The Black Devil, Part 11 – Part 13
2. His Reuolution. Returne.
The Deuill being neuer permitted to pry into Gods secret booke of Predestination: and so not knowing, who is elect, who reprobate; hopes still to returne into any house, whence he hath bin eiected. And accordingly, in many, too many he preuailes. If Satan be totally throwne out, in vaine he expects returning; especially to get any dominion in the lost fort. But we reade, that a man may know the truth, and yet forsake it: be enlightned, nay 2. Pet. 2. 21. He br. 6. 6.taste of the powers of the world to come: nay be saide (in some respects) sanctified, yet crucifie Christ again. Heb. 10. 26.To these will Satan returne, with as strong a power as euer.
Now he returnes, 1. eyther by vnright receiuing of Gods blessings; like good wine put into a polluted or broken vessell. 2. or by vnreuerent vse of them; imagining themselues rather Dominos thē Dispersatores. 3. or by defiling them with hypocrisie: so true gold is alchym'd ouer with a false sophistication. 4. or by mixing them with lusts, and much-made of sinnes: and this permistion is like good meate put into a vicious stomacke: where there is a confusion of pure food and crudities, to the destruction, not conseruation of health.
Hence inferre. Though Satan be gone, yet expect his …. He hath his Termes and Returnes, as well as vacations. And by this thou may i… iudge, whether this vncleane sprit be truely or bypocritically cast out. If he doth not returne, he was neuer gone. If he striue not to come in, hee is in already. A secure heart may suppose him expelled, that still lyes close in the house. If by perpetuall assaults he striues for entrance, then be sure, hee is tuely gone out. Euen his oppositions shall affoord thee comfort; his warre giuegive thee peace. And if he be gone, keepe him at staues end: seeing thou art rid of so ill a Tenant, let him neuer come in againe.
3. The Description of his seate. Into my house.
Satan cals this reprobates heart, his House: and so it is. 1. not by creation: for so eueryevery man is Gods house. 1. Cor. 3. Know ye not that ye are the Temple 1. Co. 3. 16.of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? 2. not by adaption. Cant. 5. Open to me, my Sister, &c. Cant. 5. 2. Reuel. 3. 20.sayth Christ. And Reuel. 3. 1st and at the doore and knocke, &c. But vponupon our reiection of GOD, and Gods desertion of vsus, the hart becomes satans house. For it is eyther a seate of sanctity, or a Cage of vncleane birdes: a chappell for Iesus, or a denne for deuils: for where Christ is not by his pure spirit, Satan is by his foule spirit.
So the malicious heart is a house for the spirit of e…uy: the th…en for the spirit of ebriety: the proud for the spirit of pride: the vnehaste for the spirit of vncleannesse: the vsi…r for the spirit of Couetousnes. They may flatter themselues; Est Deus in…, agitante calescimus …: that God is in them: but the inmate and residentiary of their hearts is that vncleane vulture. They may be rich in worldly wealth, and hauehave sumptuous houses, and faire parlours, like Eglon, but themselues are foule parlours for Satan. How lamentable is it, to see Owles and …ctes, Iim and Zijm, impiety, impenitency, and rebellion, dwelling in that mansion, which the Lord of Hosts built for himselfe.
Heu domus antiqua, quàm dispari dominar is domino! Oh ancient house, how ill art thou gouern'd where Couetousnesse is the Hall; for there is no roome for charity in her old place. Oppression the Kitchin, where the liues and liuings of poore men are dressed for rich mens tables: Pride is the Parlor, which is hung with ostentation and selfe-flattery. Wantonnesse is the Chamber, where concupiscence sits and hatcheth an innumerable brood of lustes. Malice is the Chimny, which euer smoaks, and sometimes flames out reuenge. Security is the Bed, whereon Satan lull's himselfe: and Impenitency keepes the gate; that no admission be giuen to admonition; nor any thing let in to disquiet the Deuils house. Oh, the mercy of God! Shall we let in our enemies, and keepe out our friends? Must Satan be aduanced into Gods throne? Shall pride shut the doore against the Lord of all mercy and comfort; who yet hath promised to dwell in the humble and contrite soule? For shame let vsus cast Satan out, & keepe him out. Though he flatter with the voyce of the Hiena at the doore, and giuegive blandiloquous proffers; yet
Ianuaf…llaci non sit apert… vir….
4. His affection to the same place. Whence I came out.
Experienced delight sharpens desire; whereas vnknowne things are not cared for. This vncleane spirit remembers the softnesse and warmth of his old lodging: and therefore no maruell, if he conets to repossesse it. Because
1. He finds an easier and softer residence there, then in hell. He had rather be in any place, then his owne place: rather in hogges, then in the deepe. There he is tormented himselfe: here hee doth vexe and Luke 8. 31.tempt others.
2. Man is made after the Image of God: to whom since he finds, that his malice cannot extend, he labours to deface his Picture. Hence man beares the blowes, which are mean't at God.
3. Man is by Christ aduanced to that place, whence God disthroniz'd him. Now he cannot endure, that a humane creature should ascend to that heauen, whither himselfe (once an Angell) may not be admitted.
4. Hee is exasperated against man, by that curse inflicted on him for seducing man; that the seede of the Woman should breake his head: This irreconcilable enmity …nrageth and maddes him. CHRIST hee could not quell, hauehave at Christians.
5. Lastly, the Deuill is proud still; and, though he be cast downe, is not humbled: though low, not lowly. He takes a pride in his kingdome, though it be but of darknes: and lones to hauehave many subiects to doe him homage. Since hee cannot be King in heauen, hee would commaund in hell. To enlarge his dominion, hee would, like Absolon, steale away the hearts of men, from king, Dauid of Israel, the Liege-lord of heauen and earth.
Hence he affects his old house: there hee is sure of good cheare and welcome: a fire of lust to warm him: a bed of vncleannesse to lodge him, and a table furnished with all manner of impieties to feast him. Better here, then walking in dry places; where wickednes is too barren to yeild fruits for his dyet; and oppositions too violent to giuegive him rest.
You perceiue now his Resolution, Reuolution, Description of his old seate, an affection to it: and in all these his Intention. His Inuention followes, and the successefull answerablenesse of all things to his desire. He comes, and hee findes preparation for his entertainment: consisting in Clearenes, Cleannesse, Trimnesse. Clearenes, it is empty. Cleannes, or handsomnesse: it is swept. Trimnes, or adornation: it is garnished.
1 The Deuill shall not want roome when hee comes: there shall bee no in-mate in the house to molest him; but such as hee either left behinde, or sent before, vicious lusts. Which are indeede parts of himselfe; and therefore cannot be said to be sodalitium. They are shadowes and resemblances of himselfe: which though he findes there, he reputes the house no lesse empty.
2 It is not enough to bee empty, and capable to receiue him: but it must be cleanly, and plausible to receiue him; swept. There must bee a cleare riddance of what soeuer may discontent him.
3 Nay all this preparation is too slender, as if some great Prince were expected, the house must be garnished: as it were hung with Tapestry & Arras. There must not onelyonly be emptinesse & handsomnesse, but neatnesse. So then here is the prouision of the house to receiue him. 1. It is not troublesome, for it is empty. 2. It is not sl…tish, for it is swept. 3. It is not incurious, for it is garnished.
There is capacity, conueniency, curiosity. Which three circumstances of prouision wee may thus expound. 1. VVe will referre clearnesse or emptinesse, Empty. Swept. Garnished.to the absence of faith, and good workes. 2. Cleannesse or handsomenesse to an ouerly repentance. 3. Trimnesse and curiosity to hypocrisie.
1. Vacuitie. It is Empty.
True faith is neuer alone. It is in the very act of Iustification, sola, but not solitaria. Good works as inseparable attendants, or rather effects, accompany it. Where these are, there is no emptinesse. But in this Apostate or blacke Deuill, there is neither the Mistresse nor the Maides, Faith nor good workes: therefore the roome of his heart is empty, and capable of receiuing the vncleane spirit. Perhaps in this vacancy & absence of the power of Satan, there might be an abstinence from grosse impieties, but there was no hearty alacrity to the troublesome workes of godlines, therefore he is iustly said to bee empty. We know, that the forbearance of monstrous duplicate page duplicate page and world-noted wickednesse is not enough to iustifie before God, or to acquit vsus from eternall malediction: the Tree is doom'd to the fire, that yeelds not good fruites, although it yeeld no euill. Euen infructuous barrennesse brought Christs curse on the figge-tree. Sowre grapes are not onelyonly displeasing to God, but no grapes: and condemnations floud reacheth further then to drowne obstinacy; for it fetcheth in also Infertility. God is departed; and you know, that Sede vacante there will bee no paucity of intruders. What house stands long Tenant-lesse? No maruell then, if an empty vessell be neuer exalted to honour.
Hence we may inferre, that this re-ingresse of Satan can neuer befall the Regenerate; for it is impossible to finde their heart empty. Faith, temperance, patience, zeale, charity, hope, humility, are perpetuall Residentiaries in the Temple of their Soules; and if any one be tempted abroad, and allured to a short discontinuance, yet the other keepe infallible possession; and with vnconquer'd strength keepe out Satan. If the rest should be driuen into a corner, yet Faith would defend the dore against all assaults.
Indeed there may be such a storme and tempest of an afflicted conscience, that the graces of the Spirit, (as abscured in a Cloud) may not be sensibly perceiued: and in regard of our owne feeling there may be an absence, or vacuity. But wee must not take an abatement for an emptinesse; a secession for a destitution. It is certaine, those that hauehave the inuisible marke of the Spirit, shall hauehave the visible marke of an honest life: & totally they cannot loose grace, nor a second time fall away: for then they could not be renewed againe by repentance; nor euer be restored, except Christ should die againe. Heb. Hebr. 6.10. For if we sinne wilfully after that wee hauehave receyued the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no Heb. 10. 26.more Sacrifice for sinnes: but a certaine fearefull looking for of iudgement, and fiery indignation which shal deuoure the aduersaries. Paul had some hope of the incestuous person, and therefore did not wholly cut him off, and accurse him; but separate and suspend him for a time: that by the deliuering of him vntounto Satan (for a season) for the destruction of the flesh, his spirit might be saued in the day of the Lorde Iesus. 1 Cor. 5. 5.Thus Christ, being once truely in, will neuer out: the faithfull cannot be empty. There is then a defect of Faith in this blacke Apostate, that makes roome for the deui…l.
2. Cleanlinesse. It is swept.
This is the effect of an ouerly and superficiall repentance: like a slight beesome, it sweepes away the dust and cobwebs, and such lighter stuffe, but the filth and dirt is caked and baked on. Sinnes of lesse delight to the flesh, and tentations of weaker force, are brush'd away; but the maine affection to some olde impiety hath the roote in the heart vndigged vp. The deuill is content, the conscience should be swept, so long as it is but onelyonly swept.
Sinne is congealed, concorporated, baked on; and must be pared and digged away by greater violence then sweeping. Swept Satan yeelds it, so not pared. Impiety is habituated by custome, hardned by impenitency, concorporated to him by his affection to it: and shall hee thinke, that a formall repentance, like a soft beesome, can sweepe all clean? Can a few drops and sprinklings of water purge off the inueterate foulenesse and corruption of the flesh? There is required much rensing to whiten a defiled soule.
How peruerse is their course and thought, that imagine, they may repent more in an houre, then they sinne in an age! As if, hauing in many yeares kindled a thousand fires, thou wouldst think to put them out all with one teare: whereas indeede, many teares can scarse put out one. Then boldly, staine the cloth a whole vintage, and at last let one washing serue for all. Alas! man is quickly made miserable, but not with such speed happy. How easily, how suddenly got man his damnation: it was but eating an apple; soone done. Esau quickely hunted away his blessing, but could not with manie teares recouer it. Dauid is not long in falling, his rising is tedious. With much paines and contention doth a man climbe vp some high Tower; but loosing his hold, he comes downe apace. It is no easy thing to stand, it is easie to slip, to stumble, to fall. The thicke and foggy aire of this sinfull world, as the smoake and stenchfull mistes ouer some populous Cities, can soone fully the soule: the continuall tramplings of sinne brings mire and dirte vponupon the conscience: these corruptions are not so presently rid away, as taken.
Clip thy haires short, yet they will grow againe, because the roots are in the scull. A tree, that is but pruin'd, shredde, topp'd, or lopp'd, will sprowt againe: roote it vp, and it shall grow no more. What is it to clip the outward apparances, and to loppe the superfluous boughes of our sinnes, when the roote is cherish'd in the heart? What to hauehave a foule and miry house swept? The Pharise in his blowne prayers, cousening ythes, frequent almes, did but sweepe the house, and remoue the cobwebs of outward impieties; but the dirt of hypocrisie was baked on; the rootes of pride and couetousnesse grew still vntouched.
It is not then a transient sorow, nor a formall compunction, (which may wound and pricke the heart, like a needle; but wants the thred of Faith to sow and ioyne it to God) that can make the house cleane. It is but swept, and so ready for Satans reentry, and repossession.