus occupatum inueniat: nō fa­cilê capitur qui bono vacat e [...]e [...] citio, saith Hiero. be alwayes doing somewhat that the diuell may find thee occupied, hee is not easily caught of the diuell, which is busie in some godly exercise. Thus when the vnclean spirit seeth the house of thy soule emptie, he thinketh it pre­pared for him, and maketh no doubt to enter againe into it.

3 He findeth it also garnished, euen as a house which is adorned, deaked, and [Page 68]garnished, seemeth to prouoke and in­uite guests to come into it: so hee that remoueth not the occasions of sinne, doth as it were inuite sinne to dwell with him. It is needfull therefore, that we doe not onely expell sinne, but a­uoyde all occasions of sinne; Occasio fa­cit furem saith the old prouerbe, oppor­tunitie and occasion maketh a thiefe. Much surely occasion auaileth both to vertue and vice; the force whereof is such saith Cicero, vi plerumque ex volup­tate tristitiam, ex damno lucrum, ex honesto in honestum parturiat: & contrà: breuiter­que rerum naturam permutat, that of plea­sure paine, of losse gaine, and of what is honest it bringeth forth dishonestie, & shortly altereth the nature of things. If thou hast expelled the sinne of whore­dome & cast it out, cast out also all oc­casions of whoredome with it, as wan­ton companie, alluring harlots, filthy and vnchast talking, &c: which are the occasions of sinne, and daemonis supellex saith one. If thou hast forsaken the damnable custome of swearing, aban­don also the societie of prophane [Page 69]swearers, and so of all other sinnes. Occasions of euill are the Diuels baits, & hookes which he saith to catch thee, and to bring thee againe into his seruitude. Si ferreus sis, ante ignê consistens aliquando dissolueris: proximus periculo diu tutus nō eris. If thou wast as hard as iron, the fire will at length dissolue thee: be­ing so neare a neighbour to daunger, thou shalt not long be safe. Familiaritie saepe peccandi occasionē dedit, giueth occa­sion of sinne: Isido. lib. 2. solilo. therefore the Apostle, 1. Thes. 5. willeth not one­ly to abstaine from euill, but also from all appearance of euill. Take heed of all occasions of euill, giue no vantage to the enemie, trust not vnto thine owne strength, cast out the bond-woman with her sonne, Gen. 21. Gal. 4. For if thou cast out sinne, & neglect to shun the occasions of sinne, Pignus apud daemonem relinquis, it is as a pledge left in the diuels hands, which, he assureth himselfe thou wilt returne backe againe to fetch: and then he will surely hold thee captiue. As Pharaoh, bad the Israelite depart to sa­crifice vnto their God, but their cattell [Page 70]only they should leaue behind: so saith this hellish Pharaoh, goe (if you will needes) sacrifice vnto God, that is re­pent you of your sinne, but onely oc­casions of sinne leaue still with me as a pledge, leaue behind the relikes of your euill customes, the remembrance of your former delights, &c. Sathan little careth for the rest. These are the wayes whereby hee reentreth into the house from whence he came. &c. Therefore we should pray with the Prophet. Psal. 119. vers. 29. Viam iniquitatis- amoue à me: Take from mee the way of iniqui­tie, or as the Hebrew worde (Seker) ra­ther importeth of lying: where S. Am­brose Ser. 4. in Psa. Beati immaculati, well obserueth: hee saith not, take iniquitie from me, sed viam iniquitatis, the way of iniquitie. The Prophet prayeth that not onely iniquitie may be taken from him, but also the occasion that leadeth vnto iniquitie. Occasio enimiter est quod ducit ad peccatum: Occasion is the way that leadeth vnto sinne.

To conclude. The diuell seeing the house of our soule thus sweeped, emp­tie, [Page 71]and garnished (as I said) that is, dispo­sed and prepared for him, hee is inuited hereby to enter againe into the same. Then hee goeth and taketh vnto him­selfe seuen other spirits worse then him selfe, &c. O fearefull estate, which if there be in vs any feeling, if wee haue not a dead conscience, if we bee not al­together giuen ouer to a reprobate sence, is sufficient to breed in vs an hatred of sinne, and chiefly to take heed of a relapse into sinne, after wee haue escaped out of the snares of the diuell, let vs neuer be secure, but cleaue con­stantly vnto the Lord: for if the diuell enter againe, he will bee more strong, more vigilant to hold fast his possessi­on. He now bandeth himselfe, he nowe fortifieth his Castell, that he bee not a­gaine cast out. And euen as the knights of Malta, after they were strictly besie­ged by the armie of the great-Turke Soliman, and brought into extreame danger, did diligently fortifie their walles, erect strong forts, and furnish the same with all warlike prouision, lest they should fall againe into the like pe­rill [Page 72]which they had escaped: so this vn­cleane spirit after he hath againe reco­uered the fort of mans heart, which be­fore hee had lost, and from which a­gainst his will he was repelled, is nowe verie warie, that he bee not againe dri­uen forth, and therefore by all meanes possible hee laboureth to fortifie his house, with all his spirituall muni­ments. And so with his infernall bande he entereth in, and dwelleth there.

But (perhaps) it may bee here asked after what manner the diuell is saide to dwell in the wicked. This the Apostle Ephes. 2. briefly sheweth, when he saith, that this vncleane spirit worketh in the children of disobedience. He dwelleth therfore by working in them: but what doth he worke? The Philosopher saith: Omne agens sibi simile agere: euerie agent worketh like it selfe. He laboureth ther­fore to make a man like himselfe, that is, proud [...], cruell, a liar, false, enuious, vncleane, an inuenter of euill, deceitful, a man of blood, yea a very diuell in his life & conuersation. But thou wilt aske, againe, how doth he worke this? It is [Page 71]certaine, that the diuell cannot com­pell, nor enforce any to wickednesse, yet he is able diuersly to affect the in­feriour powers of the soule, and chiefe­ly the fantasie; that hee may stirre vp the affections and desire to euill; he i­mitateth the art of a skilfull painter, which deliniateth all things, that hee painteth some times in this fashion, sometimes in that, not according to the nature of things, but as it best plea­seth his fancie: pictoribus atque poetis, quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas. Poets and Painters, chalenge a Licence to faine. By this art if he would allure thee with the loue of any thing, he ob­iecteth it vnto thine eyes, most faire, and amiable, when it is nothing lesse. If he would haue thee hate any thing, he representeth it vnto thee, most exe­crable and loathsome. How faire doth he paint golde to the eyes of the co­uetous man, honour to the proude man, reuenge to the wrathfull man, le­cherie to the loose man? O how hard and cragged doth he make the way of vertue, and of repentance to the impe­nitent [Page 74]sinner? yea the very same thing he exhibiteth to thy minde, sometime faire and sometime deformed at his pleasure, as best hee thinketh it may serue to worke our destruction.

Thou happelie wilt replie that thou neuer didst feele this his working in thy selfe. This is, because thou neuer didst resist him, thou neuer didst with­stand his temptations, thou yeeldest vnto thy desire, thou neuer didst striue to come out of his snares. We see a birde that is caught in the snare, as long as he standeth still, is delighted and feedeth vpon the baite, he findeth not the force of the snare: but when hee assaileth to flye away, then he feeleth the strength of the ginne, with which he is holden fast, which before he per­ceiued not. So whosoeuer boileth with intestiue hatred towards his neighbor, or with the desire of reuenge, or with the furie of fornication, or with the delight of wrongfull gotten good, or with vnchast loue, or is caught in a­nie other snare of the diuell: let him but beginne to come out of these [Page 75]snares, and to breake these bands of sathan, or to subdue his long continu­ed customes of any vice, and then shall he proue the strength and power of this enemie. Eos pulsare negligit quot quieto iure possidere se sentit. Greg. He let­teth them alone whome he keepeth vnder quiet possession.

So the last state of that man is worse then the first. Here our Sauiour teach­eth how dangerous it is to make a re­lapse into sinne, we are deliuered from the power of darknesse, and sathan in Baptisine, we are taken out of the bands, and chaines of ignorance and errour, through knowledge of the truth, for it is that which maketh vs free, Io. 8. Farre be it from vs (brethren) that either through hatred of the truth in Doctrine, or through impietie in life and manners, we should againe submit our necke to the diuels yoake. For e­uen as in bodily diseases, when the sicke hath recouered his former health if afterward through his owne default, he falleth againe into the same mala­die, his sicknes is more grieuous and [Page 76]dangerous' then at the first, because nature now is decayed and weakened: so after by the grace of God, and the preaching of his word we haue escaped out of the snares of the diuell, if we fall againe into the same sinne, our estate shall be more perillous then at first. Sinne in his first and best estate is an cuill, verie hurtfull and dangerous, the malice whereof we cannot better be­hold, then by his contraries, for rectum est iudex sui obliqui: The straight is the best tryer of the crooked. Omne bonum (saith the Philosopher) continet vel ho­nestum, vel vtile, vet incundum: Euerie good conteineth in it, either what is honest; profitable, or pleasant. Where­fore vertue is magnum bonum, a great good, because it containeth in it what­soeuer is honest, profitable, or pleasant. God is summum bonum, the soueraigne good, because he is summè vtilis, summè honestus, & summè delectabilis. Which 2 in a most perfect manner are in God. Whereby we may conclude, that see­ing sinne separateth a man from these 3. kinds of good, it followeth it must [Page 77]needs be a pernicious and execrable e­uill, because it maketh vs which were created to be capable of the summum bonum, to be altogether vnapt for the same. 1. Sinne is opposed to the profi­table good, because it bringeth infinite damage and losse vnto the sinner, for it expelleth God the soueraigne good, from his habitation of our soules. Not as a more stronger driueth out the weaker: but when through vices and our filthy life we dishonour God, then is God sayd to be cast out of our hearts. For as men are wont cōmonly to say: I will not thrust thee out, but I will so vse thee, that thou shalt haue litle plea­sure to stay with me. So whē God seeth that we more esteeme the dung, husks, and trash of this world, then we doe him, he forsaketh his dwelling and de­parteth, being so iniuriously vsed. To vse this familiar example: If thou be­ing maried to a beautifull, honest, and louing wife, descended of honourable parentage, shouldest fixe thy loue vpon a fowle, deformed, and filthy Neger, place her by thee at the higher end of [Page 78]the table, compell thy wife to serue her as a vile handmaide; may she not iust­ly complaine of thee, and willingly forsake thy companie? In like manner, when we esteeme more our owne lusts and appetites, & preferre them before the loue of God, following whore­dome, enuie, malice, blasphemies, op­pression, &c. Should God take any de­light to dwell in our hearts? and when God departeth from vs, it is the most greeuous, and incomparable euill, that possible may happen vnto vs, and greatest lost that may be imagined. For as we see many to insult vpon the Wi­dowes and fatherlesse, because for the most part they are destitute of friends, to succour and defend their cause, and therefore exposed to all iniurie and oppression: so the soule that is desti­tute of Gods aide and protection lyeth naked, and open to the malice and fury of the vncleane spirit. This, Dauids e­nemies well knew when they sayd, Psa. 71. God hath forsaken him, let vs persecat [...] and take him, for there is none to deliuer him. And therefore this princely Pro­phet, [Page 79]wisely prayed, Psal. 51. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy ho­ly spirit from me. For euen as when the court remoueth, all the attendants and courteors departe also: so when God departeth from the soule, all blessings, goodnesse and graces goe away with him. O consider this, yee that forget God, and with a feeling heart consider now, whether there be any thing so vnprofitable to man as is sinne, which depriueth him of the fountaine of all goodnesse, and ouerwhelmeth him with such a deluge of cuils? O (my brethren) is it not to be wondred at that any reasonable creature, knowing this (as reason it selfe teacheth vs) should be so easily drawne by the ene­mie of mankind, to commit (and that without any remorse of conscience) all wickednes, and vncleanesse? O then let vs take heede and be carefully care­full how we fall from God, for if we de­part from the mildnesse of his mercie, we must of necessitie fall into the rigor of his iustice. Euen as a trauailer, the farther he goeth from the East, the [Page 80]nearer hee approacheth to the West, and the farther hee goeth from the South, the nearer he commeth to the North: so the sinner, the farther he de­parteth from Gods mercy, the sooner hee falleth into the hands of Gods iustice.

2 Sinne is also opposite to hones­tie, and therefore a vile, vnhonest, and shamefull euill. For it alwayes brandeth the sinner with a note of infamie, which is the cause that the wicked doer hi­deth himselfe, and would be seene of none, for he knoweth if his euill deeds be espied, he hath lost his honest repu­tation, and credite among good men, and with shame and ignomine is poin­ted at of all men. Qui malè agit edit lu­cem, he that euill doth hateth the light, Io. 3. vers. 20.

3 It is opposed bono delectabil [...], to the pleasant and delightsome good: and therefore it is an euill full of sad­nesse, greefe, and vexation of minde, and bringeth not only eternall death, but also maketh this present life bitter and vnpleasant: for God will not suffer [Page 81]sinne to escape his vengeance, it hath euer Gods reuenging hand following it. Knowe (therefore) and behold, that it is an euill and a bitter thing, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, Iere. 2. vers. 19. I will not heere speake of the eternall punishmēt, which shall tormēt the wic­ked, but of the horror & secret stripes, wherewith their conscience in this life tormenteth them. Sinne hath euer an euill end, and leaueth behind it cer­taine stinges and prickes, which are stil whipping wicked men, and drawing them to desperation. It is like poyso­nedwine, the force whereof is found in the end. Sinne is like a strong wine, which inebriateth a man, and berea­ueth him of his sences, so that he may be compared vnto a brute beast, Psa. 40.12. It layeth before the eyes, a false co­lour and shewe of pleasure, as honour, riches, worldly delight, &c. But when sinne is accomplished, it leaueth a kind of bitternesse, which will not suffer the heart to bee at rest, and the repining conscience is inwardly gnawing & bi­ting. And euen as Iob. 1. in the midst [Page 82]of his calamities, neuer wanted a mes­senger which brought him euill newes: so his Alastor is neuer wanting to the wicked, after the accomplishment of sinne, which layeth before his eyes, the good he hath lost when he offen­deth God, and the wretched estate in­to which he is fallen: and euill consci­ence is an odious companion, a turbu­lent tempest, a scourge which inwardly whippeth the wicked, and counterpoy­zeth their pleasures with bitter Aloes, and still casteth Colloquintida into their sauces, and scarse is the garlicke of Ae­gypt tasted, but it bringeth teares from the eyes. So that this of Eliphas is true, Iob. 25. [...]2. The wicked man is continually as one that trauaileth with child, a sound of feare in his eares, &c. O the greeuous and intollerable yoake of sathan: O the slauish condition of the seruants of sinne, with how great labour doe the wicked seeke the things they desire, with what feare doe they possesse them? with what sorrowe doe they lose them? as they that worship the beast, shall haue no rest day nor night, Apo. [Page 83]14. No more shall they which adore their beastly appetites. Sinne it selfe is a greeuous torment, and punishment of the sinner, as the light of nature tolde Seneca, when he saide, sceleris in scelere supplicium est. The punishment of sinne, is in sinne. All things to a wicked man are seasoned with gall & worme­wood: if they be in prosperitie, they are vexed with continuall feare of loo­sing their felicitie, if they be in aduer­sitie, in what care and sorrowe doe they liue which neuer suffereth them to be at rest. O the vnhappie, and wretched life, that is a seruant of sinne, and a slaue to his owne lusts. But marke nowe the importunitie of sinne: If a wicked man be litle iniured of any, see how mad and discontented in minde he getteth him home, he abstaineth from meate and drinke, he cannot sleepe nor take rest, hee armeth himselfe and seeketh to reuenge him. How much more plea­sure, ioy, and tranquillitie of minde doe the seruants of God inioy, which hauing receaued many iniuries, are not moued to wrath, they breake not their [Page 84]sleepe, they are ioyfull, they seeke not reuenge, they giue place vnto wrath, they commit their cause into Gods hands, who hath saide, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, Rom. 12. For as the diuell and the world, miserably afflic­teth their followers in this life: so Christ giueth perfect peace, ioy, and true delights, vnto such as faithfully serue him. The diuell commandeth to take reuenge, God willeth to forgiue: tell me now which is most painfull, ei­ther to forgiue or to seeke vengeance? Aske the whoremonger in the midst of the surie of his fornication, (who profuseth his wealth, vndertaketh many labours, spendeth many wake­full nights, with infamie & the detri­ment of his good name, with the losse sometime of his life, and without Gods great mercie of his soule also for euer, and all to serue his filthy lust) whether there be not greater paine and labour, in seruing vnchast loue, then in lea­ding an honest, and chast life?

Now (brethren) seeing that sinne is so vnprofitable, so hurtfull, so disho­nest, [Page 85]and so full of sorrowe, labour, and griefe, which make a most trouble­some life Let vs (I beseech you) learne hereby to fly from sinne as from a ser­pent, hate it as a deadly poyson, shunne the occasions thereof, as a contagious pestilence: and if at any time through humane frailtie we fall into sinne, let vs linger no delayes, but presently striue by amendment of life, to come out of the snares of the diuell. 2. Tim. 2.26. And stu­dy euer to intertain the feare of God in our hearts, and nourish the same by de­uout prayer, hearing of the word, holy meditations, &c.

Heere we haue seene how euill the state of sinne is, but the last state of that man (saith Christ) is worse then the first, 1. in respect of the diuell; 2 in regarde of the sinner himselfe; and 3. in respect of God: 1. in regarde of the diuell, because now he handleth them more cruellie, whom he hath caught againe, and more vigilantly watcheth and obserueth them then before. Euen as a man that is detained in prison, his keeper seeing him to be an honest man [Page 86]and of noble birth, doth not so strictly keepe him, nor so strongly fetter him, as he doth others, whom he mistrus­teth: but if he breaketh prison and es­capeth, if againe he be taken, his kee­per now looketh more narrowly vnto him, putteth on him strong yrons, watcheth him night and day, least hee should practise againe to flie. The like doth this hellish Iaylor, when the sin­ner his captiue, hath by the grace of God, escaped out of his prison, if hee be so vnhappie, as through carelesse securitie, to come againe vnder the captiuitie of the diuel, his last estate (O fearefull saying) shall be worse then the first, hee putteth now heauier chaines vpon him, he more carefully watcheth him, he multiplieth his temptations, he laboureth to shut the spirituall doores of the soule, that godly meditations and diuine inspirations (if it be possi­ble) may enter in. If he seeth that fa­miliaritie with good men, be an occa­sion to keepe thee from him, he dili­gently bestirreth him, to withdrawe thee from the societie of godly men, [Page 87]and entiseth thee to sort thy selfe with wicked companie. If he perceiue that comming to Sermons, withholdeth thee from him, he indeauoureth to withdrawe thy loue and desire from comming to Church, or else distrac­teth thy minde, with a thousand pro­phane thoughts, that the word of God may take no roote in thy heart, but bee vnto thee, the sauour of death, vnto death. 2. Cor. 2.16. And this is it our Sauiour saith, he taketh to him 7. other spirits worse then himselfe.

2 It is worse in regard of the sinner himselfe, because through custome of sinning, he commeth into an habite of sinne, and so the more vnapt to receiue any godly motions, and the more hardly conuerted. As one that for theft, or any other crime hath often­times bin cast into prison, at length be­commeth shamelesse impudent, and as the prouerbe is, perfricuit frontem, hee hath wiped away all shame, and cannot blush, so indurate is he in his wicknesse; or as a garment that with continuall vse is worne so thinne, that it will not [Page 88]hold the mending: so many haue so weakened, and worne their spirituall powers, with long custome of sinning, that neither Diuine inspirations, nor the admonition of the Preachers may fasten on them any spirituall plaister, to cure and amende the ruptures of their soules. Valerius saith, that the Cre­tians, when they bitterly cursed them whom they hated, were wont to vse this forme of execration, vt mala consuetu­dine delectentur: that they might be de­lighted with some wicked custome. This seemed but a modest kind of curse, sed essicacissimum vltionis euentum reperiunt. But the euent proueth it an effectuall kind of reuenge, saith he. lib. 7. cap. 2. We see a candle or a firebrand but now put out, will quickly resume light againe with the least touch of the fire, but if it hath bin long extinct, it is not so soone kindled: so the soule that falleth into sinne; if straight it taketh hold of repentance, it is more easily conuerted, and resumeth againe the light of grace; but after it falleth often into the same sinne, and through cu­stome [Page 89]is inueterate in wickednesse, and hath quite lost the heate of deuotion, is hardly restored to his former estate. Consider brethren I beseech you, if a woman that hath a long time bin de­tained in prison, should there haue a childe, the childe being yet young though in a strict, filthy and stincking prison, playeth, reioyceth, and is mer­ry: because hee neuer knewe what li­bertie is, nor euer proued any other kind of life, but the mother with a hea­uie heart saith: O my childe, if thou knowest our miserie, and hadest tryed my former libertie and selicitie: thou wouldest not reioyce, but with teares bewaile our wretched estate. O sinfull man and woman, which art fast tied with the fetters and chaines of vices, and yet in this straight prison of sathan dost reioyce, as if all things went well with thee. And what is the cause here­of? surely because long custome of sinne, hath now conuerted it in alteram naturam, into another nature, which maketh thee forget the heauenly good things, and lookest only into the pre­sent [Page 90]and momentanie pleasures O that thou didst consider what, & how great the things are which are promised vn­to vs in heauen, surely al earthly things would then seeme vile vnto thee, for all earthly substance without god­linesse is death not life, captiuitie not libertie, darknesse not light. Prauus vsus vix aboletur, assidua consuetudo viti­um in naturam conuertit, Aug. in solilo. A wicked vse is hardly abolished, a con­tinuall custome conuerteth vice into nature. Quo sit imbuta recens seruabit o­dorem testa diu. Saith the Poet. Horace in Epist. ad Lol.

It is reported of Alexander the great that mightie conqueror of the world, that albeit in his manners, and gate in going, he resembled his Schoolemais­ter Leonides, yet he euer tasted of the vices, with which at first he was seaso­ned. Wherefore (brethren) I exhort you for our Lord Iesus Christs sake, [Page 91]who shed his precious bloud for vs, that ye will diligently take heede of e­uill customes, least your hearts be har­dened in sinne, and so sinne growe into an habite, but without delay cast of your olde sinnefull conuersation, and be renued in the spirit of your mindes, and betime put on the new man, which after God, is created in righte­ousnesse, and true holinesse, Ephe. 4.23. O consider, that in thy first estate thou didest fight against the flesh, the world and the diuell: but if thou still addest sinne vpon sinne, thou prouokest be­sides these another enemie, wicked custome, which will wage hostile warre against thee, drawe thee after it, and will bring thee into that wretched estate, that thou shalt not feele the ma­lice of sinne, but drinke in iniquitie like wine, and so be the more hardly con­uerted. Let vs flie all occasions, auoyde the societie of wicked men, the lillie is hardly preserued vnhurte among those thornes. And so in this a respect, the last state of sinne is worse then the first.

[Page 92] 3 Thirdly, the last state of sinne is worse then the first, in respect of God: because the farther the sinner depar­teth from God, the oftner he returneth like the dogge to his owne vomite, and as the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. [...]. Pet. 2.22. The more God departeth from him, and giueth them vp to their harts lust, to a reprobate minde, vnto vile affections. Rom. 1 vers. 24.28. As the physition giueth ouer the sicke, which through his intemperancie and disordered life, falleth many times in­to a relapse of sickenes. Wherefore the Lord complaineth against Babel, Ier. 51. We would haue cured Babel, but she could not be healed, forsake her, &c. And euen as a trauailer, the more he goeth on his way, the farther he is from the place from whence hee came: so the greater sinne and more often, that a man committeth, the farther is he still from God. But marke heere the poli­cie of Sathan: when hee cannot drawe a man (especially such as haue bin ex­ercised in godlinesse) at one pull from God, he laboureth to effect this pede­tentim [Page 93]& paulatim, by little and litle: e­uen as feuers and other infirmities of the bodie, are the forerunners of death: so many infirmities of the soule, goe before the committing of many sinnes in action. Thou commest deuoutly daily to prayer: by litle and litle, thou growest more colde, at last thou waxest keycolde, and vtterly neglectest the dutie of prayer. Thou repayrest zea­lously to neare the word preached hee it be euery day in the weeke, at last thy zeale waxeth more colde, & then thou saist it is sufficient to heare a Sermon vpon the Sabboth day: in the end thou sayest to what purpose is so much prea­ching, and so by litle and litle, sathan draweth thee to despise Preachers, and contemne the word of God, and by de­grees bringeth thee to vtter destructi­on. So our Mother Eue, by litle and li­tle fell from God, first she beheld the Tree in the midst of the Garden, that it was a faire Tree, and pleasant to the eie, then she desired the fruite, next, she plucked it and did eate, and so transgres­sed Gods commandement. Gen. 3.6. So [Page 94] Caine from a litle enuie, which at first might easily haue bin suppressed, gi­uing place to the diuell, his hatred so increased that it grewe at last to mur­ther. Take heede therefore, principiis ob­sta resist betime, lubricus est serpens anti­quus, whose first suggestions, if they be not resisted totus in intima cordis dum non sentitur, illabitur. Isidor. The diuell is a slipperie serpent, whose head, that is, his first suggestions, if they be not re­sisted, he windeth in his whole bodie, ere thou be aware. And that he may the sooner withdrawe vs from God, he laboureth first to corrupt and falsifie the election of our will, which one cal­leth amoris & affectionum bilancem the ballance of our loue and affections: whereby it commeth to passe, that in the estimate of our loue, we so litle esteeme God, and the heauenly good things: that in our election we preferre the creature before the creator, and transitorie things before the heauenly. So the Iewes, Christ and Barrabas, be­ing put in this deceitfull ballance, in their choise Barrabas waighed downe [Page 95]Christ. Math. 27. Because they more esteemed Barrabas then Christ. Thou wilt say, that the Iewes deserued eter­nall torments for that they so vniustly did ponderate the different worthynes of these 2. But if one should demaunde of thee, whether thou louest Christ or Barrabas? no doubt thou wouldest say Christ: but if thou makest choise of one worse then Barrabas, what wilt thou say? what if thou more esteemest sinne then Christ? thou takest from thy neighbour his substance, thou be­trayest thy soule vnto the diuell, thou wilt sweare, and forsweare, to increase thy wealth, and for the gaining of one groate, thou forsakest Christ, dost thou not now more esteeme thy gaine then God? Dost thou not loue sinne, and the diuell more then Christ? and seeing the diuell is worse then Barrabas, and thou louest the diuel more then Christ, it necessarily followeth, that thou art worse then the Iewes. And what is the cause hereof, but the ballance of loue or hatred, which is placed in thy will, which sathan adulterateth, and falsifi­eth [Page 96]in the estimate of this loue, and in­clineth it to the worst? And so as the sinner through the malice of his will, turneth away from God: so God tur­neth his face from him, which is the greatest of all euils. And euen as the farther one goeth from the Sunne, the longer is his shadowe, (for in the eue­ning the Sunne declining, euerie thing hath the greater shadowe) so the far­ther a man departeth from God, the greater shadowes of worldly vanities followe him: for what are all earthly things, which so greedily we desire but shadowes? as the wicked themselues (but too late) shall confesse: Wisd. 5. All those things are passed away as a shadow. And the farther we plunge our selues in the loue of the world, the farther stil we are from God, and therefore the more difficill our conuersion. And e­uen as the Sunne, the farther it depar­teth from any Countrie, the more colde and barraine it maketh it: con­trariwise, the nearer the Sunne direc­teth his course to any region, the more warme and fruitfull it is, and the sooner [Page 97]it bringeth forth fruite: so the nearer our Lord Iesus Christ, the Sonne of righteousnesse is vnto vs, and with his presence and ho [...]e beames of his grace & holy spirit, collustrateth our soules, the sooner and more aboundantly we fructifie, be conuerted, bring forth the fruits of pietie, to the ioyfull and bles­sed haruest of eternall life. But when Christ the true Sonne of righteousnesse departeth, hee leaueth the soule deso­late, barraine, vnfruitfull, and openeth the gate vnto all vices. And therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet, Hose. 9.1 [...]. Woe be vnto them, when I depart from them. For as the spirit of God dwelling in our hearts maketh the way of vertue easie and pleasant; so the absence of Gods spirit, (when through sinne we greeue the spirite of God) maketh the way of repentance, difficill and vnplea­sant. And so in this respect the last state of the sinner is worse then the first.

Wherefore (brethren) I beseech and exhort you, in the bowels of mer­cie, [Page 98]of our Lord Iesus Christ, that yee would euer remember this wholsome caueat of our Sauiour, Io. 5.14. Sinne, no more, least a worse thing happen unto thee. Take we heede of often back ly­ding. Remember Lots wife, Luc. 17. Gen. 19.26. For if we, after we haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord, and of our Sa­uiour Iesus Christ, are yet intangled a­gaine therin & ouercome, our later end wil be worse, then the beginning, 2. Pet. 2.20. Let vs take the present opportunitie of repentance, let vs not thinke to find it more easie heereafter, when all the cau­ses of difficultie are increased, by ad­ding sinne vpon sinne. When an euill custome hath taken a deepe habite in our hearts, when sinne by continu­ance, bringeth a plea of prescription: when the diuell hath more strongly fortified his Castle, which is our soule, when God which is our light is departed farther from vs, when the powers of our soules, become more [Page 99]weake by receiuing of many wounds, and more insufficient goodnesse. To conclude, againe I exhort you (bre­thren) that taking pittie vpon your selues, whiles yet this life lasteth, whiles yet there is time for mercie, while the the Iudge himselfe calleth you to re­pentance, louingly expecteth you, offereth his grace, reacheth out his hand to receiue you, before the gate of heauen be shut against you, that yee would in time prouide for your selues: that walking the way of repentance, the hand of the Lord guiding & directing you, yee may come after this earthly Pilgrimage, into the blessed Chanaan of eternall felicitie, where shall be eter­nall health, and healthfull eternitie, where our ioy shall neuer decrease, nor loue euer waxe colde, euen that bles­sednesse which the eye hath not seene, the care hath not heard, neither hath entred into the heart of man, which God hath prepared for them that loue him. 1. Cor. 2.9. To whome with the Sonne and the holy Ghost, 3. persons in one [Page]most glorious Trinitie, one God in V­nitie, might, maiestie, be all honour, praise, power and dominion, now and for euer more, A­men.