Now the Remedies against this De­vice of the Devil, are these.

FIrst, keep at the greatest distance from1 Remedy. sin, and from playing with the gol­den bait that Satan holds forth to catch you; for this you have the 12 Rom. 9. v. Abhor that which is evill, cleave to that which is good; when we meet with any thing extreamly evill, and contrary to us, na­ture abhors it, and retires as far as it can [...]. The simple verb imports extreame de­testation, w^ch is aggravated by the com­position. Chry­sost. from it. The Greek word that is there rendred abhor, is very significant, it sig­nifies to hate it as Hell it selfe, to hate it with horror. Anselm used to say, that if he should see the shame of sin on the one hand, and the pains of hell on the other, and must of necessity chuse one, he would rather be thrust into Hell without sin, then goe into Heaven with sin: so great was his hatred and detesta­tion of sin. 'Tis our wisest and our sa­festProv. 5. 8. 1 Thess. 5. 22. course to stand at the furthest di­stance from sin, not to goe neer the house of the Harlot; but to flie from all appea­rance of evill; the best course to prevent falling into the pit, is to keep at theIt was a divine saying of a Heathen, that if there were no God to pu­nish him, no Devil to tor­ment him, no Hell to burne him no man to see him; yet would he not sin ser the ug­liness and fil­thiness of sin, and the griefe of his owne Conscience. Seneca. greatest distance; he that will be so bold as to attempt to dance upon the brink of the pit, may find by wofull experience, that 'tis a righteous thing with God, that he should fall into the pit. Joseph keeps at a (distance from sin, [Page 10] and from playing with Satans golden baites, and stands; David drawes near, and playes with the bait, and falls, and swallowes bait and hook with a witnes. David comes neer the snare, and is taken in it, to the breaking of his bones, the wounding of his conscience, and the losse of his God.

Sin is a plague, yea the greatest and the most infectious plague in the world, and yet, ah how few are there that trem­ble at it? that keep at a distance from it, 1 Cor. 5. 6. Know ye not that a little lea­ven leaveneth the whole lump? As soon as one sin had seised upon Adams heart, all sin entred into his soul and over-spreadSinne is like those Diseases that are called by Physitians, Corruptio totius substantiae. it. How hath Adams one sin spread over all mankinde. 5. Rom. 12. ver. Where­fore as by one man sin entred into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. Ah! how doth the Fathers sin infect the child, the Husbands infect the Wife, the Masters the Servant? The sin that is in one mans heart, is able to infect a whole world, 'tis of such a spreading and infectious nature. The story of the Italian, who first made his enemy deny God, and then stab'd him, and so at once murthered both body and soule, declares the per­fect malignity of sin; and Oh! that what hath been spoken upon this head▪ [Page 11] may prevaile with you, to stand at a di­stance from sin.

The second Remedy, is, to consider2 Remedy. When the golden bait is cast forth to catch us, wee must say as Demosthenes the Oratour did, of the beauti [...]ull La­is, when he was asked an excessive sum of money to behold her; I will not buy repentance so dear, I am not so ill a mer­chant as to seleternals for temporals. that sin is but a bitter-sweet; that seem­ing sweet that is in sin will quickly va­nish, and lasting shame, sorrow, hor­rour, and terrour will come in the room thereof. 20. Job 12, 13, 14. Though wickednesse be sweet in his mouth, though he bide it under his tongue, though he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it still within his mouth, yet his meat in his bowels is turn­ed, it is the gall of Asps within him. For­bidden profits and pleasures are most pleasing to vaine men, who count mad­nesse mirth, &c. Many long to be med­ling with the murthering morsels of sin, which nourish not but rent and consume the belly, the soule that receives them. Many eat that on earth, that they digest in hell; sins murthering morsels will deceive those that devoure them. A­dams If intempe­rance cou [...]d afford more pleasure then temperance, Heliogobalus should have been more happy then Adam in Para­dise. Apple was a bitter-sweet; Escu's messe was a bitter-sweet; the Israelites quails a bitter-sweet, Jonathans honey a bitter-sweet, and Adonijahs dainties a bitter-sweet; after the meale is ended comes the reckoning: Men must not think to dance and dine with the Devil, and then to sup with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven: to feed upon the poison of Asps, and [Page 12] yet that the Vipers tongue shall not slay them; when the Aspe stings a man, it doth first tickle him so, as it makes him laugh, till the poison by little andPlutark. little gets to the heart, and then it pains him more then ever it delighted him: so doth sin, it may please a little at first, but it will paine the soule with a wit­nesse at last; yea, if there were the least reall delight in sin, there could be no perfect Hell where men shall most per­fectly be tormented with their sin.

The third Remedy against this De­vice3 Remedy. of Satan is, solemnly to consider, that sin will usher in the greatest and theIsa. 59. 2. Psal. 51. 12. Isa. 59. 8. 2 Chron. 15. 3, 4. Jer. 17. 18. saddest losses that can be upon our souls; it will usher in the losse of that Divine favour that is better then life, and the losse of that joy that is unspeakable, and full of glory, and the losse of that peace that passeth understanding, and the losse of those Divine influences, by which the soule hath beene refreshed, quickned,Jer. 5. 25. raised, strengthned, and gladded, and the losse of many outward desirable mercies, which otherwise the soule might have injoyed. It was a sound and savory reply of an English Captain at the losse of Callice, when a proud French-man scornfully demanded, when will you fetch Callice again? replied, Quando pec­cata vestra, e­runt nostris gra­viera. When your sinnes shall weigh downe [Page 13] ours; ah England! my constant Prayer for thee is, that thou mayest not sin a­way thy mercies into their hands, that cannot call mercy mercy, and that would joy in nothing more then to see thy sorrow and misery, and to see that hand to make thee naked, that hath cloath'd thee with much mercy and glory.

The fourth Remedy against this De­vice4 Remedy. In Sardis there grew an herb cal­led Appium Sardis that would' make a man lye laughing when he was deadly sick-such is the o­peration of sin. of Satan, is seriously to consider, that sin is of a very deceitfull and be­witching nature, sin is from the greatest deceiver; 'tis a child of his owne be­getting, 'tis the ground of all the deceit in the world, and 'tis in its own nature exceeding deceitfull. Heb. 3. 13. But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfullnesse of sinne; it will kisse the soul, and pretend fair to the soul, and yet betray the soul for ever; it will with Dalilah smile upon us, that it may be­tray us into the hands of the Devil, as she did Sampson into the hands of thePro. 5. 22, 23. Philistimes; sin gives Satan a power over us, and an advantage to accuse us, and to lay claime to us, as those that weare his badge; 'tis of a very bewitching nature, it bewitches the soule where 'tis upon the throne, that the soule cannot leave it, though it perish eternally by it. [Page 14] Sin so bewitches the soul, that it makesWhich occa­sioned Chry­sost [...]me to say, when Eudoxia the Empress threatned him, Goe tell her (Nil nisi pr [...]atum ti­ [...]) I feare nothing but sin. the soul call evill good, and good evill, bitter sweet, and sweet bitter, light darknesse, and darknesse light; and a soul thus bewitcht with sin will stand it out to the death, at the swords point with God; Let God strike, and wound, and cut to the very bone, yet the be­witched soul cares not, fears not, but will still hold on in a course of wicked­nesse, as you may see in Pharaoh, Balaam, and Judas; tell the bewitched soul that sin is a Viper that will certainly kill when 'tis not killed; that sin often kils secretly, insensibly, eternally, yet the bewitched soul cannot, nor will not cease from sin. When the Physitians told [...]nen [...] Ambrose. Ambrose. Theotimus that except he did abstain from drunkennesse, and uncleannesse, &c. he would loose his eyes, his heart was so bewitch't to his sins, that he answers, Then farewell sweet light; he had rather loose his eyes then leave his sins: So a man bewitcht with sin, had rather loose God, Christ, Heaven, and his own soul, then part with his sin; O therefore for ever take heed of playing, or nibling at Satans golden baits.

The second Device of Satan to draw2 Device. the soule to sin, is, by painting sin with vertues colours; Satan knowes, that if h [...] should present sin in its own nature [Page 15] and dresse, the soul would rather fly from it, then yield to it, and therefore he presents it unto us, not in its owne proper colours, but painted and guild­ed over with the name and shew of ver­tue, that we may the more easily be o­vercome by it, and take the more plea­sure in committing of it. Pride, he pre­sents to the soul under the name and notion of neatnesse, and cleanlinesse; and covetousnesse (which the Apostle condemns for idolatry) to be but good husbandry, and drunkennes to be good fellowship, and riotousnesse under the name and notion of liberality, and wan­tonnesse as a trick of youth, &c.

Now the Remedies against this De­vice of Satan are these.

FIrst, Consider that sin is never a whit1 Remedy. the lesse filthy, vilde, and abomina­ble, by its being coloured and painted with vertues colours. A poysonous Pill is never a whit the lesse poysonous, because 'tis gilded over with gold; nor a Wolf is never a whit the lesse a Wolfe, because he hath put on a sheeps-skin; nor the Devil is never a whit the lesse a Devil, because he appears somtimes like an Angel of light, so neither is sin any whit the lesse filthy, and abominable, [Page 16] by its being painted over with vertues colours.

The second Remedy is this, That the2 Remedy. more sin is painted forth under the co­lourTurpiora sunt vitia quae vir­tutum specie celantur, Jerome. Thus the Illu­minates (as they called themselves) a pestilent Sect in Arragon, professing and affecting in themselves a kind of Ange­licall purity, fell suddenly to the justify­ing of beasti­ality, as many have done in these dayes. of vertue, the more dangerous 'tis to the souls of men; this we see evident in these days, by those very many souls that are turned out of the way that is holy, (and in which their souls have had sweet and glorious communion with God) into wayes of highest vanity and folly, by Satans neat colouring over of sin, and painting forth vice under the name and colour of vertue; this is so notoriously knowne, that I need but name it; the most dangerous vermine is too often to be found under the fai­rest and sweetest Flowers, and the fai­rest glove is often drawn upon the foul­est hand, and the richest robes are often put upon the filthiest bodies: so are the fairest and the sweetest names upon the greatest, and the most horriblest vices and etrors that be in the world; ah! that we had not too many sad proofs of this amongst us.

The third Remedy against this De­vice,3 Remedy. is to look on sin with that eye,Tacitus speaks of Tiberius. [...]hat when his sins did ap­p [...]ar in their own colours, they did so terrifie and torment him, that he pro­tested to the Senate, that he suffered death daily. which within a few hours we shall see it; ah souls! when you shall lye upon a dying bed, and stand before a judge­ment seat, sin shall be unmaskt, and its [Page 17] dresse and robes shall then be taken off, and then it shall appear more vile, filthy, and terrible then Hell it self; then that which formerly appear'd most sweet, will appear most bitter, and that which appear'd most beautifull, will appear most ugly, and that which appear'd most delightful, will then appear most dread­full to the soul; ah! the shame, the paine, the gall, the bitternes, the hor­rour, the hell, that the fight of sin, when its dress is taken off, will raise in poor souls. Sin will surely prove evill, and bitter to the soul, when its robes are ta­ken off. A man may have the Stone, who feels no fit of it. Conscience will work at last, though for the present one may feele no fit of accusation, Laban Satan that now allures thee to sin, will ere long make thee see, that (Peccatum est deicidium) sin is a murther­ing of God, and this will make thee murther two at once, thy soule and thy body, unlesse the Lord in mercy holds thy hand. shewed himself at parting; sin will be bitternes in the latter end, when it shall appear to the soul in its own filthy na­ture. The Devil deals with men, as the Panther doth with Beasts, he hides his deformed head, till his sweet sent hath drawn them into his danger; till we have sinned, Satan is a Parasite, when we have sinned, he is a Tyrant. Ah souls! the day is at hand, when the Devil will pull off the paint and garnish that he hath put upon sin, and present that monster sin in such a monstrous shape to your soules, that will cause your [Page 18] thoughts to be be troubled, your coun­tenance to be changed, the joynts of your loines to be loosed, and your knees to be dashed one against another, and your hearts to be so terrified, that you will be ready with Achitophel, and Judas, to strangle, and hang your bo­dies on earth, and your soules in Hell; if the Lord hath not more mercy on you, then he had on them; oh! therefore looke upon sin now, as you must look upon it to all eternity, and as God, Conscience, and Satan will present it to you another day.

The fourth Remedie against this de­vice4. Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that even these very sins, that Satan paints, and puts new names and co­loursV [...]a guttula plus valet quam coelum & ter­ra Luther i. e. one little drop (speak­ing of the blood of Christ) is more worth then Heaven and Earth. upon, cost the best blood, the noblest blood, the life-blood, the heart­blood of the Lord Jesus; that Christ should come from the eternall bosome of his Father to a Region of sorrow, and death; that God should be mani­fested in the flesh, the Creator made a Creature; that he that was cloathed with glory should be wrapped with raggs of flesh; he that filled heaven and earth with his glory, should be cradled in a manger; that the power of God should flie from weak man, the God of Israel into Aegypt; that the God of [Page 19] the Law should be subject to the Law;One of the Rabbins, when he read what bitter torments the Messias should suffer, when he came into the world, cryed out Ve­niat Messias at ego non videam i. e. Let the Messias come, but let not me see him. Dionysius be­ing in Aegypt at the time of Christs suf­fering, and seeing an Eclipse of the Sun, and knowing it to be contrary to nature, cry­ed out (aut Deus naturae patitur aut mundi machina dissolvitur) Either the God of Na­ture suffered, or the frame of the world will be dls­solved. the God of Circumcision circumcised; the God that made the Heavens work­ing at Josephs homely trade; that he that bindes the Devills in chaines should be tempted; that he whose is the world, and the fulnesse thereof, should hunger and thirst; that the God of strength should be weary, the Judge of all flesh condemned, the God of life put to death; that he that is one with his Fa­ther, should cry out of misery, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee; that he that had the keyes of Hell and death at his girdle, should lie impri­son'd in the sepulcher of another, hav­ing in his life time, no where to lay his head, nor after death, to lay his body; that that head, before which the Angels doe cast down their Crowns, should be crowned with thornes; and those eyes, purer then the Sun, put out by the darknesse of death; those eares, which hear nothing but Hallelujahs of Saints and Angels, to hear the blas­phemies of the multitude; that face, that was fairer then the Sons of men, to be spit on by those beastly wretched Jewes; that mouth and tongue, that spake as never man spake, accused for blasphemy; those hands that freely swayed the Scepter of Heaven, nailed [Page 20] to the Crosse; those feet like unto fine brasse, nailed to the Crosse for mans sins; each sense annoyed, his feeling, or touching with a speare and nailes;'Tis an ex­cellent saying of Bernard (quanto pro no­bis vilior tanto nobis charior) the more vilde Christ made himself for us, the more dear he ought to be to us. his smell with stinking savour, being crucified about Golgatha, the place of Skulls; his taste with vinegar and gall; his hearing with reproaches; and sight with his mother and Disciples be­moaning him; his soule comfortlesse, and forsaken; and all this for those very sins that Satan paints, and puts fine colours upon; oh how should the consideration of this stir up the soule against it, and worke the soule to flie from it, and to use all holy meanes, whereby sin may be subdued, and de­stroyed. After Julius Caesar was mur­dered, Antonius brought forth his coat all bloody, and cut, and laid it before the people, saying, look, here you have your Emperours coat thus bloo­dy, and torne; whereupon the people were presently in an uproar, and cry­ed out to slay those murderers, and they tooke their tables and stooles that were in the place, and set them on fire, and ran to the houses of them that had slam Caesar, and burnt them: so when we consider that sin hath slaine our Lord Jesus, ah! how should it provoke our hearts to be revenged on sin, that [Page 21] hath murdered the Lord of Glory, andNolo vivere sine vulnere cum te video vulneratum. Oh my God! as long as I see thy wounds, I will never live without wound, saith Bonaventure. hath done that mischief, that all the Devills in Hell could never have done. 'Twas good counsell one gave; never let goe out of your mindes, the thoughts of a crucified Christ; let these be meat and drinke unto you, let them be your sweetnesse, and consolation; your ho­ney, and your desire; your reading, and your meditation; your life, death, and resurrection.

The third device that Satan hath to3. Device. draw the soul to sin, is by extenuating, and lessening of sin; ah! saith Satan, 'tis but a little pride, a little worldli­nesse, a little uncleanness, a little drunkennesse, &c. As Lot said of Zoar, Gen. 19. 20. it is but a little one, and my soule shall live; ahlas! saith Satan, 'tis but a very little sin, that you stick so at, you may com­mit it without any danger to your soule, 'tis but a little one, you may commit it, and yet your soul shall live.

Now the Remedies against this de­vice of Satan are these.

FIrst, solemnly consider, that those1. Remedy. sins, which we are apt to account small, hath brought upon men the greatest wrath of God; as the eating of an Apple; gathering a few sticks on [Page 22] the Sabbaoth day, and touching of the Ark; oh! the dreadfull wrath that these sinnes brought down, upon theDraco the Ri­gid Law-giv­er, being ask­ed why, when sins were not equall, he ap­pointed death to all? Answered, he knew that sins were not all equall; but he knew the least de­served death. So though the sins of men he not all equall, yet the least of them deserves eter­nall death. heads, and hearts of men; the least sin is contrary to the Law of God, the na­ture of God, the being of God, and the glory of God, and therefore tis often punished severely by God; and doe not we see daily the vengeance of the Almighty falling upon the bodies, names, estates, Families, and soules of men for those sins, that are but little ones in their eyes. Surely, if we are not utterly left of God, and blinded by Satan, we cannot but see it. Oh! therefore, when Satan saies tis but a little one, doe thou say, oh! but those sins that thou callest little, are such, that will cause God to raine Hell out of Heaven upon sinners, as he did upon the Sodomites.

The second Remedy against this de­vice2. Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that the giving way to a lesse sin, makes way for the committing of a greater; he that to avoide a greater sin will yeild to a lesser, ten thousand to one, but God in Justice will leave that soule to fall into a greater; if we commit one sin to avoid another, 'tis just we should avoid neither; we having not law nor power in our own hands, to keep off [Page 23] sin, as we pleas, and we by yeilding to thePsal. 137. ver. 9. Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. Hugho's Glosse is pi­ous, &c. (Sit nihil in te Babylonicum) Let there be nothing in thee of Baby­lon, no [...] onely the grown men, but the little ones must be dash­ed against the stones, not onely great sins, but little sins must be killed, or they will kill the soul for ever. lesser, doe tempt the tempter to tempt us to the greater. Sin is of an incroach­ing nature, it creeps on the soule by degrees, step by step, till it hath the soule to the very height of sin; David gives way to his wandring eye, and this led him to those foule sins, that caused God to breake his bones, and to turne his day into night, and to leave his soule in great darknesse. Jocab, and Peter, and other Saints have found this true, by wofull experience, that the yeelding to a lesser sin, hath been the ushering in of a greater; the little thief will open the doore, and make way for the greater; and the little wedge knock't in will make way for the greater; Satan will first draw thee to sit with the drunkard, and then to sip with the drunkard, and then at last, to be drunke with the drunkard; he will first draw thee to be unclean in thy thoughts, and then to be unclean in thy looks, and then to be unclean in thy words, and at last, to be unclean in thy practises; he will fi [...]st draw thee to looke on the golden wedge, and then to like the golden wedge, and then to handle the golden wedge; and then at last, by wicked wayes to gaine the golden wedge, though thou runnest the [Page 24] hazard of loosing God, and thy soulAn Italian having found his enemy at an advantage, promised him, if he would deny his faith, he would save his life; he to save his life denyed his faith, which having done, he stab'd him, rejoycing, that by this, he had, at one time, taken re­venge both on soule and body. for ever: as you may see in Gehazi, Achan, and Judas, and many in these our dayes. Sinne is never at a stand, Psal. 1. v. 1. First, ungodly, then sinners, then scorners; here they goe on from sin to sin, till they come to the top of sin, viz. to sit in the seat of scorners, or as ris in the Septuagint ( [...]) to affect the honour of the chair of Pestilence. Austin writing upon John, tells a story of a certaine man, that was of an opi­nion, that the Devill did make the flye, and not God; saith one to him, if the Devill made flies, then the Devill made wormes, and God did not make them; for they are living creatures, as well as flies; true said he, the Devil did make wormes; but said the other, if the Devil did make wormes, then he made birds, beasts, and man; he granted all: thus saith Austin, by denying God in the fly, he came to deny God in man, and to deny the whole Creation; by all this we see, that the yeelding to lesser sins, drawes the soul to the com­mitting of greater; Ah! how many, in these dayes have fallen, first, to have low thoughts of Scripture, and Ordi­nances, and then to slight Scripture, and Ordinances, and then to make a nose of wax of Scripture, and Ordinances, and [Page 25] then to cast off Scripture and Ordinances; and then at last, to advance, and lift up themselves, and their Christ-disho­nouring, and soul-damning opinions,A young man being long tempted to kill his Fa­ther or lie with his mo­ther, or be drunk, he thought to yeeld to the lesser, viz. to be drunk, that he might be rid of the greater; but when he was drunk, he did both kill his Father, and lie with his Mother. above Scripture and Ordinances. Sinne gaines upon mens soules by insensible degrees, Ecclesiastes 10. v. 13. The be­ginning of the words of his mouth is foolish­nesse, and the end of his talking is mischie­vous madnesse: Corruption in the heart, when it breaks forth, is like a breach in the Sea, which begins in a narrow passage, till it eat through, and cast down all before it. The debates of the soul are quick, and soone ended; and that may be done in a moment, that may undoe a man for ever. When a man hath begun to sin, he knowes not where, or when, or how he shall make a stop of sin; usually the soule goes on from evill to evill, from folly, to folly, till it be ripe for eternall mis [...]ry; men usually grow from being nought, to be very nought, and from very nought to be starke nought, and then God sets them at nought for ever.

The third Remedy against this third3. Remedie. device, that Satan hath to draw the soul to sin, is solemnly to consider, that 'tis sad to stand with God for a trifle; Di­ves would not give a crum, thereforeLuk 16. 21. he should not receive a drop; 'tis the [Page 26] greatest folly in the world, to adven­ture the going to hell for a small mat­ter; I tasted but a little honey, said Jo­nathan,1 Sam. 14. 43. and I must dye; it is a most un­kinde, and unfaithfull thing, to break with God for a little; little sins carry with them but little temptations to sin,It was a vex­ation to King Lysimachus, that his stay­ing to drink one small draught of water, lost him his King­dome: and so it will eter­nally vex som souls at last▪ that for some one little sin, (compared with great transgressi­o [...]s) they have lost God Heaven, and their soules for ever. and then a man shewes most viciousnesse, and unkindnesse, when he sins on a lit­tle temptation; 'Tis divelish to sinne without a temptation, 'tis little lesse then divelish to sin on a little occasion; the lesse the temptation is to sin, the greater is that [...]inne; Saul's sin in not staying for Samuel, was not so much in the matter, but it was much in the ma­lice of it; for though Samuel had not come at all, yet Saul should not have offered Sacrifice; but this cost him dear, his Soul, and his Kingdome. 'Tis the greatest unkindnesse that can be shewed to a friend, to adventure the complain­ing, bleeding, and grieving of his soule, upon a light and slight occasion,: so 'tis the greatest unkindnesse that can be shewed to God, Christ, and the Spirit, for a soul to put God upon complain­ing, Christ upon bleeding, and the Spi­rit upon grieving, by yeelding to little sins; therefore, when Satan sayes 'tis but a little one, doe thou answer, that often times there is the greatest unkind­nesse [Page 27] shewed to Gods glorious Majesty, in the acting of the least folly, and there­fore thou wilt not displease thy best and greatest friend, by yielding to his least enemy.

The fourth Remedy against this De­vice4 Remedy. of Satan is, seriously to consider, that there is great danger, yea many times most danger, in the smallest sins;1 Cor. 5. 6. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump; if the Serpent wind in his head, he will draw his whole body after. Greater sins doe sooner startle the soule, and a­waken, and rouse up the soul to repen­tance,Caesar was stab'd with bodkins. then lesser sins doe; little sins often slide into the soule, and breed, and work secretly, and undiscernablyPope Adrian was choaked with a Gnat. in the soule, till they come to be so strong, as to trample upon the soule, and to cut the throat of the soule; there is, oftentimes, greatest danger to our bodies in the least Diseases, that hang upon us, because we are apt to makeA Scorpion is little, yetable to sting a Li­on to death; a Mouseis but little, yet kil­leth an Ele­phant, if he gets up into his trunck. light of them, and to neglect the timely use of means for the removing of them, till they are grown so strong, that they prove mortall to us: so there is most danger often in the least sins, we are apt to take no notice of them, and to neg­lect those heavenly helps, whereby they should be weakned and destroyed, till they are grown up to that strength that [Page 28] we are ready to cry out, the Medicine isThe Leopard being great, is poysoned with a head of Garlick. too weak for the Disease; I would pray, and I would hear, but I am afraid that sin is growne up by degrees to such a head, that I shall never be able to pre­vaile over it; but as I have begun to fall,The smallest errors prove many times most danger­ous. It is as much treason to coyne pence, as big­ger pieces. so I shall utterly fall before it, and at last perish in it, unlesse the power, and free grace of Christ doth act gloriously, be­yond my present apprehension, and ex­pectation. The Viper is killed by the little young ones that are nourished, and cherished in her belly: so are many men eternally killed and betrayed by the lit­tleOne little miscarriage doth in the eyes of the world, over­shaddow all a Christians Graces, as one little cloud doth some­times over­shadow the whole body of the Sun. sins (as they call them) that are nourished in their own bosomes. I know not, saith one, whether the maintenance of the least sin, be not worse then the commission of the greatest; for this may be of frailty, that argues obstinacy; a little hole in the Ship sinks it; a small breach in a Sea-bank carries away all before it; a little stab at the heart kills a man, and a little sin without a great deale of mercy, will damn a man.

The fift Remedy against this Device5 Remedy. Melius mori fame quam Ido­lothys is vesci, August. It is better to dye with hun­ger, then to eat that which is offred to Idols. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that other Saints have chosen rather to suf­fer the worst of torments, rather then they would commit the least sin, i. e. such as the world accounts: so as you may see in Daniel, and his Companions, [Page 29] that would rather chuse to burne, and be cast to the Lions, then they would bow to the Image that Nebuchadnezzer had set up: when this peccadillo (in the worlds account) and a hot fiery furnace stood in competition, that they must either fall into sin, or be cast into theMany Hea­thens would rather dye, then cozen or cheat one another: so faithfull were they one to another. Will not these rise in judgement against many Professors in these dayes, who make nothing of o­ver-reaching one another? fiery furnace; such was their tender­nesse of the honour and glory of God, and their hatred and indignation against sin, that they would rather burn, then sin; they knew that it was far better to burne for their not sinning, then that God and conscience should raise a hell, a fire in their bosomes, for sin. I have read of that noble servant of God, Mar­cus Arethusius, Minister of a Church in the time of Constantine, who in Constan­tines time, had been the cause of over­throwing an Idols Temple; afterwards, when Julian came to be Emperour, he would force the people of that place to build it up again, they were ready to doe it, but he refused; whereupon, those that were his owne people, to whom he preached, took him, and stript him of all his cloaths, and abused his naked body, and gave it up to the Children, to lance it with their pen-knives, and then caused him to be put in a basket, and anointed his naked body with Ho­ney, and set him in the Sun, to be stung [Page 30] with Wasps; and all this cruelty they shewed, because he would not doe any thing toward the building up of this Idol-Temple; nay, they came to this, that if he would doe but the least to­wards it, if he would give but a halfe­penny to it, they would save him; but he refused all, though the giving of a half-penny might have saved his life; and in doing this, he did but live up to that principle that most Christians talk of, and all professe, but few come up to it, viz. That we must choose rather to suffer the worst of Torments that men and Devils can invent, and inflict, then to commit the least sin, whereby God should be dishonoured, our consciences wounded, Religion reproached, and our own souls endangered.

The sixt Remedy against this Device6 Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that the soule is never able to stand under the guilt and weight of the least sin, when God shall set it home upon the soul; the least sin will presse, and sink the stoutest sinner as low as hell: when God shall open the eyes of a sinner, and make him see the horrid filthinesse, and abomina­ble vildnesse that is in sin. What so lit­tle, base, and vile creatures as lice or gnats, and yet by these little, poor crea­tures, God so plagued stout-hearted [Page 31] Pharaoh, and all Aegypt, that [...]ainting under it, they were forced to cry out, This is the finger of God: When littleExod. 8. 16, 17, 18, 19. Creatures, yea the least Creatures, shall be armed with a power from God, they shall presse and [...] down the greatest, proudest, and stoutes [...] Tyrants that breath: so when God shall put a swordThe Tyrant Maximinus, who had set forth his Pro­clamation in­graven in brasse, for the utter abolish­ing of Christ, and his Reli­gion, was eat­en of Lice. into the hand of a little sin, and arm it against the soule, the soule will faint and fall under it. Some, who have but projected adultery, without any actuall acting it; and others having found a trifle, and made no conscience to restore it, knowing by the light of naturall Conscience, that they did not doe, as they would be done by; and others, that have had some unworthy thought of God, have been so frighted, amazed,Ʋna guttula malae conscien­ [...]iae totum mare mundani gaudii absorbet. i. e. One drop of an evill con­science swal­lows up the whole sea of worldly joy. How great a pain, not to be borne, comes from the prick of this small thorne, said one. and terrified for these sins which are small (in mens account) that they have wisht they had never been, that they could take no delight in any earthly comfort; that they have been put to their wits end, ready to make away themselves, wishing themselves anni­hilated.

M^r Perkins mentions a good man, but very poor, who being ready to starve, stole a Lamb, and being about to eat it, with his poor children, and (as his manner was afore meat) to crave a bles­sing, [Page 32] durst not doe it; but fell into a great perplexity of Conscience, acknow­ledged his fault to the owner, promising payment if ever he should be able.

The seventh Remedy against this De­vice,7 Remedy. is solemnly to consider, That there is more evill in the least sin, then in the greatest affliction; and this appears as clear as the Sun, by the severe dealing of God the Father, with his beloved Son, who let all the vials of his fiercest wrath upon him, and that for the least sin as well as for the greatest; The wages Death is the hire of the least sin; the best wages that the least sin gives his souldiers, is death of all sorts; in a strict sence, there is no sin little, because no little God to sin against. of sin is death, of sin indefinitely, whe­ther great or small; Oh! how should this make us tremble, as much at the least spark of lust, as at hell it selfe? Considering that God the Father would not spare his bosome Son, no, not for the least sin; but would make him drink the dregs of his wrath. And so much for the Remedies that may fence and preserve our souls from being drawn to sin, by this third Device of Satan.

The fourth Device that Satan hath4 Device. to draw the soul to sin, is, by presenting to the soul the best mens sins, and by hiding from the soul their virtues; by shewing the soul their sins, and by hi­ding from the soul, their sorrow [...], and [...]ep [...]ntance; as by setting before the soul the Adultery of David, the Pride of [Page 33] Hezekia [...], the Impatience of Job, the Drunkennesse of Noah, the Blasphemy of Peter, &c. and by hiding from the soul the tears, the sighes, the groans, the meltings, humblings, and repentings of these precious souls.

Now the Remedies against this Device of the Devil are these that follow.

THe first Remedy against this Device1 Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that the Spirit of the Lord hath been as carefull to note the Saints rising by re­pentance out of sin, as he hath to note their falling into sin; David falls fear­fully, but by repentance he rises sweet­ly. Blot out my transgressions, wash mee throughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for I acknowledge my trans­gressions, and my sin is ever before me. Purge me with Hysop, and I shall be clean, wash me, and I shall be whiter then snow; deli­ver me from blood-guiltinesse, O God, thou God of my salvation. 'Tis true, Hezeki­a [...]'s heart was lifted up, under the abun­dance of mercy, that God had cast in upon him; and 'tis as true, that Heze­kia [...] 2 Chron. 32. 25, 26. humbled himselfe, for the pride of his heart: so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon him, nor upon Jerusalem, in the [Page 34] dayes of Hezekiah. 'Tis true, Job curses the day of his Birth, and 'tis [...] true, that he rises by repentance. Behold, I am vile (saith he) what shall I answer thee? Job. 40. 4, 5. ch. 42. 5, 6. I will lay my hand upon my mouth, once have I spoken, but I will not answer, yea, twice, but I will proceed no further. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the [...]are, but now mine eye seeth thee: Wherefore I abhor my Tertullian saith that he was (Nalli rei natus nisi penitentiae) borne for no other pur­pose, but to repent. selfe, and repent in dust and ashes. Peter fals dreadfully, but rises by repentance sweetly; a look of love from Christ, melts him into tears; he knew that re­pentance was the key to the Kingdome of Grace. As once his Faith was so great, that he leapt, as it were, into a sea of waters, to come to Christ: so now his repentance was so great, that he leapt, as it were, into a sea of tears, forLuther con­fesses, that be­fore his con­version, he met not with a more dis­pleasing word in allhis study of Divinity, then Repent, but afterward he took de­light in the work (poenitens de peccaio dolet & de dolore g [...]udet) to sor­row for his sin, and then to rejoyce in his sorrow. that he had gone from Christ. Some say, that after his sad fall, he was ever and anon weeping, and that his face was even furrowed with continual tears; he had no sooner took in poyson, but he vomited it up again, ere it got to the vitals; he had no sooner handled this Serpent, but he turned it into a rod to scourge his soule with remorse, for sin­ing against such clear light, and strong love, and sweet discoveries of the heart of Christ to him. Clement notes, that Peter so repented, that all his life after, [Page 35] every night, when he heard the Cock crow, he would fall upon his knees, and weeping bitterly, would beg pardon of this sin; Ah soules! you can easily sin as the Saints, but can you repent with the Saints? Many can sin with David and Peter, that cannot repent with Da­vid and Peter, and so must perish for ever. Theodosius the Emperour pressing, that he might receive the Lords Supper, ex­cusesTheodorit. hist. l. 4. c. 17. his own foul fact by Davids doing the like, to which Ambrose replies, Thou hast followed David transgressing, follow David repenting, and then think thou of the Table of the Lord.

The second Remedy against this De­vice2 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that these Saints did not make a trade of sin, they fell once, or twice (and rose by Repentance) that they mightThe Saints cannot sin (voluntate plenâ sed semi­plena) with a whole will, but as it were with an halfe will, an un­willing wil­lingnes, not with a full consent, but with a dis­senting con­sent. keep the closer to Christ for ever; they fell accidentally, occasionally, and with much reluctancy; and thou sinnest pre­sumptuously, obstinately, readily, de­lightfully, and customarily; thou hast by thy making a trade of sin, contracted upon thy soul a kind of cursed necessity of sinning, that thou canst as well cease to be, or cease to live, as thou canst cease to sin; sin is by custome become as another nature to thee, which thou canst not, which thou wilt not lay aside, [Page 36] though thou knowest, that if thou dost not lay sin aside, God will lay thy soul aside for ever; though thou knowest, that if sin and thy soul doe not part, Christ and thy soul can never meet; if thou wilt make a trade of sin, and cry out, did not David sin thus, and Noah 2 Pet. 2. 14. Pro. 4, 14. 16. Though sin doe (habitare) dwell in the regenerate, as Austin notes, yet it doth not (regnare) reign over the regene­rate, they rise by repent­ance. sin thus, and Peter sin thus, &c.? No, their hearts turn'd aside to folly one day, but thy heart turns aside to folly every day, and when they were fallen, they rise by repentance, and by the act­ings of Faith upon a crucified Christ, but thou fallest, and hast no strength, nor will to rise; but wallowest in sin, and wilt eternally dye in thy sins, un­lesse the Lord be the more mercifull to thy soul. Dost thou think, oh soule, this is good reasoning? Such a one tast­ed poyson but once, and yet narrowly escapt, but I doe daily drink poyson, yet I shall escape: yet such is the mad reasoning of vaine soules; David and Peter, &c. sinned once foully and fear­fully, they tasted poyson but once, and were sick to death, but I tast it daily, and yet shall not tast of eternall death. Remember, oh souls, that the day is at hand, when self-flatterers will be found self-deceivers, yea, self-murtherers.

The third Remedy against this De­vice3 Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, [Page 37] that though God doth not (nor never will) disinherit his people for their sins, yet he hath severely punished his people for their sins. David sins, and God breaks his bones for his sin. Make me to Psalm 51. 8. Josephus re­ports, that not long after the Jews had cru­cified Christ on the crosse, so many of them were condemned to be cruci­fied, that there were not places enough for crosses, nor crosses e­nough for the bodies that were to be hung thereon hear joy and gladnesse, that the bones which thou hast broken, may rejoyce. And because thou host do [...]e this, the Sword shall not depart from thy house, to the day of thy death. Though God will not utterly take from them his loving kindnesse, nor suffer his faithfull­nesse to faile, nor breake his Covenant, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth, yet will he visit their transgressions with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes, Psal. 89. 30. 35. The Scripture abounds with instances of this kind; this is so known a truth, among all that know any thing of truth, that to cite more Scriptures to prove it, would be to light a Candle to see the Sun at noon. The Jewes have a Proverb, that There is no punishment comes upon Israel, in which there is not one ounce of the Golden Calfe: Meaning, that that was so great a sin, as that in every plague God remembred it, that had an influence into every trouble that befell them. Every mans heart may say to him in his sufferings, as the heart of Apollo­dorus [...]. in the kettle, I have been the cause of this. God is most angry, when he shewes no anger, God keep me from this [Page 38] mercy; this kind of mercy is worse thenQui non est crucianus non est christianus, saith Luther, there is not a Christian that carries not his crosse. all other misery. One writing to a sick friend, hath this expression, I account it a part of unhappinesse not to know adversity, I judge you to be miserable, because you have not been miserable. 'Tis mercy that our affliction is not an execution, but a correction; he that hath deserved hang­ing, may be glad if he scape with a whipping. Gods corrections are our instructions, his lashes our lessons, hisPsal. 94. 12. Pro. 3. 12, 13. ch. 6. 23. 26. Isaiah 9. scourges our School-masters, his cha­stisements our advertisements; and to note this, both the Hebrewes, and the Greeks expresse chastening and teach­ing [...] [...]. by one and the same word (musar paideia) because the latter is the trueJob 36. 8, 9, 10. end of the former, according to that in the Proverb, Smart makes wit, and vexa­tion gives understanding; whence Luther fit­ly calls affliction, The Christians mans Di­vinity: Theologiam christianorum. so saith Job (Chap. 33. 16. 19) God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man per­ceiveth it not, in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumbrings upon the Bed: then he openeth Afflictiones be­nedictiones. Ber. Afflictions are blessings. the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man: he keepeth back his soule from the pit, and his life from pe­rishing by the sword. When Satan shall tell thee of other mens sins, to draw thee [Page 39] to sin, doe thou then think of the same mens sufferings, to keep thee from sin; lay thy hand upon thy heart, and say oh my soul, if thou sinnest with David, thou must suffer with David, &c.

The fourth Remedy against this De­vice4 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, That there are but two main ends of Gods recording of the fals of his Saints; and the one is, to keep those from faint­ing,I have known a good man, said Bernard, who when he heard of any, that had com­mitted some notorious sin, he was wont to [...]ay with himselfe (ille bodie & ego cras) he fell to day, so may I to morrow. sinking, and despaire, under the burden of their sins, who fall through weaknesse and infirmity; and the other is, that their falls may be as Land­marks, to warn others that stand, to take heed lest they fall; it never entred into the heart of God to record his Childrens sins, that others might be in­couraged to sin, but that others might be warned to look to their standings, and to hang the faster upon the skirts of Christ, and avoid all occasions and temptations, that may occasion the soul to fall, as others have fallen. When they have been left by Christ, the Lord hath made their sins as Land-marks, to warn his people to take heed how they come near those sands, and rocks; those snares and baites that have been fatal to the choycest treasures, to wit, the joy, peace, comfort, and glorious enjoy­ments of the bravest spirits, and noblest [Page 40] souls that ever sailed through the ocean of this sinfull, troublesome world; as you may see in David, Job, Peter, &c. There is nothing in the world, that can so notoriously crosse the grand end of Gods recording of the sins of his Saints, then for any from thence, to take in­couragement to sin, and where ever you find such a soul, you may write him Christlesse, Gracelesse, a soul cast off by God, a soule that Satan hath by the hand; and the eternall God knowes whether he will lead him.

The fifth Device that Satan hath, to5 Device. draw the soul to sin, is, to present God to the soul, as one made up all of mer­cy; oh! saith Satan, you need not make such a matter of sin, you need not be so fearfull of sin, nor so unwilling to sin; for God is a God of mercy, a God full of mercy, a God that delights in mercy, a God that is ready to shew mercy, a God that is never weary of shewing merey, a God more prone to pardon his people, then to punish his people; and therefore he will not take advantage against the soule, and why then, saith Satan, should you make such a matter of sin?

Now the Remedies against this De­vice of Satan are these.

THe first Remedy is, seriously to con­sider,1 Remedy. that 'tis the sorest judgement in this world, to be left to sin upon any pretence whatsoever; oh! unhappy man, when God leaveth thee to thyHumanum est peccare, Diaboli cum persevera­re, & Angelicū resurgere (Au­stin) i. e. It is a humane thing to fall into sin, a di­ve [...]ish to per­severe there­in, and an An­gellcal or su­pernatural to rise from it. self, and doth not resist thee in thy sins; woe, woe to him, at whose sins God doth wink: when God lets the way to Hell be a smooth and pleasant way, that is hell on this side hell, and a dread­full signe of Gods indignation against a man; a token of his rejection, and that God doth not intend good unto him; that is a sad word, Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone, he will be uncounsella­ble, and uncorrigible, he hath made a match with mischiefe, he shall have his belly-full of it, he falls with open eyes, let him fall at his owne perrill; and that's a terrible say­ing, So I gave them up unto their own hearts Psal. 81. 12. Hosea 4. 14. lusts, and they walked in their owne counsels. A soul given up to sin▪ is a soul [...]ipe for hell, a soul posting to destruction. AhA me, me slava Domine. Deli­ver me O Lord from that evil man, my self. Aug. Lord! this mercy I humbly beg, that what ever thou givest me up to, thou wilt not give me up to the wayes of mine own heart; if thou wilt give me up to be afflicted, or tempted, or re­proached, [Page 42] &c. I will patiently sit down, and say, 'Tis the Lord, let him doe with me what seems good in his owne eyes; doe any thing with me, lay what burden thou wilt upon me, so thou doest not give me up to the wayes of my own heart, &c.

The second Remedy against this De­vice2 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that God is as just, as he is mercifull: as the Scriptures speak him out to be a very mercifull God, so they speak him2 Pet 2. 4, 5, 6. God hang'd them up in Gibbets, as it were, that o­thers might hear, and fear, and doe no more so wic­kedly. out to be a very just God; witnesse his casting the Angels out of Heaven, and his binding them in chains of darknesse, till the judgement of the great day; and witnesse his turning Adam out of Paradise; his drowning of the old world; and his raining Hell out of Heaven upon Sodome; and witnesse all the crosses, losses, sicknesses, and diseas­es that be in the world; and witnesse Tophet that is prepared of old, witnesse his treasuring up of wrath, against the day of wrath, unto the revelation of the just judge­ments of God; but above all, witnesse the pouring forth of all his wrath upon his bosome Son, when he did bare the sins of his people, and cryed out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken-me? Mat. 27. 46.

The third Remedy against this Device3 Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that [Page 43] sins against mercy, will bring the great­est, and the sorest judgements upon mens heads and hearts; Mercy is Alpha, Ju­stice is Omega; David speaking of these Attributes, placeth Mercy in the fore­ward, and Justice in the rereward, say­ing, My Song shall be of Mercy and Judge­ment; Psal. 101. 1. when Mercy is despised, then Ju­stice takes the Throne. God is like aQuantò gradus altior tantò ca­sus gravior, the higher we are indignity, the more griev­ous is our fall and misery. Prince, that sendeth not his Army a­gainst Rebels, before he hath sent his Pardon, and proclaimed it by a Herauld of Arms. He first hangs out the white Flag of Mercy, if this wins men in, they are happy for ever; but if they stand out, then God will put forth his red Flag of Justice and Judgement; if the one be despised, the other shall be felt with a witnesse; see this in the Is­raelites, Deus tardus est ad iram sed tarditatem gra­vitate [...]nae compensat. God is slow to anger, but he recompen­ceth his slow­nesse with grievousnesse of punish­ment. he loved them, and chose them, when they were in their blood, and most unlovely, he multiplied them, not by means, but by miracle; for from seven­ty souls, they grew in few years, to six hundred thousand; the more they were oppressed, the more they prospered: like Camomile, the more you tread it, the more you spread it; or to a Palme tree, the more it is pressed, the further it spreadeth; or to fire, the more it is raked the more it burneth; their mer­cies came in upon them, like Job's Mes­sengers, [Page 44] one upon the neck of another.If we abuse mercy to serve our lusts, then in Salvians phrase, God will rain hell out of Hea­ven, rather then not visit for such sins. He put off their sackcloath, and girded them with gladnesse, and compassed them about with songs of deliverance; he carried them on the wings of Eagles, he kept them as the Apple of his eye, &c. But they abusing his mercy, became the greatest objects of his wrath; as, I know not the man that can reckon up their mercies: so I know not the man that can sum up the miseries that are come upon them for their sins; for as our Saviour prophe­sied concerning Jerusalem, That a stone Vespasian brake into their City at Cedron, where they took Christ, on the same Feast day that Christ was taken. he whipped them where they whipped Christ, he sold twenty Jews for a penny, as they sould Christ for 30 pence 8. Andr. cat. should not be left upon a stone: so it was fulfilled forty years after his Ascension, by Vespasian the Emperour, and his Son, Titus, who having besi [...]ged Jerusalem, the Jewes were oppressed with a griev­ous famine, in which their food was old shooes, old leather, old hay, and the dung of Beasts; thene died partly of the Sword, and partly of the Famine, eleven hundred thousand of the poorer sort; two thousand in one night were imbowelled, six thousand were burned in a porch of the Temple, the whole, City was sacked and burnt, and laid levell to the ground, and ninety seven thousand taken Captives, and applied to base and miserable service; as E [...]se­bius and Josephus saith: and to thi [...] day, in all the parts of the world, are they [Page 45] not the off-scouring of the world? none lesse belov'd, and non [...] more abhor'd, then they: And so Caparnaum, that was lifted up to Heaven, was threatned to beMen are ther­fore the wors, because they ought to be better, and shall be deep­er in Hell, be­cause Heaven was offered unto them, but they would not. Ingentia bene­ficia flagitia, supplicia, good turnes aggra­vate unkind­nesses, and mens offences are increased by their obli­gation. [...]. shift off, dis­regard. thrown down to Hell. No souls fall so low into Hell (if they fall) as those souls, that by a hand of mercy, are lift­ed up nearest to Heaven; you flight souls that are so apt to abuse mercy, consider this, that in the Gospel dayes, the plagues that God inflicts upon the des­pisers, and abusers of mercy, are usual­ly spirituall plagues; as blindnesse of mind, hardnesse of heart, benumednesse of conscience, which are ten thousand times worse then the worst of outward plagues that can b [...]fall you, and there­fore though you may escape temporall Judgements, yet you shall not escape spirituall Judgements: How shall we e­scape if we neglect so great salvation? saith the Apostle. Oh! therefore, when ever Satan shall present God to the soul, as one made up all of mercy, that he may draw thee to doe wickedly, say unto him, that sins against mercy will bring upon the soul the greatest misery, and therefore, whatever becomes of thee, thou wilt not sin against mercy, &c.

The fourth Remedy against this De­vice4 Remedy. of Satan, is seriously to consider, that though Gods generall mercy be o­ver [Page 46] all his works, yet his speciall mercyAugustus in his solemn Feasts gave trifles to some, but gold to others that his heart was most set upon: so God by a hand of generall mercy, gives these (poore trifles) out­ward blessings [...]o those that he least loves, but his gold, his speciall mercy is one­ly towards those that his heart is most set upon. is confined to those that are divinely qualified; so in Exod. 34. 6, 7. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaim­ed, the Lord, the Lord God, mercifull and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodnesse and truth; keeping mercy for thou­sands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and that will by no means clear the guil­ty, Exod. 20. 6. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my Commandements, Psal. 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth: unto such as keep his Covenant, and his Te­stimonies, Psal. 32. 10. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked, but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compasse him about, Psal. 33. 18. Behold, the eye of the Lord is up­on them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy. Psal. 103. 11. For as the Heaven is high above the earth: so great is his mercy to as ard them that feare him. Ver. 17. But the mercy of the Lord is from ever­lasting, to everlasting, upon them that feare him. When Satan attempts to draw thee to sin, by presenting God as a God all made up of mercy; oh! then reply, that tho Gods general mercy extends to all the works of his hand; yet his speciall mercy is confined to them that are divinely qualified, to them that love h [...]m, and keep his Commandements, to [Page 47] them that trust in him, that by hope hang upon him, and that fear him, and that thou must be such a one here, or else thou canst never be happy hereafter; thou must partake of his speciall mer­cy, or else eternally perish in everlasting misery, notwithstanding Gods generall mercy.

The fifth Remedy against this Device5 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that those that were once glorious on earth, and are now triumphing in Heaven, did look upon the mercy of God, as the most powerfull argument to preserve them from sin, and to fence their souls against sin, and not as an encouragementPsal 26. 3, 4, 5, 6. to sin. Psal. 26. 3, 4, 5, 6. For thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes, and I have walked in thy truth; I have not sat with vaine persons, neither will I goe in with dis­semblers: I have hated the Congregation of evill doers, and will not sit with the wicked. So Joseph strengthens himselfe against sin, from the remembrance of mercy. How then can I (saith he) doe this great Gen. 39. 9. wickednesse, and sin against God? He had fixt his eye upon mercy, and therefore sin could not enter, though the irons entred into his soul, his soul being ta­ken with mercy, was not moved by his Mistrisses impudency; Satan knock't oft at the door, but the sight of mercy [Page 48] would not suffer him to answer, or o­pen: Joseph like a Pearle in a Puddle, keeps his vertue still. So Paul, Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound? God Rom. 6. 1, 2. The stone called P [...]ntau­rus, is of that vertue, that it preserves him that carries it, from taking any harm by poison; the mercy of God in Christ to our souls, is the most pre­cious stone, or Pearle [...] in the world, to preserve us from being poysoned with sin. forbid; how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? There is nothing in the world, that renders a man more un­like to a Saint, and more like to Satan, then to argue from mercy to sinfull li­berty; from Divine goodnesse to licen­tiousnesse; this is the Devils Logick, and in whom ever you find it, you may write, This soul is lost. A man may a [...] truly say, the Sea burns, or fire cools, as that free grace and mercy should make a soul truly gracious to doe wickedly. So the same Apostle, I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye pre­sent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, ac­ceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. So John, These things I write unto you, that you sin not; What was it that he wrote? He wrote, that we might have fellowship with the Father and his Son; 1 John 2. 1, 2. and that the Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin: and that, if we confesse our sins, he is just and faith full to forgive us our sins; and that, if we doe sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. These choyce favours, and mercies the Apostle holds forth, as the choycest means to preserve the soul from [Page 49] sin, and to keep at the greatest distance from sin, and if this won't doe it, you may write the man void of Christ, and grace, and undone for ever.

The sixt Device that Satan hath to6 Device. draw the soule to sin, is, by perswading the soul that the work of Repentance is [...]n easie work, and that therefore the soul need not make such a matter of sin; why suppose you do sin, saith Satan, 'tis no such difficult thing to return, and confesse, and be sorrowfull, and beg pardon, and cry, Lord have mercy upon me; and if you doe but this, God will cut the score, and pardon your sins, and save your souls, &c. By this Device Sa­tan draws many a soul to sin, and makes many millions of souls servants, or ra­ther slaves to sin, &c.

Now the Remedies against this de­vice of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedy is, seriously to con­sider,1 Remedy. Fallen man hath lost (im­perium suum, and imperium sui) the com­mand of him­selfe, and the command of the creatures; and certainly, he that can­not command himselfe, can­not repent of himselfe. Da poenitentiā & postea in­dulgentiam, said dying Fulgentius. that Repentance is a mighty work, a difficult work, a work that is above our power. There is no power below that power that raised Christ from the dead, and that made the world, that can break the heart of a sinner, or turn the heart of a sinner; thou art as well [Page 50] melt Adamant, as to melt thine owne heart, to turn a flint into flesh, as to turn thine own heart to the Lord; to raise the dead, and to make a world, as to Repent. Repentance is a flower that growes not in Natures garden. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots, then may yee also doe good, that are accustomed to doe evill, Jer. 13. 23. Re­pentance is a gift that comes down from above, men are not born with Repen­tance in their hearts, as they are borne with tongues in their mouths, Acts. 5.It was a vain brag of King Cyrus, that caused it to be written upon his Tomb-stone ( [...]) I could doe all things. So could Paul too, but it was through Christ which strengthned him. 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give Repentance to Israel, and forgivenesse of sins. So in that 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meek­nesse instructing them that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repent­ance, to the acknowledging of the truth. 'Tis not in the power of any mortall to re­pent at pleasure: Some ignorant, de­luded souls vainly conceit that these five words, Lord have mercy upon me, are efficacious to send them to Heaven; but as many are undone by buying a coun­terfeit Jewell: so many are in Hell, by mistake of their Repentance; many rest in their Repentance, though it be but the shadow of Repentance, which caused one to say, Repentance damneth more then sin.

The second Remedy against this De­vice2 R [...]medy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider of the nature of true Repentance; Re­pentance is some other thing then what vain men conceive. Repentance is some­times taken in a more strict and narrowThe Hebrew word for Re­pentance, is [...] from [...] w^ch signifies to returne, implying a going back from what a man had don, it notes a re­turning or converting from one thing to ano­ther, from sin to God. The Greeks have two words, by which they expresse the nature of re­pentance, one is [...], which signifies to be carefull, anxi­ous, solicitous after a thing is done; the other word is [...], is resipiscentia, after-wit, or after-wisdom, the minds re­covering of wisdome, or growing wiser after our fol­ly. Ab [...] dementia & [...] post, it being the cor­rection of mens folly, and returning ad sanam men­tem. True re­pentance is a thorough change, both of the mind and manners, optima & ap­tissima poeni­tentia est nova vita, saith Luther, which saying is an excellent say­ing. Repent­ance for sin is nothing worth, with­out repent­ance from sin. If thou re­pent with a contradiction (saith Tertul­lian) God will pardon thee with a con­tradiction; thou repent­est, and yet continuest in thy sin, God will pardon thee, and yet send thee to Hell; there's a pardon with a contradicti­on. Negative goodnesse serves no mans turn to save him from the axe. It is said of Ithacus, that the hatred of the Priscillian Heresie, was all the vertue that he had. The evill ser­vant did not riot out his Talent. Those Reprobates, Mat. 25. rob­bed not the Saints, but relieved them not; for this they must eternal­ly perish sense, for godly sorrow; sometimes Repentance is taken in a large sense, for Amendment of Life. Repentance hath in it three things, viz. the Act, the Sub­ject, and the Termes.

1. The formall Act of Repentance is a changing, and converting; 'tis often set forth in Scripture by Turning, Turne thou me, and I shall be turned, saith Ephra­im; after that I was turned, I repented, saith he; 'tis a turning from darknesse to light.

2. The Subject changed, and conver­ted, is the whole man; 'tis both the sinners heart and life: first his heart, then his life; first his person, then his practice and conversation. Wash yee, make you cleane; there's the change of their persons; put away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to doe evill, learne to do well; there's the change of their practises: So Cast away (saith Ezekiel) all your transgressions, whereby you have transgressed; there's the change of the life; and make you a new heart, and a new spirit, there's the change of the

3. The Tearmes of this change, and conversion from which, and to which, both heart and life must be changed from all sin, to God; the heart must be changed from the state and power of sin, the life from the acts of sin, but both un­to God, the heart to be under his power in a state of grace, the life to be under his rule, in all new obedience, as the Apostle speaks, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darknesse to light, and from the power of satan unto God: so the Prophet Isaiah saith, Let the wicked forsake their wayes, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him returne unto the Lord. Thus much of the nature of Evangelicall Re­pentance. Now soules, tell me whither it be such an easie thing to repent, as Satan doth suggest; besides what hath been spoken, I desire that you will take notice, that Repentance doth include a turning from the most darling sin: Ephraim shall say, What have I to doe any more with Idols? Yea, it's a turning from all sin to God. Ezek. 18. 30. Therefore I will judge you, O House of Israel, every one according to his wayes, saith the Lord God: repent, and turne your selves from all your transgressions: so iniquity shall not be your ruine. Herod turn'd from ma­ny, but turn'd not from his Herodias, which was his ruine; Judas turn'd [Page 53] from all visible wickednes, yet he would not cast out that golden Devil Cove­tousnesse, and therefore was cast into the hottest place in Hell. He that turnes not from every sin, turnes not aright from any one sin; every sin strikes at the Honour of God, the Being of God, the Glory of God, the Heart of Christ, the Joy of the Spirit, and the Peace of a mans Conscience; and therefore a soul truly penitent, strikes at all, hates all, conflicts with all; and will labour to draw strength from a crucified Christ to crucifi [...] all; a true penitent knowes neither father nor mother, neither right eye, nor right hand, but will pluck out the one, and cut off the other. Saul spa­red but one Ag [...]g, and that cost him his soul and his Kingdome: besides, Re­pentance is not onely a turning from all sin, but also a turning to all good, to a love of all good, to a prizing of all good, and to a following after all good. Ezek. 18. 21. But if the wicked will turne from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my Statutes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, he shall surely live, be shall not die; that is, onely negative righte­ousnesse and holinesse is no righteous­nesse nor holinesse; David fulfilled all the wills of God, and had respect unto all his Commandements, and so had [Page 54] Zacharias and Elizabeth. 'Tis not enough that the Tree bears not ill fruit; but, it must bring forth good fruit, else, it must be cut downe, and east into the fire: So, 'tis not enough that you are not thus and thus wicked, but you must be thus and thus gracious, and good, else Divine Justice will put the Axe of Divine Ven­geance to the root of your souls, and cut you off for ever. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn downe, and cast into the fire; besides, Repentance doth include a sensiblenesse of sins sinfulnesse, how opposite and contrary 'tis to the blessed God: God is light, sin is dark­nesse, God is life, sin is death, God is Heaven, sin is hell, God is beauty, sin is deformity. Also true Repentance in­cludes a sensiblenes of sins mischievous­nesse, how it cast Angels out of Heaven, and Adam out of Paradise; how it laid the first corner-stone in hell, and brought in all the curses, crosses, and miseries, that be in the world, and how it makes men liable to all temporall, spirituall, and eternall wrath; how it hath made men Godlesse, Christlesse, hopelesse, and heavenlesse in this world: further, true repentance doth include sorrow for sin, contrition of heart; it breaks the heart with sighes and sobs, and groans, for that a loving God, and Father is by sin [Page 55] offended, a blessed Saviour a fresh cru­cified, and the sweet Comforter, the Spi­rit,True repent­ance is a sor­rowing for sin as it is offensi­vum Dei, aver­sivum à Deo, this both comes from God, & drives a man to God, as it did the Church in the Canti­cles, and the Prodigall. Ezek. 20. 22, 23. grieved and vexed. Again, Repen­tance doth include, not onely a loath­ing of sin, but also a loathing of our selves for sin; as a man doth not onely loath poyson, but he loaths the very dish or vessel that hath the smell of the poyson: so a true Penitent doth not onely loath his sin, but he loaths him­selfe, the vessel that still smels of sin. So Ezek. 20. 43. And there shall ye remember your wayes and all your doings, wherein yee have been defiled; and ye shall loath your selves in your owne sight, for all your evills that ye have committed; true Repentance will work your hearts, not onely to loath your sins, but also to loath your selves. Againe, true Repentance doth not onely work a man to loath himself for his sins, but it makes him asham'd of his sin also. What fruit have ye of those things, whereof ye are (now) ashamed? saith the Apostle: so Ezekiel, And thou shalt be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee, for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God. When a pen [...] ­tentiall soul sees his sins pardoned, the anger of God pacified, and Divine Ju­stice satisfied, then he sits down (and blushes, as the Hebrew hath it) as one [Page 56] ashamed; yea, true Repentance dothQuantum dis­plicet Deo im­munditia pec­ca [...], in tantum placet deo eru­hiscentia poeni­tentis. Ber. i. e. So much the more God hath been displeased with the blacknesse of sin, the more will he be pleased with the blushing of the sinner. They that do not burn now in zeale against sin, must ere long burne in Hell for sin. work a man to crosse his sinfull self, and to walk contrary to sinfull selfe, to take a holy revenge upon sin, as you may see in Paul, the Jaylor, Mary Magdalen, and Manasses; this the Apostle shewes in that 2 Cor. 7. 10, 11. For godly sorrow work­eth repentance never to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death; for behold the selfesame thing that ye sorrowed after a Godly sort, what carefullnesse it wrought in you; yea, what clearing of your selves; yea, what indignation; yea, what feare; yea, what vehement desire; yea, what zeale; yea, what revenge. Now souls, sum up all these things together, and tell me, whether it be such an easie thing to repent, as Satan would make the soul to beleeve; and I am confident your hearts will answer, that 'tis as hard a thing to repent, as 'tis to make a world, or to raise the dead. I shall conclude this second Remedy, with a worthy say­ing of a precious holy man, Repentance (saith he) strips us stark naked of all the garments of the old Adam, and leaves not so much as the shirt behind; in this rotten building it leaves not a stone upon a stone. As the Flood drown­ed Noa'hs own friends, and servants: so must the flood of repenting tears drown our sweetest, and most profitable sins.

The third Remedy against this Device3 Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that Repentance is a continued act; the word Repent, implies the continuation of it. True Repentance inclines a mansAnselme in his Meditations confesseth, that all his life was either damnable for sin commit­ted, or unpro­fitable for good omitted and at last concludes (Quid restat o peccat [...]r nisi ut in tota vita tua deplores totam vitam tuam) Oh what then remaines, but in our whole life, to lament the sins of our whole life. heart to perform Gods Statutes always, even unto the end; a true Penitent must goe on, from Faith, to Faith, from strength to strength, he must never stand still, nor turne back; Repentance is a grace, and must have its daily operation, as well as other graces; true Repentance is a continued spring, where the waters of godly sorrow are alwayes flowing; My sins are ever before me; a true peni­tent is often casting his eyes back to the dayes of his former vanity, and this makes him morning and evening to wa­ter his couch with his tears: Remember not against me the sins of my youth, saith one blessed Penitent; and I was a blasphemer, and a persecuter, and injurious, saith ano­ther Penitent: Repentance is a conti­nued act of turning, a Repentance ne­ver to be repented of, a turning never to turne again to folly; a true penitent hath ever something within him to turn from he can never get near enough to God, no, not so near him as once he was; and therefore he is still turning and turning, that he may get nearer and nearer to him; that is his chiefest [Page 58] good, and his onely happinesse (optimum 'Tis truly said of God, that he is omnia su­per omnia. maximum) the best, and the greatest; they are every day a crying out, O wret­ched men that we are, who shall deliver us from this body of death? They are still sensible of sin, and still conflicting with sin, and still sorrowing for sin, and still loathing of themselves for sin; Repent­ance is no transient act, but a continu­ed act of the soul; and tell me, oh temp­ted soule! whether it be such an easie thing, as Satan would make thee believe, to be every day a turning, more and more from sin, and a turning nearer and nearer to God, thy choicest blessednesse. A true Penitent can as easily content himselfe with one act of faith, or one act of love, as he can content himselfe with one act of Repentance. A Jewish Rabbie pressing the practice of Repent­ance upon his Disciples, exhorting them to be sure to Repent the day before they dyed; one of them replyed, that the day of any mans death was very uncer­taine; Repent therefore, every day (said the Rabbin) and then you shall be sure to repent the day before you dye; you are wise, and know how to apply it to your own advantage.

The fourth Remedy against this De­vice4 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that if the work of Repentance were [Page 59] such an easie work, as Satan wouldIf thou be backward in the thoughts of Repent­ance, be for­ward in the thoughts of Hell; the flames where­of, onely the streams of the penitent eye can extin­guish. Tertul. make it to be; then certainly so many would not lye roaring, and crying out (of wrath and eternall ruine) under the horrours and terrours of conscience, for not repenting; yea, doubtlesse, so many millions would not goe to hell for not Repenting, if 'twere such an easie thing to repent: Ah! doe not poor souls under horrours of conscience, cry out, and say, were all this world a lump of gold, and in our hand to dispose of, we would give it for the least dram of true Repentance, and wilt thou say, it is an easie thing to repent? When a poor sinner, whose Conscience is awa­kened, shall judge the exchange of all the world, for the least dram of Repent­ance, to be the happiest exchange that ever sinner made, tell me, oh soul! is itOh how shalt thou [...]ear, and rend thy self? how shalt thou lament fruitlesse re­penting? what wilt thou say? woe is me, that I have not cast off the burden of sin; woe is me, that I have not washed away my spots, but a [...] now pier­ced with mine iniquities, now have I lost the sur­passing joy of Angels. Basil. good going to hell? is it good dwel­ling with the devouring fire? with e­verlasting burnings? Is it good to be for ever seperated from the blessed and glorious presence of God, Angels, and Saints? And to be for ever shut out from those good things of eternall life? which are so many, that they exceed number, so great, that they exceed mea­sure▪ so precious, that they exceed all estimation; we know, 'tis the greatest misery that can befall the sons of men; [Page 60] and would they not prevent this by Re­pentance, if it were such an easie thing to repent, as Satan would make it? well then, doe not run the hazard of loosing God, Christ, Heaven, and thy soul for ever, by hearkening to this Device of Satan, viz. That it is an easie thing to Repent, &c. If it be so easie, why then doe wicked mens hearts so rise against them, that presse the Doctrine of repent­ance in the sweetest way, and by the strongest and the choicest Arguments that the Scripture doth afford? And why doe they kill two at once? The faithfull Labourers name, and their own souls, by their wicked words and act­ings, because they are put upon repent­ing, which Satan tells them is so easie a thing: surely, were repentance so easie, wicked men would not be so much en­raged when that doctrine is by evangeli­call considerations prest upon them.

The fift Remedy against this Device5 Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that to repent of sin is as great a work of grace, as not to sin. By our sinfull falls the powers of the soule are weakned, theYet it is bet­ter to be kept from sin, then cu [...]ed of sin by Repent­ance, as it is better for a man to be preserved from a disease then to be cured of the disease. strength of grace is decayed, our eviden­ces for Heaven are blotted, feares and doubts in the soul are raised (will God once more pardon this scarlet sin, and shew mercy to this wretched soul) and [Page 61] corruptions in the heart are more ad­vantaged, and confirmed, and the con­science of a man after falls, is the more inraged, or the more benummed; now for a soul, notwithstanding all this, to repent of his falls, this shewes, that 'tis as great a work of grace to repent of sin, as 'tis not to sin. Repentance is the vomit of the soul, and of all Physick, none so difficult, and hard, as 'tis to vo­mit; the same means that tends to pre­serve the soul from sin, the same means works the soul to rise by Repentance, when 'tis fallen into sin: We know, the mercy and loving kindnesse of God, is one speciall means to keep the soul from sin, as David spake, Thy loving kind­nesse is alwayes before mine eyes, and I have Psal. 26. 3, 4, 5. walked in thy truth; I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the Congregation of evill doers, and will not sit with the wicked: So by the same means the soul is raised, by Re­pentance out of sin, as you may [...]ee in Mary Magdalen, who loved much, andLuke 7. 37, 38, 39, &c. Hos 6. 1, 2. wept much, because much was forgiven her: so those in Hosea, Come, let us re­turne unto the Lord, for he hath torne, and he will heale us; he hath smitten, and he will binde us up: after two dayes he will re­vive us, in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight; or before his [Page 62] face, as the Hebrew hath it, i. e. in his [...] favour, confidence in Gods mercy, and love, that he would heal them, and bind up their wounds, and revive their deje­cted spirits, and cause them to live in his favour, was that which did work their hearts to repent, and return unto him; I might further shew you this truth in many other perticulars; but this may suffice: onely remember this in the gnerall, that there is much of the power of God, and love of God, and faith in God, and fear of God, and care to please God, and zeale for the glory of God, requisite to work a man to re­pent2 Cor. 7. 11. of sin, as there is to keep a man from sin, by which you may easily judge, that to repent of sin, is as great a work, as not to sin; and now tell me, oh soul! is it an easie thing not to sin? we know then certainly, 'tis not an easie thing to repent of sin.

The sixt Remedy against this Device6 Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that he that now tempts thee to sin, upon this account, that repentance is easie, will ere long, to work thee to despaire,Beda tells of a certain great man, that was admonished in his sicknes to repent, who answer'd, that he would not repent yet, for if he should reco­ver, his com­panions would laugh at him, but growing sick­er and sicker, his friends pressed him again to re­pent; bu [...]then he told them it was toolate (Quia jam ju­dicatus sum & condemnatus) for now (said he) I am jud­ged, and con­demned. [Page 63] to say, we are thine, and we must follow thee; Now Satan will help to work the soul to look up, and see God angry, and to look inward, and see Conscience accusing and condemning; and to look downwards, and see Hells mouth open to receive the impenitent soul, and all this to render the work of repentance impossible to the soul; what, saith Sa­tan, doest thou think that that is easie which the whole power of grace cannot conquer, while we are in this world? Is it easie, saith Satan, to turn from some outward act of sin, to which thou hast been addicted? Dost thou not remem­ber that thou hast often complained a­gainst such and such particular sins, and resolved to leave them, and yet to this hour thou hast not, thou canst not? What will it then be to turn from every sin? Yea, to mortifie, and cut off those sin [...], those darling lusts, that are as joynts and members, that be as right hands, and right eyes? Hast thou not loved thy sins above thy Saviour? Hast thou not preferred earth before Heaven? Hast thou not all along neglected the means of Grace, and despised the offers of Grace, and vexed the spirit of Grace? There would be no end if I should set before thee the infinit evils that thou hast committed, and the innumerable [Page 64] good services that thou hast omitted,As one Lama­chus a Com­mander said, to one of his souldiers, that was brought before him for a misbe­haviour, who pleaded he would doe so no more, saith he (Non li cet in bello bis pecca­re) no man must offend twice in war: so God will not suffer men often to neg­lect the day of grace. and the frequent checks of thy owne Conscience, that thou hast contemned, and therefore thou mayest well con­clude, that thou canst never repent, that thou shalt never repent; now saith Sa­tan, doe but a little consider thy num­berlesse sins, and the greatnesse of thy sins, the foulnesse of thy sins, the hain­ousnesse of thy sins, the circumstances of thy sins, and thou shalt easily see, that those sins that thou thoughtest to be but motes, are indeed mountaines; and is it not now in vain to repent of them? Surely saith Satan, if thou shouldest seek repentance and grace with tears, as Esau, thou shalt not find it; thy glasse is out, thy sun is set, the door of mercy is shut, the golden Scepter is taken in, and now thou that hast despised mercy, shalt be for ever destroyed by Justice; for such a wretch as thou art to attempt repent­ance, is to attempt a thing impossible; 'tis impossible that thou, that in all thy life couldest never conquer one sinne, shouldest master such a numberles num­ber of sins, which are so near, so dear, so necessary, and so profitable to thee, that have so long bedded and boarded with thee, that have been old acquaint­ance and companions with thee; hast thou not often purposed, promised, [Page 65] vowed, and resolved to enter upon theRepentanceis a work that must be time­ly done, or men are ut­terly undone for ever. Aut poenitendum aut pereundum. practice of repentance, but to this day couldest never attain it: Surely 'tis in vain to strive against the streame, where it is so impossible to overcome; thou art lost, and cast for ever to hell, thou must to hell, thou shalt; ah souls! he that now tempts you to sin, by suggest­ing to you the easinesse of repentance, will at last, to work you to despaire, present repentance as the hardest work in all the world, and a work as far a­bove man, as Heaven is above Hell, as light is above darknesse. Oh! that you were wise, to break off your sins, by timely repentance.

Now the seventh Device that Satan7 Device. hath to draw the soul to sin, is, by ma­king the soul bold to venture upon the occasions of sin. Saith Satan, you may walk by the Harlots door, though you won't goe into the Harlots bed; you may sit and sip with the drunkard, tho you won't be drunk with the drunkard; you may look upon Jezabels beauty, and you may play and toy with Dali­loh, though you doe not commit wick­ednesse with the one, or the other; you may with Achan handle the golden wedge, though you doe not steale the golden wedge, &c.

Now the Remedies against this Device are these that follow.

THe first Remedy, is, solemnly to1 Remedy. dwell upon those Scriptures that doe expressly command us to avoid the occasions of sin, and the least appearance of evill. 1 Thess. 5. 22. Abstaine from all Epiphanius saith, that in the old Law, when any dead body was carried by any house, they were in­joyn'd to shut their doors and windows. appearance of evill; whatsoever is hete­rodox, unsound, and unsavory, shun it, as you would doe a Serpent in your way, or poyson in your meats. Theodo­sius tare the Arrians Arguments, present­ed to him in writing, because he found them repugnant to the Scriptures; and Augustine retracted even Ironies onely, because they had the appearance of ly­ing. When God had commanded the Jewes to abstain from Swines flesh, they would not so much as name it, but in their common talk would call a Sow a­nother thing. To abstain from all ap­pearance of evill, is to doe nothing wherein sin appears, or which hath a shadow of sin. Bernard glosseth finely,Quicquid est male celoratū. Whatever is of an ill shew, or of ill re­port, that he may neither wound con­science, nor credit; we must shun, and be shie of the very shew and shadow of sinne, if either we tender our credit a­broad, or our comfort at home. It was [Page 67] good counsell that Livia gave her Hus­bandSocrates spea­keth of two young men that flung a­way their belts, when being in an I­dols Temple, the lustrating water fell up­on them, de­testing saith the Historian, the garment sported by the flesh. Augustus; it behoveth thee, not onely not to doe wrong, but not to seeeme to doe so, &c. So Jude 23. v. And others save with fear pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 'Tis a phrase taken from le­gall uncleanesse, which was contracted by touching the houses, the vessells, the garments of uncleane persons. Under the Law men might not touch a men­strous cloath, nor God would not ac­cept of a spotted peace-offering. So we must not onely hate, and avoid grosse sins, but every thing that may carry a savor, or susprition of sin; we must ab­hor the very signes and tokens of sin; so in Proverbs 5. ver. 8. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the doore of her house. He that would not be burnt must dread the fire; Hee that would not heare the bell, must not meddle with the rope. To venture upon the occasion of sin, and then to pray, lead us not intoOne said, as oft as I have been among vaine men, I returned home lesse a man then I was before. temptation, is all one, as to thrust thy finger into the fire, and then to pray that it might not be burnt. So in the 4. Prov. 14. 15. you have another com­mand, Enter not in the path of the wicked, and goe not in the way of evell men, avoid it, and passe not by it, turne from it, and passe away. This triple gradation of Solomon [Page 68] sheweth with a great Emphasie, how ne­cessary it is for men, to flee from all ap­pearance of sin: as the Sea-man shuns sands, and shelves, and as men shun those, that have the plague-sores run­ning upon them: as weeds doe endanger the corne, as bad humor [...] doe endanger the bloud, or as an infected house doth indanger the neighbourhood: so doth the company of the bad endanger those that are good; intirenesse with wicked conforts, is one of the strongest chaines of hell, and bindes us to a participation, both of sin and punishment.

The second Remedie against this device2 Remedy. of Satan is, solemnly to consider, that ordinarily there is no conquest over sin, without the soule turnes from the occa­sion of sin; 'tis impossible for that man to get the conquest of sin, that playes and sports with the occasions of sin; God will not remove the tentation, ex­ceptThe Fable saith, that the Butterflie asked the Owle how he should deale with the fire, which had singed her wings, who counsel'd her not to behold so much as its smoak. we turne from the occasion. It is a just and righteous thing with God, that he should fall into the pit, that will adventure to dance upon the brink of the pit; and that he should be a slave to sin, that will not flee from the occasions of sin. As long as there is fuell in our hearts for a temptation, we cannot be secure; he that hath gun-powder a­bout him, had need keep far enough off [Page 69] from sparkles; to rush upon the occa­sions of sin, is both to tempt our selves, and to tempt Satan to tempt our souls; 'tis very rare that any soule playes with occasions of sin, but that soul is insnar'd by sin; 'tis seldome that God keeps that soul from the acts of sin, that will not keep off from the occasions of sin; he that adventures upon the occasions of sin, is as he that would quench the fire with Oyle, which is a fuell to maintaine it; and increase it. Ah souls! often re­member, how frequently you have been overcome by sin, when you have boldly gon upon the occasions of sin; look back souls, to the days of your vanity, where­in you have been as easily conquered, as tempted, vanquished, as assaulted, when you have played with the occasions of sin; and therefore, as you would for the future be kept from the acting of sin, and be made victorious over sin, oh flee from the occasions of sin.

The third Remedy against this De­vice3 Remedy. of Satan, is seriously to consider, that other precious Saints that were once glorious on earth, and are now triumphing in heaven, have turned from the occasions of sin, as Hell it selfe; as you may see in Joseph, Gen. 39. 10. And it came to passe, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkned not unto her, to lye by [Page 70] her, or to be with her. Joseph was famous for all the four Cardinall vertues; if ever any were in this one temptation, you may see his Fortitude, Justice, Tem­perance,There are sto­ries of Hea­thens, that would not look upon excellent beauties, lest they should be insnared. and Prudence, in that he shuns the occasion (for he would not so much as be with her) and that a man is in­deed, that he is in a temptation, which is but a tap to give vent to corruption. The Nazarite might not only not drink wine, but not taste a grape, or the husk of a grape. The Leaper was to shave his haire, and paire his nailes. The Devill counts a fit occasion, halfe a conquest; for he knowes that corrupt nature hathDemocritus pluck't out his own eyes, to avoid the danger of un­cleannesse. a seed-plot of all sin, which being drawn forth, and watered by some sinfull oc­casion, is soon set a work to the produ­cing of death and destruction; God will not remove the temptation, till we re­move the occasion. A Bird whiles a loft, is safe, but she comes not near the snare without danger; the shunning the oc­casions of sin renders a man most like the best of men; a soul eminently gra­cious, dares not come near the traine, though he be far off the blow. So Job 31. 1. I made a Covenant with mine eyes, [...] I cut a Cove­nant; In ma­king Cove­nants, it was a custome a­mong the Jewes, to cut some beast or other in pie­ces, and to walk between the pieces, to signifie, that they desired God to de­stroy them that should break the Covenant. why then should I think upon a maid? I set a watch at the entrance of my senses, that my foul might not by them be in­fected, and endangered; the eye is the [Page 71] window of the soule, and if that should be alwayes open, the soul might smart for it. A man may not look intently upon that, that he may nat love intire­ly. The Disciples were set a gogg, by beholding the beauty of the Temple; 'tis best and safest to have the eye alwayes fixt upon the highest and noblest ob­jects; as the Marriners eye is fixt on the star, when their hand is on the sterne: so David, when he was himself, he shuns the occasion of sin, Psal. 26. 4, 5. I have not sat with vaine persons, neither will I goe in with dissemblers; I have hated the Con­gregation of evill doers, and will not sit with the wicked. Stories speak of some that could not sleep, when they thought of the Trophies of other Worthies, that went before them; the highest and choy­cest examples are to some, and should be to all very quickning and provoking; and oh! that the examples of those worthy Saints, David, Joseph, and Job, might prevaile with all your souls to shun and avoid the occasions of sin; e­very one should strive to be like to them in grace, that they desire to be equall with in glory. He that shooteth at the Sun, though he come far short, will shoot higher, then he that aimeth at a shrub; 'tis best (and it speaks out much of Christ within) to eye the highest, [Page 72] and the worthiest examples.

The fourth Remedy against this De­vice4 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that the avoiding the occasions of sin, is an evidence of grace, and that which lifts up a man above most other men in the world; that a man is indeed, which he is in temptation; and when sinfull occasions doe present themselves before the soul, this speaks out both the truth,Plutarch saith of Demosthe­nes, that he was excellent at praising the worthy acts of his Ancestors, but not so at imitating them, oh that this were not applicable to many profes­sors in our times. and the strength of grace; when with Lot, a man can be chast in Sodome, and with Timothy can live temperately in Asia, among the luxurious Ephesians; and with Job can walk uprightly in the land of Ʋz, where the people were pro­phane in their lives, and superstitious in their worship; and with Daniel, be ho­ly in Babylon; and with Abraham righ­teous in Chaldea; and with Nehemiah, zealous in Damasco, &c. Many a wick­ed man is big, and full of sinful corrup­tion, but shews it not for want of occa­sion; but that man is surely good, who in his course will not be bad, though tempted by occasions; a Christlesse soul is so far from refusing occasions when they come in his way, that he looks and longs after them, and rather then he will go without them, he will buy them not onely with love or money, but al­so with the losse of his soul; nothing [Page 73] but grace can fence a man against the occasions of sin, when he is strongly tempted thereunto; therefore as you would cherrish a precious evidence in your own bosomes, of the truth and strength of your graces, shun all sinfull occasions.

The eight Device that Satan hath to8 Device. draw the soule to sin, is, by presenting'Twas a weigh­ty saying of Seneca (Nihil est infelicius eo, cui nil nunquā contigit adver­s [...]; there is nothing more unhappy, then he who never felt adversity. to the soule the outward mercies, that vaine men inioy, and the outward mi­series, that they are freed from, whil'st they have walked in the wayes of sin. Saith Satan, do'st thou not see oh soule! the many mercies, that such and such inioy, that walk in those very wayes, that thy soul startles to think of, and the many crosses that▪ they are delivered from, even such as makes other men (that say they dare not walke in such wayes) to spend their dayes in sighing, weeping, groaning, and mourning, and therefore saith Satan, if ever thou woul­dest be freed from the dark night of ad­versity, and injoy the sun-shine of pro­sperity, thou must walk in their wayes: by this stratagem the Devil took those in the 44 Jeremiah, 16, 17, 18. As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us, in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee; but we will certainly doe whatsoever thing goeth forth of our mouth, to burne In­cense [Page 74] unto the Queen of Heaven, and to pour Some of the Heathens would be wicked as their Gods were, count­ing it a disho­nour to their God, to be unlike to him. Lactan tius. out drink-offrings unto her, as we have done, we and our Fathers, our Kings, and our Prin­ces in the Cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of vi­ctualls, and were well, and saw no evill. But since we left off to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword, and by the famine. This is just the language of a world of ignorant, prophane, and su­perstitious souls in London, and England, that would have made them a Captaine'Tis said of one of the Emperours, that Rome had no war in his daves, be­cause 'twas plague e­no [...]gh to have such an Em­perour; you are wise, and know how to apply it. to returne to bondage, yea to that bon­dage that was worse then that the Isra­elites groaned under. Oh, say they, since such and such persons have beene put down, and left off, we have had nothing but plundering and taxing, and butch­ering of men, &c. and therefore we will doe, as we and our Kings and Nobles, and Fathers have formerly done; for then had we plenty at home, and peace abroad, &c. and there was none to make us afraid.

Now the Remedies against this Device of Satan, are these that follow.

THe first Remedy is, solemnly to con­sider,1 Remedy. that no man knowes how the heart of God stands by his hand, his hand of mercy may be towards a man, when his heart may be set against that man; as you may see in Saul, andTully judged the Jews Re­ligion to be naught, be­cause they were so often overcome, & impoverish'd, and afflicted; and the Reli­gion of Rome to be right, because the Romans pro­spered, and became Lords of the world; & yet though the Romans had his hand, the Jews had his heart; for they were dearly belo­ved, though sorely afflict­ed. others; and the hand of God may be set against a man, when the heart of God is dearly set upon a man, as you may see in Job and Ephraim; the hand of God was sorely set against them, and yet the heart and bowels of God were strongly working towards them; no man knoweth either love or hatred, by outward mercy or misery; for all things come alike to all, to the righteous, and to the unrighteous; to the good, and to the bad, to the clean, and to the un­clean, &c. The sun of prosperity shines as well upon brambles of the Wilder­nesse, as fruit-trees of the Orchard; the snow and haile of adversity lights upon the best gardens, as well as the stinking dunghills, or the wild waste. Ahabs and Josiah's ends concur in the very circum­stances. Saul and Jonathan, though dif­ferent in their natures, deserts, and de­portments, [Page 76] yet in their deaths they were not divided. Health, wealth, honours, &c. crosses, sicknesses, losses, &c. are cast upon good men, and bad men promis­cuously. The whole Turkish Empire isNihil est nisi mica panis. Luther. nothing else but a crust, cast by Heavens great House-keeper to his dogs. Moses dies in the Wildernesse, as well as those that murmured; Nabal is rich, aswell as Abraham; Achitophell wise, aswell as Solomon; and Doeg honoured by Soul, as well as Ioseph was by Pharoah. Usually the worst of men have most of these out­ward things, and the best of men have least of Earth, though most of Heaven.

The second Remedy against this De­vice2 Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, That there is nothing in the world that doth so provoke God to be wrath, and angry, as mens taking incouragement from Gods goodnesse, and mercy, to do wickedly; this you may see by that wrath that fell upon the old world, and by Gods raining hell out of Heaven up­onSuch soules make God a God of clouts, one that will not doe as he saith, but they shall find God to be as se­vere in pu­nishing, as he is to others gracious in pardoning. Good turnes aggravate un­kindnesses, and our guilt is increased by our obli­gations. Sodome and Gomorah. This is clear in that 44 of Jeremiah, from the 20 verse, to the 28 verse, the words are worthy of your best meditation; oh that they were engraven in all your hearts, and con­stant in all your thoughts! though they are too large for me to transcribe them, yet they are not too large for you to re­member [Page 77] them: To argue from mercy to sinfull liberty, is the Devils Logick, and such Logicians doe ever walk, as upon a mine of Gun-powder, ready to be blown up; no such souls can ever avert, or avoid the wrath of God. This is wickednesse at the height, for a man to be very bad, because God is very good, a worse spirit then this is not in hell; ah Lord! doth not wrath, yea the greatest wrath, lie at this mans door? Are not the strongest chaines of darknes prepared for such a soul? To sin a­gainst mercy, is to sin against humani­ty, it is bestiall, nay it is worse. To ren­der good for evill, is Divine, to render good for good, is humane, to render evill for evill, is brutish; but to render evill for good, is devilish; and from this evill deliver my soul oh God.

The third Remedy against this De­vice3 Remdy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that there is no greater misery in this life, then not to be in misery; no great­erReligio peperit divitias & filia devoravit matrem. Religion brought forth Riches, and the daughter soon devou­red the Mo­ther, saith Augustine. affliction, then not to be afflicted; woe, woe to that soul that God will not spend a rod upon; this is the saddest stroke of all, when God refuses to strike at all. Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone. Why should you be smitten any more, you will revolt more and more. When the Physician gives over the Patient, you say [Page 78] ring out his knell, the man is dead: so when God gives over a soul to sin, with­out controule, you may truly say, this soule is lost; you may ring out his knel, for he is twice dead, and pluckt up by the roots. Freedome from punishment is the mother of security, the step-mo­ther of virtue, the poyson of Religion, the moth of holinesse, and the introdu­cer of wickednesse; nothing said one, seemes more unhappy to me, then he to whom no adversity hath happened. Out­ward mercies oft-times prove a snare to our soules. I will lay a stumbling block, Ezek. 3. 20. Vatablus his note there isFaciam, ut om­nia habeant pro­spera; calami­tatibus eum à peccato non re­vocabo. I will prosper him in all things, and not by affliction, restraine him from sin. Prosperity hath been a stumbling block, at which millions have stumbled, and fallen, and broke the neck of their souls for ever.

The fourth Remedie against this device4 Remedy. of Satan, is seriously to consider, that the wants of wicked men under all their outward mercy, & freedom from adver­sitie, is far greater then al their outward injoyments. They have many mercies, yet they want more then they injoy; the mercies which they injoy are nothing to the mercies they want; 'Tis true, they have honors, and riches, and pleasures and friends, and are mighty in power, [Page 79] their seed is established in their sight with them, and their off-spring before their eyes; their houses are safe from feare, neither is the rod of God upon them; They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. They take the Timbrell and Harp, and rejoyce at the Men that in­joy all world­ly comforts, may truly say, Omnes huma­nae conjolationes sunt desolationes. sound of the Organ; they spend their dayes in wealth, their eyes stand out with fatnesse, they have more then heart can wish: And they have no bands in their death, but their strength is firme; They are not in trouble as other men; as David and Job speak; yet all this is nothing to what they want; they want interest in God, Christ, the Spirit, the Promises, the Covenant of Grace, and everlasting Glory. They want acceptation and reconciliation with God; They want Righteousnesse, Justification, Sanctification, Adoption, and Redemption. They want the par­don of sin, and power against sin, and freedome from the dominion of sin: They want that favour that is better then life, and that joy that is unspeak­able and full of glory; and that peace that passes understanding; and thatNec Christus nec coelum pati▪ tur hyperbolen, Neither Christ, nor Heaven, can be hyperbolized. grace, the least spark of which, is more worth then Heaven and Earth. They want a House that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God; they want those riches that perish not; that [Page 80] glory that fades not, that Kingdome that shakes not. Wicked men are the most needy men in the world, yea, they want those two things that should ren­der their mercies sweet, viz. The bles­sing of God, and content with their condition; and without which, their Heaven is but Hell, on this side Hell: When their hearts are lifted up, and grown big upon the thoughts of their abundance; if conscience do's but putA crowne of gold cannot cu [...]e the head ach, nor a vel­vet slipper cannot ease the Gout, no mo [...]e can ho­nour or rich­es, &c. quiet and still the Conscience. The heart of man is a three square trian­gle, which the whole round circle of the world cannot fill (as Mathe­maticians say) but all the corners will complaine of [...]mptines and hunger for som [...]hing else. in a word, and say, 'tis true, here is this and that outward mercy, oh! but where is an interest in Christ? Where is the fa­vour of God? Where are the comforts of the holy Ghost? Where are thy evi­dences for Heaven, &c.? This word from Conscience makes the mans coun­tenance to change, his thoughts to be troubled, his heart to be amazed, and all his mercies on the right hand, and left, to be as dead and withered. Ah! were but the eyes of wicked men open to see their wants, under their abun­dance, they would cry out, and say as Absalom did, What are all these to me, so long as I cannot see the Kings face? What's honour, and riches, and the favour of Creatures, so long as I want the favour of God, the pardon of my sins, an inte­restin Christ, and the hopes of glory. O Iod, give me these, or I dye, give [Page 81] me these, or else I shall eternally dye.

The fift Remedy against this Device5 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to confider, that outward things are not as they seem, and are esteemed; they have indeed a glorious outside, but if you view their insides, you will easily find that they fill the head full of cares, and the heart full of feares; what if the fire should con­sume one part of my estate, and the sea should be a grave to swallow up ano­ther part of my estate; what if my ser­vants should be unfaithfull abroad, and my children should be deceitful at home? ah the secret fretting, vexing, and gnaw­ing, that doth daily, yea hourly, attend those mens souls, whose hands are full of worldly goods. 'Twas a good speech of an Emperour, you (said he) gaze on my purple Robe, [...]nd golden Crown, but did you know what cares are under it, you would not take it up from the ground to have it. 'Twas a true saying of Augustine on the 26 Psalm, many areMulti amando res noxias sunt miseri, habendo miseriores. August. miserable by loving hurtfull things, but they are more miserable by having them. It is not what men injoy, but the principle from whence it comes, that makes men happy; much of these outward things doe usually cause great distraction, great vexation, and great condemnation at last, to the posessors of [Page 82] them; if God gives them in his wrath, & do not sanctifie them in his love, they will at last be witnesses against a man, and racks to torture and torment a man, and milstones for ever to sink a man, in that day, when God shall call men to an account, not for the use, but for the abuse of mercy.

The sixt Remedy against this Device6 Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider the end and the designe of God, in heaping up mercy upon the heads of the wicked, and in giving them (a quietus est) restValerian the Roman Em­perour, fell from being an Emperour, to be a foot-stool to Sapor, King of Persia. Dionysius King of Sicily, fell from his Kingly glory, to be a School-ma­ster. The brave Queen Zeno­bia was brought to Rome in gol­den chaines. and quiet from those sorrows and suf­ferings that others sigh under. David in that 73 Psal. 17, 18, 19, 20 verses, shews the end and designe of God in this, saith he, When I went into the Sanctuary of God, then I understood their end: Surely thou diddest set them in slippery places: thou castedst them downe into destruction. How are they brought into desolation as in a mo­ment, they are utterly consumed with ter­rors. As a dreame when one awaketh, so, O Lord, when thou awakest: thou shalt de­spise their image. So in the 92 Psal. 7. When the wicked spring as grasse, and when all the workers of iniquity doe flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed for ever. Gods setting them up, is but in order to his casting them down; his raising them high, is but in order to his bringing [Page 83] them low. Exod. 9. 16. And in very deed, for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power, and that my name may Valens an Em­perour, Beli­sarius a fa­mous general, Henry the 4^th, Bajazeth, Py­thias, Great Pompey, and William the Conqueror; these from being very high, were brought very low; they all fell from great glory and majesty, to great po­verty and misery Da Domine ut sic possideamus temporalia ut non perdamus aeterna. Bern. Grant us Lord that we may so partake of temporall fe­licity, that we may not lose eternall. be declared throughout all the earth. I have constituted and set thee up as a But-mark, that I may let flie at thee, and follow thee close with plague upon plague, till I have beaten the very breath out of thy body, and got my self a name, in setting my feet upon the neck of all thy pride, power, pomp, and glory. Ah soules! what man in his wits would be lifted up, that he might be cast down, would be set higher then others, when 'tis but in order to his being brought downe lower then others. There is not a wic­ked man in the world, that is set up with Lucifer, as high as Heaven, but shall with Lucifer be brought down as low as Hell. Canst thou think seriously of this oh soul? and not say, O Lord, I hum­bly crave that thou wilt let me be little in this world, that I may be great in a­nother world; and low here, that I may be high for ever hereafter: Let me be low, and feed low, and live low, so I may live with thee for ever; let me now be cloathed with rags, so thou wilt cloath me at last with thy Robes; let me now be set upon a dunghill, so I may at last be advanc'd to sit with the [...] upon thy Throne; Lord, make me ra­ther [Page 84] gracious, then great; inwardly holy, then outwardly happy; and ra­ther turn me into my first nothing, yea, make me worse then nothing, rather then set me up for a time, that thou mayest bring me low for ever.

The seventh Remedy against this De­vice7 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that God doth often most plague and punish those, whom others think he doth most spare and love; that is, God do's plague and punish them most with spirituall judgements (which are the greatest, the sorest, and the heaviest) whom he least punishes with temporall punishments; there are no men on earthPsal. 81. 12. Psal. 78. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. Psal. 106. 15. He gave them their request, but sent lean­nesse into their soule. 'Tis a heavy plague to have a fat bo­dy, and a lean soul; a house full of gold, and a heart full of sin. so internally plagued, as those that meet with least externall plagues. Oh! the blindnesse of mind, the hardnesse of heart, the searednesse of Conscience, that those souls are given up to, who in the eye of the world, are reputed the most happy men, because they are not out­wardly afflicted and plagued as other men. Ah souls! 'twere better that all the temporall plagues that ever befell the children of men since the fall of A­dam, should at once meet upon your souls, then that you should be given up to the least spirituall plague, to the least measure of spirituall blindnesse, or spirituall hardnesse of heart, &c. no­thing [Page 85] will better that man, nor move that man, that is given up to spirituall judgements; let God smile or frowne, stroke, or strike, cut or kill, he minds it'Tis better to have a sore, then a seared conscience. 'Tis better to have no heart then a hard heart; no mind, then a blind mind. not, he regards it not; let life, or death, heaven, or hell, be set before him, it stirs him not, he is made up on his sin, and God is fully set to doe Justice upon his soule; this mans preservation, is but a reservation unto a greater condemna­tion. This man can set no bounds to himselfe, he is become a brat of fathom­lesse perdition. He hath guilt in his bo­some, and vengeance at his back, where­ever he goes; neither ministry, nor mi­sery, neither miracle, nor mercy, can mollifie his heart; and if this soul be not in hell on this side hell, who is? who is?8 Remedy.

The eigth Remedy against this Device of Satan, is, to dwell more upon that strict account that vain men must make for all that good that they doe injoy,In this day men shall give an ac­count (De bo­nis commissis, de bonis dimis­sis, de malis commissis, de malis permis­sis) of good things com­mitted unto them, of good things negle­cted by them, of evils com­mitted by them, and of evills suffered by them. then upon the outward good they doe injoy. Ah! did men dwell more upon that account, that they must ere long give for all the mercies that they have injoyed, and for all the favours that they have abused, and for all the sins they have committed, would make their hearts to tremble, and their lips to qui­ver, rottennesse to enter into their [Page 86] bones; it would cause their soules to cry out, and say, oh! that our mercies had been fewer, and lesser, that our ac­count might have been easier, and our torment and misery (for our abuse of so great mercy) not greater then we are able to bear. O cursed be the day wherein the Crown of honour was set upon our heads, and the treasures of this world were cast into our laps; O cursed be the day wherein the sun of prosperity shin'd so strong upon us, and this flattering world smil'd so much upon us, as to occasion us to forget God, to slight Jesus Christ, to neglect our souls, and to put far from us the day of our account. Philip the third of Spaine, whose life was free from grosse evills, professed, that he would rather loose all his Kingdome, then offend God wil­lingly; yet being in the Agony of death, and considering more throughly of hisIn die judicii plus valebit conscientia pu­ra, quam mar­supia plena. Bernard. Then shall a good con­science be more worth then all the worlds good. account he was to give to God, feare struck into him, and these words brake from him; Oh! would to God I had never reigned; oh that those years I have spent in my Kingdome, I had li­ved a life in the wildernesse! oh that I had lived a solitary life with God! how much more securely should I now have dyed? how much more confidently should I have gone to the Throne of [Page 87] God? What doth all my glory profit me, but that I have so much the more torment in my death. God keeps an ex­act account of every penny that's laid out upon him, and his, and that is laid out against him, and his; and this in the day of account, men shall know and feel, though now they wink, andHierome still thought that that voyce was in his ears (Surgite mor­tui & venite ad judicium) Arise you dead, and come to judgement. As oft as I think on that day, how doth my whole body quake, and my heart within me tremble? will not understand. The sleeping of vengeance, causeth the overflowing of sin, and the overflow of sin causeth the awaking of vengeance; abused mercy will certainly turn into fury; Gods forbearance is no quittance; the day is at hand, when he will pay wicked men for the abuse of new and old mercies; if he seem to be slow, yet he is sure: he hath leaden heels, but iron hands; the farther he fetcheth his blow, or draw­eth his arrow, the deeper he will wound in the day of vengeance. Mens actions are all in print in heaven, and God will, in the day of account, read them aloud, in the ears of all the world, that they may all say amen to that righteous sen­tence that he shall passe upon all the despisers and abusers of mercy.

The ninth Device that Satan hath to9 Device. draw the soule to sin, is, by presenting to the soule, the crosses, losses, reproach­es, sorrows, and sufferings, that doe daily attend those that walk in the [Page 88] wayes of holinesse. Saith Satan, do not you see that there are none in the world that are so vexed, afflicted, and tossed, as those that walk more circumspectly, and holily then their neighbours; they are a by-word at home, and a reproach abroad; their miseries come in upon them, like Job's messengers, one upon the neck of another; and there is no end of their sorrowes and troubles; therefore saith Satan, you were better walk in wayes that are lesse trouble­some, and lesse afflicted, though they be more sinfull; for who but a mad man would spend his dayes in sorrow, vexa­tion, and affliction, when it may be pre­vented, by walking in the wayes that I set before him.

Now the Remedies against this de­vice of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedy against this Device1 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that all the afflictions that doe attend the people of God, are such, as shall turne to the profit, and glorious ad­vantage of the people of God; they shall discover that filthinesse and vile­nesse in sin, that yet the soul hath ne­ver seen. It was a speech of a Germane [Page 89] Divine, in his sicknesse; In this DiseaseGuspar Olevi­anus. I have learned how great God is, and what the evill of sin is; I never knew to purpose what God was before, nor what sin meant till now. Afflictions are a christall glasse, wherein the soul hath the clearest sight of the ugly face of sin; in this glasse the soul comes to see sin to be but a bitter-sweet; yea, in this glasse the soul comes to see sin, not only to be an evill, but to be the great­est evill in the world, to be an evill far worse then hel

Againe, they shall contribute to theIsa. 1. 25. c. 27. 8, 9. mortifying and purging away of their sins; afflictions are Gods furnace, by which he cleanses his people from their drosse; affliction is a fire, to purge outIn times of peace our Ar­mer is rusty, in time of war 'tis bright. our drosse, and to make virtue shine; it is a potion to carry away ill humours; better then all the Benedicta Medicament­um, as Physitians call them. Aloes kills worms, colds and frosts doe destroy Vermine: so doe afflictions the corrup­tions that be in our hearts. The Jewes under all the Prophets thundering, re­tained their Idols; but after their ba­bylonish captivity, 'tis observed, there have been no Idols found amongst them.

Again, afflictions are sweet preserva­tives to keep the Saints from sin, which is a greater evill then hell it self: as Job [Page 90] spake, Surely it is meet to be said unto God, Job 34. 31, 32 I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more. That which I see not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will doe no more. Once have I spoken foolishly, yea, Salt brine pre­serves from put [...]efaction, and salt mar­shes keep the sheep from the rot: so do afflictions, the Saints from sin. twice, but I will doe so no more, saith Job. The burnt child dreads the fire; ah! saith the soul, under the rod, sin is but a bitter-sweet, and for the future I in­tend by the strength of Christ, that I will not buy Repentance at so dear a rate. The Rabbins to scare their scholars from sin, were wont to tell them, that sin made Gods head ake; and Saints under the rod have found by wofull expe­rience, that sin makes, not only their heads, but their hearts ake also. Augu­stine by wandring out of his way, esca­ped one that lay in weight to mischief him; if afflictions did not put us out of our way, we should many times meet with some sin or other, that would mis­chief our precious souls.

Again, they will work the Saints to be more fruitfull in holinesse, Heb. 12. 10, 11. But he afflicts us for our profit, that The b [...]ll in the emblem [...] saith, Percussa Su [...]go, the har­der you beat me down in affliction, the higher I shall bound in af­fection to­wards heaven and heavenly things. we might be partakers of his holinesse. The flowers smell sweetest after a shower; Vines bear the better for bleeding, the Walnut-tree is most fruitfull, when most beaten; Saints spring and thrive most internally, when they are most exter­nally [Page 91] afflicted; afflictions are called by some, the mother of virtue. Manasses his chain was more profitable to him, then his Crown. Luther could not un­derstand some Scriptures, till he was in affliction; the Chris-crosse is no letter, and yet that taught him more then all the letters in the row; Gods house ofSchola crucis Schola lucis. correction, is his school of instruction; all the stones that came about Stevens [...]ars, did but knock him closer to Christ the corner-stone. The waves did but lift Noah's Ark nearer to Heaven, and the higher the waters grew, the more near the Ark was lifted up to Heaven; afflictions do lift up the soule to more rich, clear, and full injoyments of God, Hosea 2. 14. Behold, I will allure her into the wildernesse, and speak comfortably to her (or rather, as the Hebraw hath it) I [...] Vedib bartig­nal-libbab. will [...]arnestly, or vehemently speak to her heart. God makes afflictions to be but inlets to the soul, more sweet and full injoyment of his blessed self. When was it that Steven saw the Heavens open, and Christ standing at the right hand of God? but when the stones were aboutIt is reported of Tiberius (the Empe­rour) that pas­sing by a place where he saw a Crosse lying in the ground upon a mar­ble stone, and causing the stone to be [...] di [...]ged up, [...]ound a great deale of trea­sure under the Crosse. So many a pre­cious Saint, hath sound much spiritu­all and hea­venly treasure under the crosses [...]hey have met withall. his ears, and there was but a short step betwixt him and eternity; and when did God appear in his glory to Jacob? but in the day of his troubles, when the stones were his pillows, and the ground [Page 92] his bed, and the hedges his curtaines, and the Heavens his Canopie; Then he saw the Angels of God ascending and de­scending in their glistering robes. The plant in Nazianzen growes with cutting, be­ing cut, it flourisheth; it contends with the axe, it lives by dying, and by cut­ting it growes: so doe Saints by their afflictions that doe befall them. They gaine more experience of the power of God supporting them, of the wisdome of God directing them, of the grace of God refreshing, and cheering them, and of the goodnesse of God quieting and quickning of them, to a greater love to holinesse, and to a greater delight in holinesse, and to a more vehement pur­suing after holinesse. I have read of a Fountaine, that at noon day is cold, and at midnight it growes warm: so many a precious Saint is cold God-wards, and Heaven-wards, and Holinesse-wards, in the day of prosperity, that grow warm God-wards, and Heaven-wards, and Holinesse-wards, in the midnight of ad­versity.

Againe, afflictions serve to keep the hearts of the Saints humble and tender, Lam. 3. 19, 20. Remembring my affliction, and my misery, the wormwood, and the gall; My soule hath them still in remembrance, [...] from [...] and is humbled in me, or bowed downe in me, [Page 93] as the Originall hath it. So David, when he was under the rod, could say, I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, because thou diddest it; I have read of one, who when any thing fell out prosperously, would read over the Lamentations of Jeremiah, Gregory Nazi­anzen. and that kept his heart tender, humble and low; prosperity doth not contri­bute more to the puffing up of the soul, then adversity doth to the bowing down of the soule; this the Saints by expe­rience find, and therefore they can kisse, and imbrace the Crosse, as others doe the worlds Crowne.

Againe, they serve to bring the Saints nearer to God, and to make them more importunate and earnest in prayer with God; Before I was afflicted, I went astray, Psal 119. 67. 71. Hos. 5. 14, 15. Ch. 6. 1. 2. but now have I kept thy word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learne thy statutes. I will be to Ephraim as a Lion, and as a young Lion to the house of The more precious o­dours, and the purest spices are beaten and bruised, the sweeter sent and sa­vour they send abroad: so doe Saints when they a [...] afflicted. Judah. I, even I will teare, and goe away, I will take away, and none shall rescue him; I will goe and returne to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me early: and so they did, Come (say they) and let us returne unto the Lord; for he hath torne, and he will heale us, he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two dayes he will revive us, in the third day he will raise [Page 94] us up, and we shall live in his sight. So when God had hedg'd up their way with thorns, then they say, I will goe and re­turne Hes. 2. 6, 7. to my first husband, for then was it with me better then now. Ah the joy, the peace, the comfort, the delight, and content that did attend us, when we kept close communion with God, doth bespeak our return to God. We will returne to our first Husband, for then was it with us better then now.

When Tiribazus a noble Persian, was arrested, he drew out his sword, and defended himselfe, but when they toldMost men are like atop, that will not goe unlesse you whip it, and the more you whip it, the better it goes you know how to ap­ply it They tha [...] are in ad­vers [...]y, saith▪ Luther, doe better under­stand Scrip­ture; but those that are in prospe­rity read them as a vers in Ovid. Bees are kill'd with hon [...]y▪ but quickned with vineger: The honey of pro­sperity kills our graces, but the vine­ger of adver­sity quickens our graces. him that they came to carry him to the King, he willingly yielded; so, though a Saint may at first stand a little out, yet when he remembers, that af­flictions are to carry him nearer God, he yields, and kisses the rod. Afflictions are like the prick at the Nightingales breast, that awakes her, and puts her upon her sweet and delightfull singings.

Again, afflictions they serve to revive and recover decayed graces, they infame that love that's cold, and they quicken that faith that is decaying, and they put life into those hopes that are wi­thering, and spirits into those joyes and comforts that are languishing. Musk (saith one) when it hath lost its sweet­nesse, if it be put into the sink amongst [Page 95] filth, it recovers it: so doe afflictions recover and revive decayed graces. The more Saints be beaten with the hammer of afflictions, the more they are made the Trumpets of Gods praises, and the more are their graces revived and quick­ned. Adversity abases the lovelinesse of the world, that might intice us; it a­bates the Iustinesse of the flesh within, that might incite us to folly and vanity, and it abets the spirit in his quarrell, to the two former, which tends much to the reviving and recovering decayed graces. Now suppose afflictions, and troubles doe attend the wayes of holi­nesse, yet seeing that they all work for the great profit, and singular advantage of the Saints, let no soul be so mad, as to leave an afflicted way of holinesse, to walk in a smooth path of wickednesse.

The second Remedy against this De­vice2 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that all the afflictions that doe befallThe Christian souldier shall ever be ma­ster of the day (Mori pos­se vinci non posse, said Cy­prian to Corne­lius) he may suffer death, but never conquest. the Saints, doe onely reach their worser part; they reach not, they hurt not their noble part, their best part, all the arrowes stick in the Target, they reach not the Conscience. And who shall harme you, if you be followers of that which is good, (saith the Apostle) that is, none shall harm you; they may thus and thus af­flict you, but they shall never harm you.

It was the speech of a Heathen, when as by the Tyrant he was commanded to be put into a morter, and be beaten to pieces with an iron pestell, he cries out to his persecutors, you doe but beat the vessell, the case, the [...]usk of Anaxarchus, you doe not beat me; his body was to him but as a case, a husk; he counted his soul himself, which they could not reach; you are wise, and know how to apply it. Socrates said of his enemies, they may kill me, but they cannot hurt me: so afflictions may kill us, but they cannot hurt us; they may take away my life, but they cannot take away my God, my Christ, my Crown.

The [...]ird Remedy against this De­vi [...] 3 Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that the afflictions that doe attend the Saints in the wayes of holinesse, are but short, and momentary; Sorrow may abide for a night, but joy comes in the morn­ing; There are none of Gods afflicted ones that have not their (lucida intervalla) in­termissions, respits, and breathing whiles, under their short a [...]d momen­ [...] afflicti­o [...]s. Wh [...]n Gods hand is on thy back, let thy hand be on thy mouth; for though the affliction be sharp, it shall be but short. this short storm will end in an everlasting calm; this short night will end in a glorious day, that shall never have end. 'Tis but a very short time betweene grace and glory, between our title to the Crown, and our wear­ing the Crown, between our right to the heavenly inheritance, and our pos­sessing of the heavenly inheritance. Fourteen thousand years to the Lord, [Page 97] is but as one day, what is our life, but a shadow, a bubble, a flower, a post, a span, a dream, &c. yea, so small a while doth the hand of the Lord rest upon us, that Luther cannot get diminutives e­nough to extenuate it; for he calls it a very little little crosse that we beare. The Prophet in Isaiah 26. 20. (to pikron mikron) saith the indignation doth not (transire) passe, but (pertransire) over­passe. The sharpnesse, shortnesse, and sud­dennesse of it is set forth by the travell of a woman, John 16. 21. And that is aJohn 16. 21. Heb. 10. 36, 37. sweet Scripture, For yee have need of pa­tience, that after yee have done the will of God, yee might receive the promise: For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. (Tantillum, tan­tillum [...]. adhuc pusillum) A little, little, lit­tle while. When Athanasius friends came to bewaile him because of his misery and banishment, he said, It is but a lit­tle cloud, and will quickly be gone. 'Twill be but as a day before God will give his Nebecula est cito transibit. Athanasius. afflicted ones beauty for ashes, the oyle of gladnesse, for the spirit of heavinesse; be­fore he will turne all your sighing into singing, all your lamentations, to con­solations, your sackcloath into silks, ashes into oyntments, and your fasts in­to4 Remedy. [...]verlasting feasts, &c.

The fourth Remedy against this De­vice [Page 98] of Satan, is, seriously to confider, that the afflictions that doe befall the Saints, are such as proceed from Gods dearest love. As many as I love I rebuke Austine asketh (Si amatur quomedo infir­matur) if he were belov'd, how came he to be sick? So are wicked men apt to say, because they know not that cor­rections are pledges of our adoption, and badges of our Son ship. God had one Son without sin, but none without sor­row. and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent. Saints saith God, think not that I hate you, because I thus chide you; he that escapes reprehension, may sus­pect his adoption; God had one Son without corruption, but no Son with­out correction. A gracious soule may look through the darkest cloud, and see a God smiling on him. We must look through the anger of his correction, to the sweetnesse of his countenance, and as by a Rain-bow, we see the beauti­full image of the Suns light, in the midst of a dark, and waterish cloud. When Munster lay sick, and his friends asked him how he did, and how he felt him­selfe, he pointed to his sores and ulcers (whereof he was full) and said, these are Gods Gems, and Jewells, wherewith he decketh his best friends, and to me they are more precious then all the gold and silver in the world. A soul at first conversion is but ruf cast, but God by afflictions doth square and fit, and fa­shion it for that glory above, which doth speak them out, to flow from pre­cious love; therefore the afflictions that doe attend the people of God, should be [Page 99] no bar to holinesse, nor no motive to draw the soul to wayes of wickednesse.

The fift Remedy against this Device5 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that 'tis our duty, and glory, not to mea­sure afflictions by the smart, but by the end. When Israel was dismisled out ofExod. 11. Aegypt, 'twas with gold, and ear-rings. So the Jewes were dismissed out of Babylon, with gifts, jewels, and all necessary uten­sils. Look more at the latter end of aEzra 1. Christian, then the beginning of his af­fliction; consider the patience of Job, and what end the Lord made with him. Look not upon Lazarus lying at Dives Afflictions they are but our fathers Gold Smiths, who are work­ing to adde pearls to our Crownes. door, but lying in Abrahams bosome; look not to the beginning of Joseph, who was so far from his dream, that the Sun and Moon should reverence him, that for two years he was cast where he could see neither Sun, Moon, nor Stars; but behold him at the last made Ruler over Aegypt. Look not upon David, as there was but a step between him andTiburtius saw paradise, when he walked up­on hot burn­ing coals. He­redotus said of the Assyrians, let them drink nothing but worm­wood all, their life long; when they dye, they shall swimme in honey; you are wise and know how to apply it. 6. Remedy. death, nor as he was envied by some, and slighted and despised by others, but behold him seated in his Royal Throne, and dying in his bed of honour, and his Son Solomon, and all his glistering No­bles about him. Afflictions they are but as a dark entry into your Fathers house, they are but as a dirty lane to a [Page 100] Royall Palace. Now tell me soules, whether it be not very great mad­nesse to shun the wayes of holinesse, and to walke in the wayes of wickednesse, because of those afflictions that doe at­tend the wayes of holinesse.

The sixt Remedy against this device of Satan, is seriously to consider, that the designe of God in all the afflictions that do befall them, is only to try them; 'tis not to wrong them, nor to ruine them, as ignorant soules are apt to think. He knoweth the way that I take, and when he hath tryed me, I shall come forth as gold, saith patient Job So in that 8. Dan. 2. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God l [...]d thee, these fourty yeares in the willdernesse, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou The King of Aracum in Scaliger tries her whom he meanes to marry, by sweating; if they be sweet, then he mar­ries them, if not, he rejects them; you may easily make the ap­plication. wouldest keep his Commandements or no. God afflicted them thus, that he might make known to themselves, and others, what was in their hearts. When fire is put to green wood, there comes out abundance of watery stuffe that afore appeared not; when the pond is emp­ty, the mud, filth, and toads come to light. The snow covers many a dung­hill; so doth prosperity many a rot­ten heart. It is easie to wade in a warme-bath, and every bird can sing [Page 101] in a sun-shine-day, &c. Hard weather tries what health we have; afflicti­ons trie what sap we have, what grace we have. Weathered leaves soon fall off in windy weather; Rotten boughes quickly break with heavy weights, &c. you are wise, and know how to apply it.

Afflictions are like pinching frosts,Dunghills raked send out a filthy steame, oynt­ment a sweet persume; this is applicable to sinners, and Saints un­der the rod. that will search us; where we are most unsound, we shall soonest complaine, and where most corruptions lie, wee shall most shrinke; We try mettall by knocking, if it sound well, then we like it: so God [...]ies his by knocking, and if under knocks they yeeld a plea­sant sound, God will turne their night into day, and their bitter into sweet, and their Crosse into a Crown; and they shall hear that voice, arise and shine, for the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee, and the favours of the Lord are flowing in on thee.

The seventh, and last Remedy against7. Remedie. this device of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that the afflictions, wrath, and miserie that doe attend the wayes of wickednesse, are far greater, and heavier then those are, that doe at­tend the wayes of holinesse. Oh! the gauling, girding, lashing, and gnaw­ings of Conscience, that doe attend [Page 102] soules in a way of wickednesse▪ The wicked (saith Isaiah) are like the trou­bled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters Sin often­times makes men insensi­ble of the wrath of the Almighty; Sin transformes many a man, as it were in­to those beats in Pliny, that could not be stirred with the sharpest prickles; or those fishes in Aristotle, that though they have speares thrust into their sides, yet they awake not. cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God. There are snares in all [...]heir mercies; and curses, and crosses doe attend all their com­forts, both at home, and abroad; what is a fine sute of cloathes with the plague in it? and what's a golden cup▪ when there is poyson at the bottome? or whats a silken stocking with a bro­ken leg in it? the curse of God, the wrath of God, the hatred of God, and the fierce indignation of God doe al­wayes attend sinners, walking in a way of wickednesse. Turne to that 28. of Deuteronomie, and read from the 15. verse, to the end of that chapter, and turne to the 26. chapter of Leviti­cus, and read from the 14. verse, to the end of that chapter, and then you shall see, how the curse of God haunts the wicked (as it were a fury) in all his wayes; In the City it attends him,Sin brings in sorrow, and sicknesse, &c. The Rabbins say, that when Adam tasted the forbidden frui [...], his head a [...]ed. in the Country it hovers over him; coming in, it accompanies him; go­ing forth, it followes him; and is travell it is his Comrade, it fills his store with strife, and mingles the wrath of God with his sweetest mor­sell; It is a moth in his wardrope, [Page 103] murren among his cattle, mildew in his field, rot among sheep, and oft­times makes the fruit of his loynes his greatest vexation, and confusion. There is no solid joy, nor lasting peace, norSirens are said to sing curiously while they live, but to rore horribly when they dye; So doe the wicked. pure comfort, that doth attend sinners in their sinfull wayes. There is a sword of vengeance, that doth every moment hang over their heads, by a small thread; and what joy and content can attend such soules, if the eye of Conscience be but so far open, as to see the sword? ah! the horrours, and terrours, the tremblings, and shakings that attend their soules.

The tenth Device that Satan hath,10. Device. to draw the soules of men to sin, is, by working them to be frequent, inNon vulnera sed munera ostendit. He shewes not his want, but his worth, and stands not onely upon his con­parisons, but upon his disparisons; I am not as this Publican. They are ve­ry good, that are not very bad; and they that are very bad, doe alwayes prize themselves above the market. comparing themselves, and their wayes with those, that are reputed, or re­ported to be worse then themselves. By this device, the devill drew the proud Pharisee to blesse himselfe, in a cursed condition. God, I thanke thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, un­just, adulterers, or even as this Publican &c. Why saith Satan, you sweare but pet­ty oaths, as by your faith, and troth, &c. but such, and such sweare by wounds and bloud; you are now and then a little wanton; but such and such doe daily defile, and pollute themselves, [Page 104] by actuall uncleannesse, and filthinesse; you deceive, and over-reach your neighbours, in things that are but as toyes, and trifles; but such and such deceive, and over-reach others in things of greatest concernment, even to their ruine and undoings; you doe but sit, and chat, and sip with the drunkard; but such, and such sit, and drinke drunk with the drunkard; you are onely a little proud in heart, and ha­bit, in looks, and words, &c.

Now the Remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedy against this device1. Remepy. of Satan, is solemnly to consider this, that there is not a greater, nor a clearer argument to prove a man anHistory speaks of a kinde of witches, that stirrin abroad would put on their eyes, b [...]t re­turning home, they boxed them up again. So doe Hypocrites. hypocrite, then to be quick-sighted abroad, and blinde at home; then to see a mote in another mans eye, and not a beame in his own eye, then to use spectacles to behold other mens sins, rather then looking-glasses to behold his owne; then to be alwayes holding his finger upon other mens sores; then to be ampli­fying, and aggravating other mens sins, and mitigating of his own, &c.

The second Remedy against this de­vice.2 Remedie. [Page 105] of Satan, is, to spend more timeThe nearer we draw to God, and his word, the more rotten­nesse we shall finde in our bones. The more any man looks in­to the body of the S [...]n, the lesse he seeth when he lookes down again. It is said of the Basilisk, that if he look into a glasse, he presently di­eth: so will sin, and a sin­ner (in a spi­rituall sence) when the soule look; into the word which is Gods glasse, &c. in comparing of your internall, and externall actions with the Rule, with that word, by which you must be judg'd at last, then in comparing of your selves with those, that are worse then your selves; that man that comparing his selfe with others, that are worse then himselfe, may seeme, (to himselfe and others) to be an Angel; yet com­paring himselfe with the word, may see himselfe to be like the devill, yea, a very devill. Have not I chosen twelve, and one of you is a Devill. Such men are as like him, as if they were spit out of his mouth. Satan is called the God of this world, because, as God at first did but speake the word, and it was done: so, if the Devill doth but hold up his finger, give the least hint, they will doe his will, though they undoe their soules for ever. Ah! what mon­sters would these men appeare to be, did they but compare themselves with a righteous Rule, and not with the most unrighteous men; they would appeare to be as black as Hell it selfe.

The third Remedy against this de­vice3. Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that though thy sins be not as great as others, yet without sound repentance on thy side, and pardoning mercy on [Page 106] Gods, thou wilt be as certainly damnedAs in Heaven one is more glorious then another; so in Hell, one shall be more miserable then another. Augustine. as others, though not equally torment­ed with others; what though hell shall not be so hot to thee as to others, yet thou must as certainly to hell as others, unlesse the glorious grace of God shines forth upon thee in the face of Christ. God wil suit mens punishments to their sins; the greatest sins shall be attended with the greatest punishments, and lesser sins with lesser punishments; alasse! what a poor comfort will this be to thee, when thou comest to die, to con­sider, that thou shalt not be equally tor­mented with others, and yet must be for ever shut out from the glorious presence of God, Christ, Angels, and Saints, and from those good things of eternall life, that are so many, that they exceed num­ber,The gate of Indulgence, the gate of hope the gate of mercy, the gate of glory, the gate of consolation, and the gate of salvatio [...], will be for e­ver shu [...] a­gainst them, Mat. 25. 10. so great, that they exceed measure, so precious, that they exceed estimation, Sure it is, that the tears of hell are not sufficient to bewaile the losse of heaven, the worme of grief gnawes as painfull, as the fire burnes; if those soules, Acts 20. wept, because they should see Paul's face no more? How deplorable is the eternall deprivation of the beatificallvision. But this not all, thou shalt not be onely shut out of heaven, but shut up in hell for ever, not onely shut out from the presence of God and Angells, &c. [Page 107] but shut up with devills, and damned spirit, for ever, not onely shut out from'Twas a good saying of Chrysostome, speaking of Hell (Ne quae­ramu [...] ubi sit, sed quomodo il­lam fugiamus) let us not seek where it is, but how we shall e­scape it. those sweet surpassing, unexpressabl, and everlasting pleasures that be at Gods right hand, but shut up for ever under those torments, that are easelesse, reme­dilesse, and endlesse. Ah soules! were it not ten thousand times better for yee to break off your sins by repentance, then to goe on in your sins, till you feele the truth of what now you hear. The God of Israel is very mercifull; ah that you would repent, and returne, that your soules might live for ever. Remember this, grievous is the tor­ment of the damned, for the bitternesse of the punishments; but most grievous for the eternity of the punishments. For to be tormented without end, this isSurely, one good means to escape Hel, is to take a turne or two in Hell, by our daily meditations. that which goes beyond all the bounds of desperation; ah! how doe the thoughts of this make the damned to roare, and cry out for disquietnesse of heart, and teare their haire, and gnash their teeth, and rage for madnesse, that they must dwell in everlasting burnings for ever?

The eleventh Device that Satan hath11 Device. to draw the soule to sin, is, by pollu­ting and defiling the soules and judge­ments of men with such dangerous er­rors, that doe in their proper tendency [Page 108] tend to carry the soules of men to all loosnesse and wickednesse, as wofull experience doth abundantly evidence. Ah! how many are there filled with these, and such like Christ-dishonour­ing, and soule-undoing opinions, viz. That Ordinances are poor, low, carnall things, and not onely to be lived a­bove, but without also. That the Scrip­tures are full of fallasies and uncertain­ties, and no further to be heeded, then they agree with that spirit that is in them. That 'tis a poor low thing, if not idolatry too, to worship God in a Mediator. That the Resurrection is already past. That there was never any such man or person, as Jesus Christ; but that all is an Allegory, and it signifies nothing but light and love, and such good frames borne in men. That there's no God, nor Devill, Heaven, nor Hell, but what is within us. That there is no sinne in the Saints, they are under no Law, but that of the spirit, which is all freedome. That sin and grace are equal­ly of God, and agreeth to his will: with a hundred other horrid opinions, which hath caused wickednesse to break in as a flood among us, &c.

Now the generall Remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedy against this Device1 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that an erroneous vain mind is as odi­ousA blinde eye is worse then a lame foot. Lev. 13. 44. to God, as a vicious life; he that had the leprosie in his head, was to be pronounced utterly unclean. Grosse er­rors make the heart foolish, and render the life loose, and the soul light in the eye of God. Errour spreads, and fretsThe breath of the erronious is infectious, and like the dogs of Cong [...], they bite though they barke not. like a Gangreen, and renders the soul a leoper in the sight of God. It was Gods heavy and dreadfull plague upon the Gentiles, to be given up to a mind void of Judgement, or an injudicious mind, or a mind rejected, disallowed, abhor­red of God, or a mind that none have cause to glory in, but rather to be asha­medThrough ani­mosity to per­sist in errour, is diabolicall; it were best that we never erred, next to that that we amended our errour. of. I think that in these dayes God doth punish many mens former wicked­nesses, by giving them up to soule-ru­ining errours. Ah Lord! this mercy I humbly beg, that thou wouldest rather take me into thine owne hand, and doe any thing with me, then to give me up to those sad errours, to which thou­sands have married their souls, and are in a way of perishing for ever.

The second Remedy against this De­vice2 Remedy. of Satan, is, to receive the truth af­fectionately, and let it dwell in your soules plenteously; when men stand out against the truth, when truth would en­ter,The greatest sinners are sure to be the greatest suf­ferers. and men bar the door of their souls against truth, God in justice gives up such souls to be deluded, and deceived by errour, to their eternall undoing▪ 2 Thess. 2. 10, 11, 12. Because they recei­ved not the love of the truth that they might be saved: God shall send them strong delusi­ons [...]. (or as the Greek hath it, the effica­cie of errour) that they should believe a lye. That they all might be damned, who be­lieved not the truth, but had pleasure in un­righteousnesse. Ah sirs! as you love your soules, doe not tempt God, do not pro­voke God by your withstanding truth, and out-facing truth, to give you up to beleeve a lye, that you may be damned. There are no men on earth so fenc'd a­gainst errour, as those are that receive the truth in the love of it. Such soulesEphes. 4. 14. [...]. Gr. signifies cogging with a dye; such slights as cheaters and false game­sters use at D [...]c [...]. are not easily tossed too and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftinesse, where­by they lye in wait to deceive. 'Tis not he that receives most of the truth into his head, but he that receives most of the truth affectionately into his heart, that shall injoy the happinesse of having his [Page 111] judgement sound, and clear, when o­thers shall be deluded, and deceived by them, who make it their businesse to in­fect the judgements and to undoe the souls of men.

Ah soules! as you would not have your judgements polluted, and defiledCol. 3. 16. [...]. i. e. indwell in you, as an ingrafted word, incor­porated into your souls, so concocted, and digested by you, as that you turn it into a part of your selves. They must needs erre that know not Gods way [...]s, yet can they not wander so wide, as to misse of hell. Veritas vincit truth (at last) triumphs. with errour, let the word of the Lord that is more precious then gold, yea, then fine gold, dwell plenteously in you. 'Tis not the hearing of truth, nor the knowing of truth, nor the com­mending of truth, nor the talking of truth, but the indwelling of truth in your souls, that will keep your judge­ments chaste and sound, in the middest of all those glistering errours, that be­tray many souls into his hands, that can easily transforme himselfe into an An­gel of light, that he may draw others to lye in chaines of darknesse with him for ever. Oh! let not the word be a stranger, but make it your choicest fa­miliar; then will you be able to stand in the day, wherein many shall fall on your right hand, and on your left, by the subtilty of those that shall say, loe here is Christ, and loe there is Christ. There was more wit, then grace, in his speech, that counselled his friend, not to come too nigh unto truth, least his teeth should be beaten out with its heels. [Page 112] Ah souls! if truth dwell plenteously inVeritas stat in aperto campo. Truth stands in the open fields, I, and it makes those souls stand, in whom it dwels, when others [...]all as stats from Heaven. 3 Remedie. you, you are happy, if not, you are un­happy under all your greatest felicity. It is with truth, saith Melancton, as 'tis with holy water, every one praised it, and thought it had some rare vertue in it, but offer to sprinkle them with it, and they will shut their eyes, and turne away their faces from it.

The third Remedy against this De­vice of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that error makes the owner to suffer losse! All the paines and labou [...] that men take, to defend and maintain their errours, to spread abroad, and infect the world with their errours, shall bring no profit, nor no comfort to them in that day, wherein every mans Errour as a glass, is bright, but [...]rittle, and cannot in­d [...]r [...] the ham­ [...]er, or fire, as go [...]d can which though [...] or mel­ted, remaines [...] and o­ [...]ient. work shall be made manifest, and the fire shall try it, of what sort it is, as the Apostle shewes, in that remarkable Scripture, the 1 Cor. 3. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Ah that all those that rise early, and goe to bed late, that spend their time, their strength, their spirits, their all, to advance & spread abroad God-dishonouring, and soul un­doing opinions, would seriously consi­der of this, that they shall loose all the pains, cost, and charge, that they have bin or shall be at, for the propagating of er­rour; and if they are ever s [...]ved, it shall be by fire, as the Apostle there shewes. [Page 113] Ah sirs! is it nothing to lay out your money for that which is not bread? and your strength for that, which will not, which cannot profit you in the day that you must make up your ac­counts, and all your works must be tried by fire? Ah! that such soules would now at last, buy the truth, and sell it not; Remember, you can never over buy it; whatsoever you give for it, you can never sufficiently sell it, if you should have all the world in ex­change for it. It is said of Caesar, Major fuit cura Caesari libellorum quam purpurae. that he had greater care of his Bookes, then of his royall Robes; for swimming thorough the waters, to escape his ene­mies, he carried his bookes in his hand above the waters, but lost his Robes; ah! what are Caesars books to Gods bookes? well, remember this, that one day, yea, one houre spent in the study of truth, or spreading abroad of truth, will yeeld the soule more com­fort, and profit, then many thousand years spent in the study, and spreading abroad of corrupt and vaine opini­ons, that have their rice from Hell, and not from Heaven; from the God of this world, and not from that God, that shall at last judge this world, and all the corrupt opinions of men.

The fourth Kemedie against this de­vice4. Remedy. [Page 114] of Satan, is, to hate, reject, and abominate all those doctrines, and opi­nions, that are contrary to godlinesse, and that open a doore to prophanenesse;One old peice of Gold is worth a thousand new counters, and one old truth of God is m [...]re worth then a thou­sand new er­rours. True hatred is ( [...]) to the whole kinde: 'tis sad to frowne up­on one er­rour, and smile upon another. Gideon had seventy sons, and but one [...]astard, and [...]e [...] that [...]astard de­st [...]oyed all the rest. Judge 8. 13. one tur [...]e may [...]ri [...]g a man quite out of the [...]. and all such doctrines and opinions, that require men to hold forth a strict­nesse, above what the Scripture requir­eth; And all such Doctrines and opi­nions, that doe advance, and lift up corrupted nature, to the doing of su­pernaturall things, which none can doe, but by that supernaturall power, that raised Christ from the grave; And all such opinions, that doe lift up our own Righteousnesse, in the Roome of Christs Righteousnesse, that place good works in the Throne of Christ, and makes them co-partners with Christ, &c. And all those opinions, and Do­ctrines, that doe so set up, and crie up Christ and his Righteousnesse, as to cry down all Duties of Holinesse, and Righteousnesse; And all those Do­ctrines and opinions, that doe make the glorious and blessed priviledges of be­leevers in the dayes of the Gospell, to be lesser, fewer, and weaker, then they were in the time of the Law. Ah! did your soules arise with a holy hatred, and a strong indignation against such Doctrines and opinions, you would st [...]nd when others fall, and you would [Page 115] shine as the Sun in her glory, when many, that were once as shining stars, may goe forth as stinking snufs

The fift Remedy against this device5. Remedy. of Satan, is, to hold fast the truth; as men take no hold on the arme of flesh, till they have let goe their hold onJer. 17. 5. v, the arme of God: so men take no hold on errour, till they have let goe their hold of truth; therefore hold fast the truth, truth is thy Crown, hold fast thy Crown, and let no man take thy Crown from thee; hath not God made2 Tim. 1. 13. 1 Titus 9. The Priests of Mercurie when they eat their figs, and honey, cried ou [...] ( [...]) sweet is truth. truth sweet to thy soule? yea, sweeter then the honey, or the honey combe, and wilt thou not goe on [...]o Heaven, feeding upon truth, that heavenly honey­comb, as Samson did of his honey­comb. Ah soules! have you not found truth sweetning your spirits, and cheering your spirits, and warming your spirits, and raising your spirits, and corroborating your spirits; have you not found truth a guide to leade you, a staffe to uphold you, a cordiall to strengthen you, and a plaister to heale you? and will you not hold fast the truth? hath not truth been your best friend in your worst dayes? hath not truth stood by you, when friends have forsaken you? hath not truth done more for you, then all the world [Page 116] could doe against you, and will you not hold fast the truth? is not truth your right eye, without which you cannot see for Christ? and your right hand, without which you cannot doe for Christ? and your right foot, with­out which you cannot walke with Christ? and will you not hold fast truth? oh! hold fast the truth in your judgements, and understandings, in your wills and affections, in your pro­fession,It is with truth, as with some plants, which live, and thrive not, but in warme cli­mates. and conversation. Truth is more precious then gold, or Rub [...]es; and all the things thou canst desire, are not to be compared to her. Truth is that heavenly glasse, wherein we may see the luster, and glory of divine wis­dome, power, greatnesse, love, and mercifulnesse. In this glasse, you may see the face of Christ, the favour of Christ, the riches of Christ, and the heart of Christ, beating and working sweetly towards your soules. Oh! let your soules cleave to truth, as Ruth Ruth 1. v. 15, 16, 17. Though I cannot dis­pute for the truth, yet I can die for the truth, said that blessed Ma [...]yr. did to Naomi, and say, I will not leave truth, nor returne from following after truth, but where truth goes, I will goe, and where truth lodgeth I will lodge, and nothing but death shall part truth and my soule. What John said to the Church of Philadelphia, I may say to you; Hold th [...] fast which thou hast, that no man [Page 117] take thy Crowne, the Crowne is the top of royalties; such a thing is truth; letTit. 1. v. 9. [...]. no man take thy Crown; Hold fast the faithfull word, as Titus speaks; you were better let goe any thing then truth; you were better let goe yourHold fast as with tooth, and naile, against those that would snatch it from us. honours, and riches, your friends, and pleasures, and the worlds favours; yea, your nearest, and dearest relations, I, your very lives, then to let goe truth. Oh! keep the truth, and truth will keep you safe, and happy for6. Remedy. I have read of one, who see­ing in a vision, many snares of the devill spread upon the earth, he sate downe mourning, and said, with­in himselfe (Quis periran­siet ista) who shall passe thorough these? where­unto he he [...]d a voice an­swering (hu­militas▪ per­iransiet) hu­mility shall passe tho­rough them. ever, blessed are those soules that are kept by truth.

The sixt Remedy against this device of Satan, is, to keep humble; humi­lity will keep the soule free from many darts of Satans casting, and erronious snares of his spreading. As low trees and shrubs are free from many violent gusts, and blasts of winde, which shake and rend the taller trees; so humble soules are free from those gusts, and blasts of errour, that rend, and teare proud lofty soules; Satan and the world hath least power, to fasten er­rours upon humble soules. The God of light and truth delights to dwell with the humble; and the more light and truth dwells in the soule, the fur­ther off darknesse and errour will stand from the soule. The God of grace [Page 118] poures in grace into humble soules, as men poure liquor into empty vessells, and the more grace is poured into the soule, the lesse errour shall be able to over-power the soule, or to infect the soule That's a sweet word in thePsa. 25. v. 9. a [...] Gnanavim from gnanah, which signi­fies, the hum­ble, or affli­cted. The high tide quickly ebs, and the high­est Sun is presently de­clining; you know how to apply it. 25. Psal. 9. v. The meek (or the hum­ble) will he guide in judgement, and the meeke will he teach his way; and cer­tainly soules guided by God, and taught by God, are not easily drawn aside, into wayes of errour. Oh! take heed of spirituall pride; pride fills our fan­cies, and weakens our graces, and makes roome in our hearts for errour; there are no men on earth so soone en­tangled, and so easily conquered by er­rour, as proud soules. Oh! 'tis dan­gerous, to love to be wise above what is written; to be curious, and unsober in your desire of knowledge, and toThe proud soule is like him that gaz­ed upon the Moon, but fell into the pit. trust to your own capacities and abili­ties, to undertake to prie into all se­crets, and to be puffed up with a carnall minde; soules that are thus a soaring up, above the bounds and limits of hu­mility, usually fall into the very worst of errours, as experience doth daily evidence.

The seventh Remedy against this de­vice7. Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, the great evills that errours have pro­duced; [Page 119] errour is a fruitfull mother, and hath brought forth such monstrousErrours in conscience produce ma­ny great evills, not onely (ad in­tra) in mens own soules, but also (ad extra) in hu­mane affaires. children, as hath set Towns, Cities, and Nations on fire. Errour is that whorish woman, that hath cast down many, wounded many, yea, slaine ma­ny strong men, and many great men, and many learned men, and many professing men in former times, and in our own time, as is too evident to all, that are not much left of God, destitute of the truth, and blinded by Satan. Oh the graces that errour hath weakned, and the sweet joyes and com­forts that errour hath clouded, if not buried; oh! the hands that errour hath weakned; the eyes that errour hath blinded; the judgements of men that errour hath perverted; the mindes that errour hath darkned; the hearts that errour hath hardened; the affections that errour hath cooled; the Consci­ences that errour hath s [...]ared; and the lives of men, that errour hath pollut­ed; ah soules! can you solemnly con­sider of this? and not tremble more at errour then at hell it selfe, &c.

The twel [...]th Device that Satan hath12. Device. to draw the soule to sin, is, to affect wicked company, to keep wicked so­ciety, and oh! the horrid impieties and wickednesses that Satan hath [Page 120] drawn men to sin by working them, to sit, and associate themselves with vaine persons.

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedy against this device1. Remedy. of Satan, is, to dwell (till your hearts be affected) upon those com­mands of God, that doe expressely re­quire us, to shun the society of the wicked, Ephes. 5. 11. And have no fel­lowship Non paerentum aut majorum authoritas sed Dei docentis imperium, Jerom. The com­mands of God must ou [...]-weigh all authority, and example of men. with the unfruit fud works of dark­nesse, but rather reprove them. Prov. 4. 14, 15, 16. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and goe not in the way of evill men. Avoid it, passe not by it, turne from it, and passe away. 1 Cor. 5. 9, 10, 11. 2 Thess. 3. 6. Prov. 1. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. turne to these Scriptures, and let your soules dwell upon them, till a ho­ly indignation be raised in your soules, against fellowship with vaine men. God will not take the wicked by the hand, as Job speaks, why then should you? Gods commands are not like those that are easily reversed; but they are like those of the Medes, that cannot be changed; if these commands be not [Page 121] now observed by thee, they will at last be witnesses against thee, and mil­stones to sinke thee, in that day, that Christ shall judge thee.

The second Remedy against this de­vice2. Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that their company is very infectious,Eusebius re­ports of John the Evange­list, that he would not suffer Cerin­thus the he­retick, in the same bath him, left some judge­ment should abide them both. Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 25. A man that keepeth ill company, is like him that walketh in the Sun, tan­ned insensi­bly. and dangerous, as is cleare from the Scriptures above mentioned. Ah! how many have lost their names, and lost their estates, and strength, and God, and Heaven, and soules, by society with wicked men? As ye shun a stink­ing carcase; as the Sea-man shuns sands, and rocks, and shelves; As ye shun those, that have the plague-sore run­ning upon them: so should you shun the society of wicked men. As weeds endanger the corne, as bad humors en­danger the blood, or as an infected house the neighbourhood: so doth wicked company the soule. Bias a hea­then man, being at Sea in a great storme, and perceiving many wicked men with him in the ship, calling up­on the Gods; oh saith he, forbear prayer, hold your tongues, I would not have the Gods take notice that you are here, they will sure drowne us all; if they should. Ah sirs! could a hea­thenProv. 13. 20. v. see so much danger in the society of wicked men, and can you see none?

The third Remedy against this device3. Remedie. 2 Tim. 4. 17. Isa. 11. 7. 29. Ezek. 3. 10. Mat. 16. 9. Revel. 3. 5. 10. Mat. 3. 7. Isa 10. 17. 27. ch 4. 55. 13. Ezek 26. Judg. 9. 14. Job 21. 18. Psal. 18. 42. Psa. 14. 18. Psa. 42. Ezek. 22. 18, 19. 65. Esa. 5. Ezek 24. 6. Lactantius saith of Luci­an (nec diis, nec hominibus pepercit) he spared neither God, nor man; such monsters are wicked men, which should render their company to all that have tasted of the sweetnesse of divine love, a burden and not a delight. of Satan, is, to looke alwayes upon wicked men, under those names and notions, that the Scripture sets them out under. The Scripture calls them Lions for their fiercenesse, and Beares for their cruelty, and Dragons for their hi­deousnesse, and Dogs for their filthi­nesse, and Wolves for their subtilnesse. The Scripture stiles them Scorpions, Vi­pers, Thornes, Briars, Thistles, Brambles, stubble, dirt, chaffe, dust, drosse, smoke, scumme; as you may see in the mar­gent. 'Tis not safe to look upon wick­ed men, under those names, and no­tions, that they set out themselves by, or that flatterers sets them out by; this may delude the soul; but the look­ing upon them under those names, and notions, that the Scripture sets out by, may preserve the soule from frequent­ing their company, and delighting in their society. Doe not tell me what this man calls them, or how such and such count them; but tell me, how doth the Scripture call them? how doth the Scripture count them. As Na­balls name was, so was his nature; and as wicked mens names are, so are their natures; you may know well enough what is within them, by the apt names that the Holy Ghost hath given them.

The fourth and last Remedy against4. Remedie. O Lord, let me not goe to hell, where the wicked are, for Lord, thou knowest, I never loved their compa­ny here, said a gracious gen­tlewoman, when she was to die, being in much trou­ble of con­science. this device of Satan, is, to consider, that the societie and company of wick­ed men, have been a great griefe and burden, to those precious soules, that were once glorious on earth, and are now triumphing in heaven. Psal. 120. ver. 5, 6. Woe is mee that I dwell in Me­sech; that I sojourne in the tents of Ke­dar. My soule hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. So Jeremiah, Oh that I had in the wildernesse a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my peo­ple, and goe from them; for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men, Jer. 9. ver. 2. So they vexed Lots 2 Pet. 2. c. ver. 7, 8 Vide Bezam. righteous soule by their filthy conversation; they made his life a burden, they made death more desirable to him then life; yea, they made his life a lingering death. Guilt, or grief is all the good, soules get by conversing with wicked men.

The first device that Satan 1. Device. hath to draw soules from holy duties, and to keep them off from religious services is,

BY presenting the world in such a dresse, and in such a garbe to the soule, as to insnare the soule, and to [Page 125] winn upon the affections of the soule;The beauty of the world soils a Chri­stian more then the strength; the flattering Sun sh [...]ne more then the bluster­ing storme; in stormes, we keep our garments close about us. he represents the world to them in its beauty, and bravery, which proves a bewitching sight to a world of men. 'Tis true, this tooke not Christ, be­cause Satan could finde no matter in him for his temptation to worke up­on; but Satan findes matter in us, for this temptation to worke upon: so that he can no sooner cast out his gol­den bait, but we are ready to play with it, and to nibble at it; he can no sooner throw out his golden ball, but men are apt to run after it, though they loose God, and their soules in the pursuit. Ah! how many Profes­sors in these dayes, have for a time followed hard after God, Christ, andThe inhabi­tants of Nilus are deafe by the noise of the waters: so the world makes such a noise in mens eares, that they cannot heare the things of Heaven. The world is like the swallowes dung, that put out Tobias eyes. Ordinances, till the Devill hath set be­fore them the world, in all its beauty, and bravery, which hath so bewitched their so [...]les, that they have grown to have low thoughts of holy things, and then to be cold in their affections to holy things, and then to slight them, and at last, with the young man in the Gospell to turne their backs upon them; ah the time! the thoughts, the spirits, the hearts, the soules, the du­ties, the services, that the inordinate love of this wicked world doth eat up, and destroy, and hath eat up, and de­stroyed; [Page 126] where one thousand is de­stroyedThe champi­ons could [...]or wring an Apple out o [...] M [...]l [...]'s ha [...] by strong hand, but a faire maid by faire meanes got it presently. by the worlds frownes, ten thousands are destroyed by the worlds smiles. The world Siren-like, it sings us, and sinks us; it kisses us, and be­traies us, like Judas; it kisses us, and imites us under the fifth rib, like Joab. The honors, splendor, and all the glory of this world are but sweet poy­sons, that will much endanger us, if they doe not eternally destroy us. Ah! the multitude of soules that have sur­seited of these sweet baites, and died for ever.

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedy against this device1 Remedy. The Prior in Melancton [...] his hands up and down in a ba­ [...]n full of [...]ells, thinking thereby to have charmed [...] gour, but [...] would not [...]oe. of Satan, is to dwell upon the impo­tency, and weakness of all these things below; they are not able to secure you from the least evill. They are not able to procure you the least desirable good. The Crown of Gold cannot cure the head-ach; nor the velvet slipper ease the gout; nor the Jewell about the n [...]ck cannot take away the paine of the teeth. The F [...]ogs of Egypt entered into the rich mens houses of Egypt, as well as [Page 127] the poore; our daily experience dothNugas the Scythian despise­ing the rich presents, and ornaments that were sent unto him by the Empe­rour of Con­stantinople, ask­ed whether▪ those things could drive away calami­ties, diseases, or death. evidence this, that all the honors, and riches, &c. That men enjoy cannot free them from the collick, the feaver, or lesser diseases. Nay, that which may seem most strange is, that a great deal of wealth cannot keep men from falling into extreame povertie. In the first of Judges 6. ver. you shall finde seventy Kings with their fingers and toes cut off, glad like whelps to lick up crummes under another Kings table; and shortly after, the same King that brought them to this penury, is reduced to the same po­verty and misery; Why then should that be a bar to keep thee out of Hea­ven, that cannot give thee the least ease on earth?

The second Remedy against this de­vice2. Remedy. of Satan, is, to dwell upon the vanity of them, as well as upon the impotencie of all worldly good. This is the summe of Solomons sermon; Vanity of vanity, and all is vanity. ThisGilimex King of Vanda [...]s, led in tri­umph, by Bel­lisarius, cried out, Vanity of vanity, all is vanity. our first parents found, and therefore named their second Abell, or vanity. Solomon that had tried these things, and could best tell the vanity of them, he preacheth this sermon over, againe, and againe; Vanity of vanity, and all is vanity. 'Tis sad to think, how many thousands there be, that can say with the [Page 128] preacher, vanity of vanity, all is vanity, The fancie of Lucian, who placeth Cha­ron on the top of an high hill, viewing all the af­faires of men living, and looking on their greatest Cities as lit­tle birds nests, is very pleasant. nay, swear it, and yet follow after these things, as if there were no other glo­ry, nor selicity; but what's to be found in those things, they call vani­ty. Such men will sell Christ, Hea­ven, and their soules for a trifle, that call these things vanity, but doe not cordially beleeve them to be vanity, but set their hearts upon them, as if they were their Crown, the top of all their Royalty, and glory. Oh! let your soules dwell upon the vanity of all things here below, till your hearts be so thoroughly convinced, and per­swaded of the vanity of them, as to trample upon them, and make them a a foot-stoole for Christ to get np, and ride in a holy triumph in your hearts.Oh the im­perfection, the ingrati­tude, the le­ [...]ity, the in­constancy, the perfidious­nesse of those creatures▪ we most servilly affect. Chrysostome said once, that if he were the fittest in the world, to preach a Sermon to the whole world, gathered together in one Congregation, and had some high Mountaine for his Pulpit, from whence he might have a prospect of all the world in his view, and were furnished with a voice of brasse, a voice as loud as the Trumpet of the Arch-Angell, that all the world might hear him, he would chuse to preach upon no other text, then that in the Psaln [...]es, O mortall men how long will [Page 129] yee love vanity, and follow after leasing. Ah! did we but weigh mans paine with his pai­ment, his crosses, with his mercies; his miseries with his plea­sures; we should then see that there is nothing got by the bargaine, and conclude, Va­nity of vanity, all is vanity. Tell me, you that say all things under the Sun is vanitie, if you doe really beleeve what you say, why doe you spend more though [...], and time on the world, then you doe on Christ, Heaven, and your immortall soules? Why doe you then neglect your duty towards God, to get the world? Why doe you then so eagerly pursue after the world? and are so cold in your pursuing after God, Christ, and holinesse? Why then are your hearts so exceedingly rais'd, when the world comes in, and smiles upon you, and so much dejected, and castdown, when the world frownes upon you, and with Jonah's Gourd withers before you?

The third Remedy against this device3. Remedy. of Satan, is, to dwell much upon the uncertainty, the mutabilitie, and in­constancie of all things under the Sun.Riches were never true to any, that trusted to them; they have deceiv­ed men, as Jobs brook did the poore traveller, in the Summer season. Man himselfe is but the dreame of a dreame, but the generation of a fancie, but an emptie vanity, but the curious picture of nothing, a poore, feeble, dying flash. All temporalls are as tran­sitory, as a hastie, head-long torrent, a shadow, a ship, a bird, an arrow, a post that passeth by; why shouldest thou set thine eyes upon that which is not, saith [Page 130] Solomon: and saith the Apostle, the fa­shion of this world passeth away. Heaven 1 Cor. 7. 31. [...] inti­mateth, that there is no­thing of any firmnesse, or solid consi­stence in the creature. onely hath a foundation, earth hath none, but is hanged upon nothing, as Job speaks. The Apostle willed Tymothie, to charge rich men that they be not high minded, nor put their trust in uncertaine riches. They are like bad servants, whose shooes are made of running leather, and will ne­ver tarrie long with one Master; as a bird hoppeth from tree to tree, so doe the honors and riches of this world, from man to man; let Job and Nebu­chadnezzar testifie this truth, who fellThe most re­nowned Fre­derick lost all, and sued to be made but Sexton of the Church, that himselfe had built. I have re [...]d of a poore fisher­man, who while his nets were ad [...]ying, sl [...]pt upon the Rock, and dreamed that he was made a King, on a sudden starts up, and leap­ing for joy, falls down f [...]o [...] the Rock, and in the place of his imagina [...]y felicities, loses his little por­tion of plea­sures. from great wealth, to great want. No man can promise himself to be wealthie till night; one storme at Sea, one coal of fire, one false friend, one unadvised word, one false witnesse may make thee a begger, and a prisoner all at once. All the riches and glory of this world is but as smoke, and chaff that va­nisheth; as a dreame, and vision in the night that tarrieth not; as if an hungrie man dreameth, and thinketh that he eateth, and when he awaketh, his soule is emptie; and like a thirstie man, which thinketh he drinketh, and behold when he is awaked, his soule is faint, as the Prophet Esay saith. Where is the glory of Solomon? the sumptuous build­ings of Nebuchadnezzar? the nine hun­dred [Page 131] Chariots of Sisera? the power of Alexander? the authority of Augu­stus, that commanded the whole world to be taxed? Those that have been the most glorious, in what men generally account glorious and excellent, have had inglorious ends; As Sampson for strength; Absolom for beauty; Achito­phel for policie; Hamon for favour; Asael for swiftnesse; Alexander for great conquest, and yet after twelve yeares poysoned; the same you may see in the mighty foure Kingdomes. The Caldean, Persian, Grecian, and Romane, The pompe of this world Iohn compar­eth to the Moone, which (crescit & de­crescit) in­creaseth, and decreaseth. Apoc. 12. v. 1. how soone were they gone, and for­gotten. Now rich, now poore, now full, now emptie, now in favour, anon out of favour, now honourable, now despised, now health, now sicknesse, now strength, now weaknesse. Oh! let not these uncertaine things keep thee from those holy services, and hea­venly imployments, that may make thee happy for ever, and render thy soule eternally blessed, and at ease, when all these transitory things shall bid thy soule an everlasting fare­well.

The fourth Remedie against this De­vice4. Remedie. of Satan, is, to consider, that the great things of this world are very hurtfull, and dangerous to the out­ward [Page 132] and inward man, thorough theHenry the se­cond hear­ing Menz his chiefe City to be taken, used this blas­phemous speech, I shall never (saith he) love God any more, that suffered a Ci­ty so dear to mee, to be taken from me. When one presented Antipater King of Macedonia, with a book, treating of happinesse, his answer (ou scholazo) I have no lea­sure. corruptions that be in the hearts of men; oh! the rest, the peace, the com­fort, the content that the things of this world doe strip many men off. Oh the feares, the cares, the envie, the ma­lice, the dangers, the mischiefs, that they subject men to. They oftentimes make men carnally confident. The rich mans riches are a strong tower in his ima­gination. I said in my prosperity I should never be moved. They often swell the heart with pride, and make men forget God, and neglect God, and despise the Rock of their salvation; when Je­surum waxed fat, and was grown thick, and covered with fatnesse, then he forgot God, and forsooke God that made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation, as Moses spake; ah the time! the thoughts, the spirits, that the things of the world consumes and spends. Oh! how doe they hinder the actings of faith upon God? how doe they in­terrupt our sweet communion with God? how doe they abate our love to the people of God, and coole our love to the things of God, and worke us to act like those, that are most unlike to God? oh! the deadnesse, the dul­nesse, the barrennesse, that doth attend [...]n under great outward mercies. [Page 133] Oh! the riches of the world chokesThat foure good mothers beget foure bad daugh­ters; great familiarity begets con­tempt; truth hatred; ver­tue envie; riches igno­norance; is a french Pro­verb. Gen. 13. 2. [...] Policrates be­stowed five talents for a gift, upon one Anacrion, who for two nights after was so trou­bled with care, how to keep them, and how to bestow them, as he carried them back againe to Po­licrates, say­ing, they were not worth the paines which he had already taken for them the word, that men live under the most soule-searching, and soule in riching meanes with leane soules; though they have full purses, though their chests are full of silver, yet their hearts are emptie of grace. In the 13. Gen. 2. It is said that Abraham was very rich in cattell, in silver, and in gold, according to the Hebrew (Chabbedh) 'tis Abra­ham was very heavie, to shew that riches are a heavie burden, and a hinderance many times to heaven, and happinesse. King Henry the fourth asked the Duke of Alva, if he had observed the great Ecclipse of the Sun, which had lately hapned, no (said the Duke) I have so much to doe on earth, that I have no leasure to looke up to Heaven; ah! that this were not true of most Pro­fessors in these dayes; 'tis very sad to thinke, how their hearts and time is so much taken up with earthly things, that they have scarce any leasure to looke up to Heaven, or to looke after Christ, and the things that belong to their everlasting peace.

Riches, though well got, yet are but like to Manna, those that gathered lesse bad no want, and those that ga­thered more, 'twas but a trouble, and annoyance to them. The world is [Page 134] troublesome, and yet it is loved; what would it be, if it were peaceable? you imbrace it, though it be filthy; what would you doe, if it were beautifull? you cannot keep your hands from the thornes; how earnest would you be then in gathering the flowers? The world may be fitly likened to the Ser­pent Scytale, whereof it is reported, thatSicily is so full of sweet flowers, that dogs cannot hunt there; and what doe all the sweet contents of this world, but make us loose the sent of Heaven. when she cannot overtake the flying passengers, she doth with her beauti­full colours so astonish, and amaze them, that they have no power to passe away, till she have stung them. Ah! how many thousands are there now on earth, that have found this true by ex­perience; that have spun a faire thread to strangle themselves, both temporally and eternally, by being bewitch't by the beautie, and braverie of this entice­ing world.

The fift Remedy against this Device of5. Remedie. Satan, is, to consider, that all the feli­city of this world is mixt; our light is mixt with darknesse, our joy with sor­row, our pleasures with paine, our ho­nour with dishonour, our riches with wants. If our fight be spirituall, cleare, and quick; we may see in the felicity of this world, our wine mixt with wa­ter, our honey with gall, our sugar with wormewood, and our roses with [Page 135] prickles. Sorrow attends worldy joy,Harke scho­lar, said the Harlot to Apuleius; 'tis but a bitter sweet, that you are so fond off. Surely, all the things of this world are but bitter sweets. danger attends worldly safety, losse attends worldly labours, teares attend worldly purposes. As to these things, mens hopes are vaine, their sorrow cer­taine, and joy fained. The Apostle cal­leth this world a sea of glasse; a sea for the troubles of it, and glasse for the brittlenesse and bitternesse of it. The honors, profits, pleasures, and delights of this world are true gardens of Ado­nis, where we can gather nothing but triviall flowers, surrounded with many bryers.

The sixt Remedy against this Device6. Remedy. of Satan, is, to get better acquain­tance, and better assurance of more blessed, and glorious things. ThatLet Heaven be a mans object, and earth will soone be his abject. which raised up their spirits, in the t [...]nth and 11^th of the Hebrews, to tr [...]mple upon all the beautie, bravery, and glory of the world, was their ac­quaintance with, and assurance of better and more durable things. They tooke joyful­ly the spoyling of their goods, knowing in themselves, that they had in Heaven a bet­ter, and a more durable substance. They Luther being at one time in some wants, it happened that a good sum of money was unexpe­ctedly sent him, by a No­ble man of Germany, at which being something amazed, he said, I seare that God will give me my reward here; but I protest, I will not be so satisfied. look't for a house that had foundations, whose builder and maker was God; And they look't for another Country, even an hea­venly. They saw him that was invisible, and had an eye to the recompence of reward; [Page 136] And this made them count all the glo­ry and bravery of this world, to be poore, and contemptible for them, to set their hearts upon. The maine rea­son why men dote upon the world, and damne their soules to get the world, is, because they are not acquainted with a greater glory. Men ate Acorns, till they were acquainted with the use of wheat. Ah! were men more acquainted with what union and communion with God means; what 'tis to have a new name, and a new stone, that none knowes, but he that hath it; did they but taste more of Heaven, and live more in Heaven, and had more glorious hopes of going to Heaven; ah! how easily would they have the Moone un­der their feet. It was an excellent saying of Lewis of Bavyer, Emperour of Ger­many, Hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes quae cum naufragio simul enatent. such goods are worth getting, and owning as will not sinke, or wash away, if a shipwrack happen, but will wade and swim out with us. It is re­corded of Lazarus, that after his resur­rection from the dead, he was never seen to laugh, his thoughts and affecti­ons were so fixt in Heaven, though his bodie was on earth; and therefore he could not but slight temporall things,There is saith Augustine (bo­na Throni) goods of the throne; and there are (bona Scabel­li) goods of the foote­stool. his heart being so bent, and set upon eternalls. There are goods of the throne of grace; as God, Christ, the [Page 137] Spirit, Adoption, Justification, remis­sion of sin peace with God, and peace with Conscience; and there are goods of the foot-stoole, as honours, riches, the favour of creatures, and other com­forts, and accommodations of this life; Now he that hath acquaintance with, and assurance of the goods of the Throne, will easily trample upon the goods of the foot-stoole. Ah! that you would make it your businesse, your worke, to mind more, and make sure more to your owne soules, the greatWhen Basil was tempted with money, and prefer­ment; saith he, give me money that may last for ever, and glory that may eternally flourish; for the fashion of this world passeth away, as the waters of a river that runs by a Ci­ty. things of eternity, that will yeeld you joy in life, and peace in death, and a Crown of Righteousnesse in the day of Christs appearing; And that will lifte up your soules above all the beauty, and bravery of this bewitching world; that will raise your feet above other mens heads. When a man comes to be assured of a Crown, a Scepter, the Roy­all Robes, &c. he then begins to have low, mean, and contemptible thoughts of those things, that before he highly prized: so will assurance of more, great, and glorious things breed in the soule a holy scorn, and contempt of all these poore, meane things, which the soule before did value above God, Christ, and Heaven, &c.

The seventh Remedie against this de­vice [Page 138] of Satan, is, solemnly to consider,7 Remedie. that true hahpinesse and satisfaction, is not to be had in the injoyment of any worldly good; true happinesse is too big, and too glorious a thing, to beTrue happi­nesse lies only in our injoy­ment of a sui­table good, a pure good, a totall good, & an eternall good; and God is onely such a good, and such a good can only satisfie the soul of man. found in any thing below that God, who is a Christians (summum bonum) chiefest good. The blessed Angells, those glistering Courtiers have all felicities, and blessednesses; and yet they have neither gold, nor silver, nor jewels, nor none of the beauty, and bravery of this world; certainly, if happinesse was to be found in these things, the Lord Je­sus, who is the right and Royall Heir of all things, would have exchanged his cradle for a Crown, his Birth­cham-ber (a stable) for a Royall Pa­lace; his poverty for plenty; his despi­sed followers, for shining Courtiers; and his meane provisions, for the choi­sest delicates, &c. Certainly, happiness lies not in those things, that a manPhilosophers could say, that hee was never a happy man that might af­terwards be­come misera­ble. may injoy, and yet be miserable for e­ver; now a man may be great, & grace­lesse with Pharaoh; honourable, and damnable with Saul; rich, and misera­ble with Dives, &c. therefore happiness lies not in these things. Certainly hap­pinesse lies not in those things that can­not comfort a man upon a dying bed; Is it honours, riches, or friends, &c. [Page 139] that can comfort thee when thou co­mest to die? or is it not rather faith in the blood of Christ? the witnesse of theGregory the great used to say, he is poor, whose soule is void of grace, not whose co­fers are emp­ty of money. spirit of Christ; the sense and feeling of the love, and favour of Christ, and the hopes of eternall reigning with Christ? Can happinesse lie in those things that cannot give us health, or strength, or ease, or a good nights rest, or an hours sleep, or a good stomack? why all the honours, riches, and de­lights of this world cannot give these poor things to us; therefore certainly, happinesse lies not in the injoyment of them, &c. And surely happinesse is not to be found in those things, that can­not satisfie the soules of men; now none of these things can satisfie the soul of man. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth a­bundance Anima ratio­nalis caeteris omnibus occu­pari potest im­pleri non potest. The reasona­ble soule may be busied a­bout other things, but it cannot be filled with them. with increase; this is also vanity, saith the wise man. The barren womb, the Horse-leeches daughter, the grave and Hell will as soon be satisfied, as the soule of man will by the injoyment of any worldly good. Some one thing, or other will be for ever wanting to that soule that hath none, but outward good to live vpon. You may as soone fill a bag with wisdome, a chest with vertue, or a circle with a triangle, as the heart of man with any thing here be­low? [Page 140] A man may have enough of the world to sinke him, but he can never have enough to satisfie him, &c.

The eighth Remedie against this de­vice8. Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider of the dignity of the soule; oh! the soul of man is more wotrh then a thousand worlds; 'tis the greatest abasing of itPlutarch tells of Themistocles, that he ac­counted it not to stand with his state, to stoop down to take up the spoiles the e­nemies had scattered in flight, but saith to one of his followers. ( [...]) you may, for you are not Themistocles. Oh what a sad thing is it, that a Hea­then should set his feet upon those very things that most Professors set their hearts, and for the gain of which with Balaam, many run the hazard of sing their im­mortall souls for ever. that can be, to let it dote upon a little shining earth, upon a little painted beauty, and fading glory, when it's capable of union with Christ, of com­munion with God, and of enjoying the eternall vision of God. Seneca could say, I am too great, and born to grea­ter things, then that I should be a slave to my body; oh! do you say, my soule is too great, and born to greater things, then that I should confine it to a heap of white and yellow clay. I have been the longer upon the Remedies, that may help us against this dangerous device of Satan, because hee doth usually more hurt to the soules of men, by this de­vice, then he doth by all other devices; for a close, I wish, as once Chrysostome did, that that sentence, Eccles. 2. v. 11. (Then I looked on all the workes that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do, and behold all was vani­ty and vexation of Spirit, and there was no profit under the Sun) were engraven on [Page 141] the door posts, into which you enter; on the tables, where you sit; on the di­shes out of which you eate; on the cups, out of which you drinke; on the bed­steads, where you lie; on the walls of the houses, where you dwell; on the garments, which you weare; on the heads of the horses, on which you ride, and on the foreheads of all them whom you meet; that your soules may not by the beautie, and braverie of the world be kept off from those holy, and heaven­ly services, that may render you blessed, while you live, and happy when you die; that you may breath out your last into his bosome, who lives for ever, and who will make them happy for ever, that prefers Christs spiritualls and eter­nals above all temporall, transitory things.

The second Device that Satan hath to draw soules from ho­ly duties, and to keepe them off from religi­ous services, is,

BY presenting to them the danger,2 Device. the losses, and the sufferings that do attend the performance of such and [Page 142] such religious services; by this device Satan kept close those that beleeved on Christ, from confessing of Christ, in that 12. John 42. Neverthelesse, among the chief Rulers also, many believed on him; but be­cause of the Pharisees, they did not confesse him, lest they should be put out of the Syna­gogue. I would walke in all the wayes of God, I would give up my selfe to the strictest wayes of holinesse; but I am a­fraid dangers will attend me on the one hand; and losses, and happily such, and such sufferings on the other hand, saith many a man. Oh! how should we helpe our selves against this temptation, and device of Satan.

Now the Remedies against this de­vice of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedy against this Device1 Remedie. of Satan, is, to consider, that all the troubles and afflictions that you meet with in a way of righteousnesse, shall never hurt you; they shall never harm you. And who is he that shall harme Nemo proprie l [...]d [...]ur nisi [...] a seipso. No bo­dy is properly hurt, but by himselfe, and his own fault. you, if you be followers of that which is good, saith the Apostle, i. e. none shall harme you; naturall conscience cannot but [Page 143] doe homage to the image of God, stam­ped upon the natures, words, workes, and lives of the godly; as we may see in the carriage of Nebuchadnezzar, andGordius that blessed Mar­tyr accounted it a losse to him, not to suffer many kinds of tor­tures; he saith, tortures are but tradings with God for glory. The greater the combate is, the greater is the following reward. Darius towards Daniel. All the afflicti­ons and troubles that do attend men in a way of righteousnesse, can never rob them of their treasure, of their jew­els; they may rob them of some light, slight things; as the sword that is by their side, or the stick that is in their hand, or of the flowers, or ribbons that be in their hats; The treasures of a Saint is the presence of God, the favour of God, union and communion with God; the pardon of sin, the joy of the spirit, the peace of Conscience, which are Jewels that none can give, but Christ, nor none can take away, but Christ. Now, why should a gracious soule keep off from a way of holinesse? because of afflictions, &c. when no af­flictions can strip a man of his heavenly jewels, which are his ornaments, and his safety here, and will be his happi­nesse and glory hereafter. Why should that man be afraid, or troubled forThat was a notable speech of Lu­ther, let him that dyed for my soule, see to the salvati­on of it. stormes at Sea, whose treasures are sure in a friends hand upon land? why, a believers treasure is always safe in the hands of Christ; his life is safe, his soule is safe, his grace is safe, his [Page 144] comfort is safe, and his Crown is safe in the hand of Christ. I know him in 2 Tim. 1. 12. whom I have beleeved, and that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, untill that day, saith the Apostle. The childes most precious things are most secure in his Fathers hands; so are our soules, our graces, and our comforts, in the hand of Christ.

The second Remedie against this de­vice2. Remedy. of Satan, is, to consider, that other precious Saints, that were shiningWill: Flower (Martyr) said, that heaven should assoon fall, as I will forsake my profession, or budge in the least degree from it. So Santus being under as great torment as you have read of, cries out (Christianus sum) I am a Christian; no torment could worke him to de­cline the ser­vice of his God. I might produce a cloud of wit­nesses; but if these do not work you to be noble and brave, I am afraid more will not. lights on earth, and are now triumph­ing in Heaven, have held on in religious services, notwithstanding all the trou­bles and dangers that have surrounded them; Nehemiah, and Ezra were sur­rounded with dangers on the left hand, and on the right; and yet in the face of all, they hold on building the Temple, and the wall of Jerusalem: so Daniel, and those precious worthies, in the 44 Psal. under want of outward incou­ragements, and in the face of a world of very great discouragements, their souls clave to God, and his wayes; Though they were sore broken in the place of dragons, and covered with the shadow of death; yea, though they were all the day long counted as sheep for the slaughter, yet their hearts were not turned back, neither did their steps de­cline from his wayes. Though bonds and [Page 145] imprisonment did attend Paul, and the rest of the Apostles in every place; yet they held on in the work, and service of the Lord; and why then should you de­generate from their worthy examples, which is your duty, and your glory to follow.

The third Remedie against this device3. Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that all the troubles, and dangers that doe attend the performance of holy duties, and heavenly services, are but tempo­rall, and momentary; but the neglect of them may lay thee open, to all tem­porall, spirituall, and eternall dangers. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? He saith not, if we reject, or renounce so great salvation; but if wee neglect, or shift off (as the word is) so [...]. Dis-regard, not care for it. great salvation; he doth not say, how shall we escape, if we oppose, or perse­cute so great salvation? no, but if we let slip, or neglect so great salvation, how shall we escape? that is, we cannot by any way, or meanes, or device in the world, escape; divine Justice will be a­bove us, in spight of our very souls. The doing of such, and such heavenly services may lay you open to the frowns of men; but the neglect of them will lay you open to the frowns of God; the doing of them may render [Page 148] you contemptible in the eyes of men;Francis Xave­rius counsel­led John the third, King of Portugal, to meditate eve­ry day a quar­ter of an hour upon that Text, What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world, & loose his soule. but the neglect of them may render you contemptible in the eyes of God; the doing of them may be the losse of thy estate; but the neglect of them may be the losse of God, Christ, Heaven, and thy soule for ever; the doing of them may shut thee out from some outward, temporal contents; the neglect of them may shut thee out from that excellent, matchlesse glory, that eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive. Remember this, there is no man that breaths, but shall suffer more, by neglecting those holy, and heavenly services that God commands, commends, and rewards, then possibly he can suffer by doing of them, &c.

The fourth Remedie against this de­vice4 Remedie. of Satan, is, to consider this, that God knows how to deliver from trou­bles, by troubles; from afflictions, by afflictions; from dangers, by dangers; God by lesser troubles and afflictions doth oftentimes deliver his people from greater: So that they shall say, we had perished, if wee had not perished; we had been undone, if we had not beenP [...]riissem nisi periissem. undone; we had been in danger, if wee had not been in danger; God will so order all the afflictions that befall you [Page 149] in the way of righteousnesse, that yourNon essem ego salvus nisi istae periissent. Anaxagoras, had not these things perish­ed, I could not have been safe, said this Philosopher, when he saw great possessi­ons that he had lost. soules shall say, we would not for all the world, but that wee had met with such, and such troubles, and afflictions; for surely, had not these befallen us, it would have been worse, and worse with us; Oh! the carnal security, pride, formality, dead-heartednesse, luke­warmnesse, censoriousnesse, and earth­linesse, that God hath cured us of, by the troubles and dangers that we have met with, in the wayes and services of the Lord. I remember a story of a god­ly man, that as hee was going to take shipping for France, he broke his leg, and it pleased Providence so to order it, that the ship that he should have gone in, at that very time, was cast away, and not a man saved; so by breaking a bone, his life was saved. So the Lord many times breaks our bones, but 'tis in order to the saving of our lives, and our soules for ever; he gives us a poti­on that makes us heart-sick, but 'tis in order to the making us perfectly well, and to the purging of us from those ill humours, that have made our heads ake, and Gods heart ake, and our souls sick, and heavy to the death, &c. Oh! therefore, let no danger, or misery hin­der thee from thy duty.

The fifth Remedie against this device [Page 148] of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that you shall gaine more in the service of God, and by walking in righteous, and holy wayes, though troubles and affli­ctions should attend you, then you can possibly suffer, or loose, by your being found in the service of God. Godlinesse is great gaine; Oh the joy, the peace,Tertullian in in his book to the Martyrs, hath an apt saying (Nego­tiatio est ali­quid amittere ut majora lu­creris) i. e. thats right, & good mer­chandize when some­thing is par­ted with to gain more, he applyeth it to their sufferings, wher­in, though the flesh lost something, yet the spirit got much more. the comfort, the rest, that Saints meet with in the wayes and service of God; they find that Religious services are not empty things, but things, in which God is pleased to discover his beautie and glory to their soules. My soul thirsts for God (saith David) that I might see thy beauty, and thy glory, as I have seen thee in thy Sanctuary. Oh! the sweet looks, the sweet words, the sweet hints, the sweet joggings, the sweet influences, the sweet love-letters, that gracious soules have from Heaven, when they waite upon God, in holy and heavenly services, the least of which will darken, and out­weigh all the bravery and glory of this world, and richly recompence the soul for all the troubles, afflictions, and dan­gers, that have attended it in the service of God; oh! the Saints can say under all their troubles, and afflictions, that they have meate to eate, and drinke toWhen the Moble Gene­rall Ze [...]slaus had lost his hand in the Wars of the K. of Poland, the King sent him a golden hand for it; what we lose in Christs ser­vice, he will make up, by giving in some golden mercies. drinke, that the world knows not of; that they have such incomes, such re­freshments, [Page 149] such warmings, &c. that they would not exchange for all the honours, riches, and dainties of this world: Ah! let but a Christian com­pare his externall losses with his spiri­tuall, internall, and eternall gain, and he shall find, that for every penny that he loses in the service of God, he gaines a pound; and for every pound that he looses, hee gains a hundred; for every hundred lost, he gains a thousand; wee loose pins in his service, and find pearls; we loose the favour of the creature, and peace with the creature, and happily the comforts and contents of the crea­ture; and we gain the favour of God, peace with conscience, and the com­forts and contents of a better life; Ah! did the men of this world know the sweet that Saints injoy in afflictions, they would rather chuse Manasses iron chaine, then his golden Crown; They would rather be Paul a prisoner, then Paul rap't up in the third Heaven; for light afflictions, they shall have aThough the Crosse be bit­ter, yet 'tis but short, a little storm, as one said of Julians perse­cution, and an e [...]e [...]nall calm follows. weight of glory; for a few afflictions, they shall have those joyes, pleasures, and contents, that are as the stars of heaven, or as the sands of the sea, that cannot be numbred; for momentany afflictions, they shall have an eternall Crown of glory; 'tis but winking, and [Page 152] thou shalt be in heaven presently, said the Martyr; oh! therefore, let no affli­ctions, nor troubles work thee to shun the wayes of God, or to quit that ser­vice, that should be dearer to thee then a world, yea then thy very life, &c.

The third Device that Satan3. Device. hath to hinder soules from holy and heavenly servi­ces, from gracious, and religious perfor­mances, is,

BY presenting to the soule the diffi­culty of performing them; saith Satan, 'tis so hard and difficult a thing to pray as thou shouldst, and to wait on God as thou shouldst, and to walke with God as thou shouldst, and to be lively, warm, and active in the commu­nion of Saints, as thou shouldst, that you were better ten thousand times to neglect them, then to meddle with them; and doubtlesse by this Device Satan hath, and doth keep off thou­sands from waiting on God, and from giving to him that service that is due to his name, &c.

Now the remedies against this Device are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this device1. Remedy. of Satan, is, to dwell more upon the necessity of the service, and duty, then on the difficulty that doth attend the duty; you should reason thus with your soules; oh! our soules, though such and such duties and services be hard, and difficult, yet are they not ex­ceeding necessarie for the honour of God, and the keeping up of his name inThe necessity of doing your duty, appears by this, that you are his servants by a three-fold right; you are his ser­vants (jure creationis, jure sustentationis, jure redemptio­nis) by right of creation, and by right of sustentati­on, and by right of re­demption. the world? and the keeping under of sin, and the keeping under of weak gra­ces, and for the reviving of languishing comforts, and for the keeping clear and bright your blessed evidences, and for the scattering of your fears, and for the raising of your hopes, and for the gladding the hearts of the righteous, and stopping the mouths of unrighte­ous souls, who are ready to take all ad­vantages, to blaspheme the name of God, and throw dirt and contempt up­on his people, and wayes? oh! never leave thinking on the necessity of this, and that duty, till your souls be lifted [Page 152] up far above all the difficulties that doe attend religious duties.

The second Remedie against this de­vice2 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that the Lord Jesus will make his servi­ces easie to you, by the sweet discovery of himselfe to your soules, whilst you are in his service. Thou meetest him that rejoyceth, and worketh righteousnesse, those that remember thee in thy wayes, as the Prophet Isaiah saith; if meeting withIsa. 64. v. 5. [...] Paganta is di­versly taken; but most take the word here, to meet a soule with those bowells of love and tendernesse as the Father of the Prodi­gall met the Prodigall with. God is pater misera­tionum, hee is all bowels, he is as swift to shew mercy, as he is slow to anger. God, who is goodnesse it selfe, sweet­nesse it selfe, beauty it selfe, strength it selfe, glory it self, will not sweeten his service to thy soule, nothing in Heaven or Earth will. Jacob's meeting with Rachel, and enjoying of Rachell, made his hard service to be easie, and delight­full to him; and will not the soules en­joying of God, and meeting with God, render his service to be much more easie and delightfull? doubtlesse it will. The Lord will give that sweet assistance, by his Spirit and grace, as shall make his service joyous, and not grievous, a de­light, & not a burden; a Heaven, and not a Hel to believing souls; the confidence of this divine assistance raised up Nehe­miah's spirit, far above all those diffi­culties, and discouragements that did attend him in the work and service of the Lord, as you may see in that 2 Ne­hemiah, [Page 153] vers. 19, 20. But when Sanballat Luther spake excellently to Melancthon, who was apt to be discon­raged with doubts and difficulties, & feares from foes, and so [...]ease the ser­vice they had undertaken; if the work be not good, why did we ever own it; if it be good? why should wee e­ver decline it? why saith he, should we feare the con­quered world that have Christ the Conquerour on our side? Isa. 40. ult. 3. Remedy. It is not fit sith the head was crowned with thorns, that the members should be crowned with rose-buds, saith Zanch. the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, what is this thing that ye do? will ye rebell against the King? Then answered I them, and said unto them, the God of hea­ven he will prosper us, therefore we his ser­vants will arise, and build: but you have no right, nor portion, nor memoriall in Jerusa­lem. Ah souls! while you are in the ve­ry service of the Lord, you shall find by experience, that the God of Hea­ven will prosper you, and support you, and incourage, and strengthen you, and carry you through the hardest service, with the greatest sweetnesse and cheer­fulnesse that can be. Remember this, that God will suit your strength to your worke, and in the hardest service you shall have the choisest assistance.

The third Remedie against this device of Satan, is, to dwel upon the hard and difficult things that the Lord Jesus Christ hath past through, for your tem­porall, spirituall, and eternall good. Ah! what a sea of blood? a sea of wrath? of sinne, of sorrow, and misery did the Lord Jesus wade through, for your internal and eternall good? Christ did not plead, this Crosse is too heavy for me to beare, this wrath is too great [Page 156] for me to lie under, this Cup (which hath in it all the ingredients of divine displeasure) is too bitter for me to sip off, how much more to drink the very dregs of it? no, Christ stands not upon this; he pleads not the difficulty of the service, but resolutely, and bravely wades through all, as the Prophet I­sa shews: The Lord God hath opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the haire; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. Christ makes nothing of his Fathers wrath, the burden of your sins, the ma­liceGodfrey of Bullen first K. of Ierusalem, refused to be crowned with a crowne of gold, saying, it became not a Christian there to wear a crown of gold, where Christ for our salvation had sometime were a crown of thorns. of Satan, and the rage of the world, but sweetly and triumphantly passes through all. Ah soules! if this consi­deration will not raise up your spirits, above all the discouragements that you meet with, to owne Christ and his ser­vice, and to stick, and cleave to Christ, and his service; I am afraid nothing will. A soule not stir'd by this, not rais'd, and lifted up by this, to be reso­lute and brave in the service of God, notwithstanding all dangers and diffi­culties, is a soule left of God to much blindnesse, and hardnesse.

The 4. Remedy against this Device of4. Remedie. Satan, is, to consider, that religious duties, holy and heavenly exercises are [Page 157] only difficult to the worser, to the ig­noble part of a Saint; they are not to the noble, and better part of a Saint, to the noble part, the soule, and the re­newed affections of a Saint; holy exer­cises are a heavenly pleasure, and re­creation, as the Apostle speaks, I de­light in the Law of God, after the inward As every flowr hath its sweet savour, so every good duty carries meat in the mouth, com­fort in the performance of it. [...] i. e. my yoke is a benigne, a gracious, a pleasant, a good, and a gainfull yoke, opposed to [...], pain­full, tedious. man. With my minde I serve the Law of God, though with my flesh the law of sinne. To the noble part of a Saint, Christs yoke is easie, and his burden is light; all the commands and wayes of Christ (even those that tend to the pulling out of right eyes, and cutting off of right hands) are joyous, and not grievous to the noble part of a Saint; all the wayes and services of Christ are plea­santnesse (in the abstract) to the better part of a Saint; a Saint, so far as he is renewed, is alwayes best, when he sees most of God, when he tasts most of God, when he is highest in his injoyments of God, and most warme, and lively in the service of God; oh! saith the noble part of a Saint, that it might be al­wayes thus; oh! that my strength were the strength of stones, and my flesh as brasse, that my worser part might be more serviceable to my noble part, that I might act by an untired power in that service, that is a pleasure, a Para­dise to me.

The fifth Remedy against this Device5 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that great reward, and glorious recom­pence that doth attend those that cleave to the service of the Lord, in theBasil speaks of some Martyrs that were cast out all night naked, in a cold frosty time, & were to be burned the next day, how they comforted themselves in this manner; The winter is sharp, but Paradise is sweet; here we shiver for cold, but the bosome of Abraham will make amends for all. face of all difficulties, and discourage­ments; though the work be hard, yet the wag [...]s is great, Heaven will make amends for all, I, one hours being in heaven will abundantly recompence you for cleaving to the Lord, and his wayes, in the face of all difficulties. This carried the Apostle through the greatest difficulties; hee had an eye to the recompence of reward; he look't for a house that had foundations, whose builder and ma­ker was God, and for a heavenly countrey; yea, this bore up the Spirit of Christ, in the face of all difficulties and discou­ragements: Looking unto Jesus the au­thor and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the Crosse, despising the shame, and is set downe at the right hand of the Throne of God.

Christians that would hold on in the service of the Lord, must look more up­on the Crown, then upon the Crosse; more upon their future glory, then their present misery; more upon their incouragements, then upon their dis­couragements. Gods very service is wages, his wayes are strewed with ro­ses, [Page 157] and paved with joy that is unspea­kable,This is prae­mium ante prae­mium, a sure reward of wel doing, in do­ing thereof (not only for doing there­of) there is great reward, Psal. 19. v. 11. and ful of glory, and with peace that passeth understanding. Some de­gree of comfort follows every good a­ction; as heate accompanies fire, as beames and influences issue from the Sun. Moreover by them is thy servant war­ned, and in keeping of them there is great reward; not only for keeping, but in keeping of them, there is great reward; the joy, the rest, the refreshing, the comforts, the contents, the smiles, the incomes that Saints now injoy in the wayes of God, are so precious and glo­rious in their eyes, that they would not exchange them for ten thousand worlds; Ah! if the vailes be thus sweet and glorious before pay-day comes, what will be that glory, that Christ will crown his Saints with, for clea­ving to his service in the face of all diffi­culties: When he shall say to his father, Loe here am I, and the children which thou hast given me; if there be so much to be had in a wildernesse, what then shall be had in Paradise? &c.

The fourth Device that Satan4 Device. hath to keep soules off from holy exercises, from reli­gious services, is,

BY working them to make false in­ferences, from those blessed and glorious things that Christ hath done; As that Jesus Christ hath done all for us; therefore there is nothing for us to doe, but to joy, and rejoyce, he hath perfectly justified us, and fulfilled the Law, and satisfied divine Justice, and pacified his Fathers wrath, and is gone to Heaven to prepare a place for us, and in the mean time, to intercede for us; and therefore away with praying, and mourning, and hearing, &c. Ah! what a world of Professors hath Satan drawn in these dayes, from religious services, by working them to make such sad, wilde, and strange inferences, from the sweet and excellent things, that the Lord Jesus hath done for his beloved ones.

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this device1. Remedie. of Satan, is, to dwell as much on those Scriptures that shew you the du­ties and services that Christ requires of you, as upon those Scriptures that de­clareTertullian hath this expressi­on of the ful­nesse of the Scriptures (Adoro pleni­tudinem Scrip­turarum) I a­dore the ful­nesse of the Scripture. Gregory calls the Scripture (cor & ani­mam Dei: the heart & soule of God and who will not then dwell on it? to you, the precious and glorious things that Christ hath done for you. 'Tis a sad, and a dangerous thing, to have two eyes to behold our dignity, and priviledges, and not one eye to see our duties, and services. I should look with one eye upon the choise and excellent things that Christ hath done for me, to raise up my heart, to love Christ with the purest love, and to joy in Christ, with the strongest joy, and to lift up Christ above all, who hath made himself to be my all. And I should look with the other eye upon those services and duties, that the Scriptures require of those, for whom Christ hath done such blessed things, as upon that of the Apostle; What, know yee not that your bo­dy 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your owne? For ye are bought with a price: [Page 160] therefore glorifie God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods. And that 1 Cor. 15. 58. therefore my beloved brethren, be yee sted­fast, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. And that, And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due Gal. 6. 9. 2. season we shall reape, if we faint not. And that of the Apostle, rejoyce alwayes, and pray without ceasing; and that in the Phi­lippians: Worke out your salvation with Phil. 2 12, 13 1 Cor. 11. 26. Heb 10. 24, 25. feare and trembling; and that, This doe till I come; and that, Let us consider one another, to provoke one another to love, and to good workes; not forsaking the assembling of our selves together, as the mannor of some The Jews were much in turn­ing over the leaves of the Scripture; but they did not weigh the matter of them, John 5. 39. You search the Scripture, Gr. there seemeth to be indica­tive, rather then impera­tive. is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching. Now a soule that would not be drawn away by this device of Satan, hee must not look with a squint eye upon these blessed Scriptures, and abundance more of like import; but he must dwell upon them, he must make these Scriptures to be his chiefest, and his choisest compa­nions, and this will be a happy meanes to keep him close to Christ, and his ser­vice in these times, wherein many turn their backs upon Christ, under pretence of being highly interested in the great and glorious things that have been a­cted by Christ, &c.

The second Remedie against this De­vice2. Remedie. of Satan, is, to consider, that the great and glorious things that Jesus Christ hath done, and is a doing for us, should be so far from taking us off from religious services, and pious perfor­mances, that they should be the greatest motives and encouragements to the performance of them that may be, as the Scriptures do abundantly evidence. I1 Pet. 2. 9. Luke 1. 74, 75. This I am sure of, that all mans happines here is his ho­linesse, and his holinesse shall hereafter be his happiness, Christ hath therefore broke the Devils yoke from off our necks, that his Father might have better service from our hearts. 2 Cor. 6. 6. 17, 18. ch. 7. 1. compared. will only instance in some, as that, That we being delivered out of the hands of our E­nemies, might serve him without feare; in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our lives; Christ hath freed you from all your Enemies, from the curse of the Law, the predominant damnato­ry power of sin, the wrath of God, the sting of death, and the torments of hell; but what is the end and design of Christ in doing these great and marvellous things for his people? 'tis not that they should throw off duties of righteous­nesse and holinesse, but that their hearts may be the more free, and sweet in all holy duties, and heavenly services: So the Apostle; I will be their God, and they shall be my people: And I will be a Father unto you, and yee shall be my sonnes and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty (mark what follows) Having therefore these pro­mises (dearly beloved) let us cleanse our [Page 164] selves from all filthinesse of the flesh, and spi­rit, perfecting holinesse in the feare of the Lord. And againe, The grace of God that Yit. 2. 11, 12, 13, 14. bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Teaching us, that denying all ungodlinsse, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righ­teously, and godly in this present world; Loo­king for that blessed hope, and the glorious Tace lingua lo­quere vita, talk not of a good life, but let thy life speak. Your actions in passi [...]g pass not away; for every good work is a grain of seed for eternall life. appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave him selfe for us, that he might redeeme us from all iniquity, and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people, zea­lous of good workes. Ah soules! I know no such arguments to worke you to a lively and constant performance of all heavenly services, like those that are drawn from the consideration of the great and glorious things that Christ hath done for you; and if such arguments will not take yee, and win upon yee, I do [...] think the throwing of hell fire in your faces will never do it.

The third Remedie against this device3. Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that those precious souls which Jesus ChristThe Saints Motto in all a­ges hath been (Laboremus) let's be do­ing. hath done, and suffered as much for, as he hath for you, have been exceeding a­ctive and lively in all religious services, and heavenly performances; he did as much, and suffered as much for David, God loves (curristas, not quaristas) the runner, not the questio­ner, or dispu­ter, saith Lu­ther. a [...] for you, and yet, who more in pray­ing, and praysing God then David? se­ven [Page 165] times a day will I praise the Lord; who more in the studying, and medita­ting on the word, then David. Thy law is my meditation day and night. The same truth you may run, and read in Jacob, Moses. Job, Daniel, and in the rest of the holy Prophets, and Apostles, for whom Christ hath done as much for, as for you; ah! how have all those Worthies abounded in works of righteousnesse, and holinesse, to the praise of free grace? Certainly Satan hath got the upper hand of those souls, that do argue thus;The day is at hand when God will re­quire of men non quid lege­rint, sed quid egerint, nec quid dixerint, sed quomodo vixerin [...]. He that talks of heaven, but doth not the will of God, is like him that gazed upon the Moon, but fell into the pit. Christ hath done such and such glori­ous things for us: therefore wee need not make any care or conscience of d [...] ­ing such and such religious services, as men say the word calls for; if this Lo­gick be not from Hell, what is? ah! were the holy Prophets and Apostles a­live, to heare such Logick come out of the mouths of such as professe them­selves to be interested in the great and glorious things that Jesus Christ hath done for his chosen ones; how would they blush to look upon such souls? and how would their hearts grieve, and break within them, to heare the lan­guage, and to observe the actings of such soules.

The fourth Remedy against this device4. Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider this, [Page 164] that those that doe not walk in ways of righteousnesse and holines (that do not wait upon God in the several duties and services that are commanded by him) cannot have that evidence to their own soules of their righteousnesse before God, of their fellowship and communi­onCertainly 'tis one thing to judg by our graces, ano­ther thing to rest, or put our trust in them. There is a great deal of difference betwixt de­claring and deserving. on with God, of their blessednesse here, and their happinesse hereafter, as those soules have, that love and delight in the wayes of the Lord, that are always best, when they are most in the works and service of the Lord. Little children (saith the Apostle) let no man deceive you; he that doth righteousnesse, is righteous even as he is righteous. In this (saith the same Apo­stle) the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Devill; whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God, neither hee As Davids daughters were known by their gar­ments of di­vers colours, so are Gods children by their piety and sanctity. that loveth not his brother. If ye know that he is righteous (saith the same Apostle) ye know that every one that doth righteousnes [...] is born of him. He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandements, is a ly­er, and the truth is not in him. But who so­ever keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected, hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him, ought himselfe also to walke, even as he A Christians embleme should be an house walk­ing towards Heaven▪ High words surely make a man neither holy, nor just; but a vertuous life, a circum­spect walking makes him deare to God. A tree that is not fruitful is for the fire. Christianity is not a talk­ing, but a wal­king with God, who will not be put off with words, if he misse of fruit, he will take up his axe, and then the soul is cut off for ever. walked. If wee say that we have fellowship with him, and walk i [...] darknesse, we lie, and doe not the truth; but if we walk in the light [Page 165] as he is in the light, wee have fellowship one with another; and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin, saith the same A­postle. So James in his second chapter; What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have no workes, can faith save him? i. e. it cannot; for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. To looke after holy and heavenly works, is the best way to preserve the soule from be­ing deceived, and deluded by Satans de­lusions, and by sudden flashes of joy and comfort, holy works being a more sen­sible and constant pledge of the precious spirit, begetting and maintaining in the soule more solid, pure, clear, strong and lasting joy. Ah souls! as you would have in your selves a constant, and bles­sed evidence of your fellowship with the Father, and the Sonne; and of the truth of grace, and of your future hap­pinesse; look that you cleave close to holy services, and that you turne not your backs upon religious duties.

The fifth Remedy against this device5 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that'Tis a preci­ous truth ne­ver to be for­gotten (Quod non actibus, sed finibus pensan­tur officia) that duties are esteemed not by their acts, but by their ends. there are other choice and glorious ends for the Saints performance of religious duties, then for the justifying of their persons before God, or for their satis­fying of the Law, or justice of God, [Page 168] or for the purchasing of the pardon of sin, &c. viz. to testifie their justification; a good tree cannot but bring forth good fruit, to testifie their love to God, and their sincere obedience to th [...] commands of God, to testifie their deliverance from spirituall bondage, to evidence the in­dwellingsFinis move [...] ad agendum, the end moves to doing. of the spirit, to stop the mouths of the worst of men, and to glad those righteous souls, that God would not have sadded. These, and abundance of other choise ends there be, why those that have an interest in the glorious do­ings of Christ, should notwithstanding that, keep close to the holy duties, and religious services that are commandedTene mensuram & respice si­nem, keep thy selfe within compasse, and have an eye always to the end of thy life and actions was Maximi­milians the Emperours Motto. by Christ. And if these considerations will not prevail with you, to wait up­on God in holy and heavenly duties, I am afraid, if one should rise from the dead, his arguments would not win up­on you, but you would hold on in your sins, and neglect his service, though you lost your soules for ever, &c.

The fifth Device that Satan5. Device. hath to draw soules off from religious services, and to keep soules off from holy duties, and heavenly per­formances, is,

BY presenting to them the paucity, and poverty of those that walk in the wayes of God, that hold on in reli­gious practices; saith Satan, do not you see that those that walk in such and such religious wayes, are the poorest, theJohn 47, 48, 49. verses. meanest, and the most despicable per­sons in the world; this took with them in that seventh of John. Then answered the Pharisees, are ye also deceived? Have a­ny of the rulers, or of the Pharisees beleeved on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this Device1. Remedy. Do you not see (saith Chrysostome) the places where trea­sures are hid, are rough, and over-grown with thorns. Do not the naturallists tel you, that the mountaines that are big with gold within, are bare of grasse without. Saints have as Scholars, poor commons here, because they must stu­dy hard to go to heaven. of Satan, is, to consider, that though they are outwardly poor, yet they are inwardly rich; though they are poor in temporalls, yet they are rich in spiritu­alls; the worth and riches of the Saints is inward: The Kings daughter is all glori­ous within. Hearken my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heires of the Kingdome, which he hath promised to them that love him, saith James. I know thy poverty, but thou art rich, saith John to the Church of Smyr­na. What though they have little in pos­session, yet they have a glorious King­dome in reversion. Feare not little flocke, 'tis your Fathers pleasure to give you a King­dome. Though Saints have little in hand, yet they have much in hope; you count those happy in a worldly sense, that have much in reversion, though they have but little in possession; and wil you count the Saints miserable, because they have little in hand? little in possession? though they have a glorious Kingdome [Page 171] in reversion of this. I am sure, the poo­rest Saint that breaths wil not exchange (were it in his power) that which hee hath in hope, and in reversion, for the possession of as many worlds, as there be stars in Heaven, or sands in the Sea, &c.

The second Remedie against this de­vice2. Remedie. of Satan, is, to consider, that in all ages God hath had some that have been great, rich, wise, and honourable, that have chosen his wayes, and cleaved to his service in the face of all difficulties,Good Nobles (saith one) are like black swans, and thinly scatte­red in the fir­mament of a state, even like stars in the first m [...]g­nitude, yet some God hath had in al ages, as might be shewed out of Histo­ries. though not many wise men, yet some wise men have; and though not many mighty, yet some mighty have; and though not many noble, yet some no­ble have; witnesse Abraham, and Jacob, and Job, and severall Kings, and others that the Scriptures speak of; and ah! how many have we among our selves, whose soules have cleaved to the Lord, and who have swum to his service, through the blood of the slain, and who have counted their lives dear unto them, that they and others might injoy the holy things of Christ, according to the mind and heart of Christ, &c.

The third Remedie against this device3 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that the spiritual riches of the poorest Saints do infinitely transcend the temporall [Page 172] riches of all the wicked men in theAlexanders vast mind en­quired, if there were a­ny more worlds to conquer. world; their spirituall riches do satis­fie them, they can sit downe satisfied with the riches of grace that be in Christ; without honours, and without riches, &c. He that drinks of that water that I shall give him, shall thirst no more. The riches of poor Saints are durable, they will bed and board with them, theyCrassus was so rich, that he maintained an Army with his own reve­nues, yet he, his great Ar­my, with his son and heire sell together, and left his great estate to others. will goe to the Prison, to a sick bed, to a grave, yea to Heaven with them. The spirituall riches of poore Saints are as wine, to cheer them; and as bread to strengthen them, and as cloathes to warme them, and as Armour to protect them. Now all you that know any thing, do know, that the riches of this world cannot satisfie the soules of men, and they are as fading as a flower, or as the owners of them are, &c.

The fourth Remedie against this de­vice4 Remedie. is, seriously to consider, that though the Saints considered comparatively are few, though they be a little, little flocke, a Luke 12. 32. remnant, a garden enclosed, a spring shut up, Cant. 4. 12. a fountaine sealed; though they are as the Summer gleanings, though they are one of a City, and two of a Tribe; though they beIer. 3. 14. but a handfull to a house-full; a sparke to a flame, a drop to the Ocean; yet consider them simply in themselves, and so they are an innumerable number that [Page 173] cannot be numbred, as John speaketh. After this I beheld, and lo a great multitude which no man could number, of all Nations, Rev. 7. 9. and kindred, and people, and tongues, stood before the Throne, and before the Lambe cloathed with white robes, and palmes in their hands. So Matth. speaks; And I say Mat. 8. 11. Hebr. 12. 22, 23. When Ful­gentius saw the Nobility of Rome sit mounted in their bravery, it mounted his meditati­on to the hea­venly Jerusa­lem. unto you, that many shall come from the East, and West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdome of Hea­ven. So Paul: But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of Angells. To the generall assem­bly, and Church of the first borne, which are written in Heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made per­fect.

The fifth Remedie against this device5 Remedie. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that 'twill be but as a day, before these poor despised Saints shall shine brighter then the Sun in her glory; 'twill not be long before you will wish, oh! that we were now among the poor, meane, despised ones, in the day that God comes to make up his jewells. 'Twill not be long before these poor few Saints shall be lif­ted up upon their Thrones to judge the multitude, the world, as the Apostle speaks: Know yee not that the Saints shall judge the world? and in that day? oh! [Page 174] how will the great, and the rich, theMr. Fox being once asked whether he knew a cer­tain poor man, who had received suc­cour of him in time of trouble, he answered, I remember him well, I tel you I forget Lords & La­dies to re­member such. So will the Lord deale by his poor S^ts. he will forget the great and mighty ones of the world, to remember his few, poor, despised ones. Though Iohn was poore in the world, yet▪ the holy ghost calls him the greatest that was born of women; ah poor Saints! men that know not your worth cannot have such low thoughts of you, but the Lord wil have a [...] high. learned, and the noble wish, that they had lived, and spent their dayes with these few, poor, contemptible creatures in the service of the Lord? oh! how wil this wicked world curse the day, that e­ver they had such base thoughts of the poor, meane Saints, and that their po­verty became a stumbling block, to keep them off from the wayes of sanctity. I have read of Ingo an ancient King of the Draves, who making a stately feast, ap­pointed his Nobles, at that time Pagans, to sit in the Hall below, and command­ed certaine poore Christians, to be brought up into his Presence-chamber, to sit with him at his Table, to eate and drink of his Kingly cheer; at which ma­ny wondering, he said, he accounted Christians, though never so poore, a greater ornament at his Table, and more worthy of his company, then the grea­test Peers unconverted to the Christian faith; for when these might be thrust down to Hell, those might be his Con­sorts, and fellow Princes in Heaven; you know how to apply it. Although you see the stars sometimes by their reflicti­ons, in a puddle, or in the bottome of a Well, I in a stinking ditch, yet the stars have their scituation in Heaven: So, though you see a godly man in a poor, [Page 175] miserable, low, despised condition, for the things of this world, yet he is fixed in Heaven, in the Region of Heaven. Who hath raised us up (saith the Apostle) and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Oh! therefore, say to your owne souls (when they begin to decline the wayes of Zion, because of the pover­ty and paucity of those that walke in them) the day is at hand, when these few, poor, despised Saints shall shine in glory, when they shall judge this world, and when all the wicked of the world will wish that they were in their condi­on, & would give ten thousand worlds (were it in their power) that they might but have the honour, and happi­nesse to waite upon those, whom for their poverty and paucity they have ne­glected and despised in this world.

The sixt and last Remedie against this6 Remedy. device of Satan, is, solemnly to consider that there will come a time even in thisThese following Scrip­tures do a­bundantly confirm this truth. Ier. 31. 12. Isa. 30. 23. Isa. 62. 8, 9. Ioel 2. 23, 24. Mica 4. 6. Amos 9. 13, 14. Zech. 8. 12. Isa. 41. 18, 19. Isa. 55. 13. Isa. 66. 6, 7. Isa. 65. 21, 22. Isa. 61. 4. Isa. 60. 10. Ezek. 36. 10. life, in this world, when the reproach and contempt that is now cast upon the wayes of God, by reason of the poverty and paucity of those that walk in those wayes, shall be quite taken away, by his making them the head, that have dayes without number been the taile, and by his raising them up to much outward riches, prosperity, and glory, who have [Page 176] been as the out-cast, because of their po­verty and paucity. John speaking of the glory of the Church, the new Jeru­salem that came downe from Heaven, in that 21. of the Revelation, tells us, That the Nations of them which are saved, shall walke in the light of it, and the Kings of the earth do bring their glory into it. So the Prophet Isaiah: They shall bring their sons from far, and their silver and their gold with Only take these 2 cau­tions. First, that in these times the Saints chie­fest comforts, delights, and contents will consist in their more cleer, full, and con­stant injoy­ments of God. 2. That they sha [...] have such an abundant [...]easure of he spirit poured out [...]pon them, [...]hat their ri­ches and out­ward glory shall not be s [...]ares to [...]hem, but gol­den steps to lead them to a richer living in God. them, vers. 9. For brasse I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brasse, and for stones Iron, vers. 19. And so the Prophet Zechariah speaks, Chap. 14. v. 14. And the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparell in great abundance. The Lord hath promised that the meek shal inherite the earth: And heaven and earth shall passe away, before one jot or tittle of his word shall pass unfulfilled; Ah poor Saints! now some thrust sore at you, others look a squint upon you, others shut the door against you, others turne their backs upon you; and most of men (ex­cept it be a few that live much in God, and are filled with the riches of Christ) do either neglect you, or despise you, because of your poverty; but the day is coming, when you shall be lifted up a­bove the dunghil, when you shall change p [...]v [...]rty for riches, your rags for robes, [Page 177] your reproach for a crowne of honour, your infamy for glory, even in this world.

And this is not all, but God will al­so mightily increase the number of his chosen ones; multitudes shall be con­verted to him. Who hath heard such a Isa. 66. 8. thing? who hath seen such things? shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a Nation be borne at once? for assoone as Zion travelled, she brought forth children. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all Nations, upon Vers. 19, 20. horses, and in Chariots, in Litters, and upon Mules, & upon swift beasts to my holy moun­taine Jerusalem, saith the Lord; as the children of Israel bring an offering in a cleane vessell into the house of the Lord. Doth not the Scripture say, that the Kingdomes of Revel. 11. 15. this world must become the Kingdomes of our Lord? Hath not God given to Christ the hea­then? and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possessions? Hath not the Lord said, that in the last dayes, the mountaine of the Lords Psal. 2. 8. house shall be lifted up above the hills, and shall be established in the top of the mountains, and all Nations shall flow unto it. Pray readIsa. 2. 2. Isa. 54. 14. & Isa. 61. 9. and meditate upon the sixty chapter of Isaiah, and the sixty sixth chapter, and the five first verses of the second chapter of Isaiah, and there you shall finde the multitudes that shall be converted to [Page 178] Christ; and oh! that you would be mighty in believing, and in wrestling with God, that he would hasten the day of his glory, that the reproach that is now upon his people and wayes, may cease.

The sixth Device that Satan6 Device. hath to keepe soules off from religious ser­vices, is,

BY presenting before them the exam­plesIohn 4. 12. 7. Chap. 48, 49. 1▪ Cor. 1. 26, 27. Mica 7. 2, 3, 4. of the greatest part of the world that walk in the wayes of their owne hearts, and that make light and slight of the wayes of the Lord; why saith Satan, do not you see, that the great, and the rich, the noble and the honourable, the learned and the wise, even the greatest number of men never trouble themselves about such and such wayes, and why then should you be singular and nice▪ you were far better doe as the most doe, &c.

Now the remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this device1 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider of those Scriptures that make directly a­gainst following the sinfull examples of men; as that in Exodus, Thou shalt not The way to hell is broad, and well bea­ten, the way▪ to be undone for ever, is to do as the most do, (argumen­tum turpissi­mum est turba) the multitude is the weakest and worst ar­gument, saith Seneca. follow a multitude to doe evill, neither shalt thou speake in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgement. The multitude gene­rally are ignorant, and know not the way of the Lord: therefore they speake evill of that they know not, they are en­vious, and maliciously bent against the service and way of God, and therefore they cannot speak well of the wayes of God. This way is every where spoken against, said they: so in that Numb. 16. Seperate from them, and come out from a­mong them. So the Apostle; Have no fel­lowship with the unfruitfull works of darke­nesse. So Solomon, Enter not into the way Prov. 4. 14. ch 9. v. 6. of the wicked, for sake the foolish, and live. They that walke with the most, shall p [...] ­rish with the most. They that do as the most, shall ere long suffer with the most; [Page 180] they that live as the most, must dye with the most, and to hell with the most.

The second Remedie against this de­vice2 Remedie. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that if you will sin with the multitude, all the Angells in heaven, and men on earth cannot keep you from sufferingSin and pu­nishment are linked toge­ther with chains of ada­mant of sinn; we may say as Isidore doth of the serpent (Tot dolores, quot colores,) so many co­lours, so many dolours. with the multitude; if you wil be wicked with them, you must unavoidably be mi­serable with them; say to thy soule, oh my soul! if thou wilt sin with the mul­titude, thou must be shut out of heaven with the multitude, thou must be cast downe to hell with the multitude, &c. And I heard another voyce from Heaven, saying, come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Come out in affecti­on, in action, and in habitation; for else the infection of sin will bring upon you the infliction of punishment. So saith the wise man; He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fooles shall be destroyed, or as the Hebrew [...] a Ieroange, from ruange, to be naught. hath it, shall be broken in pieces. Mul­titudes may help thee into sin; yea, one may draw thee into sin, but 'tis not multitudes that can help thee to escape punishments: As you may see in Moses and Aaron, that were provoked to sinne by the multitude; but were shut out of the pleasant Land, and fell by a hand of Justice as well as others.

The third Remedie against this device3. Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider the worth and excellency of thy immortall soule. Thy soul is a jewell more worthWhat wise man would fetch gold out of a fie [...]y cru­cible, hazard his immortall soule (to gain the world) by following a multitude in those steps that lead to the chambers of death and darknesse. then heaven and earth: The losse of thy soule is incomparable, irreparable, and irrecoverable; if that be lost, all is lost, and thou art undone for ever. Is it mad­nesse and folly in a man to kill himselfe for company? and is it not greater madnesse or folly to break the neck of thy soule, and to damn it for company? Suspect that way wherein thou seest multitudes to walk, the multitude being a stream that thou must row hard against, or thou wilt be carried into that gulfe, out of which Angells cannot deliver thee. Is it not better to walke in a strait way alone, then to wander into croo­ked wayes with company? sure 'tis bet­ter to goe to Heaven alone, then to Hell with company. I might adde other things, but these may suffice for the pre­sent; and I am afraid if these arguments do not stir you, other arguments will work but little upon you.

The seventh Device that Satan7 Device hath to keepe soules from holy and heavenly services, is,

BY casting in a multitude of vaine thoughts, whilst the soule is in see­king of God, or in waiting on God, and by this device he hath cooled some mens spirits in heavenly services, and taken off (at least for a time) many preciousVellem servire Domine sed cogitationes non patiuntur, Lord now how fain would I serve thee, & vaine thoughts will not suffer me. soules from religious performances. I have no heart to heare, nor no heart to pray, nor no delight in reading, nor in the society of the Saints, &c. Satan doth so dog, and follow my soule, and is still a casting in such a multitude of vaine thoughts concerning God, the world, and my own soule, &c. that I e­ven tremble to think of waiting upon God in any religious service; oh! the vaine thoughts that Satan casts in, do so distast my soule, and so grieve, vex, per­plex, and distract my soule, that they e­ven make me weary of holy duties, yea, of m [...] very life; oh! I cannot be so rai­sed and ravished, so heated and melted, so quickned and enlarged, so comforted and refreshed as I should be, as I might [Page 183] be, and as I would be in religious servi­ces, by reason of that multitude of vain thoughts that Satan is injecting, or cast­ing into my soule, &c.

Now the Remedies against this de­vice of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this device1 Remedie. When Pompey could not keep his soul­diers in the camp by per­swasion, he cast himselfe all along in the narrow passage that lead out of it, and then bid them goe if you will, but you shall first trample upon your Gene­rall, and the thoughts of this overcame them; you are wise, & know how to apply it to the point in hand. of Satan, is, to have your hearts strongly affected with the greatnesse, ho­linesse, Majesty, and glory of that God, before whom you stand, and with whom your souls do converse in religious ser­vices; Oh! let your souls be greatly affe­cted with the presence, purity, and ma­jesty of that God before whom thou standest. A man would be afraid of playing with a feather, when he is spea­king to a King; ah! when men have poor, low, light, slight, &c. thoughts of God, in their drawing neer to God, they tempt the Devill to bestir himselfe, and to cast in a multitude of vaine thoughts to disturb and distract the soul in its waiting on God. There is nothing that will contribute so much to the kee­ping out of vaine thoughts, as to looke upon God as an omniscient God, an [Page 184] omnipresent God, an omnipotent God, a God full of all glorious perfections; a God, whose Majestie, purity, and glo­ry wil not suffer him to behold the least iniquity. The reason why the blessed Saints, and glorious Angells in Heaven have not so much as one vaine thought, is, because they are greatly affected with the greatnesse, holinesse, majesty, purity, and glory of God.

The second Remedie against this De­vice2 Remedy. of Satan, is, to be peremptory in religious services, notwithstanding all those wandering thoughts the souleIt is a rule in the civil Law, (nec videtur actum, siquid supersit quod a­gatur) nothing seems to be done, if there remains ought to be done. is troubled with. This will be a sweet help against them for the soul to be re­solute in waiting on God, whether it be troubled with vain thoughts, or not; to say, wel, I will pray still, and heare still, and meditate still, and keep fellow­ship with the Saints still; many precious soules can say from experience, that when their soules have been peremptory in their waiting on God, that Satan hath left them, and hath not been so bu­sie in vexing their soules with vaine thoughts; when Satan perceives that allSi dixisti suffi­sit periisti, i [...] once thou sayest 'tis e­nough, thou art undone, saith Augustin. those trifling vain thoughts that he casts into the soule, do but vex the soule into greater diligence, carefulnesse, watch­fulnesse, and peremptorinesse in holy and heavenly services, and that the soul [Page 185] looses nothing of his zeale, piety, and devotion, but doubles his care, dili­gence, and earnestnesse; he often ceases to interpose his triflles, & vain thoughts as he ceased to tempt Christ, when Christ was peremptory in resisting his temptations.

The third Remedie against this device3. Remedy. of Satan, is, to consider this, that those vaine and trifling thoughts that are cast'Tis not Sa­tans casting in of vaine thoughts that can keepe mercie from the soule, or undoe the soul, but the lodging, and cherishing of vaine thoughts; oh Ierusalem! how long shall vain thoughts lodg within thee ( [...]er 4. 14.) Heb. in the midst of thee; they passe through the best hearts, they are lodged and cherished on­ly in the worst hearts. into our soules, when we are waiting upon God in this or that religious ser­vice, if they are not cherished, and indul­ged, but abhorred, resisted, and disclai­med; they are not sins upon our soules, though they may be troubles to our mindes, they shall not be put upon our accounts, nor keep mercies and bles­sings from being injoyed by us; when a soule in uprightnesse can look God in the face, and say, Lord, when I approach neer unto thee, there be a world of vain thoughts croud in upon me, that do di­sturb my soule, and weaken my faith, and lessen my comfort, and spirituall strength; oh! these are my clog, my bur­den, my torment, my hell; oh! do ju­stice upon these; free me from these that I may serve thee with more freenesse, sin­glenesse, spiritualnesse, and sweetnesse of spirit. These thoughts may vexe that soule, but they shall not harm that soul, [Page 186] nor keep a blessing from that soule; If vaine thoughts resisted and lamented, could stop the current of mercie, and render a soule unhappy, there would be none on earth that should ever tast of mercy, or be everlastingly happy, &c.

The fourth Remedy against this device4 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that watching against sinfull thoughts, resi­sting of sinfull thoughts, lamenting and weeping over sinfull thoughts, carriesPsal. 139. 23. Thoughts are the first born, the blossomes of the soul, the beginning of our strength, whe­ther for good or evill, and they are the greatest evi­dence for, or against a man that can be. with it the sweetest, and strongest evi­dence of the truth, and power of grace, and of the sincerity of your hearts, and is the readiest and the surest way to be rid of them; many low and carnal con­siderations may worke men to watch their words, their lives, their actions; As hope of gaine, or to please friends, or to get a name in the world, and ma­ny other such like considerations; oh! but to watch our thoughts, to weep and lament over them, &c. this must needs be from some noble, spiritual, and inter­nal principle, as love to God, a holy fear of God, a holy care and delight to please the Lord, &c. The Schools do well ob­serve, that outward sinnes are of greaterMajoris infa­miae. Majoris reatus. infamy; but inward heart sinnes are of greater guilt, as wee see in the Devills. There is nothing that speaks out a man to be throughly, and kindly wrought [Page 187] upon, as his having his thoughts to be2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. brought into obedience, as the Apostle speaks, Grace is growen up to a very great height in that soule, where it pre­vailes, to the subduing of those vaine thoughts that walk up and down in the the soule; well, though you cannot bePsal. 139. 2. Isa. 59. 7. ch. 66. 18. Mat. 9. 4. ch. 12. 25. Zen [...] a wise heathen affir­med, that God even be­held the thoughts, Mat. 15. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. rid of them, yet make resistance and op­position against the first risings of them; when sinfull thoughts arise, then thinke thus; the Lord takes notice of these thoughts, he knows them afar off, as the Psalmist speaks; he knew Herods bloody thoughts, and Judas his betraying thoughts, and the Pharisees cruell and blasphemous thoughts afarre off; oh! think thus, all these sinfull thoughts, they defile and pollute the soule, they deface and spoyle much of the inward beauty, and glory of the soule; if I commit this or that sinne, to which my thoughts incline me, then either I mustTears in stead of Gems were the ornaments of Davids bed, when he had sinned, & so they m [...]st be thine, or else thou must lie downe in a bed of sorrow forever. repent, or not repent; if I repent, it will c [...]st me more griefe, sorrow, shame, heart-breaking, and soul-bleeding, be­fore my conscience will be quieted, di­vine Justice pacified, my comfort and joy restored, my evidences cleared, and my pardon in the Court of Conscience sealed, then the imagined profit, or see­ming sensuall pleasure can be worth; What fruit had you in those things whereof you are now ashamed?

If I never repent, oh then my sinfullInward blee­ding kils ma­ny a man; so will sinfull thoughts, if not repented of. thoughts will be the Scorpions that wil eternally vex me; the rods that will e­ternally lash me; the thorns that will e­verlastingly prick me; the dagger that will be eternally a stabbing mee; the worme that will be for ever a gnawing me; oh! therefore watch against them, be constant in resisting them, an [...] in la­menting and weeping over them, and then they shall not hurt thee, though they may for a time trouble thee, and remember this; he that doth this, doth more then the most glistering and bluste­ring Hypocrite in the world doth.

The fifth Remedie against this device5. Remedy. Ephes. 3. 19. The words are an hebrai­sme; the He­brews when they would set out many excellent things, they add the name of God to it, City of God, Cedars of God, wrest­lings of God, so here, that ye may be fil­led with the fulnesse of God. of Satan, is, to labour more and more to be filled with the fulnesse of God, and to be inriched with all spirituall and heavenly things; what's the reason that the Angells in heaven have not so much as an idle thought? 'tis because they are filled with the fulnesse of God; take it for an experienced truth, the more the soule is filled with the fulnesse of God, and inriched with spirituall and hea­venly things, the lesse room there is in that soule for vaine thoughts. The fuller the vessel is of wine, the lesse room there is for water; Oh! lay up much of God, of Christ, of precious promises, and choise experiences in your hearts, and [Page 189] then you wil be lesse troubled with vain thoughts; A good man out of the good trea­sure Mat. 12. 3. of his heart bringeth forth good things. 6. Remedy.

The sixth Remedie against this device of Satan, is, to keep up holy and spiri­tuall affections; for such as your affecti­ons are, such will be your thoughts; Oh! Psal. 119. 97. Psal. 139. 8. how I love thy law, 'tis my meditation all the day; what we love most, we most muse upon; when I awake, I am still with thee. That which wee much like, wee shall much mind; them that are frequent in their love to God and his law, wil be frequent in thinking of God, and hisSimile. law; a childe will not forget his mo­ther.

The seventh Remedie against this de­vice7. Remedie. 2 Tim. 2. 4. [...], is entangled, it is a comparison which St Paul borroweth from the cu­stome of the Roman Em­pire, wherein soldiers were forbidden to be proctors of other mens causes, to un­dertake hus­bandry or Merchandize. of Satan, is, to avoid multiplicity of wordly businesse; oh! let not the world take up your hearts & thoughts at other times; soules that are torne In pieces with the cares of the world, will be alwayes vexed and tormented with vain thoughts in all their approaches to God; vain thoughts will be still croud­ing in upon him that lives in a croud of businesse. The stars which have least cir­cuit, are neerest the Pole; and men that are least perplexed with businesse, are commonly nearest to God.

The eighth Device that Satan8 Device. hath to keepe soules from re­ligious services, from holy performan­ces, is,

BY working them to rest in their per­formances, to rest in prayer, and to rest in hearing, reading, and the com­munionIsa. 58. 1, 2, 3. Zech. 7. 4, 5, 6. Mat 6. 2. Rom. 17. of Saints, &c. and when Satan hath drawn the soul to rest upon the ser­vice done; then he will help the soul to reason thus; why, thou wert as good never pray, as to pray, and rest in pray­er; as good never heare, as to heare, and rest in hearing; as good never be in the communion of Saints, as to rest in the communion of Saints; and by this device he stops many soules in their hea­venly race, and takes off poor soules from those services that should be their joy and Crown.

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this device1 Remedie. of Satan, is, to dwell much upon the imperfections, and weaknesses thatPride and high confi­dence is most apt to creep in upon du­ties wel done, saith one. doe attend your choisest services; oh the spots! the blots! the blemishes, that are to be seen upon the face of our fair­est duties! when thou hast done all thou canst, thou hast need to close up all with this; Oh! enter not into judgement with thy servant oh Lord; for the weaknesses that cleave to my best services, we may allIsa. 64. 6. say with the Church; All our righteous­nesses are as a menstruous cloath. If God should be strict to marke what is done a­misse in our best actions, wee were un­done. Oh! the water that is mingled with our wine, the drosse that cleaves unto our Gold.

The second Remedie against this de­vice2 Remedie. of Satan, is, to consider the impo­tency, and inability of any of your b [...]st services, divinely to comfort, refresh, and beare your soules up from fainting, and sinking in the dayes of troubles, [Page 192] when darkenesse is round about you; when God shall say to you, as he did10. 14. once to the Israelites, Goe, and cry unto the gods that you have chosen, let them save you in the time of your tribulation: So when God shall say in the day of your trou­bles, goe to your prayers, to your hear­ing, and to your fasting, &c. and see, if they can help you, if they can support you, if they can deliver you; if God in that day doth but with-hold the influ­ence of his grace from thee, thy former services will be but poore cordiall [...] to comfort thee; and then thou must, and wilt cry out, oh! none but Christ, noneOmne bonum in summo bono, all good is in the chiefest good. Nec Christus nec coelum pati­tur hyperbolen. but Christ; oh! my prayers are not Christ, my hearing is not Christ, my fa­sting is not Christ, &c. oh! one smile of Christ, one glimps of Christ, one good word from Christ, on nod of love from Christ in the day of trouble and dark­nesse, will more revive, and refresh the soule, then all your former services, in which your soules rested, as if they were the bosome of Christ, which should be the only center of our soules. Christ is the Crowne of Crownes, the glory of glories, and the heaven of heaven.

The third Remedie against this device3 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that good things rested upon, will as cer­tainly undoe us, and everlastingly de­stroy [Page 193] us, as the greatest enormities that can be committed by us; those soules that after they have done all, doe not look up so high as a Christ, and rest, and center alone in Christ, laying downe their services at the foot-stool of Christ, must lie down in sorrow, their bed is prepared for them in hell. Behold, all Isa. 50. ult. yee that kindle a fire, and compass your selves with the sparks, and walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that yee have kindled, this yee shall have at mine hand, yee shall lye down in sorrow; Is it good dwelling with everlasting burnings? with a devouring fire? if it be, why then rest in your du­ties still; if otherwise, then see that you center only in the bosome of Christ.

The fourth and last Remedie against4 Remedie. this device of Satan, is, to dwell much upon the necessity and excellency of that resting place that God hath provided for you, above all other resting places; him­selfe is your resting place, his free mercy and love is your resting place; the pure, glorious, matchlesse, and spotlesse righ­teousness of Christ is your resting place; ah! 'tis sadd to thinke, that most men have forgotten their resting place, as the Lord complains; My people have been as lost sheep, their shepheards have caused them Jer. 50. 6. to goe astray, and have turned them away to the mountaines, they have gone from moun­taine [Page 194] to hill and forgotten their resting place. So poor souls that see not the excellen­cy of that resting place that God hath appointed for their souls to lye down in; they wander ftom mountaine to hill, from one duty to another, and here they will rest, and there they will rest; but soules that see the excellency of that resting place that God hath pro­vided for them, they will say, farewel prayer, farewel hearing, farewel fasting, &c. I will rest no more in you, but now will rest only in the bosome of Christ, the love of Christ, the righteousnesse of Christ.

The first Device that Satan1 Device. hath to keepe souls in a sad, doubting, and questio­ning condition, and so making their life a hell, is,

BY causing them to be still poring,A Christan should weare Christ in his bosome as a flower of de light, for he is a whole para­dise of de­light; he that minds not Christ more then his sin, can never be thankfull and fruitfull as he should. and musing upon sinne, to minde their sins more then their Saviour, yea, so to mind their sins, as to forget, yea, to neglect their Saviour, that as the Psalmist speaks; The Lord is not in all their thoughts; their eyes are so fixt upon their disease, that they cannot see the Reme­die, though it be neare; and they doe so muse upon their debts, that they have neither mind nor heart to think of their surety, &c.

Now the first Remedie against1 Remedie. this device of Satan, is,

FOr weake beleevers to consider, that though Jesus Christ hath not freed them from the presence of sin, yet hePeccata enim non nocent, si non placent, my sins hurt me not, if they like me not. Sinn is like that wild fig­tree, or Ivie in the wall, cu [...] off stump, body, bough, and branches; yet some strings or o­ther will sprout out a­gain till the wall be pluckt down. Rom. 8. 1. hath freed them from the damnatory power of sin. It's most true, that sinne and grace were never borne together, neither shall sin and grace dye together; yet while a beleever breaths in this world, they must live together, they must keep house together. Christ in this life will not free any beleever from the presence of any one sin, though he doth free every beleever from the damning power of every sin; There's no condemna­tion to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walke not after the flesh, but after the spi­rit. The Law cannot condemn a belee­ver, for Christ hath fulfilled it for him; divine Justice cannot condemn him, for that Christ hath satisfied; his sinns can­not condem him, for they in the blood of Christ are pardoned; and his owne conscience (upon righteous grounds) cannot condemn him, because Christ, that is greater then his conscience, hath acquitted him, &c.

The second Remedy against this de­vice2 Remedie. of Satan, is, to consider, that though Jesus Christ hath not freed you from the molesting, and vexing power of sin, yet he hath freed you from the reigne andThe primitive Christians chose rather to be thrown to lions with­out, then left to lusts with­in Ad leonem magis quam le­onem, saith Tertullian. Rom. 6. 14. dominion of sin. Thou sayest that sinne doth so molest and vex thee, that thou canst not think of God, nor go to God, nor speak with God; oh! but remem­ber, 'tis one thing for sin to molest and vex thee, and another thing for sinne to reigne, and have dominion over thee. For sinne shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Sin may rebell, but it shall never reigne in any Saint; it fareth with sin in the regenerate, as with those Beasts that Da­niel speaks of, That had their dominion ta­ken Dan. 7. 12. away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season, and a time.

Now sin reigns in the soule, when the soul willingly and readily obeys it, and subjects to its commands, as Subjects do actively obey, and embrace the com­mands of their Prince. The commands'Tis a signe that sin hath not gained your consent, but commit­ted a rape up­on your souls, when you cry out [...]o God; if the ravished Virgin under the Law cry­ed out, she was guiltlesse▪ Deut. 22. 27. So when sinne plays the Ty­rant over the soule, and the soul cries out 'tis guiltlesse, those sins shall not be charg­ed upon the soule. of a K. are readily embraced and obeyed by his Subjects; but the commands of a Tyrant are embraced & obeyed unwill­ingly. All the service that is done to a Tyrant, is out of violence, and not out of obedience; A free and willing subje­ction to the commands of sin, speaks out [Page 199] the soul to be under the reign and domi­nion of sin; but from this plague, this hell, Christ frees all Beleevers: Sin can­not say of a beleever, as the Centurion said of his servant; I bid one goe, and be goeth, and to another come, and he cometh, and to another do this, and he doth it. No, the heart of a St. rises against the com­mands of sin; and when sin would cary his soule to the Devill, he hales his sin before the Lord, and cries out for Justice, Lord, saith the beleeving soule, sinn playes the Tyrant, the Devill in mee, it would have mee to doe that which makes against thy holinesse, as well as against my happinesse; against thy ho­nour and glory, as my comfort & peace; therefore do me justice, thou righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth, and let this tyrant sin die for it, &c.

The third Remedie against this device3 Remedie. of Satan, is, constantly to keep one eye upon the promises of remission of sinne,Isa. 44, 22. Mica 7. 18, 19. Coloss. 2. 13, 14. The promises of God are a precious booke, every leafe drops myrthe and mercy. as well as the other eye upon the inward operations of sin. This is most cer­tain truth, that God will graciously pardon those sins to his people, that he will not in this life fully subdue in his people. Paul prayes thrice, i. e. often to be delivered from the thorn in the flesh, all he can get is, my grace is sufficient for thee; I will graciously pardon that to [Page 200] thee, that I will not conquer in thee,Though the weak Christi­an cannot o­pen, read, and apply them, Christ can, & will apply them to their souls. Ier. 33. 8. Isa. 43. 25. [...] An Hebrew participle, & notes a con­stant, a conti­nued act of God; I, I am he, blotting out thy trans­gressions, to day, and to morrow, &c. 4 Remedie. saith God. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me, and I will pardon all their ini­quities whereby they have sinned against me, and whereby they have transgressed against me. I, even I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake, and will not remember thy sinnes. Ah! you lamen­ting soules, that spend your dayes in sighing and groaning under the sense and burthen of your sins; why doe you deale so unkindly with God, and so in­juriously with your own soules, as not to cast an eye upon those precious pro­mises of remission of sinne, which may beare up, and refresh your spirits in the darkest night, and under the heaviest burden of sin.

The fourth Remedie against this de­vice of Satan, is, to look upon all your sins, as charged upon the account of Christ, as debts which the Lord Jesus hath fully satisfied; and indeed were there but one farthing of that debt un­paid, that Christ was engaged to satis­fie, it would not have stood with the un­spotted justice of God, to have let him come into Heaven, and sit down at his owne right hand; but all our debts by his death being discharged, we are freed, and he is exalted to sit down at the right [Page 201] hand of his Father, which is the top of his glory, and the greatest pledg of our felicity; For he hath made him to be sin for 2 Cor. 5. 21. Christ was (peccatorum maximus) the greatest of sinners by im­putation, and reputation. Isa. 53. 5, 6. us that knew no sinne, that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him, saith the Apostle: All our sins were made to meete upon Christ, as that Evangelicall Pro­phet hath it. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniqui­ties, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have tur­ned every one to his owne way, and the Lord hath layd on him the iniquity of us all; or as the Hebrew hath it, he hath made the i­niquity of us all to meet in him. In Law we know, that all the debts of the Wife are charged upon the Husband; saith the Wife to one, and to another, ifChrist hath the greatest worth and wealth in him, as the worth and value of ma­ny pieces of silver is in one piece of gold, so all the excellen­cies scattered abroad in the creatures, are united to Christ. I owe you any thing, go to my husband; so may a beleever say to the Law, and to the justice of God; if I owe you any thing, go to my Christ, who hath un­dertaken for me; I must not sit downe discouraged under the apprehensions of those debts, that Christ to the utmost farthing hath fully satisfied; would it not argue much weaknesse, I had almost said much madnesse, for a debtor to sit down discouraged, upon his looking o­ver those debts, that his surety hath rea­dily, freely, and fully satisfied; the sense [Page 202] of his great love should engage a man forAll the whole volume of perfections, which is spread through Hea­ven & earth, is epitomized in him. ever to love, and honour his surety, and to blesse that hand that hath paid the debt, and crost the books, &c. but to sit down discouraged when the debt is sa­tisfied, is a sinnne that bespeaks Repen­tance, &c.

Christ hath cleared all reckonings be­twixt God and us; you remember the Scape-goate, upon his head all the iniqui­ties Levit. 16. 21. of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sinns were confessed Christ is (Ca­nalis gratiae) the channell of grace from God. and put, and the Goate did beare upon him all their iniquities, &c. Why, the Lord Je­sus is that blessed Scape-Goate, upon whom all our sins were laid, and who alone hath carried our sins away into the Land of forget fulnesse, where they shall ne­ver, never be remembred more; a beleever under the guilt of his sin may looke the Lord in the face, and sweetly plead thus with him; 'Tis true Lord, I owed theeThe bloods of Abel, for so the Hebrew hath it (as if the blood of one Abel had so many tongues as drops) cryed for vengeance against sinne; b [...]t the blood of Christ cries louder for the p [...]rdon of sin. much, but thy Son was my Ransome, my Redemption; his blood was the price, he was my surety, and undertook to answer for my sinnes; I know thou must be satisfied, and Christ hath satisfi­ed thee to the utmost farthing, not for himself, for what sins had he of his own? but for me, they were my debts that he satisfied for; be pleased to look over the book, and thou shalt find that 'tis crost [Page 203] by thy owne hand, upon this very ac­count that Christ hath suffered, and sa­tisfied for them.

The fifth Remedy against this device5 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider of the reasons, why the Lord is pleased to have his people exercised, troubled, and vex­ed with the operations of sinful corrup­tions,Augustin saith, that the first, second, and third vertue of a Christian is humility. and they are these; partly to keep them humble, and low in their owne eyes; and partly to put them upon the use of all divine helps, whereby sin may be subdued and mortified; And partly, that they may live upon Christ for the perfecting the work of Sanctification;Lilmod lelam­med, we there­fore learn, that wee may teach, is a pro­verb among the Rabbins. After the Tro­jans had been wandering, & tossing up and down the Me­diterranean Sea; as soon as they espied I­taly, they cried out with ex­ulting joy, I­taly, Italy: so will Saints when they come to Hea­ven. and partly, to weane them from things below, and to make them heart-sick of their absence from Christ, and to main­tain in them bowels of compassion to­wards others, that are subject to the same infirmities with them; and that they may distinguish between a state of grace, and a state of glory, and that Heaven may be more sweet to them in the close. Now doth the Lord upon these weighty reasons suffer his people to be exercised, and molested with the operations of sinfull corruptions; oh! then let no beleever speak, write, or conclude bitter things against his owne soule, and comforts; because that sinne troubles and vexes his righteous soule, [Page 204] &c. but lay his hand upon his mouth, and be silent, because the Lord will have it so, upon such weighty grounds, as the soule is not able to withstand.

The sixth Remedy against this Device6. Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that Beleevers must repent for their beingGod never g [...]ve a Belee­ver a new h [...]art, that it should always li [...] a bleed­ing, and that it should al­ways be rent and torn in pieces with discourage­ments. discouraged by their sins. Their being discouraged by their sins will cost them many a prayer, many a teare, and many a groane: And that, because their dis­couragements under sin flowes from ig­norance and unbeliefe; it springs from their ignorance of the riches, freenesse, fulnesse, and everlastingnesse of Gods love; and from their ignorance of the power, glory, sufficiency, and efficacy of the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ: And from their ignorance of the worth, glory, fulnesse, largenesse, and compleatnesse of the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ: And from their igno­rance of that reall, close, spiritual, glo­rious, and inseparable union that is be­twixt Christ, and their precious soule: Ah! did precious souls know, and be­leeve the truth of these things, as they should, they would not sit down deject­ed, and over-whelmed under the sense and operations of sin, &c.

The second Device that Satan2 Device. hath to keep souls in a sad, doubting, and questio­ning condition, is,

BY working them to make false defi­nitions of their graces: Satan knows, that as false definitions of sinne wrong the soule one way, so false de­finitions of grace wrong the soule ano­ther way.

I will instance only in faith; oh! how doth Satan labour might and main to work men to make false definitions of faith; Some he works to define faith too high, as that it is a full assurance of the love of God to a mans soule in par­ticular, or a full perswasion of the par­don, and remission of a mans owne sins in particular; saith Satan, what dost thou talk of faith? faith is an assurance of the love of God, and of the pardon of sin, and this thou hast not; thou know­est thou art far off from this, therefore thou hast no faith; and by drawing men to make such a false definition of faith, he keeps them in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, and makes them spend their days in sorrow and sighing, [Page 206] so that teares are their drink, and sor­row is their meate, and sighing is their work all the day long, &c.

The Philosophers say there are eight d [...]grees of heat; we discern three; now i [...] a m [...]n should define heat only by the highest degree, then all other degrees will be cast out from being heat: so if men shall define fai [...]h only by the high­est degrees, by assurance of the love of God, and of the pardon of his sins in particular, what will become of lesser degrees of faith?

If a man should define a man to be a living man, onely by the highest and st [...]ongest demonstrations of life, as laughing, leaping, running, working, walking, &c. would not many thou­sands that groan under internal, and externall weaknesses, and that cannot laugh, nor leap, nor run, nor work, nor walk, be found dead men by such a defi­nition, that yet wee know to be alive; 'tis so here, and you know how to ap­ply it, &c.

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this Device1. Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly [...]o consider, that there may be true faith, yea, g [...]eat measures of faith, where there is no as­surance. The Canaanite woman in the Gospel had strong faith, yet no assu­rance that we read of. These things have I written unto you (saith John) that believe on the name of the Son of God, that yee may know, that ye have eternall life,, and that ye may beleeve on the name of the Son of God; In these words you see that they did be­lieve, and had eternall life, in respect of the purpose and promise of God, and in respect of the seeds, and beginnings of it in their souls; and in respect of Christ their head, who sits in Heaven as a pub­lique person, representing all his cho­sen ones; Who hath raised us up together, Ephes. 2. 6. and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; and yet they did not know that they had eternall life. 'Tis one thing to have a right to heaven, and a­nother thing to know it; 'Tis one thing to be beloved, and another thing for a [Page 208] man to know that he is beloved. 'Tis one thing for God to write a mans name in the book of life, and another thing for God to tell a man, that his name is written in the book of life, and to say to him, rejoyce, because thy name is written in heaven.

So Paul: In whom yee also trusted after Ephes 1. 13. So those in [...]ha [...] Isa. 50. 10 had faith, though they had no assu­rance. Mica 7. 8, 9. yee heard the word of truth, the Gospell of your salvation, in whom also after that yee believed, yee were sealed with that holy spi­rit of promise.

So Micha, Rejoyce not against me oh my enemie, when I shall fall, I shall rise; when I shall sit in darknesse, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will beare the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned, &c. or the sad countenance of God, as the Hebrew hath it. This soul had no assurance, for he sits in darknesse, and was under the sad countenance of God, and yet had strong faith: As appears in those words, when I fall, I shall arise: when I sit in dark­nesse, the Lord shall be a light unto me. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousnesse, and let this suffice for the first answer.

The second Remedie against this De­vice2. Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that God in the Scriptures doth defineJohn 1. 12. faith otherwise; God defines faith to be a [...]ceiving of Christ; As many as received [Page 209] him, to them he gave this priviledge to be Act. 11. 23. the sons of God, to as many as beleeved on his name; to be a cleaving of the soule unto God, though no joy but afflictions attend the soule. Yea, the Lord defines faith to be a coming to God in Christ,Mat. 11. 28. John 6. 37. Heb. 7. 25. 26. Isa. 3. 4, &c. and often to a resting, and staying, or rouling of the soule upon Christ. 'Tis safest, and sweetest to define as God de­fines, both vices and graces; this is the only way to settle the soule, and to se­cure it against all the wiles of men and devills, who labour by false definitions of grace to keepe precious soules in a doubting, staggering, and languishing condition, and so make their lives a burden, a hell unto them.

The third Remedie against this device3 Remedie. of Satan, is, seriously to consider this, that there may be true faith, where thereMat. 6. 30. chap. 14. 31. & chap. 16. 8. is much doubtings; witnesse those fre­quent sayings of Christ to his Disciples, Why are yee afraid oh yee of little faith? Luke 12. 28. Persons may be truly believing, who neverthelesse are sometimes doubting; in the same persons (that the fore-men­tioned Scriptures speak of) you may see their faith commended, and their doubts condemned, which doth necessa­rily suppose a presence of both.

The fourth Remedie against this de­vice4 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, [Page 210] that assurance is an effect of faith; there­fore it cannot be faith. The cause can­not be the effect, nor the root the fruit; as the effect slowes from the cause, the fruit from the root, the stream from the fountain, so doth the assurance flow from faith; this truth I shall make good thus.

The assurance of our salvation, and pardon of sin doth primarily arise from the witnesse of the spirit of God, thatEphes. 1. 13. Gal. 5. 6. we are the children of God: And the spirit never witnesseth this, till we are beleevers; for we are sonnes by faith in Gal. 4 6. Christ Jesus: therefore assurance is not faith, but followes it, as the effect fol­lows the cause.

Againe, no man can be assured, and perswaded of his salvation, till he be u­nited to Christ, till he be ingrafted into Christ; and a man cannot be ingrafted into Christ, till he hath faith; hee must first be ingrafted into Christ by faith, be­fore he can have assurance of his salvati­on, which doth clearly evidence, that assurance is not faith, but an effect and fruit of faith, &c.

Again, faith cannot be lost, but assu­rance may; therefore assurance is not faith. Though assurance be a preciousPsal. 51. 12. Psal. 30. 6, 7. flower in the garden of a Saint, and is more infinitely sweet, and delightful to [Page 211] the soule, then all outward comforts,Cant. 5. 6. Isa. 8. 17. and contents; yet 'tis but a flower that is subject to fade, and to loose its fresh­nesse,There is many thousand pre­cious souls, of whom this world is not worthy, that have the [...]aith of reliance, & yet want assu­rance, and the effects of it; as high joy, glo­rious peace, and vehement longings after the coming of Christ. and beauty, as Saints by sad expe­rience finde, &c.

Againe, a man must first have faith, before he can have assurance, therefore assurance is not faith; and that a man must first have faith, before he can have assurance, is cleare; by this a man must first be saved, before he can be assured of his salvation, for he cannot be assured of that which is not; and a man must first have a saving faith, before he can be sa­ved by faith; for he cannot be saved by that which he hath not; therefore a man must first have faith, before he can have assurance, and so it roundly followes, that assurance is not faith, &c.

The third Device that Satan3 Device. hath to keepe the soul in a sad, doubting, and questioning con­dition, is,

BY working the soule to make falsePsal. 77. 7. 11. Psal. 88. 1. ult. Psal. 73. 2. 23. inferences from the crosse actings of providence; saith Satan, dost thou not see how Providence crosses thy prayers, [Page 212] and crosses thy desires, thy teares, thy hopes, thy endeavours; surely, if his love were toward thee, if his soule did delight and take pleasure in thee, he would not deale thus with thee, &c.

Now the remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this device1 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider that many things may be crosse to our desires, that are not crosse to our good; Abraham, Jacob, David, Job, Moses, Jere­miah, The Circum­cellians being not able to withstand the preaching, & writing of Augustine, sought his de­struction, ha­ving beset the way he was to goe his visita­tion, but by Gods provi­dence, he missing his way, escaped the danger. Jonah, Paul, &c. met with many things that were contrary to their de fires, and endeavours, that were not contrary to their good, as all know, that have wisely compared their desires and endeavours, and Gods actings toge­ther. Physick often works contrary to the Patients desires, when it doth not work contrary to their good. I re­member a story of a godly man, who had a great desire to goe to France, and as he was going to take shipping, he broke his leg, and it pleased providence so to order it, that the ship that he should have gone in, at that very same time was [Page 213] cast away, and not a man saved, and so by breaking a bone, his life was saved. Though Providence did worke crosse to his desires, yet it did not work cross to his good, &c.

The second Remedie against this de­vice2 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that the hand of God may be against a man, when the love and heart of God is much set upon a man; No man can con­clude how the heart of God stands by his hand. The hand of God was against Ephraim, and yet his love, his heart wasIer. 31. 18, 19, 20. Gods provi­dentiall hand may be with persons, when his heart is set against them; Gods provi­dentiall hand was for a time with Saul, Ha­man, Ashur, & Iehu, and yet his heart was set against them. No man knoweth love or hatred by all that is be­fore them. Eccles. 9. 1, 2. dearly set upon Ephraim. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe thus; thou hast chastised mee, and I was chastised as a bullocke unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was tur­ned, I repented; and after that I was instru­cted, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did beare the reproach of my youth. Ephraim is my deare sonne, he is a pleasant child; for since I spake against him, I doe earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowells are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.

God can look sowrly, and chide bit­terly, and strike heavily, even where, and when he loves dearly. The hand of God was very much against Job, and yet [Page 214] his love, his heart was very much set up­on Job, as you may see by comparing the 2. first chap. of Iob with the two last. The hand of God was sore against Da­vid, and Jonah, when his heart was much set upon them. He that shall conclude, that the heart of God is against those that his hand is against, will condemne the generation of the just, whom God unjustly would not have condemned.

The third Remedie against this device3 Remedie. of Satan, is, to consider, that all the crosse providences that befall the Saints, are but in order to some noble good, that God doth intend to conferre upon them. Providence wrote crosse to Da­vids desire, in taking away the child sin­fully begotten, but yet not crosse to a more noble good; for was it not farre better for David to have such a legiti­mate Heire as Solomon was, then that a Bastard should weare the Crown, and sway the Scepter?

Joseph you know, was sold into a far Country by the envy and malice of his brethren, and afterwards imprison­ed, because he would not be a prisoner to his Mistrisses lusts; yet all these cross providences did wonderfully conduce to his advancement, and the preservati­on of his Fathers family, which was then the visible Church of Christ. It was so [Page 215] ordered by a noble hand of providence, that what they sought to decline, they did promote; Joseph was therefore sold by his brethren, that he might not be worshipped, and yet he was therefore worshipped, because he was sold.

David was designed to a Kingdome; but oh the straits, troubles, and deaths, that he run through, before he feels the weight of the Crown; and all this was but in order to the sweetning of his Crown, and to the setling of it more firmly and gloriously upon his head; God did so contrive it, that Jonah's of­fence, and those crosse actings of his that did attend it, should advantage that end which they seemed most dire­ctlyThe motions of divine pro­vidence are so dark, so deep, so changea­ble, that the wisest and no­blest soules cannot tell what conclu­sions to make. to oppose; Jonah he flies to Tan­shish, then cast into the Sea, then saved by a miracle: Then the Marriners, as is very probable, who cast Jonah into the Sea, declared to the Ninivites what had hapned; therefore he must be a man sent of God, and that his threat­nings must be beleeved, and hearkned to, and therefore they must repent, and humble themselves, that the wrath threatned might not be executed, &c.

The fourth Remedy against this de­vice4 Remedie. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that all the strange, dark, deep, and changeable providences that Believers [Page 216] meet with, shall further them in their way to heaven, in their journey to hap­pinesse; divine wisdome and love will so order all things here below, that they shall work for the reall, internall, and eternall good of them that love him. All the rugged providences that David met with, did contribute to theOrosius speak­ing of Valenti­nian, saith, he that for Christs name sake had lost a Tribune ship, within a while after succeed­ed his perse­cutor in the Empire. bringing of him to the Throne; and all the rugged promises that Daniel, and the three children met with, did con­tribute to their great advancement; So all the rugged providences that Belie­vers meet with, they shall all contri­bute to the lifting up of their soules, above all things below God. As the waters lifted up Noah's Ark nearer Hea­ven: and as all the stones that were a­bout Stevens eares, did but knock him the closer to Christ, the corner-stone, so all the strange rugged providences that we meet with, they shall raise us nearer Heaven, and knock us neerer to Christ, that precious corner-stone, &c.

The fourth Device that Satan4 Device. hath to keep the soule in a sad, doubting, & que­stioning conditi­on, is,

BY suggesting to them, that their graces are not true, but counter­feit; saith Satan, all is not gold that glisters, all is not grace that you count grace, that you call grace; that whichYet it must be granted, that many a fair flower may grow out of a stinking root, and ma­ny sweet dis­positions, and fair actions may be where there is onely the corrupt root of na­ture. you call faith is but a fancy, and that which you call zeal, is but unnaturall heat and passion; and that light you have, 'tis but common, 'tis short to what many have attained to, that are now in hell, &c. Satan doth not la­bour more mightily to perswade hypo­crites that their graces are true, when they are counterfeit, then he doth to perswade precious souls that their gra­ces are counterfeit, when indeed they are true, and such as will abide the touch-stone of Christ, &c.

Now the Remedies against this de­vice of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this device of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that grace is taken two wayes.

First, 'tis taken for the gracious good will and favour of God, whereby he is pleased of his owne free love, to accept of some in Christ for his owne. This some call the first grace, because 'tis the fountaine of all other graces, and the Spring from whence they flow; and it's therefore called grace, because it makes a man gracious with God, but this is only in God.

Secondly, grace is taken for the gifts of grace, and they are of two sorts, common, or special.

Some are common to Beleevers, and hypocrites, as a gift of knowledge, a gift of prayer, &c.Gal. 5. 22, 23.

Some are special graces, and they are proper, and peculiar to the Saints, as faith, humility, meeknesse, love, pati­ence, &c.

The second Remedie against this de­vice2 Remedie. of Satan, is, wisely to consider the [Page 219] differences betwixt renuing grace, andGod brings not a paire of scales to weigh our graces, but a touch-stone to try our graces. Purity, preci­ousness, & ho­lines is stampt upon all sa­ving graces. Acts 15. 9. 2 Pet. 1. 1. Iude 20. restraining grace; betwixt sanctifyng grace, and temporary grace, and this I shall shew you in these following par­ticulars

1. True grace makes all glorious within and without. The Kings daugh­ter is all glorious within, her raiment is of wrought gold. True grace makes the un­derastanding glorious, the will glori­ous, the affections glorious, it casts a generall glory upon all the noble parts of the soule; The Kings daughter is all glorious within: And as it makes the inside glorious, so it makes the out-side glorious; Her cloathing is of wrought gold; it makes men looke gloriously, and speak gloriously, and walke, and act gloriously: so that vaine souls shall beActs 4. vers. 8. to vers. 15. forced to say, that these are they that have seen Jesus; as grace is a fire to burn up, and consume the drosse, and filth of the soule, so it is an ornament to2 Cor. 5. 17. [...], a new creation, new Adam, new Cove­nant, new Pa­radise, new Creation, new Lord, new Law, new hearts, & new natures go to­gether▪ beautifie and adorn the soule. True grace makes all new, the inside new, and the out-side new; If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; but temporary grace doth not this. True grace changes the very nature of a man, mo­rall vertue doth only restrain, or chain up the outward man; it doth not change the whole man; a Lion in a [Page 220] grate is a Lion still, he is restrained, but not changed; for he retains his Li­on-like nature still: so temporary gra­ces restraine many men from this and that wickedness, but it doth not change and turn their hearts from wickednesse; but now true grace, that turnes a Lion into a Lamb, as you may see in Paul, Acts 9. and a notorious strumpet, into a blessed and glorious Penitent, as you may see in Mary Magdalen, &c. Luke 7.

2. The objects of true grace are su­pernaturall; true grace is conversant about the choisest, and the highest ob­jects,2 Cor. 4. 18. chap. 11. Hebr. 15. Prov. 14. A Saint hath his feet where other mens heads are. Matth. 6. about the most soul-enobling, and soul-greatning objects, as God, Christ, precious promises, that are more worth then a world; and a Kingdome that shakes not, a Crown of glory that wi­thers not, and Heavenly treasures that rust not. The objects of temporary grace are low, and poor, and alwayes within the compasse of reasons reach.

3. True grace inables a Christian (when he is himselfe) to do spirituall actions with reall pleasure and delight. To souls truly gracious, Christs yoke is Mat. 11. 30. 1 John 5. 3. Rom. 7. 22. easie, and his burden is light, his comman­dements are not grievous, but joyous; I de­light in the law of God after the inward man, saith Paul; the blessed man is de­scribed by this, that he delights in the law Psal. 1. 2. [Page 221] of the Lord; 'Tis joy to the just to doe judg­ment, Prov. 21. 15. saith Solomon; To a gracious soul all the wayes of the Lord are pleasantnesse, and his paths are peace. But to souls that have but temporary grace, but morall vertues, religious services, are a toile, not a pleasure; a burden, and not a de­light: Wherefore have we fasted say they, Isa. 58. 3. and thou seest not? wherefore have wee affli­cted Mal. 3. 14. our soules, and thou takest no knowledg, &c. Yee have said (say those in Mala­chi) it is vaine to serve God, and what profit is it that wee have kept his Ordinan­ces, and that we have walked mournfully be­fore the Lord of Hosts? When will the new Moone be gone (say those in Amos) that Amos 8. 5. we may sell corne? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the Epha small, and the shekell great, and falsifying the balances by deceit.

Fourthly, True grace makes a man most carefull, and most fearfull of his owne heart; it makes him most studious about his owne heart, in­forming that, examining that, andP [...]. 51. 10. Psal. 119. 36. 80. Psal. 139. 23. Psal. 86. 11. Matth. 23. watching over that; but tempora­ry grace, morall vertues, make men more mindfull, and carefull of others to instruct them, and counsell them, and stir up them, and watch over them, &c. which doth with open mouth de­monstrate, that their graces are not sa­ving, [Page 222] and peculiar to Saints; but that they are temporary, and no more then what Judus, Demas, and the Pharisees had, &c.

5. Grace will work a mans heart to love, and cleave to the strictest, and h [...] ­liest wayes and things of God, for their purity and sanctity, in the face of all dangers and hardships; Thy word is very Psal. 119. 140. pure, therefore thy servant loveth it; o­thers love it, and like it, and follow it, for the credit, the honour, the advan­tage that they get by it; but I love it for the spirituall beauty and purity of it. So the Psalmist, All this is come upon us, Psal. 44. 17, 18, 19. Grace is a pa­noply against all troubles, & a paradise of all pleasures. yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant. Our heart is not turned backe, neither have our steps declined from thy way. Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the shadowes of death. But temporary grace that will not beare up the soule against all oppositions and discouragements in the wayes of God, as is cleare by their apostacie in that sixtMat. 13. 20, 21. of John, and by the stony grounds fall­ing away, &c.

6. True grace will inable a man to step over the worlds Crown, to take up Christs Crosse, to preferre the crosse of Christ above the glory and bravery of this world. It inabled Abraham, and [Page 223] Moses, and Daniel, with those otherHeb. 11. Worthies in the 11. of the Hebrews to do so.

Godfrey of Bullen, first King of Jerusa­lem, refused to be crowned with a Crown of Gold, saying, that it becameFew are of Hieroms mind, that had ra­ther have St. Pauls coate with his hea­venly graces, then the pur­ple of Kings with their Kingdoms. 2 Tim. 4. 10. Mat. 19. 20, 21, 22. The King of Navarr told Beza, that in the cause of Religion hee would launch no further in­to the Sea, then he might be sure to re­turn safe to the Haven. not a Christian to weare a Crowne of Gold, where Christ had wore a Crown of thornes; oh! but temporary grace cannot work the soul, to prefer Christs crosse above the worlds Crowne; but when these two meet, a temporary Christian steps over Christs crosse, to take up, and keep up the worlds crown. Demas hath for saken us to embrace this pre­sent world. So the young man in the Gospel had many good things in him, he bid fair for Heaven, and came neer to Heaven; but when Christ set his Crosse before him, he steps over that to enjoy the worlds Crown. When Christ bid him goe, and sell all that he had and give to the poor, &c. He went away sorrowfull, for he had great possessions. If Heaven be to be had upon no other terms, Christ may keep his Heaven to himselfe, hee'l have none, &c.

Then in the seventh place, consider this, that sanctifying grace, renewing grace puts the soule upon spirituall du­ties, from spirituall and intrinsical mo­tives, as from the sense of divine love, [Page 224] that doth constrain the soul to wait onAs what I have, if offe­red to thee, pleaseth not thee, oh Lord without my selfe, so the good things we have from thee, though they may re­fresh us, yet they satisfie us not without thy self. Ber. It is an excel­lent speech of Bernard (bonus es domine, ani­mae quaerenti; quid invenien­ti?) Good art thou oh Lord to the soule that seeks thee, what art thou then to the soul that finds thee. God, and to act for God, and the sense of the excellency and sweetness of com­munion with God, and the choise and precious discoveries that the soule hath formerly had of the beauty and glory of God, whilst it hath been in the service of God. The good looks, the good words, the blessed love-letters, the glorious kisses, and the sweet embraces that gracious soules have had from Christ in his service, do provoke and move them to waite upon him in holy duties; ah but restraining grace, tempo­rall grace that puts men upon religious duties, only from externall motives, as the eare of the creature, the eye of the creature, the rewards of the creature, & the keeping up of a name amongst the creatures, and a thousand such like con­siderations, as you may see in Saul, Je­hu, Judas, Demas, and the Scribes and Pharisees, &c.

The Abbot in Melancton lived strictly, and walked demurely, and look'd hum­bly, so long as hee was but a Monke; but when by his seeming extraordinary sanctity, he got to be Abbot, hee grew intollerable proud and insolent; and being asked the reason of it, confessed, that his former lowly look was, but to see, if he could find the keyes of the Ab­bie. [Page 225] Such poore, low, vaine motives work temporary soules to all the ser­vice they do perform, &c.

8. Saving grace, renewing grace wil cause a man to follow the Lord fully in the desertion of all [...]in, and in the obser­vation of all Gods precepts. Joshua andNumb. 14. 2. [...] hath fulfilled after me; a metaphor ta­ken from a ship under saile, that is strongly carri­ed with the wind, as fear­ing neither rocks, nor sands. Luke 1. 5, 6. Rev. 14. 4. Mat. 23. 23. Caleb followed the Lord fully; Zachari­as and Elizabeth were righteous before God, and walking in all the comman­dements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse. The Saints in the Revelation are described by this, that they follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes; but restraining grace, temporary grace cannot enable a man to follow the Lord fully; all that temporary grace can enable a man to do, is to follow the Lord partially, un­evenly, and haltingly, as you may see in Jehu, Herod, Iudas, and the Scribes and Pharisees, who paid tithe of Mint, and Anise, and Cumming, but omittted the weighty matters of the Law, Judge­ment, Mercy, and faith, &c.

True grace works the heart to thePsal. 119. 104. 128. I had rather goe to hell pure from sin, then to Hea­ven polluted with that filth, saith Anselm. hatred of all sin, and to the love of all truth; it works a man to the hatred of those sins, that for his blood he cannot conquer, and to loath those sins, that he would give all the world to over­come: So that a soule truly gracious can say, though there be no one sinne [Page 226] mortified, and subdued in mee, as it should, and as I would, yet every sinne is hated, and loathed by me. So a soule truly gracious can say, though I doe not obey any one command as I should, and as I would, yet every word is sweet, every command of God is precious; dearly prize, and greatly love thoseDa quod jubes & jube qu [...]d vis, give what thou com­mandest, and command what thou wil [...]. Psal. 119. 119. 127. 167. verses. commands that I cannot obey, though there be many commands that I cannot in a strict sense fulfill, yet there is no command I would not fulfill, that I do not exceedingly love. I love thy com­mandements above gold, above fine gold. My soule hath kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.

9. True grace leads the soule to rest in Christ, as in his (summum bonum) chiefest good; it works the soul to cen­ter in Christ, as in his highest and ulti­mate end; Whether should we goe, thou hast [...] 6. 68. Cant. 5. 10. Cant. 3. 4. Grace is that star that leads to Christ, 'tis that cloud & pillar [...] of fire that leads the soule to that heavenly Ca­naan, where Christ si [...]s chiefe. the worlds of eternall life. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand. I found him whom my soule loved, I held him and would not let him goe.

That wisdome a Beleever hath from Christ, it leads him to center in the wis­dome of Christ; and that love the soule hath from Christ, it leads the soule to center in the love of Christ; and that Righteousnesse the soule hath from Christ, it leads the soule to rest, and [Page 227] center in the Righteousnesse of Christ;1 Cor. 1. 30. Phil. 3. 9. True grace is a beame of Christ, and where it is, it will naturally lead the soul to rest in Christ: The streame doth not more naturally lead to the foun­tain, nor the effect to the cause, then true grace leads the soule to Christ. But restraining grace, temporary grace works the soule to center, and rest in things below Christ; Sometimes it works the soule to center in the pray­ses of the creature, sometimes to rest inMat. 6. 1, 2. Zach. 7. 5, 6. the rewards of the creature; verily they have their reward saith Christ, and so in a hundred other things, &c.

10. True grace will inable a soule to sit down satisfied, and contented with the naked enjoyments of Christ. TheCui cum pau­pertate bene convenit, pauper non est, saith Seneca. A contented man cannot be a poor man. enjoyment of Christ without honour will satisfie the soule; the enjoyment of Christ without riches, the enjoy­ments of Christ without pleasures, and without the smiles of creatures, will content and satisfie the soule. 'Tis e­nough, Joseph is alive. So saith a graci­ous soule, though honour is not, and riches are not, and health is not, andCharles the great his Mot­to was, Christus regnat, vincit, triumphat. And so 'tis the Saints. friends are not, &c. It is enough that Christ is, that he reigns, conquers, and triumphs; Christ is the pot of Mannah, the cruice of oyle, a bottomlesse ocean of all comfort, content, and satisfacti­on; [Page 228] hee that hath him wants nothing; he that wants him enjoys nothing, ha­ving nothing (saith Paul) and yet pos­sessing 2 Cor. 6. 10. Saint Austine upon Psal. 12. brings in God rebuking a discontented Christian thus; what is thy faith? have I promi­sed thee these things? what, wert thou made a Chri­stian that thou shouldst flourish here in this world? all things. Oh! but a man that hath but temporary grace, that hath but restraining grace, cannot sit downe sa­tisfied and contented under the wan [...] of outward comforts; Christ is good with honours, saith such a soule; and Christ is good with riches, and Christ is good with pleasures, and he is good with such and such outward contents. I must have Christ, and the world, or else with the young man in the Gospel (in soight of my soule) I shall forsake Christ to follow the world. Ah! how many shi­ning Professors be there in the world, that cannot sit down satisfied, and con­tented under the want of this, or that outward comfort and content, but are like Bedlams, fretting and vexing, ra­ging, and madding, as if there were no God, no Heaven, no Hell, nor no Christ to make up all such outward wants to soules. I but a soule truly gracious canContent is the deputy of outward feli­city, & sup­plies the place where its absent. As the Jews throw the book of Hester to the ground before they read it, be­cause the name of God is not in it, as the Rabbins have obser­ved: So do Saints in some sense, those mercies wherein they do not read Christs name, & see Christs heart. Luther said, he had rather be in hell with Christ, then in heaven without him. say, In having nothing, I have all things, because I have Christ; having therefore all things in him, I seek no o­ther reward, for hee is the universall reward; such a soule can say, nothing is sweet to me without the enjoyment of Christ in it; honours, nor riches, [Page 229] nor the smiles of creatures are not sweet to me, no further then I see Christ, and tast Christ in them; the confluence of all outward good cannot make a Hea­ven of glory in my soule, if Christ who is the top of my glory be absent. As Ab­solom said, What is all this to mee, so long as I cannot see the Kings face? so saith the soule, what do you tell me of this, and that outward comfort, when I cannot see his face whom my soul loves? why, my honour is not my Christ, nor riches is not Christ, nor the favour of the creature is not Christ; let me have him, and let the men of this world take the world & divide it amongst themselves, I prize my Christ above all; I would in­joy my Christ before all other things in the world; his presence will make up the absence of all other comforts, and his absence will darken, and embitter all my comforts; so that my comforts will neither taste like comforts, nor look like comforts, nor warm like comforts, &c. when hee that shouldLam. 1. 16. comfort my soule stands a far off, &c. Christ is all, and in all to soules truly gracious; we have all things in Christ, and Christ is all things to a Christian;Coloss. 3. 11. None but Christ, none but Christ, said Lambers, listing up his hands, and his singers ends flaming. if we be sick, he is a Physician; if wee thirst, he is a fountaine; if our sinnes trouble us, he is righteousnesse; if wee [Page 230] stand in need of help, he is mighty to save; if we feare death, he is life; if we be in darknesse, he is light; if we be weake, he is strength; if we be in po­verty, he is plenty; if we desire Hea­ven, he is the way. The soule cannot say, this I would have, and that I would have; but saith Christ, 'tis in me, 'tis in me, eminently, perfectly, eternally.

The fifth Device that Satan5 Device. hath to keepe soules in a sad, doubting, and questioning con­dition, is,

BY suggesting to them, that that con­dictIohn 8. 44. The Devill is a lyar, and [...]he Father of it. The De­vils breasts saith Luther, [...]re very fruit­full with lies. that is in them, is not a con­flict that is onely in Saints; but such a conflict that is to be found in hypo­crites, and prophane soules; when the truth is, there is as much difference be­twixt the conflict that is in them, and that which is in wicked men, as there is betwixt light and darknesse, betwixt Heaven and H [...]ll. And the truth of this I shall evidence to you in the follow­ing particulars.

1. The whole frame of a B [...]leevers [Page 231] soul is against sin; understanding, will, and affections, all the powers and facul­ties'Twas a good prayer of him that said (Do­mine libera me a malo homine meipso.) Lord deliver mee from an ill man my selfe. Austine com­plains, that men doe not tame the beasts in their own bosomes. Rom. 2. 21, 22, 23. of the soule are in armes against sin. A covetous man may condemne cove­tousnesse, and yet the frame and bent of his heart may be to it; a proud person may condemn pride, and yet the frame of his spirit may be to it; & the drunk­ard may condemne drunkennesse, and yet the frame of his spirit may be to it; a man may condemn stealing and lying, and yet the frame of his heart may be to it. Thou that preachest a man should not steale, dost thou steale? Thou that sayest a man should not commit Adultery, dost thou commit Adultery? Thou that ab [...]orrest idols, dost thou commit sacriledg? Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the law, dishonourest thou God? But a Saints will is against it. The evill that I would not doe, I doe; and his affections are a­gainstRom. 7. 19. 17. it, what I hate, I doe.

2. A Saint conflicts against sin univer­sally,Psal. 119. 104. I hate every false way, Sa­nethi from [...] which signi­fies to hate with a deadlyly and irre­conciliable hatred. the least as well as the greatest, the most profitable, and the most pleasing sin, as well as against [...]hose that are lesse pleasing and profitable; he will com­bate with all, though he cannot con­quer one as he should, and as he would; he knowes that all sin strikes at Gods holiness, as well as his own happiness; at Gods glory, as well as at his soules comfort and peace.

He knows that all sinne is hatefull to God, and that all sinns are Traytors to the Crown and dignity of the Lord Je­sus. He looks upon one sin, and seesHe knows that all the parts of the old man hath, and doth play the part of a treacherous friend, and a friendly tray­tor; therefore his heart strikes at all. The greater the combat is, the greater shall be the following rewards, saith Tertullian. that that threw down Noah, the most righteous man in the world; and hee looks upon another sinne, and sees that that cast down Abraham, the greatest be­leever in the world; and he looks upon another sinne, and sees that that threw down David, the best King in the world; and he looks upon another sin, and sees that that cast down Paul, the greatest Apostle in the world. He sees that one sinne threw down Sampson, the strong­est man in the world; another cast down Solomon, the wisest man in the world; and another Moses, the meek­est man in the world; and another sinn cast downe Job, the patientest man in the world, and this raises a holy in­dignation in his soule against all: so that nothing can satisfie, and contentTrue hatred is [...] against the whole kind. Plutarch re­ports of one who would not be resol­ved of his doubts, be­cause he would not loose the pleasure in seeking for resolution. So wicked men will not be rid of some sins, because they would not loose the seeming plea­sure of sinn­ing. his soule, but a destruction of all those lusts and vermine, that vex and rack his righteous heart; it will not satisfie a gracious soul to see Justice done upon one sin, but he cries out for Justice up­on all; he would not have some cruci­fied, and others spared, but cries out, Lord, crucifie them all, crucifie them all. Oh! but now the conflict that is [Page 233] in wicked men is partiall; they frown upon one fin, and smile upon another; they strike at some sins, but stroake o­thers; they thrust some out of doors, but keep others close in their bosomes, as you may see in Iehu, Herod, Iudas, Simon Magus, and Demas. Wicked men strike at gtosse sins, such as are not on­ly against the law of God, but against the Laws of nature and Nations; but make nothing of lesse sinnes, as vaine thoughts, idle words, sinfull motions,John 3. 20. petty oathes, &c. They fight against those sins that fight against their honor, profits, pleasures, &c. but make truce with those that are as right hands, and as right eyes to them, &c.

3. The conflict that is in a Saint a­gainst sin, is maintained by spirituall Arguments, by arguments drawn fromThough to be kept from sin brings com­fort to us, yet for us to op­pose sin from spirituall, and heavenly ar­guments, and God to par­don sin, that brings most glory to God. 2. Cor. 12. 7, 8, 9. the love of God, the honour of God, the sweetness of communion with God, and from the spirituall and heavenly blessings, and priviledges that are con­ferred upon them by God, and from Arguments drawn from the blood of Christ, the glory of Christ, the eye of Christ, the kisses of Christ, and the in­tercession of Christ: And from Argu­ments drawn from the earnest of the Spirit, the seale of the Spirit, the wit­nesse of the Spirit, the comforts of the [Page 234] Spirit. Oh! but the conflict that is in wicked men, is from low, earnall, and legall Arguments drawn from the eye, eare, or hand of the creature, or drawn from shame, hell, curses of the Law, &c

4. The conflict that is in Saints is a'Twas an ex­cellent saying of Eusebius E­mesenus; Our fathers over­come the tor­ments of the flames, let us overcome the fiery darts of vices. Consider that the pleasure and sweetness that follows victory over sin, is a thou­sand times be­yond that see­ming sweet­nesse that is in sinne. constant conflict; though sin and grace were not born in the heart of a St. to­gether, and though they shall not die together, yet whilst a Beeleever lives they must conflict together; Paul had been about fourteen years converted, when he cryed out, I have a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde, and leading mee captive to the law of sinne.

Pietro Candiano, one of the Dukes of Venice, died fighting against the Naura­tines, with the weapons in his hands: so a Saint lives fighting, and dies fighting, he stands fighting, and falls fighting, with his spirituall weapons in his hands. But the conflict that is in wick­ed men is inconstant; now they fal out with sin, and anon they fall in with sin; now 'tis bitter, anon 'tis sweet; now the sinner turns from his sin, and anon he turns to the wallowing in sin, as the swine doth to the wallowing in the mire; one hour you shall have him2 Pet. 2. 19, 20. praying against sin, as if he feared it [Page 235] more then hell, and the next houre you shall have him pursuing after sin, as if there were no God to punish him, no justice to damne him, no hell to tor­ment him.

The conflict that is in the Saints, is 5 in the same faculties; there is the judge­ment against the judgement, the minde against the minde, the will against the will, the affections against the affecti­ons;A Heathen could say, their soule is in a mutiny; a wicked man is not friends with himself, he and his conscience are at diffe­rence. Arist. that is, the regenerate part a­gainst the unregenerate part, in all the parts of the soule; but now in wicked men, the conflict is not in the same fa­culties, but between the conscience and the will; the will of a sinner is bent strongly to such and such sins; but con­science puts in, and tels the sinner God hath made me his Deputy, he hath gi­ven me a power to hang and draw, to examine, scourge, judge, and condemn, and if thou doest such and such wicked­nesse, I shall be thy Jay [...]or, and thy tor­mentor; I doe not beare the rod, nor the sword in vaine, saith Conscience; if thou sinnest I shall doe my office, and then thy life will be a hell, and this rai­ses a tumult in the soule.

6. The conflict that is in the Saints, is a more blessed successefull, and prevail­ing conflict; a Saint by his conflict with sin, gaines ground upon his sin. They [Page 236] that are Christs (saith the Apostle) have These two, Grace and Sin, are like two Buckets at a wel, when one is up, the other is down, they are like the two Law­rels at Rome, when one flourishes, the other withers. The more grace thrives in the soule, the more fin dies in the soule. 2 Tim. 3. 13. From naught they gro [...] to be very naught, and from very naught, to be stark naught. Lactantius saith of Luci­an, Nec diis nec hominibus pepercit, hespa­red neither God nor man. Mortification is a continued act, 'tis a dai­ly dying to sin. I dye daily. A crucified man will strive and struggle, yet in the eyes of the Law, and in the account of all that see him, he is dead; 'tis just so with sin. Psal. 58. 11. There is no such pleasure (saith Cyprian) as to have o­vercome an offered plea­sure, neither is there any greater con­quest, then that that is gotten over a mans corrup­tions. crucified the world with the affections, and lusts. Christ puts to his hand, and helps them to lead captivity captive, and to set their feet upon the necks of those lusts that have formerly trampled upon their souls and their comforts. As the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker, and the house of David grew stronger and stronger, so the Lord by the disco­veries of his love, and by the influences of his spirit, he causes grace, the noble part of a Saint, to grow stronger and stronger, and corruption like the house of Saul, to grow weaker and weaker. But sin in a wicked heart gets ground, and growes stronger and stronger; not­withstanding all his conflicts, his heart is more encouraged, emboldened, and hardened in a way of sin, as you may see in the Israelites, Pharoah, Jehu, and Judas; who doubtlesse found many strange conflicts, [...]umults, and mutinies in their souls, when God spake such bitter things against them, and did such justice upon them.

But remember this by way of Cauti­on, though Christ hath given sinne its deaths wound (by his power, spirit, death, and resurrection) yet it will die but a lingring death: As a man that is mortally wounded, dies by little and [Page 237] little, so doth sin in the heart of a Saint. The death of Christ on the Crosse was a lingring death, so the death of sin in the soule, is a lingering death, now it dies a little, and anon it dies a little, &c. as the Psalmist speaks, Slay them not least my people forget, scatter them by thy power, and bring them downe oh Lord our shield. He would not have them utterly destroyed, but some reliques preserved as a memo­riall: so God dealeth in respect of sin, 'tis wounded and brought downe, but not wholly slaine, something is still left as a monument of the Divine grace, and to keep us humble, wakefull, and watch­full, and that our armour may be still kept on, and our weapons alwayes in our hands. The best mens soules in this life hangs between the flesh and the spi­rit, as it were like Mahomets Tomb at Aleppo, between two load-stones; like Erasmus, as the Papists paint him, be­twixtThe Romanes lost many a battel, [...]nd yet in the issue were Conque­rors in all their wars; 'tis just so with the Saints. Heaven and Hell; like the Tribe of Manasseh, halfe on this side Jordan, in the Land of the Amorites, and halfe on that side in the Holy Land; yet in the issue they shall overcome the flesh, and trample upon the necks of their spiri­tuall enemies.

The Sixth Device that Satan hath to keep a poor soule in a sad, doubting, and questioning condition, is,

BY suggesting to the soule, that sure­ly6 Device. his estate is not good, because he cannot joy and rejoyce in Christ, as once he could, because he hath lost that com­fort and joy that once was in his spirit. Saith Satan, thou knowest the time was, when thy heart was much carried out to joying and rejoycing in Christ; thou doest not forget the time when thy heart used to be full of joy and comfort; but now, how art thou fallen in thy joyes and comforts? Therefore thy estate is not good, thou doest but deceive thy selfe, to think that ever it was good, for surely if it had, thy joy and comfort would have continued. And hereupon the soule is apt to take part with Satan, and say, 'tis even so, I see all is naught, and I have but deceived my owne soule, &c.

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedy against this Device1 Remedie. of Satan, is to consider, that the losse of comfort is a separable adjunct from grace; the soul may be f [...]ll of ho­ly affections, when 'tis empty of Divine consolations. There may be, and of­tenPs. 63. 1, 2, 8. Isa. 50. 10. 7. Mic. 7. 8, 9. Psal. 42. 5, is true grace, yea, much grace, where there is not a drop of comfort, nor a dram of joy. Comfort is not of the be­ing, but of the wel-being of a Christian. God hath not so linked these 2 choice lovers together, but that they may beSpirituall joy is a Sun that is often clouded▪ though it be as precious a flower as most Paradise affords, ye [...] 'tis subject to side and w [...] ­ther. put asunder. That wisdome that is from above, will never work a man to reason thus, I have no comfort, therefore I have no grace, I have lost that joy that once I had, therefore my condition is not good, was never good, &c. but 'twill inable a man to reason thus, tho my comfort is gone, yet the God of my comfort abides; though my joy is lost, yet the seeds of grace remaine. The best mens joyes are as glasse, bright and brit­tle, and evermore in danger of break­ing.

The second Remedy against this De­vice2 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that the precious things that thou still injoyest, are far better then the joyes and comforts that thou hast lost. Thy uni­on with Christ, thy communion with Christ, thy son-ship, thy saint-ship, thy heir-ship, thou still injoyest by Christ, is far better then the comforts thou hast lost by sin; what though thy comforts be gone, yet thy union and communion with Christ remaines, though thy com­forts be gone; yet thou art a Son, thoJer. 31. 18, 19, 20. a comfortlesse Son; an heir, though a comfortlesse heir; a Saint, though a comfortlesse Saint. Though the bag of silver (thy comforts) be lost, yet theWhen one objected to Faninus, his chearfullnesse to Christs A­gony and sad­nesse, he an­swered, Christ was sad, that I might bemer­ry, he had my sins, and I have his righ­teousnesse. box of Jewels (thy union with Christ, thy communion with Christ, thy Son­ship, thy Saint-ship, thy Heir-ship) w^ch thou still injoyest, is far better then the bag of silver thou hast lost; yea, the least of those precious Jewels is more worth, then all the comforts in the world; well, let this be a cordiall to comfort thee, a star to lead thee, and a staffe to support thee, that thy box of Jewels are safe, though thy bag of silver be lost.

The third Remedie against this De­vice3 Remedy. of Satan, is to consider, that thy condition is no other then what hath [Page 241] been the condition of those preciousPsal. 51. 12. Psal. 30. 6, 7. Job 23. 6 8 9. 30. 31. Lam. 1. 16. Mat. 27. 46. soules whose names were written upon the heart of Christ, and who are now at rest in the bosome of Christ. One day you shall have them praising and rejoy­cing, the next day a mourning & weep­ing: one day you shall have them a sing­ing,Psal. 42. 5. The Lord is our portion, the next day a sighing and expostulating with them­selves,Lam. 5. 15. Why are yee cast downe oh our souls? Why is our Harp turned to mourning? And our Organ into the voice of them that weep? &c.

The fourth Remedy against this De­vice4 Remedy. of Satan, is solemnly to consider, that the causes of joy and comfort are not alwayes the same. Happily thy for­mer joy and comfort did spring fromThe spirit doth not eve­ry day make a feast in the soul, he doth not make e­very day to be a day of wearing the wedding robes. the witnesse of the spirit, he bearing witnesse to thy soule that thy nature was changed, thy sins pardoned, thy soule reconciled, &c. Now the Spirit may upon some speciall occasion, bear witnesse to the soul, that the heart of God is dearly set upon him, that he loves him with an everlasting love, &c. and yet the soule may never injoy such a testimony all the dayes of his life a­gain: Though the spirit be a witnes­sing spirit, it's not his office every day to witnesse to believers their interest in God, Christ, Heaven, &c.

Or happily thy former joy and com­fort, did spring from the newnesse and suddennesse of the change of thy con­dition; for a man in one houre to haveA pardon gi­ven unexpe­ctedly into the hand of a malefactor, when he is on the last st [...]p of the ladder, ready to be turn'd off, will cause mu [...]h joy & rejoy­cing; the newnesse and suddennesse of the change of his condi­tion, will cause his heart to leap and rejoyce; yet in proces of time much of his joy will [...]e aba [...]ed, tho his li [...]e be as d [...]a [...] to him still, as ever it was. his night turn'd into day, his darknesse turn'd into light, his bitter into sweet, Gods frownes into smiles, his hatred into love, his hell into a Heaven, must greatly joy and comfort him. It cannot but make his heart to leap, and dance in him, who in one houre shall see Satan accusing him, his owne heart condem­ning him, the eternall God frowning upon him, the gates of Heaven bar'd a­gainst him, all the creation standing armed at the least beck of God, to exe­cute vengeance on him, and the mouth of the infernall pit open to receive him. Now in this hour, for Christ to come to the amazed soule, and say to it, I have trod the Win [...]-presse of my Fa­thers wrath for thee, I have laid down my life a ransome for thee, by my blood I have satisfied my Fathers Justice, and pacified his anger, and procured his love for thee; by my blood I have purcha­sed the pardon of thy sins, thy freedom from hell, and thy right to Heaven, &c. Oh! how wonderfully will this cause the soule to leap for joy?

The fifth Remedy against this Device5 Remedie. of Satan, is, to consider, that God will [Page 243] restore and make up the comforts of his people; though thy candle be put out,Hudson the Martyr deser­ted at the stake, went from under his chain, and having pray­ed earnestly, was comfort­ed immedi­ately, and suffered vali­antly. So Mr. Glover, when he was with­in sight of the stake, cry­ed out to his friend, he is come, he is come, mean­ing the com­forter that Christ pro­mised to send. yet God will light it againe, and make it burn more light then ever; though thy sun for the present be clouded, yet he that rides upon the clouds, shall scat­ter those clouds, and cause the sun to shine, and warm thy heart, as in form [...]r dayes, as the Psalmist speakes, Ps. 71. 20, 21. Thou which hast shewed me great and s [...]re trou­bles, shalt quicken me againe, and shalt bring me up againe from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatnesse, and comfort me on every side. God takes a­way a little comfort, that he may make room in the soule for a greater degree of comfort. This the Prophet Isaiah sweetly shewes, Isa. 57. 18. I have seen his wayes, and will heale him, I will lead him also, and rest [...]re comforts unto him, and to his mourn­ers. Bear up sweetly oh precious soule! thy storme shall end in a calm; and thy dark night in a sun-shine day; thy mourning shall be turn'd into rejoyc­ing, and the waters of consolation shall be sweeter and higher in thy soule, thenSee also the 126 Psal. 6. v. and the 42 Psal. 7, 8. ever; the m [...]rcy is surely thine, but the time of giving it is the Lords: wait but a lit [...]le, and thou shalt find the Lord comforting thee on every side.

The seventh Device that Sa­tan hath to keep souls in a doubting and questio­ning condition, is,

BY suggesting to the soule his often7 Device. relapses into the same sin which formerly he hath pursued with parti­cular sorrow, grief, shame and tears, and prayed, complained, and resolved against. Saith Satan, thy heart is not right with God, surely thy estate is not good, thou dost but flatter thy selfe, to think that ever God will eternally owne, and embrace such a one as thou art, who complainest against sin, and yet relapsest into the same sin, who with teares and groanes confessest thy sin, and yet ever and anon art fallen into the same sin, &c.

I confesse this is a very sad condition for a soule, after he hath obtained mer­cy and pity from the Lord, after God hath spoken peace and pardon to him, and wip't the tears from his eyes, and set him upon his legs, to returne to fol­ly; ah! how doe relapses lay men o­pen [Page 245] to the greatest afflictions, and worstA backslider may say (ope­ra & impensa periit) all my paines and charge is lost. temptations? How doe they make the wound to bleed afresh? How doe they darken and cloud former assurances and evidence [...] for Heaven? How doe they put a sword into the hand of conscience to cut and slash the soule? They raise such feares, terrours, horrours, and doubts in the soule, that the soule can­not be so frequent in duty, as formerly, nor so fervent in duty as formerly, nor so confident in duty as formerly, nor so bold, familiar, and delightfull with God in duty as formerly; nor so con­stant in duty as formerly: they give Satan an advantage to triumph over Christ; they make the work of repent­ance mo [...]e difficult; they make a mans life a burden, and they render death to be very terrible unto the soule, &c.

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this device1 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that there are many Scriptures that doe clearly evidence a possibility of the S^t. falling into the same sins, whereof they have formerly repented. Hos. 14. 4. I will heale their backsliding, I will love them freely, for mine anger is turned away from them, saith the Lord by the Prophet Hosea, so the Prophet Jeremiah speaks, Ier. 3. 12. 14. Goe and pro­claime these words towards the North▪ and say, returne thou back-sliding Israel▪ saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am mercifull▪ saith the The sin of backsliding is a soul-wound­ing sin. I will heale their backsliding: you read of no arms for the back, though you doe for the breast. Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Turne, oh backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, for I am married unto you: And I will take you one of a City, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: So the Psalmist, They turned back and dealt unfaithfully like their Fathers, they were turned aside like a deceitfull bow. And no wonder, for tho their repentance be never so sincere and sound, yet their graces are but weak, [Page 247] and their mortification imperfect inWhen a soul­dier bragged too much of a great scar in his forehead, Augustus Cae­sar (in whose time Christ was borne) asked him if he did not get it when he looked back as he fled. this life; though by grace they are freed from the dominion of sin, and from the damnatory power of every sin, and from the love of all sin, yet grace doth not free them from the seed of any one sin; and therefore 'tis possible for a soule to fall againe and againe into the same sin; if the fire be not wholly put out, who would thinke it impossible that it should catch and burne againe and a­gaine?

The second Remedy against this De­vice2 Remedie. of Satan, is seriously to consider, that God hath no where ingaged him­selfe by any particular promise, that soules converted and united to Christ, shall not fall againe and againe into the same sins after conversion. I cannot find in the whole Book of God, where heIn some cases the Saints have found God better then his word; he prom [...]sed the Children of Israel onely the Land of Canaan, but besides that he gave them two other Kingdomes, which he ne­ver promised. And to Za­chary he pro­mised to give him his speech at the birth of the child, but besides that, he gave him the gift of Prophecy. hath promised any such strength or po­wer against this or that particular sin, as that the soule shall be for ever (in this life) put out of a possibility of falling againe and againe into the same sins; and where God hath not a mouth to s [...]eak, I must not have a heart to believe. God will graciously pardon those sins to his people, that he will not in this life effectually subdue in his people. I would goe far to speak with that soule that can shew a promise, that when our [Page 248] sorrow and grief hath been so great, or so much, for this or that sin, that then God will preserve us from ever falling into the same sin; the sight of such a promise would be as life from the dead, to many a precious soule, who desires nothing more then to keepe close to Christ, and feares nothing more then backsliding from Christ.

The third Remedy against this De­vice3 Remedy. of Satan, is seriously to consider, that the most renowned, and now crow­ned Saints, have in the dayes of their be­ing on earth, relapsed into one and theA sheep may often slip in­to a slough, as well as a swine. same sin. Lot was twice overcome with wine; John twice worshipped the An­gel; Abraham did often dissemble, and Iay his wife open to adultery, to save his owne life, which some Heathens would not have done. And it came to Gen. 20. 13. [...]h. 12. passe, when God caused me to wander from my Fathers house, that I said unto her, this is thy kindnesse which thou shalt shew unto me, at every place whether we shall come, say of me, he is my brother. David in hisPerhaps the Prodigall sets out unto us, a Christian re­lapst; for he was a son be­fore, and with his Father, & then went a­way from him and spent all, and yet he was not quite undone, but returned a­gaine. wrath was resolved, if ever man was, that he would be the death of Nabal, and all his innocent Family, and after this he fell into the foule murther of Ʋriah. Though Christ told his Disciples that his Kingdome was not of this world, yet againe, and againe, and again, three [Page 249] severall times, they would needs be on horse-back, they would faine be high, great, and glorious in this world; their pride and ambitious humour put them (that were but as so many baggars) upon striving for preheminence, and greatnesse in the world, when their Lord and Master told them 3 severall times of his sufferings in the world, and of his going out of the world. Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 18. ch. 1. 2. 3. 30, 31. though a godly man, yet joynes affinity with wicked Ahab, and though he was saved by a miracle, yet soon after he fals into the same sin, and joynes himself with ch. 20. 35. 36, 37. Ahaziah, King of Israel, who did very wickedly. Sampson i [...] by the Spirit of the Lord numbred among the faithful wor­thies,Heb. 11. 32. and yet he fell often into one gross sin, as is evident in the book of Judges; Jud. 14. 15. 16. ch. Peter you know relapst often, and so did Jonah; and this comes to passe, that they may see their owne inability to stand, to resist, or overcome any tempt­ation, or corruption. And that they may be taken off from all false confi­dences, and rest wholy upon God, and onely upon God, and alwayes upon God; and for the praise and honour of the power, wisdome, skill, mercy, andThe Prodigal saw the com­passion of his Father, the greater in re­ceiving him, after he had run away from him. goodnesse of the Physitian of our souls, that can heale, help, and cure, when the disease is most dangerous, when the [Page 250] soule is relapst, and growes worse and worse, and when others say there is no help for him in his God, and when his owne heart and hopes are dying.

The fourth Remedy against this De­vice4 Remedie. of Satan, is, to consider, that ther [...] are relapses into enormities, and there are relapses into infirmities; now 'tis not usuall with God to leave his peopleRelapses into enormities are (peccata vulnerantia & divistantia) wounding & wasting sins. Therefore the Lord is graciously pleased to put under his e­verlasting arms, and stay his chosen ones from fre­quent falling into them. frequently to relapse into enormities, for by his spirit and grace, by his smiles and frownes, by his word and rod, he doth usually preserve his people from a frequent relapsing into enormities; yet he doth leave his choicest ones fre­quently to relapse into infirmities (and of his grace he pardons them in course) as idle words, passion, vaine thoughts, &c. Though gracious soules strive a­gainst these, and complaine of these, and weep over these, yet the Lord to keep them humble, leaves them frequently to relapse into these; and these frequent relapses into infirmities shall never be their bane, because they be their burden

The fift Remedy against this Device5 Remedy. of Satan, is to consider, that there areThere is a great diffe­rence be­twen a sheep that by weak­nesse fals into the mire, & a swine, that delights to wallow in the mire; between a woman that is forced, though she strives, and cries out, and and an allu­ring adultress. involuntary relapses, and there are vo­luntary relapses; involuntary relapses are, when the resolution and full bent of the heart is against sin, when the soul strives with all its might against sin, by [Page 251] sighes and groans, by prayers and tears, and yet out of weaknesse, is forced to fall back into sin, because there is not spirituall strength enough to over­come; Now though involuntary relap­ses must humble us, yet they must never discourage, nor deject us, for God will freely and readily pardon those in course. Voluntary relapses are, when the soule longs, and loves to return to the flesh-pots of Egypt; when 'tis a pleasure, and a pastime to a man to return to his old courses; such voluntary relapses speak out the man blinded, hardned, and ripened for rulne, &c.

The sixth Remedie against this Device 6 Remedy. of Sathan, is, to consider, that there is no such power, or infinite vertue in theChrist upbra­ded his Disci­ples for their unbelief, and hardnesse of heart, who had seene his glory, as the glory of the only begotten son of God, full of grace and truth. 1 John 14. greatest horror, or sorrow the soul can be under for sin, nor in the sweetest, or chosest discoveries of Gods grace, and love to the soule; as for ever to fence, and secure the soule from relapsing into the same sin; Grace is but a created ha­bite, that may be prevailed against by the secret, subtile, and strong workings of sin in our hearts: And those discove­ries that God makes of his love, beau­ty, and glory to the soule, doe not al­ways abide in their freshnesse, and pow­er upon the heart; but by degrees they fade, and weare off, and then the soule [Page 252] may return again to folly; As we see in Peter, who after he had a glorious testi­monyMat. 16. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. 22, 23, 24. from Christ his own mouth, of his blessednesse and happinesse, labours to prevent Christ from going up to Je­rusalem to suffer out of base slavish fears, that he and his fellows could not be se­cure, if his Master should be brought to suffer. And againe, after this, Christ had him up into the Mount, and thereMat. 7. 1, 2, 3. shewed him his beauty, and glory, to strengthen him against the hour of ten­tation that was a comming upon him; and yet soone after he had the honour, and happinesse of seeing the glory of the Lord (which most of the Disciples had not) he basely, and most shameful­ly denies the Lord of glory, thinkingMat. 26. 69. ult. by that means to provide for his owne safety: And yet again, after Christ had broke his heart with a looke of love, for his most unlovely dealings, and bade them that were first acquainted with his resurrection, to goe and tell Peter that he was risen; I say, after all this, slavish fears prevail upon him, and he basely dissembles, and plays ehe Iew with the Iewes, and the Gentile with the Gentiles, to the seducing of Barnabas, Gal 2. 11, 12, 13. &c.

Yet by way of caution, know it's ve­ry rare, that God doth leave his belo­ved [Page 253] ones frequently, to relapse into one and the same grosse sin; for the law of nature is in armes against grosse sins, aswell as the law of grace; so that a gracious soule cannot, dares not, will not frequently returne to grosse folly. And God hath made even his dearest ones dearly smart for their relapses, as may be seen by his dealings with Sam­son, Iehosaphat, and Peter; Ah Lord! what a hard heart hath that man, that can see thee stripping and whipping thy dearest ones for their relapses, and yet make nothing of returning to folly, &c.

The eighth Device that Satan8 Device. hath to keepe soules in a doubting, and que­stioning conditi­on, is,

BY perswading them that theis estate is not good, their hearts are not upright, their graces are not sound, b [...] ­cause they are so followed, vexed, and tormented with 'temptations; 'tis his method, first to vex, and weary the soul with temptations, and then to tempt [Page 254] the soule, that surely 'tis not beloved,He may so tempt, as to make a Saint weary of his life. Job 10. 1. My soule is weary of my life. because 'tis so much tempted; and by this stratagem he keeps many precious souls in a sad, doubting, and mourn­ing temper many years, as many of the precious sonnes of Sion have found by wofull experience, &c.

Now the remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this Device 1 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that those that have been best, and most beloved, have been most tempted by Sa­tan. Though Satan can never rob a Christian of his Crown, yet such is his malice, that hee will therefore tempt, that he may spoyle them of their com­forts; such is his enmity to the Father, that the nearer and dearer any child is to him, the more will Satan trouble him, and vex him with temptations;Pirats do not use to set up­on poor, emp­ty vessels; and beggars need not feare the thiese; those that have most of God, and most rich in grace, shall be most set upon by Sa­tan, who is the greatest and wisest Pi­rate in the world. Christ himselfe was most neer, and most deare, most innocent, and most excell­ent, and yet none so much tempted as Christ; David was dearly beloved, and yet by Satan tempted to number the people; Iob was highly praised by God [Page 255] himselfe, and yet much tempted, wit­nesse those sad things that fell from his mouth, when he was wet to the skin; Peter was much prized by Christ, wit­nesse that choise testimony that Christ gave of his faith and happinesse, and his shewing him his glory in the Mount, and that eye of pity that he cast upon him after his fearfull fall, &c. and yet tempted by Satan. And the Lord said, Luke 22. 31, 32. Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith faile thee not, &c.

Paul had the honour of being exalted as high as high as heaven, and of seeing that glory that could not be exprest; and yet hee was no sooner stept out of Heaven, but he is buffetted by Satan, lest he should be exalted above measure. If2 Cor. 12. 2. 7. these that were so really, so gloriously, so eminently beloved of God; if these that have lived in Heaven, and set their feet upon the stars, have been tempted, let no Saints judge themselves not to be beloved, because they are tempted.

It is as natural for Saints to be temp­ted that are dearly beloved, as 'tis for the Sun to shine, or a bird to sing; the E [...]gle complains not of her wings, nor the Peacock of his train, nor the Night­ingale of her voyce, because these are [Page 256] naturall to them; no more should S^ts. of their temptations, because they are naturall to them; For wee wrestle not a­gainst Ephes. 6. 12. flesh and blood, but against principali­ties, against powers, against the Rulers of the darknesse of this world, against spirituall wickednesse in high places.

The second Remedie against this De­vice 2 Remedy. of Satan, is, to consider, that all the temptations that befall the Saints, shall be sanctified to them by a hand of love; ah! the choise experiences that the Saints get of the power of God, sup­porting them, of the wisdome of God directing them (so to handle their spi­rituall weapons, their graces, as not only to resist, but to overcome) of the mercy and goodnesse of the Lord, par­doning and succouring of them. And therefore saith Paul, I received the mes­senger 2 Cor. 12. 7. Vi [...]e B [...]zam, [...], & [...] Lather said there were three things this made a P [...]eacher; M [...]itation, prayer, and temptation. Satan for to buffet me, lest I should be exalted, lest I should be exalted above measure, 'tis twice in that verse he be­gins with it, and ends with it; if he had not been buffeted, who knows how his heart would have swelled; hee might have been carried higher in conceit, then before he was in his extacie. The school of temptation is a choise school, a school wherein God gives his people the clearest, and the sweetest discoveries of his love; a school wherein God tea­ches [Page 257] his people to be more frequent, and fervent in duty; when Paul was buffeted, then he prayed thrice, that is, frequently, and fervently; A schoole wherein God teaches his people to be more tender, meek, and compassionate to other poor tempted souls then ever; A school wherein God teaches his peo­ple to see a greater evill in sinne then e­ver, and a greater emptiness in the crea­ture then ever, and a greater need of Christ, and free-grace then ever; A school wherein God will teach his peo­ple, that all temptations are but his Gold-smiths, by which he will try, and refine, and make his people more bright and glorious. The issue of all temptations shall be the good of the Saints; as you may see by the temptati­ons that Adam, and Eve, and Christ, and David, and Job, and Peter, and Paul met with. Those hands of power, and love that bring light out of darknesse, good out of evill, sweet out of bitter, life out of death, Heaven out of Hell, will bring much sweet and good to his peo­ple, out of all the temptations that come upon them.

The third Remedie against this Device 3 Remedie. of Satan is, wisely to consider, that no temptations don't hurt nor harm the Saints, so long as they are not resisted [Page 258] by them, and prove the greatest afflicti­on that can befall them; 'tis not Satans tempting, but your assenting; not his enticing, but your yeelding, that makes temptations hurtfull to your soules; if the soule when 'tis tempted, resists the temptation, and saith with Christ, get thee behind mee Satan; and with that young Convert, I am not the man that I Ego non sum ego. was; or as Luther counsells all men, to answer all temptations with these words (Christianus sum) I am a Chri­stian; if a mans temptations be his grea­test affliction, then is the temptation no sin upon his soule, though it be a trou­ble upon his mind: when a soule can look the Lord in the face, and say, ah Lord! I have many outward troubles now upon me, I have lost such and such a neere mercy, and such and such dear desirable mercies, and yet thou that knowest the heart, thou knowest that all my crosses and losses do not make so many wounds in my soule, nor fetch so many sighes from my heart, nor teares from my eyes, as those temptati­ons doe, that Satan follows my soul with: when 'tis thus with the soule, then temptations are only the souls trou­ble, they are not the souls sin.

Satan is a malious and envious ene­mie; [...]metime [...] he [...]hewes his malice, by letting those things abide by the soule, as may most vex, and plague the soule, as Gre­gory observes in his leaving of Jobs wife, which was not out of his forgetfulness, carelesnesse, or any love, or pity to Iob, but to vex, and torment him, &c. and to work him to blaspheme God, despair, and die, &c. as his names are, so is he; his [Page 259] names are all names of enmity; the Accuser, the Tempter, the Destroyer, the Devourer, the envious Man; and this malice, and envy of his, he shewes sometimes by tempting men to such sins as are quite contrary to the tem­perature of their bodies, as he did Ves­pasian and Julian, men of sweet and ex­cellent natures to be most bloody mur­therers; and sometimes hee shews his malice, by tempting men to such things as shall bring hi [...] no honour, nor pro­fit, &c. fall downe and worship mee, to blasphemie, and Atheisme, &c. the thoughts and first motions whereof cause the beart and the flesh to tremble; And sometimes he shewes his malice, by tempting them to those sins, which they have not found their natures prone to, and which they abhor in o­thers, &c.

Now if the soule resists these, and complains of these, and groanes and mourns under these, and lookes up to the Lord Jesus to be delivered from these, then shall they not be put down to the soules account, but to Satans, who shall be so much the more tormen­ted, by how much the more the Saints have beene by him maliciously temp­ted, &c.

Make present and peremptory resi­stance against Satans temptations, bid defiance to the temptation at first sight;When Con­stantine the Emperour was told that there was no means to cure his leprosie, but by bath­ing his body in the blood of Infants, he presently an­swered (malo jemper aegrotare quam tali re­medio conva­lescere) I had rather not be cured, then use such a re­medie. 'tis safe to resist, 'tis dangerous to dis­pute; Eve lost her selfe, and her posteri­ty, by falling into the lists of dispute, when she should have resisted, and stood upon terms of defiance with Satan; he that would stand in the hour of temp­tation, must plead with Christ, 'tis written; he that would triumph over temptations, must plead still, 'tis writ­ten. Satan is bold and impudent, and if you are not peremptory in your resi­stance, he will give you fresh onsets. 'Tis your greatest honour, and your highest wisdome, peremptorily to with-stand the beginnings of a temptation, for an after remedie comes often too late.

Mistris Katherine Bretterge, once, after a great conflict with Satan, said, Reason not with me, I am but a weake woman; if thou hast any thing to say, say it to my Christ, he is my Advocate, my strength, and my re­deemer, and he shall plead for me.

Men must not seek to resist Satans craft with craft (sed per apertum mar­tem) but by open defiance; he shoots with Satan in his own bow; who thinks by disputing and reasoning to put him off. As soon as a temptation shewes its face, say to the temptation, as Ephraim [Page 261] to his idols; get you hence, what have I a­ny Hosea 14. more to doe with you? oh! say to the temptation, as David said to the sonnes of Zerviah; What have I to doe with you? 2 Sam. 16. 10. you will be too hard for me. He that doth thus resist temptations, shall never be undone by temptation, &c.

Make strong and constant resistanceI have read of one who be­ing tempted with offers of money to de­sert Christ, gave this ex­cellent an­swer, let not any man think, that he will embrace other mens goods to for­sake Christ, who hath for­saken his own proper goods to follow Christ. against Satans temptations, make resi­stance against temptations by argu­ments drawn from the honour of God, the love of God, your union and com­munion with God; and from the blood of Christ, the death of Christ, the kind­ness of Christ, the intercession of Christ, and the glory of Christ; and from the voice of the Spirit, the counsell of the Spirit, the comforts of the Spirit, the presence of the Spirit, the seale of the Spirit, the whisperings of the Spirit, the commands of the Spirit, the assi­stance of the Spirit, the witnesse of the Spirit; and from the glory of Heaven, the excellency of grace, the beauty of holinesse, the worth of the soule, and the vildnesse or bitternesse, and evill of sinne, the least sin being a greater evil, then the greatest temptation in the world.

And looke that you make constant resistance, as well as strong resistance; be constant in armes, Satan will come [Page 262] on with new temptations; when oldLuke 4. 14. And when the Devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. Christ had no rest untill he was exactly tried with all kinds of tem­tations. Calvin. ones are too weak in a calme, prepare for a storm; the temper is restlesse, im­pudent, and subtile; he will sute his temptations to your constitutions, and inclinations; Satan loves to saile with the winde; if your knowledg be weake, he will tempt you to errour; if your consciences be tender, he will tempt you to scrupulosity, and too much pre­cisenesse, as to do nothing but heare, pray, read, &c. If your consciences be wide and large, hee will tempt you to carnall security; if you are bold spirit­ed, he will tempt you to presumption; if timerous, to desperation; if flexible, to inconstancy; if proud and stiffe, to grosse folly, therefore still fit for fresh assaults; make one victory a step to a­nother. When you have overcome a temptation, take heed of unbending your bow, and look well to it, that your bow be alwayes bent, and that it remains in strength; when you have o­vercome one temptation, you must Be ready to enter the list with another; as distrust (in some sense) is the mo­ther of safety, so security is the gate of danger; a man had need to feare this most of all, that he fears not all; if Sa­tan be always a roaring, wee should be alwayes a watching, and resisting of [Page 263] him; and certainely, hee that makes strong and constant resistance of Satans temptations, shall in the end get above his temptations, and for the present is secure enough from being ruin'd by his temptations, &c.

For a close of this, remember that tisHe that will yeeld to sin, to be rid of temptation, will be so much the more tempt­ed, and the lesse able to withstand temptations. dangerous, to yeeld to the least sin, to be rid of the greatest temptation. To take this course were, as if a man should think to wash himselfe cleane in Inke; or as if a man should exchange a light crosse made of paper, for an Iron crosse which is heavy, toilesome, and bloody, the least sin set home upon the consci­ence, will more, wound, vex, and op­presse the soul, then all the temptations in the world can; therefore never yeeld to the least sin, to be rid of the greatest temptation. Sidonius Apolinaris rela­teth, how a certain man named Maxi­mus, arriving at the top of honour, by indirect meanes, was the first day very much wearied, and fetching a deep sigh, said, Oh Damocles! how happie doe I e­steem thee, for having been a King but the space of a dinner, I have been one a wholeday, and can beare it no longer. I will leave you to make the Applica­tion.

His first Device to destroy the1 Device. great, and honourable of the earth, is,

BY working them, to make it their businesse to seek themselves, to seek how to greaten themselves, to raiseSelfe-seeking [...]ke the de­luge over­flowes the whole world. themselves, to enrich themselves, to secure themselves, &c. As you may see in Pharaoh, Ahab, Rehoboam, Jeroboam, [Page 265] Absolom, Joab, Haman, &c. But were the Scripture silent, our owne experi­ences do abundantly evidence this way and method of Satan, to destroy the great, and the honourable, to bury their names in the dust, and their souls in Hell, by drawing them wholly to mind themselves, and onely to minde themselves, and in all things to minde themselves, and always to mind them­selves. All (saith the Apostle) minde Phil. 2. 21. themselves, all comparatively, in re­spect of the paucity of others, that let fall their private interests, and drowne all self-respects in the glory of God, and the publick good, &c.

Now the Remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this Device1 Remedie. of Satan is, solemnly to consider,Self-love is the root of the hatred of others. 2 Tim. 3. 2. First, lovers of themselves, & then fierce, &c. that selfe-seeking is a sin that will put men upon a world of sin; upon sins not only against the Law of God, the rules of the Gospel, but that are against the very lawes of Nature, that are so much darkned by the fall of man; It put the Pharisees upon opposing Christ, and [Page 266] Iudas upon betraying Christ, and Pilate The Natura­list observes, that those beasts which are most cruel to others, are most loving to their own. upon condemning Christ. It put Gehe­zi upon lying, and Balaam upon cursing, and Saul and Absolom upon plotting Davids ruine. It put Pharaoh and Ha­man upon contriving wayes to destroy those Jewes, that God did purpose to save by his mighty arme. It puts men upon using wicked ballances, and the bag of deceitfull weights. It puts m [...]n upon wayes of oppression, and selling Amos 2. 6. the righteous for silver, and the poore for a paire of shooes, &c. I know not any sin in the world, but this sin of selfe-seeking will put men upon it, though it be their eternall losse.

The second Remedie against this De­vice2 Remedy. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that self-seeking doth exceedingly a­baseA self-seeker is a Cato with­out, but a Ne­ro within. Do­mitian would seem to love them best, whom he will­ed least should live, & that's the ve­ry temper of selfe-seekers. a man; it strips him of all his roy­alty, and glory; of a Lord, it makes a man become a servant to the creature, I often to the worst of creatures; yea, a slave to slaves, as you may see in Iudas, Demas, Balaam, and the Scribes and Pha­risees. Selfe-seekers bow downe to the creatures; as Gideons many thousands bowed down to the waters; self-seek­ing will make a man say any thing, do any thing, and be any thing, to please the lusts of others, & to get advantages upon others; self-seeking transforms a [Page 267] man into all shapes, and formes; nowIt was death in Moses Rites to counterset that Ceremo­niall, and figu­rative oynt­ment, Exod. 30. what shall it then be to counterseit the spirit of life and holi­nesse. it makes a man appeare as an Angell of light, anon as an Angel of darkenesse; now selfe-seekers are seemingly for God, anon they are openly against God; now you shall have them crying Hosanna in the highest, and anon cruci­cifie him, crucifie him; now you shall have them build with the Saints, and anon you shall have them plotting the overthrow of the Saints, as those selfe­seekers did in Ezra, and Nehemiah's time. Self-seekers are the basest of all persons; there is no service so base, so poor, so low, but they will bow to it. They cannot look neither above, nor beyond their owne lusts, and the enjoy­mentRom. 1. 25. of the creature, these are the prime and ultimate objects of their in­tendments.

'Tis said of Tiberius, that whilst Au­gustus rul'd, he was no wayes tainted in his reputation; and that whilst Drusus and Germanicus were alive, hee feigned those vertues which hee had not, to maintain a good opinion of himselfe in the hearts of the people; but after hee had got himself out of the reach of con­tradiction, and controulment, there was no fact in which he was not faulty, no crime to which he was not accessa­ry. My prayer shall be, that Tiberius his [Page 268] spirit may not be found in any of our Rulers, left it prove their ruine, as it did his; and that where ever it is, it may be detected, loathed, and ejected, that so neither the State, nor soules may be ruin'd by it, &c.

The third Remedy against this De­vice3 Remedy. of Satan, is, solemnly to dwell upon those dreadfull curses, and woes that are from heaven denounced against selfe-seekers. Woe unto them that joyne Isa. 5. 8. house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed a­lone in the midst of the earth. So Habak­kuk, Hab. 6. 9, 10, 11, 12. Crassus a very rich Roman, and a great self-seeker, for greedy desire of Gold, he managed war against the Parthians, by whom both he & 30000. Romans were slain: and be­cause the Bar­barians conje­ctured that he made this as­sault upon them for their gold; therfore they melted gold, & pour­ed it into his dead body, saying (satura de auro) satis­fie thy selfe with gold. Isa. 15. 1, 2. Wo to him that increaseth that which is not his, and to him that ladeth himselfe with thick clay. Woe to him that coveteth an evill covetousnesse to his house, that hee may set his nest on high, that he may be de­livered from the power of evill. Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soule. For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beame out of the timber shall answer it. Woe to him that buildeth a Towne with blood, and stablisheth a City by iniquity. The materialls of the house built up by op­pression, shall come as joynt-witnesses; The stones of the wall shall cry, Lord, we were built up by blood and vio­lence; and the beam shall answer, True Lord, even so it is; The stones shall cry [Page 269] vengeance Lord upon these self-seekers, and the beame shall answer, wo to him, because he built his house with blood. So Isaiah, Woe unto them that decree un­righteous decrees, and that write grievous­nesse which they have prescribed. To turne aside the needy from judgement, and to take away the right from the poore of my people; that widdowes may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherlesse. So Amos, Wo Amos 6. 1. 7. unto them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountaine of Samaria, which are named chiefe of the Nations, to whom the house of Israel came. That put far away the evill day, and cause the seate of violence to come neer. That lie upon beds of Ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eate the Lambs out of the flock, and the Calves out of the midst of the stall. That drinke wine in bowles, and annoint them­selves with the chiefe oyntments, but they are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph. So Micah, woe to them that devise iniquity, Mica 2. 1, 2. Tacitus the Roman Empe­rours word was (fibi bo­nus aliis ma­lus) he that is too much for himselfe, failes to be good to o­thers. and worke evill upon their beds: when the morning is light they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. And they co­vet fields, and take them by violence, and houses, and take them away: so they oppresse a man and his house, even a man and his he­ritage.

By these Scriptures, you see, that selfe-seekers labour like a woman in [Page 270] travell, but their birth proves their death, their pleasure their paine; their comfort, their torment; their glory, their shame; their exaltation, their desolation. Losse, disgrace, trouble, and shame, vexation and confusion will be the certaine portion of selfe­seekers. When the Tartarians had taken in battell the Duke of Muscovia, they made a cup of his skull, with this inscription, All covet, all loose.

The fourth Remedie against this de­vice4 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that self-seekers are selfe-loosers, andAdam seeks himselfe, and looses himself, Paradise, and that blessed Image that God had [...]amp't upon him. Lot seeks him­self, Gen. 13. 10, [...]. and looses himself, and [...]is goods, &c. Peter seeks to save himselfe, and miserably loose himself. Hezekiah in the businesse of the Am­bassadours seeks himself, and looses himself, and his life too, had not God saved him by a Miracle. self-destroyers. Absolom and Judas seek themselves, and hang themselves. Saul seeks himself, and kills himself; Ahab seeks himself, and looses himselfe, his Crown and Kingdome. Pharaoh seeks himself, and overthrows himselfe and his mighty Army in the red sea. Cain sought himselfe, and slew two at once, his brother, and his own soul. Gehazi sought change of rayment, but God changed his rayment into a leprous skin. Haman sought himself, and lost himselfe. The Princes and the Presi­dents sought themselves (in the ruine of Daniel) but ruin'd themselves, their wives and children. That which selfe­seekers think should be a staffe to sup­port them, becomes (by the hand of

Justice) an iron rod to break them; that which they would have as springs to refresh them, becomes a gulf utterly to consume them; the crosses of selfe­seekers shall alwayes exceed their mer­cies, their paine, their pleasure, their torments, their comforts; every selfe­seeker is a selfe-tormenter, a selfe-de­stroyer; he carries a hell, an executio­ner in his own bosome, &c.

The fifth Remedy against this Device5 Remedy. of Satan, is, to dwell much upon the famous examples of those worthy Saints that have denyed themselves, and prefer'd the publick good before their owne particular advantage: As Moses; And the Lord said unto Moses, let me alone that I may destroye them, and blot out their name from under Heaven, and I will make of thee a Nation mig [...]ter, and greater then they; oh! but this offer would not'Tis good to be of his opi­nion & mind, who was rather willing to beautifie Italy then his own house. take with Moses, he being a man of a brave publique spirit, is hot in his de­sires and prayers that the people might be spared and pardoned; saith he, par­don I beseech thee the iniquity of this people, according unto the greatnesse of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt untill now. And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word. A [...]hould God make such an offer to many that write themselves Moses, and are called [Page 272] by many, Moses, I am afraid they would prefer their own advantage above theThe Antients were wont to place the Sta­tues of their Princes by their foun­tains, intima­ting they were (or at least should be) fountains of the pub­lick good. publique good; they would not care what become of the people, so they and theirs might be made great and glori­ous in the world; they would not care so they might have a Babell built for them, though it was upon the ashes, and ruine of the people; baser spirits then these are not in hell, no, not in hell, and I am sure there are no such spirits in Heaven; such mens hearts and principles must be chang'd, or they wil be undone for ever. Nehemiah was aA certaine great Empe­rour coming into Egypt, to shew the zeal he had for the publick good, saith to the Aegyptians, draw from me as from your river Nilus. choice soule, a man of a brave publick spirit, a man that spent his time, his strength, and his estate for the good and ease of his people. Moreover (saith he) from the time that I was appointed to be their Governour in the Land of Judah, from the twentieth yeer, even unto the two and thirtieth yeare of Artaxerxes the King, that is, twelve yeares; I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the Governour. Yea, also I continued in the worke of this wall, neither bought we any land, and all my servants were gathered thither unto the worke. Moreover, there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jewes and Ru­lers, besides those that came unto us from a­mong the Heathen that are about us. Now that which was prepared for me daily, was [Page 273] one Oxe, and sixe choice sheep: also fowles were prepared for me, and once in ten dayes store of all sorts of wine; yet for all this re­quired not I the bread of the Governour, be­cause the bondage was heavy upon the people. Thinke upon me, my God, for good, accord­ing to all that I have done for this people. So Daniel was a man of a brave publick spirit; Then the Presidents and Princes The Coun­sellor saith a States-man should be thus tripartited, his will to God, his love to his Master, his heart to his Countrey, his secret to his friend, his time to busi­sinesse. sought to finde occasion against Daniel, concerning the Kingdome, but they could finde no occasion nor fault, for as much as he was faithfull, neither was there any errour, or fault found in him. Then said these men, we shall not finde any occasion against this Daniel, except we finde it against him, concerning the law of his God.

Christ had a publick spirit, hee laid out himselfe, and laid down himselfe for a publick good. Oh! never leave looking and meditating upon these precious and sweet examples, till your soules are quickned, and raised up, to act for the publick good, more then for your owne particular advantage; ma­nySolomons Tri­bunall was underpropt with Lions, to shew what spirit, and mettall a Ma­gistrate should be made of. Heathens have been excellent at this. Macrobius writes of Augustus Caesar (in whose time Christ was borne) that hee carried such an entire and fatherly affe­ction to the Common-wealth, that he called it (filiam suam) his own daugh­ter, and therefore refused to be called [Page 274] (Dominus) the Lord or Master of his Countrey, and would only be called (pater patriae) Father of his Countrey, because he governed it not by feare (per timorem sed per amorem) but by love; the Senate and the people of Rome joyntly saluting him, by the name of (pater patriae) Father of his Countrey. The people very much lamented his death, using that speech, Would hee had Ʋtinam aut non nasceretur, aut non morere­tur. never been borne, or never dyed. So Mar­cus Regulus, to save his Countrey from ruine, exposed himselfe to the greatest sufferings that the malice and rage of his Enemies could inflict. So Titus and Aristides, and many others have been fa­mous for their preferring the publick good above their own advantage. My prayer is, and shall be, that all our Ru­lers may be so spirited by God, that they may be willing to be any thing, to be nothing, to deny themselves, and to trample their sinfull selves under feet, in order to the honour of God, and a publick good, that so neither Saints nor Heathens may be witnesses against them in that day, wherein the hearts & practises of all the Rulers in the world shall be open, and bare before him that shall judge the world in Righteousness, and Judgment, &c.

The sixth Remedy against this Device6 Remedie. [Page 275] of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that self is a great let to divine things, there­fore the Prophets and Apostles were u­sually carried out of themselves, when they had the clearest, choisest, highest, and most glorious visions. Self-seeking blinds the soul, that it cannot see a beau­ty in Christ, nor an excellency in holi­ness; it distempers the palate, that a man cannot taste sweetnesse in the word of God, nor in the ways of God, nor in the society of the people of God; it shuts the hand against all the soule-enriching of­fers of Christ; it hardens the heart aganst all the knocks and entreaties of Christ; it makes the soul as an empty vine, and as a barren wildernesse. Israel is an empty Hosea 10. 1. vine, he brings forth fruit to himself. There is nothing that speaks a man to be more empty, and void of God, Christ, and grace, then self-seeking. The Pharisees Selfe-see [...]ers with Esau, prefer a messe of pottage a­bove thair birth-right, and with the men of She­chem, esteem the bramble above the Vine, the Olive, and the fig­tree, yea emp­ty things a­bove a full Christ▪ & base things above a glorious Christ. were great self-seekers, & great underva­luers of Christ his word & spirit. There is not a greater hindrance to all the du­ties of piety, then self-seeking; oh! this is that that keeps many a soule from loo­king after God, and the precious things of eternity; they cannot waite on GOD, nor act for God, nor a­bide in those ways wherein they might meete with God, by reason of selfe; self-seeking is that which puts many a [Page 276] man upon neglecting, and slighting the things of his peace; self-seekers will neither go into Heaven themselves, nor suffer others to enter, that are ready to take the Kingdome by violence, as you may see in the Scribes and Pharisees. Oh! but a gracious spirit is acted quite otherwayes, as you may see in that sweet Scripture, Cant. 7. 13. At our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new Cant. 7. 13. and old, which I have laid up for thee oh my beloved. All the Church hath and is, isThe Saints Motto is, Propter te, Do­mine, propter te. only for him; let others beare fruit to themselves, and lay up for themselves; gracious spirits will hide for Christ, and lay up for Christ; all the divine in­deavours, and productions of Saints fall into Gods bosome, and empty themselves into his lap. As Christ layes up his merits for them, his graces for them, his comforts for them, his Crown for them: so they lay up all their fruits, and all their loves, all their graces, andThe Saints Motto is, non nobis Domine. all their experience, and all their servi­ces, only for him, who is the soule of their comforts, and the crown, and top of all their royalty, and glory, &c.

The second Device that Satan2 Device. hath to ensnare, and de­stroy the great and honourable of the earth, is,

BY engaging them against the people of the most high, against those that are his jewels, his pleasant portion, the delight of his eye, and the joy of his heart, &c. Thus he drew Pharaoh to en­gageExod. 14. against the children of Israel, and that was his overthrow. So he engagedHester 7. Haman against the Iews, and so brought him to hang upon that gallows that he had made for Mordecai. So he engagedDan. 6. those Princes and Presidents against Da­niel, which was the utter ruine of them and their relations. So in Revel. 20.Revel. 20. 7, 8, 9. 7, 8, 9. And when the thousand yeares are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his pri­son. And he shall goe out to deceive the Na­tions which are in the four quarters of the earth▪ Gog and Magog, to gather them toge­ther to battle: whose number is as the sand of the Sea. And they went up upon the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the Saints about, and the beloved City: [Page 278] and fire came down from God out of Heaven, and consumed them.

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this Device1 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that none have engaged against theAs they said once of the Grecians in the Epigram, whom they thought in­vulnerable; we shoot at them, but they fall not downe, we wound them, and not kill them, &c. Saints, but have been ruin'd by the God of Saints; divine justice hath been too hard for all that have opposed and en­gaged against the Saints, as is evident in Saul, Pharaoh, Haman, &c. He reproved Kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not mine anointed, nor do my Prophets no harm; when men of Balaams spirit tnd princi­ples have been engaged against the Saints, how hath the Angel of the Lord met them in the way, and jusled their bones against the wall? how hath hee broke their backs, and necks, and by his drawn sword cut them off in the prime of their dayes, and in the height of their sins? Ah! what a harvest hath hell hadTanto plas glo­riae referemus quoniam eo plures supera­bimus, the number of opposers makes the Christians conquest the more illustri­ous, said Pae­darelus in E­rasmus. in our dayes, of those who have enga­ged against the Lamb, and those that are called chosen and faithfull? ah how hath divine Justice powred out their [Page 279] blood as water upon the ground? how hath he laid their honour and glory in the dust? who in the pride, and mad­nesse of their hearts said, as Pharaoh, we will pursue, we will overtake, we will di­vide the spoile, our lusts shall be satisfied up­on them: we will draw our sword, our hand shall destroy them; in the things wherein they have spoken & done proudly, Justice hath been above them. History abounds in no­thing more then in instances of this kind, &c.

The second Remedie against this De­vice2 Remedie. of Satan, is to dwell sometime eve­ry morning upon these following Scriptures, wherein God hath engaged himselfe to stand by his people, and for his people, and to make them victorious over the greatest, and wisest of their e­nemies.Isa. 8. 9, 10. Associate your selves (saith the Lord by the Prophet) oh yee people, and Occidit poterant sed vinci non poterant, said Cyprian of the Christians in his time. and yee shall be broken in pieces, and give eare, all ye of far Countries: gird your selves & ye shal be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take coun­sell together, and it shall come to nougbt: speake the word, and it shall not stand, for God is with us. Feare not thou worm Ja­cob, Isa. 41. 14, 15. and ye men of Israel, I will help thee saith the Lord, and thy Redemer the holy one of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth, [Page 280] thou shalt thresh the mountaines, and beate them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Verse 16. Thou shalt fanne them, and the winde shall carry them away, and the whirle-winde shall scatter them, and thou shalt rejoyce in the Lord, and shalt glory in the holy one of Israel. No weapon that is formed against Isa. 54. 17. thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement, thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteous­nesse is of me saith the Lord. Now also ma­ny Mica 4. 11. Nations are gathered together against thee, that say, let her be defiled, and let our eye looke upon Zion. But they know not Verse 12. the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsell; for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floore. Arise and thresh Verse 13. oh daughter of Zion, for I will make thy horne iron, and I will make thy hoofs brasse, and thou shalt beat in pieces many people, and I will consecrate their gaine unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the Zach. 12. 2, 3. whole earth. Behold, I will make Jerusa­lem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burden some stone for all people, all that bur­den themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

The 3. Remedie against this device of3 Remedie. Satan, is, to consider, that you cannot engage against the Saints, but you mustActs 5. 39. It seems to be drawn from the sable of the Gyants, which were said to make War with the Gods. engage against God himselfe, by reason of that neer, and blessed union that is between God and them; you cannot be fighters against the Saints, but you will be found in the casting up of the account, to be fighters against God himself; and what greater madnesse, then for weaknesse it selfe to engage a­gainst an almighty strength; the neer union that is between the Lord and Be­leevers, is set forth by that neer union that is betwixt a husband and his Wife.The soules happinesse consists not in any thing but in its uni­on with God; nor its misery lies not so much in any thing, as in its disunion from God. (They two shall be one flesh; This is a great Mistery, but I speake concerning Christ & the Church) We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones, saith the Apo­stle: This neer union is set forth by that union that is between the head and the members, which make up one body, and by that union that is betwixt the graft and the stock, which are made one by inscition. The union between the Lord and a Beleever is so neer, that you cannot strike a Beleever, but the Lord is sensible of it, and takes it as done to himself, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Acts 9. 4. Isa. 63. 9. me? And in all their afflictions he was affli­cted, &c. Ah soules! who ever enga­ged against God, and prospered? who [Page 282] ever took up the sword against him, but perisht by it? God can speak you to hell, and nod you to hell at pleasure; 'tis your greatest concernment to lay downe your weapons at his feet, and to Psal. 2. 12. kisse the sonne lest he be angry, and you perish in the mid-way.

The 4th Remedie against this Device 4 Remedie. of Satan is, solemnly to consider, thatHic homo potuit apud Deum quod voluit. Said one con­cerning Lu­ther, he could have what hee would of God. you are much engaged to the Saints (as instruments) for the mercies that you do enjoy, and for the preventing and removing of many a judgment, that otherwise might have been your ruine, before this day; were it not for the Saints sake, God would quickly make the Heavens to be as brasse, and the Earth as iron, God would quickly strip thee of thy Robes, and glory, and set thee upon the dunghill with Job: They are the props that bear the world from falling about thy eares, and that keep the iron rod from breaking of thy bones. Therefore he said that hee would Psal. 106. 23. destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away Prayer is (por­ta coeli, clavis Paradisi) the gate of Hea­ven, a key to let us into Paradise. his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

Ah! had not the Saints many a time cast themselves into the breach, betwixt Gods wrath and you, you had been cut off from the land of the living, and have had your portion with those, [Page 283] whose names are written in the dust;When the danger is over the Saint is forgotten, is a French Pro­verb, and that which many Saints in Eng­land have found by ex­perience. many a Nation, many a City, and ma­ny a Family is surrounded with bles­sings for the Josephs sakes that live there­in, and are preserved from many cala­mities and miseries, for the Moseses, the Daniels, the Noahs, and the Jobs sakes, that dwell amongst them. That's a sweet word, Prov. 10. 25. As the whirlewinde passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the [...] Jesodh gnolam from Josadh. righteous is an everlasting foundation, or is the foundation of the world; the righteous is the foundation of the world, which but for their sakes would soon shatter, and fall to ruine: so the Psalmist, Psal. 75. 3. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved, I bear up the pillars of it. Selah. Mary Queen of Scots, that was Mother to King James, was wont to say, that she feared Mr. Knoxes prayer more then an Army of ten thousand men.

The Emperour Marcus Antonius, be­ing in Almany with his Army, was in­closed in a dry Countrey by his ene­mies, who so stopped all the passages, that he and his Army were like to pe­rish for want of water; the Emperours Lievtenant seeing him so distressed, told him that he had heard, that the Chri­stians could obtaine any thing of their God, by their prayers; whereupon the Emperour having a legion of Christi­ans in his Army, desired them to pray to their God, for his and the Armies delivery out of that danger; which [Page 284] they presently did, & presently a great Thunder fell amongst the enemies, and abundance of water upon the Romanes, whereby their thirst was quenched, and the enemies overthrowne without any fight. I shall close up this last Remedy, with those sweet words of the Psalmist. In Judah is God knowne, his name is great Ps. 76. 1, 2, 3. in Israel: In Salem also is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Sion. There brake he the arrowes of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the bettell. Selah.

Secondly, Satan hath his De­vices to ensnare and destroy the Learned and the Wise, and that sometimes

BY working them to pride them­selvesJohn 5. [...]4. in their parts and abilities;1 Kings 22. 22, 23, 24, 25. 1 Cor. 1. 18. to 29. and sometimes by drawing them to rest upon their parts and abilities, & some­times by causing them to make light and slight of those that want their partsThe truth of this you may see i'the lear­ned Scribes and Pharisees. and abilities, though they excell them in grace and holinesse; and sometimes by drawing them to ingage their parts and abilities, in those wayes and things that make against the honour of Christ, the joy of the spirit, the advancement [Page 285] of the Gospel, and the liberty of the Saints, &c.

Now the Remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedy against this Device1 Remedie. of Satan, is, seriously to consider, that you have nothing but what you have received; Christ being as well the fountaine of common gifts, as of saving1 Cor. 4. 7. Quicquid es debes creanti, Quicquid potes debes redimen­ti, said Bern. Whatsoever thou art, thou owest to him that made thee, & what­ever thou hast, thou owest to him that re­deemed thee. grace. What hast thou (saith the Apo­stle) that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received it, why dost thou glory as though thou hadst not received it? There are those that would hammer out their owne happinesse, like the Spider climb­ing up by the thread of her owne weav­ing; of all the parts and abilities that be in you, you may well say, as the young man did of his Hatchet, Alas Master! it was but borrowed; Alas Lord! all I have is but borrowed from that Fountaine that fills all the Vessel in Heaven, and on Earth, and it over­flowes; my gifts are not so much mine,1 Chro. 29. 14. as thine: Of thine owne have we offered unto thee, said that Princely Prophet, &c.

The second Remedy against this De­vice2 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that mens leaning and trusting to their own wits, parts, and abilities, have been their utter overthrow, and ruine;General coun­sels were sel­dome succes­full, because men came with confi­dence, lean­ing to their owne under­standing, and seeking for vi­ctory rather then verity, saith one. as you may see in Achitophel, and those Presidents and Princes that engaged a­gainst Daniel, and in the Scribes and Pharisees; God loves to confute men in their Confidences; he that stands up­on his parts and abilities, doth but stand upon a quick-sand, that will certainly faile him. There is nothing in the world that provokes God more to with-draw from the soul, then this, and how can the soul stand when his strength is de­parted from him? Every thing that a man leanes upon, but God, will be a dart that will certainly pierce his heart through and through; ah! how many in these dayes have lost their estates? their friends? their lives? their souls? by leaning upon their admired parts and abilities? The Saints are describedCant. 8. 5. by their leaning upon their beloved the Lord Jesus; he that leanes onely upon the bosome of Christ, lives the highest, choycest, safest, and sweetest life; miseries alwayes lye at that mans doore, that leans upon any thing below the precious bosome of Christ. Such a man is most in danger, and this is none [Page 287] of his least plagues, that he thinks him­selfe secure. 'Tis the greatest wisdome in the world, to take the wise mans counsell. Trust in the Lord with all thy Prov. 3. 5. heart, and leane not to thine owne under­standing.

The third Remedy against this De­vice3 Remedie. of Satan, is to consider, that you doe not transcend others, more in parts and abilities, then they doe you inJudas and the Scribes & Pha­risees, had great parts, but no grace, the Dis­ciples had grace, but weak parts. grace and holinesse, there may be, and often is great parts and abilities where there is but little grace, yea no grace; and there may be, and often is, a great deale of grace, where there is but weak parts and abilities; you may be higher then others in gifts of knowledge, ut­terance, learning, &c. and those very souls may be higher then you in their communion with God, in their delight­ingLuke 11. 1. Mark 8. 31, 32, 33. Luke 24. 19. to 28. in God, in their dependance upon God, in their affections to God, and in their humble, holy, and unblamable walking before God; Is it folly and madnesse in a man, to make light and slight of another, because he is not so rich in lead, or iron, as he, when he is a thousand thousand times richer in sil­ver and in gold, in Jewels, and in Pearls, then he? And is it not madnesse and folly with a witnesse, in those that have greater parts and abilities then others, [Page 288] [...]o slight them upon that account, when that those very persons, that they make light and slight of, have a thousand times more grace then they? And yet ah! how doth this evill spirit prevaile in the world? 'Twas the sad complaint of Austin in his time, The unlearned (saidSurgeant indo­cti & rapiunt coelum & nos cum doctrinis nostris detrudi­mur in gehennā. he) rise up, and take Heaven by violence, and we with all our learning are thrust down to hell; 'tis sad to see, how many of the Rabbies of these times, doe make an I­dol of their parts and abilities; and with what an eye of pride, scorne, and contempt doe they looke upon those that want their parts, and that doe not worship the idoll that they have set up in their own hearts. Paul who was the great Doctor of the Gentiles, did won­derfully transcend in all parts and abi­lities, the Doctors and Rabbies of our times, and yet ah! how humbly, how tenderly, how sweetly doth he carry himselfe towards the meanest and the1 Cor 9. 22. 2 Cor. 11. 29. weakest; To the weake I became as weake, that I might win the weak; I am made all things to all men, that I might by all meanes save some. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burne not? Where­fore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will ea [...] no flesh while the World standeth, least I make my brother to offend. But ah! how little of this sweet spirit is to be found [Page 289] in the Doctors of our age, who look sowrely, & speak bitterly against those that doe not see as they see, nor cannot speak as they speak. Sirs, the spirit ofIsa. 60. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. the Lord (even in despised Saints) will be too hard for you, and his appearan­ces in them, in these latter dayes, will be so full of spirituall beauty and glo­ry, as that they will darken that, that you are too apt to count and call your glory; the spirit of the Lord will not suffer his choycest jewell grace, to be alwayes buried under the straw, and stubble of parts and gifts.

The fourth Remedy against this De­vice4 Remedy. of Satan, is, to consider, that thereBecanus saith, that the tree of Knowledge beares many leaves, and lit­tle fruit; ah! that it were not so with many in these dayes, who once did out­shine the stars, &c. is no such way for men to have their gifts and parts blasted, and withered, as to pride themselves in them, as to rest upon them, as to make light and slight of those that want them, as to engage them against those persons, wayes, and things that Jesus Christ hath set his heart upon. Ah! how hath God blast­ed, and withered the parts and abilities of many among us, that have once been famous shining lights, how is their sun darkned, and their glory clouded? How Zech. 11. 17. is the sword of the Lord upon their arme, and upon their right eye? How is their arm clean dried up, and their right eye utterly darkned? as the Prophet speaks. This is [Page 290] matter of humiliation and lamentati­on; many precious discerning Saints doe see this, and in secret mourn for it; and oh! that they were kindly sensible of Gods withdrawing from them, that they may repent, keep humble, and car­ry it sweetly towards Gods Jewels, and lean only upon the Lord, and not up­on their parts and understanding, that so the Lord may delight to visit them w^th his grace, at such a rate, as that their faces may shine more gloriously then e­ver, and they may be more serviceable to the honour of Christ, and the faith of the Saints, then formerly they have been, &c.

Thirdly, Satan hath his De­vices to destroy the Saints, & one great Device that he hath to destroy the Saints, is,

BY working them first to be strange,Gal 5. 15. If we knock, we break▪ dis­solution is the d [...]ghter of d [...]ssen [...]ion. and then to divide, and then to be bi [...]er and jealous, and then to bite and devoure one another; our owne wofull experi [...]nce is too great a proof of this. The Israelites in Aegypt did not more [Page 291] vex one another, then Christians in these dayes have done, which occasio­ned a deadly consumption to fall up­on some.

Now the remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedy against this Device1 Remedie. of Satan, is, to dwell more upon one anothers graces, then upon one a­nothers weaknesses and infirmities: 'tis sad to consider, that Saints should haveFlavius Vespa­sianus (the Emperour) was more rea­dy to conceal the vices of his friends, then their virtues; can you think se­riously of this Christians (that a Hea­then should excell you) & not blush? 2 Cor. 2. 7, 8. many eyes to behold one anothers in­firmities, and not one eye to see each o­thers graces; that they should use spe­ctacles to behold one anothers weak­nesses, rather then looking glasses to be­hold one anothers graces. Erasmus tels of one, who collected all the lame and defective Verses in Homers works, but passed over all that were excellent; ah! that this were not the practice of many that shall at last meet in Heaven, that they were not carefull and skillfull to collect all the weaknesses of others, and to passe over all those things that are excellent in them. The Corinthians did eye more the incestuous persons sinne, [Page 292] then his sorrow, which was like to have drown'd him in sorrow.

Tell me Saints, is it not a more sweet, comfortable, and delightfull thing, to look more upon one anothers graces, then upon one anothers infirmities? Tell me, what pleasure, what delight, what comfort is there in looking upon the enemies, the wounds, the sores, the sicknesses, the diseases, the nakednesse of our friends? Now sin you know, is the souls enemy, the souls wound, the souls sores, the souls sicknesse, the soulsNon Gens, sed mens, non Ge­nus sed Genius, Not race, or place, but grace, truly sets forth a m [...]n. disease, the souls nakednesse; and ah! what a heart hath that man that loves thus to look? Grace is the choicest flow­er in all a Christians garden, 'tis the ri­chest Jewell in all his Crown, 'tis his Princely Robes, 'tis the top of Royal­ty, and therefore must needs be the most pleasing, sweet, and delightfull object for a gracious eye to be fixt upon. Sin is darknesse, grace is light, sin is hell, grace is Heaven; and what madnesse is it, to look more at darknesse, then at light; more at hell, then at Heaven?Jam. 5. 11. 2. 25. 1 Pet. 2. 6. vide. Sin is Satans work, Grace is Gods work [...] & is it not most [...]et that the child should eye most, and mind most his Fathers work, &c.

T [...]ll me Saints, doth not God look more upon his people graces, then up­on their weaknesses, surely he doth; he looks more at Davids and Asa's up­rightnesse, then upon their infirmities, though they were great and many; he [Page 293] eyes more Job's patience, then his passi­on, Remember the patience of Job, not a word of his impatience, &c. He that drew Alexander whilest he had a scar upon his face, drew him with his finger upon the scar; God puts his finger up­on his peoples scars, that no blemish may appear; ah Saints! that you would make it the top of your glory in this, to be like your heavenly Father; by so doing, much sin would be prevented, the designes of wicked men frustrated, Satan out-witted, many wounds heal­ed, many sad hearts cheared, and God more aboundantly honored, &c.

The second Remedy against this De­vice2 Remedy. of Satan, i [...], solemnly to consider, that love and unity makes most for your own safety, and security. We shallThere was a Temple of Concord a­mongst the Heathens, and shall it not be found among Christians, that are Tem­ples of the holy Ghost. be insuperabiles, if we be inseperabiles, in­vincible, if wee be inseperable. The world may frowne upon you, and plot against you, but they cannot hurt you; unity is the best bond of safety, in eve­ry Church and Common-wealth. And this did that Scythian King in Plutark, represent lively to his 80 Sons, when being ready to dye, he commanded a bundle of Arrowes fast bound together, to be given to his Sons to break, they all tried to break them, but being bound fast together, they could not, then he [Page 294] caused the band to be cut, & then theyPancirollus saith, that the most precious pearle among the Romans was call'd unio union. broke them with ease: he applyed it thus; My Sons, so long as you keepe together, you will be invincible, but if the band of union be broke betwixt you, you will easily be broken in [...]ie­ces. Plinie writes of a stone in the Island of Scyrus, that if it be whole, though a large and heavy one, it swims above water, but being broken, it sinks: so long as Saints keep whole, nothing shall sink them, but if they break, they are in danger of sinking and drowning, &c.

The third Remedy against this De­vice3 Remedy. of Satan, is to dwell upon those commands of God that doe require youTo act, or run crosse to Gods expresse com­mand, though under pre­tence of Re­velation from God, is as much as a mans life is worth, as you may see in that sad story, 1 Kings 13. 24. to love one another; oh! when your hearts begin to rise against each other, charge the Commands of God upon your hearts, and say to your souls, oh our souls! hath not the eternall God commanded you to love them that love the Lord? And is it not life to obey, and death to rebell? Therefore looke that you fulfill the commands of the Lord, for his commands are not like those that are easily reversed, but they are like those of the Medes that cannot be changed. Oh! be much in ponder­ing upon these Commands of God; A new Commandement I give unto you, that yee John 13. 34. love one another as I have loved you; that [Page 295] yee also love one another. 'Tis called a newSome con­ceive it to be an Hebraisme, in which lan­guage, new, rare, and most excellent are Synonima's. John 15. 12. 17. commandement, because 'tis renewed in the Gospel, and set home by Christs example, and because 'tis rare, choise, speciall, and remarkable above all o­thers. This is my commandement, that ye love one another as I have loved you. These things I command you, that ye love one ano­ther. Owe no man any thing, but love one another; for he that loveth another, hath Rom. 13. 8. fulfilled the Law. Let brotherly love con­tinue. Heb. 13. 1. Love one another, for love is of 1 Iohn. 4. 7. God: And every one that loveth is borne of 1 Pet. 1. 22. God, and knoweth God. See that ye love Chap. 3. v. 8. one another with a pure heart fervently. Fi­nally, be ye all of one minde, having com­passion one of another. Love as brethren, be pittifull, be courteous. For this is the mes­sage 1 Iohn 3. 11. that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. And this is his Verse 23. Commandement, that wee should beleeve on the name of his sonne Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us commandement. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love Chap. 4. v. 11. one another.

Oh! dwell much upon these preci­ous commands, that your love may beThe Ancients use to say commonly that Alexander and Ephestion had but one soule in two distinct bo­dies, because their joy and sorrow, glory, and disgrace was mutual to them both. inflamed one to another. In the pri­mitive times it was much taken notice of by the Heathens, that in the depth of misery, when fathers and mothers forsook their children, Christians (o­therwise [Page 296] strangers) stuck one to ano­ther, whose love of Religion proved firmer then that of nature. Ah! that there were more of that spirit among the Saints in these dayes. The world was once destroyed with water, for the heat of lusts, and 'tis thought it will be again destroyed with fire, for the cold­nesse of love.

The fourth Remedie against this De­vice4 Remedy. of Satan, is, to dwell more upon those choice and sweet things, wherein you agree, then upon those things wherein you differ; ah! did you but thus, how would sinfull heats be aba­ted, and your love raised, and your spirits sweetned one to another; you a­gree in most, you differ but in a few; you agree in the greatest, and weightiest; as concerning God, Christ, the spirit, the Scripture, &c. you differ only in those points that have been long disputable amongst men of greatest piety, and parts; you agree to own the Scripture, to hold to Christ the Head, and to walkWhat a sad thing was it that a Hea­then should say, No beasts are so mis­chievous to men, as Chri­stians are one to another. according to the lawes of the new crea­ture. Shall Herod and Pilate agree? shall Turks and Pagans agree? shall Beares and Lions, Tygers and Wolves, yea, shall a le­gion of Devills agree in one body? and shall not Saints agree, who differ only in such things as have least of the heart [Page 297] of God in them? and that shall never hinder your meeting in heaven, &c.

The fifth Remedie against this Device5 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that God delights to be stiled (Deus pacis) the God of peace; and Christ to be stiled2 Cor. 13. 11. Isa. 9. 6. Ʋbi pax ibi Christus, quia Christus pax, where peace is, there is Christ, because Christ is peace. (Princeps pacis) the Prince of peace; and King of Salem, that is, King of Peace; and the Spirit is a spirit of Peace. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, Gal. 5. 22. Oh! why then should not the Saints be children of peace? Certainely men of froward, unquiet, fiery spirits cannot have that sweet evidence of their interest in the God of Peace, and in the Prince of Peace, and in the spirit of Peace, as those precious souls have that follow after the things that make for love and peace. The very name of peaceDulce nomen pacis said the Oratour. The Grecians had the statue of peace with Pluto, the god of Riches in her Arms. is sweet and comfortable; the fruit and effect thereof pleasant, and profitable, more to be desired then innumerable Triumphs; 'Tis a blessing that ushers in a multitude of other blessings. The Ancients were wont to paint Peace in the form of a Woman, with a horne of plenty in her hand. Ah! peace and love among the Saints is that which will se­cure them, and their mercies at home; yea, it will multiply their mercies, it wil engage the God of mercy to crown them with the choicest mercies, and 'tis [Page 298] that will render them most terrible, in­vincible, and successefull abroad; love and peace among the Saints, is that which puts the counsells of their Enemies to a stand, and renders all their enterprizes abortive; 'tis that which doth most weaken their hands, wound their hopes, and kill their hearts, &c.

The sixth Remedie against this Device6 Remedie. of Satan, is, to make more care and conscience of keeping up your peaceThere is no fear of know­ing too much, but there is much feare in practising too little. with God; ah Christians! I am afraid, that your remisness herein is that which hath occasioned much of that sowre­nesse, bitternesse, and divisions that be among you; ah! you have not as you should kep't up your peace with God; and therefore 'tis that you do so dread­fully breake the peace among your selves. The Lord hath promised, That Prov. 16. 7. when a mans wayes please him, he will make his enemies to be at peace with him; ah!Pharnaces sent a Crown to Caesar at the same time hee rebelled a­gainst him▪ but he retur­ned the Crown, & this message back (faceret impe­rata prius) let him return to his obedience first; there is no sound peace to be had with God or man, but in a way of o­bedience. how much more then would God make the children of peace to keep the Peace among themselves, if their wayes did but please him? All creatures are at his beck and check. Laban followed Jacob with one Troup, Esau met him with a­nother, both with hostile intentions; but Jacobs wayes pleasing the Lord, God by his mighty power so works, [Page 299] that Laban leaves him with a kisse, and Esau meets him with a kisse; he hath an oath of one, tears of the other, and peace with both; if we make it our bu­sinesse to keep up our league with God, God will make it his worke, and his glory to maintain our peace with men; but if men make light of keeping up their peace with God, 'tis just with God to leave them to a spirit of pride, envy, passion, contention, division, and con­fusion, to leave them to bite and devour one another, till they be consumed one of ano­ther, &c.

The seventh Remedie against this De­vice7 Remedie. of Satan, is, to dwell much up­on that neer relation, and union that is between you; this consideration had a sweet influence upon Abrahams heart. And Abraham said unto Lot, Let there be Gen. 13. 8. [...] Oh let there be no bitter­ness between us, for we are brethren. no strife I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen, and thy herdmen, for we be brethren. That is a sweet word in the Psalmist; Behold, how good, and how pleasant it is for brethren to live together in unity. It is not good, and not plesant;The party co­loured coats were charact­ers of the Kings chil­dren, so is following af­ter peace now. or pleasant and not good, but good and pleasant; there be some things that be (bona sed non jucunda) good, and not pleasant, as patience and discipline; and there be some things that are plea­sant, but not good, as carnall plea­sures, [Page 300] voluptuousnesse, &c. and there are some things that are neither good, nor pleasant, as malice, envy, worldly sorrow, &c. and there are some things that are both good and pleasant, as pi­ety, charity, peace and union among brethren; and oh! that wee could see more of this among those that shall one day meet (in their Fathers King­dome) and never part, &c. And as they are brethren, so they are all fel­low-members. Now yee are the body of 1 Cor. 12. 27. Christ, and members in particular.

And again, We are members of his bo­dy, of his flesh, and of his bones. ShallEphes. 5. 30. the members of the naturall body be serviceable, and usefull to one another, and shall the members of this spirituall body cut, and destroy one another? Is it against the Law of Nature for the na­turall members to cut, and slash one a­nother? and is it not much more a­gainst the Law of Nature, and of grace, for the members of Christs glorious bo­dy to do so? And as you are all fellow­members, so you are all fellow-soul­diersRevel. 12 7, 8. Heb. 2. 10. under the same Captain of salva­tion, the Lord Jesus, fighting against the world, the flesh, and the Devill. And as you are all fellow-souldiers, so are you all fellow-sufferers under the same enemies, the Devill, and theRevel. 2. 10. [Page 301] world. And as you are all fellow-suffe­rers,John 15. 19▪ 20. Heb. 13. 1 [...]. Heb. 1 [...]. [...]. so are you fellow-travellers to­wards the Land of Canaan, the new Je­rusalem that is above. Here we have no a­biding City, but we looke for one to come; the heires of Heaven are strangers on earth. And as you are all fellow▪ tra­vellers, so are you all fellow-heirs ofRom. 8. 17. the same Crown and inheritance.

The eighth Remedie against this De­vice 8 Remedie. of Satan, is, to dwell upon the mi­series of discord; dissolution is theOur dissenti­ons are one of the Jews grea­test stumbling blocks; can you thinke of it, and your hearts not bleed? daughter of dissention; ah! how doth the name of Christ, and the way of Christ suffer by the discord of Saints? how are many that are entring upon the wayes of God hindered, and sadded, and the mouths of the wicked opened, and their hearts hardned against God, and his ways, by the discord of his peo­ple? Remember this, the disagreement of Christians is the Devills triumph; and what a sad thing is this, that Chri­stians should give Satan cause to tri­umph. 'Twas a notable saying of one, take away strife, and call backe peace, lest thou loose a man thy friend, and the Devill an enemie joy over you both, &c.

The ninth Remedie against this De­vice9 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that 'tis no disparagement to you to be first in seeking peace, and reconcile­ment, [Page 302] but rather an honour to you,They shall both have the name, and the note, the comfort, and the credite of being most like unto God, who first begin to pur­sue after peace. that you have begun to seek peace. A­braham was the elder, and more worthy then Lot, both in respect of grace, and nature also (for hee was unkle unto Lot) and yet he first seeks peace of his inferiour, which God hath recorded as his honour. Ah! how doth the God of peace by his spirit, and messengers pursue after peace with poor creatures. God first makes offers of peace to us. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ, as 2 Cor. 5. 20. though God did beseech you by us: wee pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God Gods grace first kneels to us, and who can turn their backs upon such blessed, and bleeding embracements; but soul [...], in whom Satan the God of this world kings it? God is the party wronged, and yet he sues for peace with us at first. I said, Isa. 65. 1. behold me, behold mee, unto a Nation that was not called by my name; ah! how dothBehold mee, behold me, 'tis gemina­ted to shew Gods exceed­ing forward­nesse to shew savour and mercy to them. the sweetnesse, the freenesse, and the ri­ches of his grace break forth, and shine upon poor soules. When a man goes from the sun, yet the sun-beams follow him: so when wee goe from the Sun of Righteousnesse, yet then the beames of his love and mercy follow us. Christ first sent to Peter that had denyed him, and the rest that had forsaken him; Goe your wayes, and tell his Disciples and Pe­ter, [Page 303] that he goeth before you into Galilee, Marke 16. 7. there shall yee see him, as he said unto you.

Ah souls! 'tis not a base, low thing, but a God-like thing, though we are wronged by others, yet to be the first in seeking after peace, such actings will speake out much of God with a mans spirit, &c.

Christians! 'tis not matter of liberty, whether you will, or you will not pur­sue after peace; but 'tis matter of duty that lies upon you, you are bound by expresse precepts to follow after peace; and though it may seem to flie from you, yet you must pursue after it. Fol­low Heb. 12. 14. [...], it signifies to follow after peace, as the persecutor doth him whom he per­secuteth. Psal. 34. 14. peace with all men, and holinesse, with­out which no man shall see the Lord. Peace and holiness is to be pursued after with the greatest eagernesse that can be ima­gined: So the Psalmist, Depart from e­vill, and do good, seeke peace, and pursue it; the Hebrew word that is here rendred seeke is in Pihil, and it signifies to seeke earnestly, vehemently, affectionately, [...] studiously, industriously, and pursue it: that Hebrew word signifies earnestly [...] to pursue, being a Metaphor taken from the eagernesse of wilde Beasts, or rave­nous [...] Fowles, which will run, or flye both fast, and far, rather then be disap­pointed of their prey. So the Apostle presses the same duty upon the Romans, [Page 304] Let us follow after the things that make for Rom. 14. 19. peace, and things wherewith one m [...]y edefie another.

Ah! you froward, sower, dogged Christians, can you looke upon these commands of God without teares, and blushing? I have read a remarkable story of Aristippus, though but a Hea­then,Plutarch. who went of his owne accord to Aeschines his enemy, and said, shall we never be reconciled, till wee become a Table-talk to all the Countrey? And when Eschines answered, he would most gladly be at peace with him; Remem­ber then said Aristippus, that though I were the elder and better man, yet I sought first unto thee. Thou art indeed said Aeschines, a far better man then I; for I began the quarrell, but thou the reconcilement. My prayer shall be, that this Heathen may not rise in judg­ment against the flourishing Professours of our times; Who whet their tongues like Psal. 64. 3. a sword, and bend their bowes to shoot their arrowes, even bitter words.

The tenth Remedie against this device10 Remedy. of Satan, is, for Saints to joyne toge­ther, and walk together in the wayes of grace and holinesse, so far as they do a­gree, making the word the only touch­stone, and judge of their actions. That is sweet advice that the Apostle gves; I [Page 305] presse toward the marke for the price of the Phil. 3. 14. high calling of God, in Christ Jesus. Let Verse 15. us therefore as many as be perfect (compa­ratively, or conceitedly so) be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveale even this unto you. Nevertherlesse, whereto we have already at­tained, Verse 16. let us walke by the same rule, let us minde the same thing.

Ah Christians! God looses much, and you loose much, and Satan gains much by this, that you doe not, that you will not walke lovingly together, so far as your wayes lye together; 'Tis your sinne and shame that you doe not, that you will not pray together, and heare together, and conferr together, and mourn together, &c. because thatGreat is the power of joynt-prayer. Mary Queen of Scots, said, she seared more the prayers of Mr. Knox, and his accomplices, then an Army of 30000. men. in some far lesser things you are not a­greed together; what folly and mad­nesse is it in those, whose way of a hundred miles lies fourscore and nine­teen together, yet will not walk so far together, because that they cannot goe the other mile together; yet such is the folly and madnesse of many Christians in these dayes, who will not do many things they may doe, because they can­not doe every thing they should doe. I feare God will whip them into a better temper before he hath done with them; He will breake their bones, and pierce [Page 306] their hearts; but he will cure them of this malady, &c.

And be sure you make the word the onely Touch-stone, and Judge of all persons and actions. To the Law and to Isa. 8. 20. the Testimony, if they speake not according to this word, 'tis because there is no light in them. 'Tis best and safest, to make that to be the judge of all men, and things now, that all shall be judged by in the latter day. The word (saith Christ)Iohn 12. 48. that I have spoken, the same shall judg him in the last day. Make not your dim light, your notions, your fancies, your opi­nions, the Judge of mens actions, but still judge by rule, and plead, 'tis writ­ten, when a vaine, importunate soule cryed out in contest with a holy man, heare me, heare me; the holy man an­swered, Neither heare me, nor I thee, but Nec ego te, nec tu me, sed am­bo audiamus Apostulum. let us both heare the Apostle.

Constantine in all the disputes before him with the Arrians, would still call for the word of God, as the only way, if not to convert, yet to stop their mouths, &c.

The 11. Remedy against this Device11 Remedie. of Satan, is, to be much in self-judging.1 Cor. 11. 31. Judge your selves, and you shall not be judg­ed of the Lord: ah! were ChristiansIts storied of Nero himself, being un­clean, he did think there was no man chaste. hearts more taken up in judging them­selves, and condemning themseves, they [Page 307] would not be so apt to judge and cen­sure others, and to carry it sowrly, and bitterly towards others that differ from them. There are no souls in the world, that are so fearfull to judge others, asIn the Olym­pick games, the wrestlers did not put their Crowns upon their own heads, but upon the heads of o­thers; 'tis so with souls, that are good at selfe­judg­ing. those that do most judg themselves, nor so carefull to make a righteous judge­ment of men, or things, as those that are most carefull to judge themselves. There are none in the world that trem­ble to think evill of others, to speak e­vill of others, or to do evill to others, as those that make it their businesse to judge themselves; there are none that make such sweet constructions, and charitable interpretations of men, and things, as those that are best, and most in judging themselves. One request I have to you, that are much in judging others, and little in judging your selves; to you that are so apt, and prone to judge rashly, falsly, and un­righteously, and that is, that you will every morning dwel a little upon these Scriptures.

Judge not that yee be not judged. For Math. 7. 1. with what judgement yee judge, yee shall be judged: and with what measures ye meet, it Verse 2. shall be measured to you again. Judge not ac­cording Iohn 7. 24. to appearance, but judge righteous judgment. Let not him that eateth not, judg Rom. 14. 3. him that eateth, for God hath received him. [Page 308] Why dost thou iudge thy brother? or why dost Verse 10. thou set at nought thy brother? we shall all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ. Let us not judge one another any more, but Versa 13. judge this rather, that no man put a stum­bling blocke, or an occasion to fall in his brothers way. Judg nothing before the time, 1 Cor. 4. 5. untill the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse, and will manifest the counsells of the hearts, and then shall every man have praise of God. Speak not evill one of another (brethren)Iam. 4. 11. he that speaketh evill of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evill of the Law, & judgeth the Law; but if thou judg­est the Law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a Judge. There is one Law-giver, who Verse 12. is able to save, and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? who art thou that judg­est Rom. 14. 4. another mans servant? to his own Master he standeth or falleth: yea, he shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand.

One Delphidius accusing another be­fore Julian, about that which he could not prove; the party denying the fact, Delphidius answers, if it be sufficient to deny what is laid to ones charge, who shall be found guilty? Iulian answers, and if it be sufficient to be accused, who can be innocent? You are wise, and know how to apply it.

The 12. Remedie against this Device 12 Remedy. [Page 309] of Satan is this. Above all, labour to be 1 Pet. 5. 5. cloathed with humility. Humility makes a man peaceable among brethren, fruit­full in well doing, cheerfull in suffer­ing, and constant in holy walking; hu­mility fits for the highest services wee owe to Christ, and yet will not neglectIohn 13. 5. the lowest service to the meanest Saint. Humility can feede upon the meanest dish, and yet 'tis maintained by the choicest delicates, as God, Christ, and glory; Humility will make a man bless him, that curses him, and pray for those that persecute him. An humble heart is a habitation for God, a scholarHumility is (conservatrix vir virtutum) saith Bernard, that which keeps all gra­ces together. for Christ, a companion for Angels, a preserver of grace, and a fitter for glo­ry. Humility is the nurse of our gra­ces, the preserver of our mercies, and the great promoter of holy duties. Hu­mility cannot finde three things on this side Heaven; it cannot find fulnesse in the creature, nor sweetnesse in sinne, nor life in an Ordinance without Christ. An humble soule always finds three things on this side Heaven; the soule to be empty, Christ to be full, and every mercy and duty to be sweet, wherein God is injoyed. Hu­mility can weep over other mens weak­nesses, and joy, and rejoyce over their graces. Humility will make a man1 Thes. 1. 2, 3. quiet, and contented in the meanest [Page 310] condition, and 'twill preserve a man from envying others prosperous con­dition. Humility honours those that are strong in grace, and puts two handsEphes. 3. 8. under those that are weak in grace. Humility makes a man richer then o­ther men, and it makes a man judge himselfe the poorest among men. Hu­mility will see much good abroad, when it can see but little at home; Ah Christians! though faith be the champion of grace, and love thee nurse of grace, yet humility is the beautifier of grace; it casts a generall glory upon all the graces in the soule; ah! did Christians more abound in humility,The humble soul is like the violet, which grows low, hangs the head downwards, and hides it selfe with his own leaves, and were it not that the fragrant smel of his many vertues disco­ver him to the world, he would choose to live and die in his self contenting secresie. they would be lesse bitter, froward, and sower; and they would be more gen­tle, meek, and sweet in their spirits and practises. Humility will make a man have high thoughts of others, and low thoughts of a mans selfe; it will make a man see much glory and excellency in others, and much basenesse and sinful­nesse in a mans selfe; it will make a man see others rich, and himself poor; others strong, and himself weak; others wise, and himself foolish. Humility will make a man excellent at covering others infirmities, and at recording their gracious services, and at delight­ing in the [...] graces; it makes a man joy [Page 311] in every light that out-shines his owne, and in every winde that blowes others good; Humility is better at beleeving, then 'tis at questioning other mens hap­pinesse. I judge, saith an humble soul, 'tis well with these Christians now, but it will be far better with them hereaf­ter; they are now upon the borders of the new Ierusalem, and 'twill be but as a day before they slide into Ierusalem. An humble soule is willinger to say, Heaven is that mans, then mine, and Christ is that Christians, then mine, and God is their God in Covenant, then mine; ah! were Christians more hum­ble, there would be lesse fire, and more love among them then now is, &c.

Lastly, as Satan hath his De­vicesLast Device. to destroy gracious soules, so he hath his de­vices to destroy poore igno­rant soules, and that some­times

BY drawing them to affect igno­rance, and to neglect, slight, andHos 4. 6. Prov. 22. 29. despise the means of knowledg; igno­rance is the mother of mistake, the [Page 312] of trouble, error, and of terrourMat. 22. 29. 'tis the high way to hell, and it makes a man both a prisoner and a slave to the Devill at once. Ignorance unmans aIgnorants have this ad­vantage (ut mitius ardeant) they have a cooler hell. man, it makes a man a beast, yea, it makes him more miserable then the beast that perisheth; there are none so easily, nor so frequently taken in Sa­tans snare, as ignorant souls; they are ea­sily drawn to dance with the Devill all day, and to dreame of supping with Christ at night, &c.

Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow.

THe first Remedie against this Device1 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that an ignorant heart is an evill heart; without knowledge, the minde is not good. Prov. 19. 2.

As an ignorant heart is a naughty heart, 'tis a heart in the dark, and noIgn [...]at sane improbus om­nis, saith Ari­ris [...]otle. M [...]. 6. 22. good can come into a dark heart, but it must passe through the understanding; and if the eye be darke, all the body is dark. A leprous head, and a leprous heart are inseparable companions; ignorant hearts are so evill, that they let flye on all hands, and spare not to spit their [Page 313] venone in the very face of God, as Pha­raoh did, when thick darknesse was up­on him.

The second Remedie against this De­vice2 Remedie. of Satan, is to consider, that igno­rance is the deformity of the soule; As blindnesse is the deformity of the face, so is ignorance the deformity of the soule; as the want of fleshly eyes spoils the beauty of the face, so the want of spirituall eyes spoils the beauty of the soule. A man without knowledg, is as a work-man without his hands, as a painter without his eyes, as a traveller without his legs, or as a ship without sailes, or a bird without Wings, or like a body without a soule.

The third Remedy against this Device3 Remedie. of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that ignorance makes men the objects of Gods hatred and wrath. It is a people Heb. 3. 10, 11. They must needs e [...]re that know not Gods wayes, yet cannot they wander so wide as to misse of hell. Isa. 27. 11. 2 Thes. 1. 8. that do erre in their hearts, and have not knowne my wayes; Wherefore I sware in my wrath, they should never enter into my rest. My people are a people of no understan­ding, therefore he that made them, will have no mercy on them Christ hath said, that he will come in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know not God. Ig­norance will end in vengeance: When you see a poor blind man here, you doe not loath him, nor hate him, but you [Page 314] pity him; oh! but soul-blindness makes you abhominable in the sight of God; God hath sworn that ignorant persons shall never come into Heaven, HeavenHos. 4. 6. [...] cut off. Rome saith Ignorance, is the mother of devotion; but the Scripture faith, 'tis the mother of de­struction. 4 Remedy. it selfe would be a hell to ignorant soules. My people are destroyed for want of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will reject thee.

Chilo one of the seven Sages, being asked what God had done, answered, he exalted humble men, and suppressed proud, ignorant fooles.

The fourth Remedie against this de­vice of Satan, is, to consider, that igno­rance is a sin that leads to all sins. All sins are seminally in ignorance: You doe Mat. 22. 29. erre, not knowing the Scriptures; It puts men upon hating and persecuting the Saints. They shall hate you, and put you Iohn 16. 2, 3. out of the Synagogues, yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that Aristotle makes igno­rance the mother of all the misrule in the world. 1 Tim. 1. 13. he doth God service. And these things will they doe unto you, because they have not known the Father nor me. Paul thankes his ignorance for all his cruelties to Christians. I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mer­cie, because I did it ignorantly; 'twas ig­norance that put the Jewes upon cruci­fying Christ; Eather forgive them, saith Christ of his murtherers, for they know 1 Co [...]. 2. 8. not what they doe; for if the Princes of this [Page 315] world had known, they would not have cru­cified the Lord of glory. Sinne at the first was the cause of ignorance, but now ignorance is the cause of all sin: swear­ing, They did like Oedipus, who killed his fa­ther Laius, K. of Thebes, and thought he killed his ene­my. and lying, and killing, and stealing & whoring abound, saith the Prophet, be­cause there is no knowledg of God in the Land. There are none so frequent, and so impudent in the wayes of sin, as ignorant soules; they care not, nor mind not what they do, nor what they say against God, Christ, Heaven, holi­nesse, and their own soules. Our tongues Hosea 4. 1, 2. Psal. 73. 8, 9. are our owne, who shall controule us? They are corrupt, and speake wickedly, concerning oppression, they speake loftily. They set their mouth against the Heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Have all the Psal. 14. 4. workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eate up my people as they eate bread, and call not upon the Lord.

And now to prevent Objections, I shall lay down some Propositions, or Con­clusions concerning Satan and his Devi­ces, and then give you the Reasons of the Point, and so come to make some Use and Application of the whole to our selves.

The first Proposition or Con­clusion I shall lay downe is this.

THat though Satan hath his Devices 1 Proposition. to draw soules to sin, yet we must be carefull, that we do not lay all our temptations upon Satan, that we doe not wrong the Devill, and father that upon him, that is to be fathered upon our own base hearts; I thinke that of­tentimes men charge that upon the De­vill, that is to be charged upon their own hearts. And the Lord said unto the Gen. 3. 13. woman, VVhat is this that thou hast done? and the woman said, the Serpent beguiled me, and I did eate. Sin and shifting came into the world together. This is no small basenesse of our hearts, that they will be naught, I very naught, and yet will father that naughtinesse upon Sa­tan. Man hath an evill root within him; that were there no Devil to tempt him, nor no wicked men in the world to entice him, yet that root of bitter­nesse, that cursed sinfull nature that is in him, would draw him to sin, though he knows before hand, that the wages of sinne is eternall death. For out of the [Page 317] heart proceed evill thoughts, murders, adul­teries, Rom. 6. ult. Mat. 5. 19. fornications, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies. The whole frame of man isCum primum nascimur in om­nt continuo pra­vitate versa­mur; we are no sooner borne then buried in a bog of wick­ednesse, Tully. out of frame, the understanding is dark; the will crosse, the memory slippery, the affections crooked, the conscience corrupted, the tongue poisoned, and the heart wholly evill, only evill, and continually evill. Should God chaine vp Satan, and give him no liberty to tempt, or entice the sons of men to va­nity, and folly; yet they would not, yet they could not but sin against him, by reason of that cursed nature that is in them, that will still be a provokingIude 15, 16. them to those sins, that will provoke and stir up the anger and wrath of God against them. Satan hath only a per­swading sleight, not an enforcing might; he may tempt us, but without our selves, he cannot conquer us; heeIames 1. 4. may entice us, but without our selves, he cannot hurt us; our hearts carries the greatest stroak in every sin. Satan [...]. The fire is our wood, though it be the Devills flame, Nazi­anzen. can never undoe a man without him­selfe, but a man may easily undo him­selfe without Satan. Satan can onely present the golden cup, but he hath no power to force us to drinke the poyson that is in the cup; he can only present to us the glory of the world, he cannot force us to fall down and worship him, [Page 318] to enjoy the world, he can only spread his snares; he hath no power to force us to walke in the mid'd of his snares; therefore do the Devill so much right, as not to excuse your selves, by your accusing him, and laying that load up­on him, that you should lay upon your owne hearts.

The second Proposition is this.

That Satan hath a great hand, and stroak in most sinnes. 'Twas Satan thatGen. 3. 1. 4, 5. tempted our first Parents to Rebellion. 'Twas Satan that provoked David to1 Chron. 21. 1. number the people. 'Twas Satan that put Peter upon rebuking Christ; there­fore saith Christ, Get thee behind me, Sa­tan. Mat. 16. 22, 23. 'Twas Satan that put Cain upon murdering of righteous Abel: there­fore 'tis that he is called a murderer from Iohn 8. 44. the beginning. 'Twas Satan that put trea­son into the heart of Judas, against Christ. And supper being ended, the Devill Iohn 13. 2. having put it into the heart of Iudas Iscatiot, Simons son, to betray him. 'Twas Satan that pu [...] Ananias upon lying: Peter said,Acts 5. 3. Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the holy Ghost? As the hand of Io­ab was in the tale of the woman of Te­koah, so Satans hand is usually in all the sins that men commit; such is Sa­tans [Page 319] malice against God, and his envyDiaholus tendat deus orobat. Tertul. against man, that he will have a hand one way or another in all their finnes, though ke knows that all the sins that he provokes others to, shall be charged upon him to his greater woe, and eter­nall torment. Ambrose brings in the Devill boasting against Christ, and cha­lenging Judas as his owne; hee is not thine Lord Jesus, hee is mine; his thoughts beat for me; he eats with thee, but is fed by me; he takes bread from thee, but money from me; he drinks wine with thee, and sells thy blood to me; such is his malice against Christ, and his wrath and rage against man, that he wil take all advantages to draw men to that, that may give him advan­tage to triumph over Christ, and mens soules for ever.

The third Proposition is this.

That Satan must have a double leave,3 Proposition. before he can do any thing against us; he must have leave from God, and leave from our selves, before he can act any thing against our happinesse; he must have his commission from God, as you may see in the example of Iob; thoughIob 1. 11, 12. Chap. 2 v 3, 4, 5. the Devil had malice enough to destroy him, yet he had not so much as power to touch him, till God gave him a Com­mission.

They could not so much as enter in­toLuke 8. 32. the swine without leave from Christ; Satan would faine have combated with Peter; but this could not he doe with­out leave; Satan hath desired to have you, Luke 22. 13. to winnow you: So Satan could never have overthrown Ahab and Saul, but by1 Kings 22. a commission from God; Ah! what a cordiall, what a comfort should this be to the Saints, that their greatest, subti­lest, and watchfullest enemie cannot hurt, nor harme them without leave from him, who is their sweetest Savi­our, their dearest husband, and their choysest friend.

And as Satan must have leave fromAdversaria po­ [...]e [...] non habet vim c [...]gendi, sed persuaden­di Is [...]do [...]e. God, so he must have leave of us: when he tempts, we must assent; when hee makes offers, we must hearken; when he commands, we must obey, or else all his labour and temptations will be fru­strate; and the evill that he tempts us to, shall be put down only to his ac­count; that's a remarkable passage of the Apostle in Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan Acts 5. 3. filled thy heart to lie to the holy Ghost? &c.

He doth not expostulate the matter with Satan, he doth not say, Satan, why They are the wor [...], and grossest lyars, who pretend Re [...]igion, and the Spirit, and yet are acted onley by carnall princi­ples to carnal ends. host thou filled Ananias heart to make him lie to the holy Ghost? but he expostulates the case with Ananias; Peter said, Ana­nias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie [Page 221] to the holy Ghost? Why hast thou given him an advantage to fill thy heart with infidelity, hypocrisie, and obstinate audacity, to lie to the holy Ghost? as If he had said, Satan could never have done this in thee (which will now for ever undoe thee) unlesse thou hadst first given him leave. If when a temptation comes, a man cries out, and saith; ah Lord! here is a temptation that would force me, that would deflowr my soul, and I have no strength to with-stand it; oh! help, help, for thy honours sake, for thy Sonnes sake, for thy promise sake, 'tis a signe that Satan hath not gained your consent, but committed a rape upon your soules, which he shall dearly pay for.

The fourth Proposition is this.

That no weapons, but spirituall4 Proposition. weapons will be usefull and serviceable to the soule in fighting, and comba­ting with the Devill; this the Apostle shewes, VVherefore take unto you (saithEphes. 6. 13. he) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand in the evill day, and having done all, to stand. So the same Apostle tells you, that the weapons of your warfare are not carnall, but mighty through God, to 2 Cor. 10. 4. the casting downe of strong bolds; you have [Page 322] not to do with a weak, but with a migh­tyWe read of many that out of greatnesse of spirit could offer violence to nature, but were at a loss when they come to deale with a cor­ruption, or a temptation. enemy; and therefore you had need look to it, that your weapons are migh­ty, and that they cannot be, unlesse they are spirituall; carnall weapons have no might, nor spirit in them towards the making of a conquest upon Satan. 'Twas not Davids sling, nor stone that gave him the honor, & advantage of setting his feet upon Goliah, but his faith in the name of the Lord of Hosts. Thou comest 1 Sam. 17. 45. to me with a sword, with a speare, and with a shield: but I am come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the Armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. Hee thatHeraclius his Motto was (a Deo victoria) it is God that gives victo­ries, and that should be e­very Christi­ans Motto.) fights against Satan, in the strength of his owne resolutions, constitution, or education, will certainely flie and fall before him; Satan will be too hard for such a soule, and lead him captive at his pleasure. The onely way to stand, conquer, and triumph, is still to plead, 'tis written, as Christ did. There is no sword, but the two-edged sword of theMat. 4. 10. Spirit; that will be found to be mettle of proofe, when a soule comes to en­gage against Satan: Therefore when you are tempted to uncleannesse, plead, 'tis written, Be ye holy as I am holy. And 1 Pet. 15. 16 [...] 2 Cor. 5. 7. Chap. 1. l [...]t us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holinesse in the [...]eare of the Lord. If he tempts [...] you to [Page 323] distrust Gods providence, and fatherly care of you, plead, 'tis written, They Psal. 34. 9. that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good. 'Tis written, The Lord will give Psal. 84. 11. grace and glory, and no good thing will hee with-hold from them that purlely live. If he tempt you to feare, that you shall faint, and fall, and never be able to run to the end of the race that is set beforeIob 17. 9. you, plead, 'tis written, The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger, and stronger. 'Tis written, I will make an everlasting cove­venant with them, that I will not turne a­way Ier. 32. 40. from them, to doe them good, but I wil put my feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. 'Tis written, They that wait upon the Lord, they shall renew their Isa. 40. 31. strength: they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walke, and not [...]aint. If Satan tempt you to think, that because your sunne for the present is set in a cloud, that therefore 'twill rise no more, and that the face of God will shine no more upon you? that your best days are now at an end, and that you must spend all your time in sorrow, and fighing? plead, 'tis written, He will turn again, he Mica. 7. 19. will have compassion upon us, and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 'Tis writ­ten, For a small moment have I forsaken Isa. 54. 7. [Page 324] thee, but with great mercies will I gather Verse 8. thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. 'Tis written, The mountaines shall depart, and the hills be Verse 10. removed, but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee, neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercie on thee. 'Tis written, Can a wo­man Isa. 49. 15. forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the Verse 16. palmes of my bands, thy walls are continu­ally before me. If ever you would be too hard for Satan, and after all your as­saults have your bow abide in strength, then take to you the word of God, which is the two-edged sword of the Spirit, Ephes. 6. 1. and the shield of faith, whereby you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the De­vill. 'Tis not spitting at Satans name, nor crossing your selves, nor leaning to your owne resolutions, that will get you the victory.

Luther reports of Staupicius a German Minister, that he acknowledged him­self, that before he came to understand aright the free and powerfull grace of God, that he vowed, and resolved an hundred times against some particular [Page 325] sinne, and never could get power over it; at last he saw the reason, to be his trusting to his own resolution; there­fore be skilfull in the word of righte­ousnesse, and in the actings of faith up­on Christ, and his victory, and that Crown of glory that is set before you, and Satan will certainly flye from you, Iames 4. 7. &c.

The fifth Proposition is this.

That we may read much of Satans5 Proposition. nature, and disposition, by the divers names and Epithites, that are given him in the Scriptures. Sometimes he is called Behemoth, which is bruta, where­byIob 40. 15. the greatnesse, and brutishnesse of the Devill is figured. Those evill spirits are sometimes called [...], Accusers, for their calumnies and slanders; and [...] evill ones for their malice: Satan is Ad­versarius, an adversary that troublethRevel 9. and molesteth: Abaddon is a destroyer. They are called Tempters for their sug­gestion, Lions for their devouring, Dra­gons for their cruelty, and Serpents for their subtlety, &c. As his names are, so is he; as face answers to face, so do Sa­tans names answer to his nature; hee hath the worst names, and the worst nature of all created creatures, &c.

The sixth and last Proposition is this.

That God will shortly tread downe6 Proposition. Rom. 16. 20. [...] sun­tripsei from suntribo, the Greek word signifies to break, or crush a thing to pie­ces, being ap­plyed to the feet; it noteth that breaking or crushing, which is by stamping up­on a thing. Satan under the Saints feet. Christ our Champion hath already won the Field, and will shortly set our feet upon the necks of our spirituall enemies. Satan is a foiled Adversary, Christ hath led him captive, and triumph't over him upon the Crosse. Christ hath already overcome him, and put weapons into your hands, that you may overcome him also, & set your feet upon his neck. Though Satan be a roaring Lion, yet Christ, who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah will make Satan flye, and fall before you. Let Satan doe his worst, yet you shall have the honour and the happiness to triumph over him. Cheer up, you precious sons of Sion, for the certainty and sweetnesse of Victory will abun­dantly recompence you, for all the paines you have taken, in making resist­ance against Satans temptations. The broken horns of Satan shall be Trump­ets of our triumph, and the Cornets of our joy, &c.

Now I shall come to the Rea­sons of the Point, and so draw to a close, &c.

THe first Reason is, that their hearts1 Reason. may be kept in an humble, pray­ing,The Philoso­pher had a ball of brasse in his hand, which if he chanced to sleep with, the fall into a ba­son awaked him to his studies; You are wise: and know how to apply it. watching frame; oh! hath Satan so many devices to ensnare, and undoe the soules of men? how should this a­waken dull, drowsie soules, and make them stand upon their watch? A Saint should be like a Seraphim, beset all over with eyes and lights, that he may avoid Satans snares, and stand fast in the hour of temptation. The Lord hath in the Scripture discovered the several snares, plots, and devices that the Delill hath to undo the soules of men, that so be­ing forwarn'd, they may be forearm'd, that they may be alwayes upon their watch-tower, and hold their weapons in their hands, as the Iewes did in N [...]he­miah's time, &c.

The second Reason is, from that ma­lice,2 Reason. envy, and enmity that is in Satan,Malice cares not what it saith, or doth, it may kill or gall. against the souls of men; Satan is full of envy and enmity, & that makes him ve­ry studious, to suit his snares and plots to the tempers, constitutions, fancies, [Page 328] and callings of men, that so hee may make them as miserable as himself. The Russians are so malicious, that you shall have a man hide some of his own goods in the house of him, whom he hateth, and then accuse him for the stealth of them: so doth Satan out of malice toAn envious heart and a plotting head are insepara­ble compani­ons. the soules of men, hide his goods, his wares, as I may say, in the soules of men, and then goe, and accuse them be­fore the Lord, and a thousand, thou­sand other wayes Satans malice, envy, and enmity puts him upon, eternally to undoe the precious soules of men, &c.

The third Reason is drawn from that3 Reason. long experience that Satan hath had, he is a spirit of mighty abilities, and his abilities to lay snares before us, are mightily increased by that long stand­ing of his; hee is a spirit of above five thousand yeares standing; he hath had time enough to studie all those wayes, and methods, which tend most to en­snare, and undo the souls of men: And as he hath time enough, so he hath made it his whole study, his only study, his constant study to find out snares, depths and stratagems, to entangle, and over­throw the soules of men; when he was but a young Serpent, he did easily de­ceive, and out-wit our first Parents, but now he is grown that Old Serpent, asGen. 3. [Page 329] John speakes, Hee is as olde as the world, Revel. 12. 9. and is grown uery cunning by experi­ence.

The fourth Reason is, in Judgement4 Reason. to the men of the world, that they may stumble, and fall, and be ensnared for ever; wicked men that withstand the offers of mercy, and despise the spirit of grace; that will not open, though God knocks never so hard by his word, and rod; by his Spirit, and consceience, are given up by a hand of Justice, to be1 King. 22. 22. hardned, deceived, and ensnared by Sa­tan to their everlasting ruine; and what can be more just, then that they should be taken, and charmed with Satans wiles, who have frequently refused to be charmed by the Spirit of grace, though he hath charmed never so wise­ly, and never so sweetly, &c.

The fifth Reason is, That the excel­lency,5 Reason. and power of Gods grace may be the more illustrated, and manifested, by making man able to grapple with this mighty Adversary, and that not­withstanding all the plots, devices, and stratagems of Satan; yet he will make them victorious here, and crown them with glory hereafter; the greater, and the subtiler the enemies of the children of Israel were, the more did divine power, wisdome, and goodnesse spar­kle, [Page 330] and shine; that notwithstanding, all their power, plots, and stratagems, &c. yet to Canan he would bring them at last. When Paul had well weighed this, he sits downe, and glories in his infir­mities, 2 Cor. 12. 7, 8, 9. and distresses, and Satans buffetings, that the power of Christ might rest upon him.

The use of the Point.

IF Satan hath such a world of devices,Ʋse. and stratagems to ensnare, and undo the soules of men, then instead of won­dering that so few are saved, set down, and wonder that any are saved, that a­ny escape the snares of this cunning fowler, who spreads his nets, and casts forth his baits in all places, and in all cases and companies, &c.

But this is not the main thing that I intend to speak to; my main business shall be, to set before you some speciall Rules, and helps against all his Devices, and the first is this.

If you would not be taken by any of 1 Satans Devices, then walk by rule; hee that walks by rule, walks most safely,Prov. 12. 28. Gal. 6. 16. Prov. 15. 24. he that walks by rule, walks most ho­nourably; he that walke by rule, walks most sweetly; when men throw off the [Page 331] word, then God throws off them, and then Satan takes them by the hand, and leads them into snares at his pleasure; he that thinks himselfe too good to be ruled by the word, will be found too bad to be owned by God; and if God doe not, nor will not owne him, Satan will by his stratagems overthrow him. Them that keep to the rule, they shall be kept in the hour of temptation. Be­cause Revel. 10. 3. thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temp­tation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

2. As you would not be taken with any of Satans devices, take heed of vex­ing,Spiritus San­ctus est res de­licata, the di­vine spirit is a very tender thing; if you grieve him, he will certainly grieve and vex your pre­cious soules. Lam. 1. 16. & grieving the holy Spirit of God; 'tis the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ that is best able to discover Satans snar'e unto us; 'tis only he that can point out all his plots, and discover all his me­thods, and inable men to escape those pits that he hath digged for their preci­ous souls; Ah souls! if you set that sweet and blessed spirit a mourning, that a­lone can secure you from Satans depths by whom will you be secured? man is a weake creature, and no way able to discover Satans snares, nor to avoyd them, unles the spirit of the Lord gives skil & power; therfore who ever be grie­ved, be sure the spirit be not grieved [Page 332] by your enormities, nor by your refu­singIsa 63. 10. Psal. 73. 2, 3. the cordials, and comforts that he sets before you; nor by slighting, and dispising his gracious actings in others,1 Thes. 5. 19. Acts 2. 13. nor by calling sincerity, hypocrisie; faith, fancie, &c. nor by fathering those things upon the spirit, that are the brats, and fruits of your own hearts. The spirit of the Lord is your counsel­lor, your comforter, your upholder, your strengthner. 'Tis onely the spirit that makes a man too great for Satan to conquer. Greater is he that is in you, 1 John 4. 4. then he that is in the world.

Thirdly, if you would not be taken with any of Satans devices, then labour for more heavenly wisdome: Ah souls!If men could but see the faire face of wisdome with morta [...]l eyes, they would be in love with her, saith Pla [...]. you are much in the dark, you have but a little to that others have, and to that you might have had, had you not been wanting to your selves. There are ma­ny knowing soules, but there are but a few wise soules; there is oftentimes a great deale of knowledge, where there is but a little wisdome to improve that knowledge; knowledge without wis­domeSine prudentia simplicitas stul­ [...]tia est, Dru­ [...]ius. is like mettle in a blind horse, which is often an occasion of the Riders fall, and of his bones being justled a­gainst the walls. 'Tis not the most knowing Christian, but the most wise Christian, that sees, avoids, and escapes [Page 333] Satans snares. The way of life is above to Prov. 15. 24. the wise (saith Solomon) that he may de­part from hell beneath. Heavenly wis­dome makes a man delight to flye high; and the higher any man flies, the more he is out of the reach of Satans snares; Ah soules! you had need of a great dealMalim pruden­tiae guttam quam foecandi­oris fortunae pe­lagas, said Nazianzen. A Serpents eye is a sin­gular orna­ment in a doves head. of heavenly wisdome, to see where, and how Satan layes his baits, and snares; and wisdome to finde out proper Reme­dies against his Devices, and wisdome to apply those Remedies seasonably, in­wardly, and effectually to your owne hearts, that so you may avoid the snares which that evill one hath laid for your precious soules.

4. If you would not be taken with any of Satans devices, then make pre­sent resistance against Satans first moti­ons; 'tis safe to resist, 'tis dangerous to dispute; Eve disputes, and falls in Pa­radise;Gen. 3. Job resi [...]te, and conquers upon the dunghill. He that will play with Satans bait, will quickly be taken with Satans hook. The promise of conquest is made over to resisting, not to dispu­ting; Resist the Devill, and hee shall file Iam. 4. 7. from you. Ah souls! were you better at re­sisting, then at disputing (though hap­pily you are not very expert at either) your temptations would be fewer, and your strength to stand would be greater then now it is, &c.

Fifthly, if you would not be taken with any of Satans Devices, then la­bour to be filled with the spirit; the spirit of the Lord is a spirit of light and power, and what can a soule doe with­out light, & power against spiritual wick­ednesses Ephes. 6. 12. in high places. 'Tis not enough that you have the spirit, but you must be filled with the spirit, or else (Satan) that evill spirit will be too hard for you, and his plots will prosper against you. That's a sweet word of the Apo­stle,Ephes. 5. 18. [...]. To be filled with the spirit, as the sailes of a ship is filled with wind. Luther saith, a ho [...]y gluttony is to lay on, to seed hard, and to fetch hear­ty draughts, till they be e­ven drunke with loves, & with the a­bundance of the Spirit; & oh! that there were more of such holy gluttony in the world. be filled with the Spirit, i. e. labour for abundance of the spirit; hee that thinks he hath enough of the holy Spi­rit, will quickly find himselfe vanqui­shed by the evill spirit. Satan hath his snares to take you in prosperity & ad­versity, in health & sickness, in strength and weakness; when you are alone, and when you are in company; when you come on to spirituall duties, and when you come off from spirituall duties, and if you are not filled with the Spi­rit, Satan will be too hard, and too crafty for you, and will easily, and fre­quently take you in his snares, and make a prey of you in spight of your soules; therefore labour more to have your hearts filled with the Spirit, then to have your heads filled with notions, your shops with wares, your chests with [Page 325] silver, or your bags with gold, so shall you escape the snares of this fowler, and triumph over all his plots, &c.

Sixtly, if you would not be taken in any of Satans snares, then keep hum­ble;'Tis reported of Satan, that he should s [...]y thus of a lea [...] ­ned man (tu me semper vin­cis) chou do [...]t alwayes over­come me; when I would exalt, & pro­mote thee, thou keepest thy selfe in humility; and when I would throw thee dawne, thou liftest up thy selfe in assurance of faith. An humble heart will rather lie in the dust, then rise by wickednesse; and sooner part with all, then the peace of a good conscience. Humility keepes the soul free from many darts of Satans ca­sting, and snares of his spreading; as the low shrubs are free from many vio­lent gusts, and blasts of wind, which shake and rend the taller trees. The De­vil hath least power to fasten a tempta­tion on him, that is most humble; hee that hath a gracious measure of humi­lity, is neither affected with Satans pro­fers, nor terrified with his threatnings. I have read of one, who seeing in a visi­on many snares of the Devil spread up­on the earth, he sate down, & mourned, and said in himself (Q [...]is pertransiet i­sta) who shal pass through these? wher­unto he heard a voyce answering (hu­militas pertransiet) humility shall; God hath said, that he will teach the humble, Psal. 25. 9. Isa. 57. 15. James 4. 6. and that he will dwell with the humble, and that he will fill and satisfie the humble; And if the teachings of God, the in-dwell­ings of God, if the pourings in of God will not keepe the soule from falling [Page 336] into Satans snares, I do not know what will: And therefore as you would be happy in resisting Satan, and blessed in triumphing over Satan, and all his snares keepe humble, I say again, keep humble, &c.

7. If you would not be taken in any of Satans snares, then keep a strong, close, and constant watch; a secure1 Thes. 5 6. We must not be like Agrip­pas dormouse, that would [...] awake, till cast into boyling lead▪ but effectually mind these following Scriptures, wherein this duty of watchfulnesse [...] strict [...]y enjoyned. soule is already an insnared soul: That soul that will not watch against temp­tations, will certainely fall before the power of temptations; Satan workes most strongly on the fancie, when the soule is drowsie. The soules security is Satans opportunity to fall upon the soule, and to spoil the soule, as Joshua did the men of Ai. The best way to be safe and secure from all Satans assaults, is with Nehemiah, and the Iews, to watch and pray, and pray, and watch; by this meanes they became too hard for their enemies, and the work of the Lord did prosper sweetly in their hands. Re­member how Christ chid his sluggish Disciples, what, could you not watch with Mat. 24. 42. Chap. 26. 41. Mar. 1 [...]. 33, 34, 35. 37▪ Luke 21. 36. me one houre? what, cannot you watch with mee? how will you then dye with mee? If you cannot endure words, how will you endure wounds, &c. Satan always keeps a craftie, and malicious watch, seeking whom he may devour (katapie) or1 Cor. 16. 13. [Page 237] whom he may drink, or sip up, as theColoss. 4. 2. Apostle speaks in that 1 Pet. 5. 8. Satan1 Pet. 4. 7. Revel. 3. 3. is very envious at our condition, that we should enjoy that Paradise out of which he is cast, and out of which hee shall be for ever kept.

Shall Satan keep a crafty watch, andAnniball never rested whe­ther hee did conquer, or was conque­red. 'Tis so with Satan, Learn for shame of the Devill, said blessed Lati­mer, to watch, seeing the Devill is so watchfull. shall not Christians keep a holy spiritu­all watch? our whole life is beset with temptations, Satan watches all oppor­tunities to break our peace, to wound our consciences, to lessen our comforts, to impaire our graces, to slur our evi­dences, and to damp our assurances, &c. Oh! what need then have we to be alwayes upon our Watch-Tower, lest we be surprized by this subtle Serpent. Watchfulnesse includes a waking, a rousing up of the soule; 'Tis a conti­nuall, carefull observing of our hearts and wayes, in all the turnings of our lives, that wee still keep close to God, and his word.

Watchfulnesse is nothing else but the soul running up and downe, too and fro, busie every where; it is the heart busied, and employed with diligent ob­servation of (Quid inde) what comes from within us, and of (Quid unde) what comes from without us, and into us. Ah soules! you are no longer safe and secure, then when you are upon [Page 338] your watch; while Antipater kept the watch, Alexander was safe, and while we keep a st [...]ct watch, we are safe; a watchful soul is a soule upon the wing, a soule out of gun-shot, a soule upon a rock, a soule in a Castle, a soule above the clouds, a soule held fast in everlast­ing armes.

I shall conclude this 7^th head with this advice: Remember the Dragon is subtle, and bites the Elephants ear, and then sucks his blood, because he knows that to be the onely place which the E­lephant cannot reach with his trunck to defend; so our enemies are so sub­till, that they will bite us, and strike us, where they may most mischiefe us, and therefore it doth very much con­cerne us to stand alwayes upon our guard.

Eightly, if you would not be taken with any of Satans snares, and devices, then keep up your communion with God; your strength to stand, and with­stand2 Cor. 6. 16. The words are very sig­nificant in the original, there are two ins, as if God could never have neare e­nough com­munion with them. Satans fiery darts, is from your communion with God; a soul high in communion with God may be tempt­ed, but will not easily be conqu [...]red, such a soul wil fight it out to the death; Communion with God furnisheth the soule with the greatest, and the choisest arguments to withstand Satans tempta­tions; [Page 339] Communion is the result of u­nion; communion is a reciprocall ex­change between Christ, and a gracious soule; Communion is Jacobs ladder, where you have Christ sweetly coming down into the soul, and the soul by di­vine influences sweetly ascending up to Christ. Communion with Christ is ve­ry inflaming, raising, and strengthning; while Sampson kept up his communionThe sea ebbs and flows, the Moon encrea­ses, and de­creases, so 'tis with Saints in their commu­nion with God. with God, no enemy could stand before him, but he goes on conquering, and to conquer; but when he was fallen in his communion with God, he quickly falls before the plots of his enemies; 'twil be so with your soules, so long as your communion with God is kept up, you wil be too hard for spiritual wickednesses in high places; but if you fall from yourPlutarch tells of Eudoxus, that he would be willing to be burnt up presently by the Sun, so he might be ad­mitted to come so near it, as to learne the nature of it; what should not wee be content to suffer for the keeping up of commuion with Christ? communion with God, you will fall as others before the face of every tempta­tion. David, so long as he kept up his communion with God, he stands, and triumphs over all his enemies; but when he was fallen in his communion with God, then he falls before the enemies, that were in his own bosom, & flies be­fore those that pursued after his life; 'Twil be so with your souls, if you doe not keepe up your communion with God. Iob keeps up his communion with God, and conquers Satan upon the dunghill. [Page 340] Adam looses his communion with God, and is conquered by Satan in Paradise. Communion with God is a shield upon land, as well as an anchor at sea; 'tis a sword to defend you, as well as a staffe to support you; therefore keep up your communion.

9. If you would not be taken in any of Satans snares, then engage not a­gainst Satan in your own strength, butThat is a re­markable say­ing of Moses, Exod. 15. God is fortitu­do mea, and Laus mea, and salus mea, my strength, and my praise, and my salvation, all in the ab­stract. be every day drawing new vertue, and strength from the Lord Jesus; certain­ly, that soule that engages against any old or new temptation, without new strength, new influences from on high, will fall before the power of the temp­tation; you may see this in Peter, hee rested upon some old received strength (Though all men should deny thee, yet will not I) and therefore he falls sadly be­fore a new temptation; he curses, andMat. 26. swears, and denies him thrice, that had thrice appeared gloriously to him; ah soules! when the snare is spread, look up to Jesus Christ, who is lifted up in the Gospell, as the brazen Serpent was'Tis but look up, and live, look unto me and be saved from the ends of the earth, [...] 45. 2 [...]. in the wildernesse, and say to him, Dear Lord, here is a new snare laid to catch my soule, and grace formerly received wi [...]hout fresh supplies from thy blessed bosome, will not deliver me from this snare; oh! give me new strength, new [Page 341] power, new influences, new measures of grace, that so I may escape this snare. Ah soules! remember this, that yourJohn 15. 5. [...] is seorsim a me separat, from me, or apart from me, ye can doe no­thing. strength to stand, and overcome, must not be expected from graces received, but from the fresh, and renewed influ­ences of Heaven; you must leane more upon Christ then upon your duties, you must leane more upon Christ, then up­on spirituall taft [...] and discoveries; you must leane more upon Christ, then up­on your graces, or else Satan will lead you into captivity, &c.

Tenthly, and lastly, If you would not be taken in any of Satans snares, then be much in prayer; prayer is a shelter to the soule, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to the Devill; Davids heart was oft more out of tune, then his Harp; he prays, and then, in spightOf Carolus Magnus it was spoken, Caro­lus plus cum Deo quam cum hominibus lo­quitur, that he spake more with God then with men; ah! that I could say so of the Chri­stians in our dayes. of the Devill, cries, returne unto thy rest oh my soule. Prayer is (Porta coeli, clavis Paradisi) the gate of Heaven, a key to let us into Paradise; there is nothing that renders plots fruitlesse like prayer, therefore saith Christ, watch and pray, that yee enter not into temptation; you must watch and pray, and pray, and watch, if you would not enter into temptation. When Sennacherib and Ha­man had laid plots and snares to have destroyed the Jewes, they prayed, and [Page 342] their souls were delivered, & Sennache­rib and H [...]man destroyed. David had ma­ny snares laid for him, and this put [...] him upon prayer; Keep me (saith hee) from the snare which they have laid for me, Psal. 141. 9, 10. and the grins of the workers of iniquity. Let the wicked fall into their owne nets, whilst that I escape. The proud saith he, hath hid a snare for me, and cords, they have spread a net by the way side, they have set grins Psal. 140. 5, 6. for me, Selab. I said unto the Lord, thou art my God, heare the voyce of my supplication Nunquam abs te, absque te recedo, Bern. Oh Lord, saith he, I never go away from thee, without thee. oh Lord. Saul and many others had laid snares for David, and this puts him up­on prayer, and so the snares are broken, and he is d [...]lived; ah souls! take words to your selves, and tell God that Sa­tan hath spread his snares in all places, and in all companies; tell God that he digs deep, and that he hath plot upon plot, and device upon device, and all toLet us saith Basil, with a holy impu­dence, make God ashamed that he can­not looke us in the face, if he do deny our importu­nity, Jacob like, I wil not let thee go, unlesse thou blesse me. undo you; tell God, that you have nei­ther skill, nor power to escape his snares; tell God, that 'tis a work too high, and too hard for any created crea­ture to work your deliverance, unlesse he puts under his own everlasting arms; tell God how his honour is engaged to stand by you, and to bring you off, that you be not ruin'd by his plots; tell God how the wicked would triumph, if you should fall into Satans snares; [Page 343] tell God of the love of Christ, of the blood of Christ, and of the intercession of Christ for you, that away may be found for your escape; tell God, if he will make it his honour to save you from falling into Satans snares, you will make it your glory to speak of his goodnesse, and to live out his kinde­nesse. Christians must do a [...] Ded [...]lus, that when hee could not escape by a way upon earth, went by a way of hea­ven, and that is, the way of prayer, which is the only way left to escape Sa­tans snares, &c.

The next Use is a use of thankful­ness,Ʋse. to those that escape Satans snares, that are not taken by him at his will; ah Christians! it stands you upon with that Princely Prophet David, to call upon your soules, and say, Blesse the Psal. 103. 1, 2. Lord oh our soules, and all that is within us, blesse his holy name; Blesse the Lord oh our soules, and forget not all his benefits; who hath not given us to be a prey to Satan, and to be ensnared by those snares that he hath laid for our souls; the sense of this great favour did work up Davids heart to praises; Blessed be the Lord (saithPsalm 144. 6, 7. hee) who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth, our soule is escaped as a bird out of the snares of the Fowlers, the snare [Page 344] is broken, and we are escaped: Ah Christi­ans! Remember, that the greatest part of the world, yea, the greatest part of Professors are taken in Satans snares; can you think seriously of this, and notThe Ancients use to say, in­gratum dixeris omnia dixeris, say a man is unthankfull, and say he is any thing. blush to be unthankful; what are you better then others? and what have you deserved of God, or done for God more then other [...]? that you should by the help of a Divine hand escape the snares, when others are taken, and held in the snares of the Devill, to their e­ternallPsal. 71. 14. I will yet praise thee more & more; in the Origi­nall 'tis▪ I will adde to thy praise. overthrow, &c.

Will you be thankfull for the esca­ping the snares that men spread for your lives, or estates, &c? and will you not be much more thankfull for escaping those snares that Satan hath laid for your precious souls?

Remember this, that deliveranceThe Stork is said to leave one of her young ones where shee hatcheth them; and the Elephant to turn up the first sprig to­ward Heaven, when he co­meth to feed, out of some instinct of gratitude; ah soules! that these may not bear witnesse against you in the day of Christ. from Satans snares doth carrie with it the clearest, and the greatest evidence of the soule and heart of God to be to­wards you. Many a man by a common hand of Providence escapes many a snare that man hath laid for him, but yet escapes not the snares that Satan hath laid for him. Saul, and Iudas, and Demas, doubtlesse escaped many snares, that men had laid for them, but none of them escaped the snares that the De­vill had laid for them. Many men are [Page 345] lifted up above the snares of men, by a common hand of providence, that are left to fall into the snares of the Devill, by a hand of Justice; your deliverance from Satans snares is a fruit of speciall love; can you thus look upon it, and not be thankfull, oh precious soules? I judge not.

The last use of this point is to be­speakƲse. Christians to long to be at home; oh! long to be in the bosome of Christ, long to be in the Land of Canaan; forAustin wished that he might have seene 3. things, Rome flourishing, Paul preach­ing, & Christ conversing with men up­on the earth. Bede comes after, & cor­recting this last wish, faith, yea, but let me see the King in his beauty, Christ in his heaven­ly Kingdome. this world, this wildernesse is full of snares, and all employments are full of snares, and all enjoyments are full of snares; in civill things, Satan hath his snares to entrapus; and in all spi­rituall things, Satan hath his snares to catch us. All places are full of snares, City and Countrey, shop, and closet, Sea, and Land, and all our mercies are surrounded with snares; there are snares about our tables, & snares about our beds, &c. yea, Satan is so power­ful, and sub [...]il, that he will oftentimes make our greatest, nearest, and dearest mercies to become our greatest snares; sometimes hee will make the wife that lies in the bosome, to be a snare to a man, as Sampsons was, and as Jobs was; sometimes he will make the child to be a snare, as Absolom was, and Elies sons [Page 346] were; and sometimes he will make the servant to be a snare, as Joseph was to his Mistris; ah soules! Satan is so cun­ning, and artificiall, that he can turne your cups into snares, and your cloths into snares, and your houses into snares, and your gardens into snares, & all your recreations into snares, &c. And oh! how should the considerati­on of these things work all your souls to say with the Church, Make hast my Cant. 8. ult. [...] Berahh dodi flee away speedily my beloved. beloved, and be like to a Roe, or a young Hart upon the mountaines of spices, and to love, and look, and long for the coming of Christ; shall the espoused Maid long for the marriage day? the servant for his freedome? the captive for his ran­some? the Traveller for his Inne? thePhil. 1 23. 2 Cor. 5. 2. 4: Mariner for his Harbour? and shall not the people of the Lord long much more to be in the bosome of Christ? there being nothing below the bosome of Christ, that is not surrounded with Satans snares.

What Paul once spake of bonds andActs 20. 23. afflictions, that they attended him in e­very place; that may all the Saints say of Satans snares, that they attend them in every place, which should cause them to cry out (migremus hinc, migr [...] ­mus hinc) let us goe hence, let us goe hence; and to say with Monica, Austins [Page 347] mother, Quid hic fa­ciemus? cur non ocyus mi­gramus? cur non hinc avola­mus? what do we here? why de­part we not hence? why flie wee no swifter? Ah soules! till you are taken up into the bosom of Christ, your com­forts will not be ful, pure, and constant till then; Satan will still be tempting you, and spreading snares to entangle you, therefore you should alwayes bee crying out with the Church, Come Lord Rev. 22. 20. It is as easie to compass the Heavens with a span, and contain the Sea in a nut-shel, as to relate fully Christs excel­lencies, or heavens hap­pinesse. Jesus. Is not Christ that star of Jacob, that giveth light to them that are in darke­nesse? that Prince of Peace, who brings the Olive-branch of Peace to souls that are perplexed? Is not the greatest worth and wealth in him? Is not all the petty excellencies and perfections of all crea­ted creatures epitomized in him? Is not he the Crown of Crowns, the glo­ry of glories, and the Heaven of Hea­vens? Oh then! be still a longing after a full, cleare, and constant enjoyment of Christ in Heaven; for till then, Satan will still have plots and designes upon you; he acts by an untired power, and will never let you rest, till you are ta­ken up to an everlasting rest in the bo­some of Christ.