The Black Devil, Part 5
The Measure.
It must necessarily and punctually be examin'd how this vncleane spirit may bee said to bee cast out. This two wayes, in regard of the two sorts of persons out of whom hee is cast. Hee is so throwne out of the Godly, as neuer to returne in againe: so out of the Wicked, that indeed hee remaines in still. Consider we then, in what measure the Deuil departeth out of this Apostate. Let vsus diuide this into 6. circumstances, and the Quotient will giuegive vsus the summe of our desires.
1. Satan is so farre gone out, as the mind is enlightned. This the Apostle grants incident to an Apostate. Hebr. 6. That he may be enlightned, taste of Hebr. 6. 4,the heauenly guift, be made partaker of the Holy Ghost, taste of the good worde of God, and the powers of the world to come, yet fall away, neuer to be renewed againe by repentance. This is that Diuines call Historica fides; a floting notion in the braine, a general transient apprehension of Gods reuealed truth: which shewes it selfe in a dexterity of wit, and volubility of speech: a fire in the braine, not able to warme the heart. It hath power to informe their iudgements, not to reforme their liues.
Now so farre as this illumination, swimming, nimble, and discursiue knowledge is let in; so farre is Satan said to be cast out. There is, saith Solomon, Eccle. 1. 18. 1. Cor. 8. 1.Scientia contristans: and saith Paul, Scientia conflans. There is a knowledge that maketh sorrowfull, that maketh proud. God in all knowledge regards not so much the quantity, as the substance. There may be more light in a Reprobate, then in a sanctified soule, but not so good light. I speake not to vilifie knowledge, but to rectifie it. Otherwise, you know, the greater punishment belongs to him, that knowes Go as will, and doth it not. Oftentimes the more shallow in knowledge, the more bungerly in wickednesse: when a quicke and sharpe witte without grace, is like a head-strong Horse without a bridle. Neyther is this Knowledge in a Reprobate gratia vana, sed euanescens: not a vaine, but a vanishing grace. They walke in the light. Ioh. 12. They reioyce of the light. Ioh. 5. Yet is not the light in Iohn 12. 35. Iohn. 5. 35. Mal. 4. 2. Esay. 60. 20.them. They hauehave not the Sunne of righteousnesse risen in their hearts. Mala. 4. For this Sunne can neuer set. Bona non benè nouit.
2. Satan is so farre gone out of the wicked, as they hauehave admitted some probable beginnings of conuersion. This is but a flash of hypocrisie, no true heate of zeale. When the most flinty heart shall be hit against the steele of Gods iudgements, it will strike fire: but those sparkles are too weake to kindle the true warmth of grace; the fewell is so greene, the affections so vicious, whereon it works. Peccaui was Dauids voyce after his sinfull Arithmeticke: Iudas his voyce after his abhorred treason. Vox eadem, non poenitentia: talis sonus, non sinus. The same voyce or sound, not the same heart or penitence. Esau wept hauing lost the blessing: Peter wept hauing denyed his Mayster: nether wept without bitternesse. Similes lachrymae, non animae. The like teares, not the like Consciences. Iron and steele heat in the fire, are plyable to the fashioning hammer: let them be colde, and they resume their former hardnesse. The heat of a suddaine iudgement, striking (like thunder) the companion of thy side; a secret wipe of the Sword of the Spirit, diuiding the marrow and the bones, in an effectuall Sermon; a stitch in the flesh like the messenger of death; may a little thaw and melt the hard mettal of an vngodly heart. But let the fire cease, and giuegive him leaue to be cold againe, and he becomes harder then euer before. Nil facilè quamuis non tueare, perit.
3. Satan is so farre said to be gone out, as he lyes hidden, like mudde and slime vnderunder a thicke snow. The Deuill may bee within the grate, though hee thrust not out his apparant hornes. Or say, he be walked abroad, yet he returnes home at night: and in the meane time, like a mistrustfull Churle, lockes the doore after him; sparres vp the heart with security, that his treasure be not stolne. Thus as a snaile, he gathers vppe himselfe into his shell and house of the heart, when he feares discouery, and puts not forth his hornes. Sometimes he playes not in the Sunne actually, but borroughes deepe in the affections. The foxe keepes his den close, when he knowes that Gods hunts-men bee abroad to seeke him. He knowes that oftentimes armis pollentior astus, his fraud is beyond his force: that he is pestilentior arte quàm marte: that hee poysons more mortally melle quàm felle: that he may doe as much hurt in a maske of white, as in his owne blacke habit: that he may spoyle more Lambes in a Sheepe-skin, then appearing as a wolfe. He is content to yeeld to a shew of holinesse, that he may worke the more mischiefe. It is sufficient for him if he may, though (not turbare yet turpare) not disquiet, yet dishonest the soule of man. Now so farre as this touch of religion enters, is this vncleane Spirit saide gone out.
4. Satan may be saide cast out, in the opinion of the party, in whom he resides. EueryEvery one presumes, there is no Deuill within him. The proud hath no Lucifer, the Couetous no Mammon, the Idolater no Melchom, the Adulterer no vncleane spirit. Let me catechise thee. I did promise in my Baptisme, to for sake the Deuill. VVhat? doest thou stay there? Nay: and al his works. Alasse! bee not so supine and careles. Vbi opera, ibi operans. VVhere the works are, there is the worke-maister. Thou art asleepe Sampson, whiles these Philistins are vponupon thee, are within thee. The ague is not gone, though the fit be ouer. Whilst thou slūbrest in thy waftage, the vessell goes on stil. Satan is not out, though thou conceitest him gone: and so as it is in our phrase, he is gone in conceit.
5. This vncleane spirit may seeme gone in the opinion of the Church. Sometime the Deuill is gone from a man in his owne iudgement, not the worlds: sometimes in the worlds iudgement, not his owne. The Church had a good estimation of Iudas, as conformable to the outward duties of obedience, and the rather because Christ trusted him with the stewardship: but God and his owne conscience knew him a theefe. The Deuill wil not alwayes be hunted by the sent, or followed by the print of his steps. The world shall not euer hauehave him in palpable view and full cry; by reason of his notorious and grosse impieties. If he can but now and then shoot in an instigation to some wickednes, it serues his turn. He doth not eueryevery day sally out of his fort, and charge his enemies in the face; but watcheth opportunity, when his excursions may do most mischiefe. The Deuil may be within, though hee stand not at doore to be seene.
6. Lastly Satan is said so far to be gone out, as there is an interruption in the soueraignty of sinne for a season. The flouds of iniquity are not so …iolent, as if they were kept within the dam by shutting down the sluce. The Dromedary, the vngodly, runs not so madly, whiles that infernall rider forbeares their sides with his spurre.
As he is said to come in, when he was in before: because there commeth in a more forcible & stronger illusion of Satan, thē the hart erst suffred. Lu. 22. It is said, that Satā entred into Iudas before the Passouer: Luk. 22. 3.yet we cannot thinke that Gods Spirit was in him before: but onelyonly now a greater power of Satan got in; that like a ripe tumour would bee no longer hid within the thinne skinne of hypocrisie. Corruption now gets eruption, and the rancorous vlcer of wickednesse bursts forth.
So of the contrary, Satan is said to go out, when he stil holds in; but like a bird in the net, that hangs by one claw. Nero is still in Rome, though he remittes taxations, and forbeares massacres for a season. The louelove of drunkennesse may be in the heart, though there be a day when the Tauerne is auoyded. Be the Adulterer asleepe, he is an adulterer still. What maister so cruell, but sometimes lets his slaue rest? Certa quiescendi tempor a fata dabunt. The Deuill is not continually impelling or compelling his seruants to publicke and notorious iniquities. Sometimes he supends his tyranny, and sits close in the heart, banketting on the lusts which he findes there, and sends not abroad for new cates. The tempestuous wind eftsoone lyes still: the most robustious and malignant force of wickednes bates of the vsuall violence, and breaks not forth into the same shew of malice without some intermission. So farre as this suspense, remission, and interruption of sinne extends, so farre is Satan said to be gone out.
You see the Measure. OnelyOnly giuegive mee leaue, to set you downe two short rules, as two reflecting perspectiues; wherein you may behold, whether this vncleane spirit be truely, or hypocritically cast out of your hearts.
1. So farre is Sathan cast out, as sinne is cast out. The tenure, whereby Satan holds any Lorshippe in the heart, is sinne: He that would ouerthrow his title, must labour an eiection of wickednesse. Piety in the heart, purity in the life, are true testimonies of the Deuils exile. Satan fights against vsus with 2. weapons. 1. That he found in vsus. 2. That he brings vponupon vsus. That he found in vsus, is flesh and bloud: that he brings vponupon vsus, is death. By this latter he could not hauehave hurt vsus, except wee had giuen him the former: and so reach'd him a weapon to pierce our owne hearts. In what measure sinne rules or is ruled: Satan is held in or eiected.
2. The discontinuing of some sinnes, and retaining others giues no comfort or argument of Satans departure. If he be truely gone, there comes in his place a perfect detestation, and resolute opposition against all sinne. It is in vaine to cast out Satan by auoiding auarice, when thou letst him in by a wastfull prodigality: to admit him by hypocrisie, whom thou throwest out by profanesse. This is to put the Deuill out at the porch, and let him in againe at the posterne. But one Rimmon is too much for Naaman, one Delilah for Sampson, one Herodias for Herod: one exorbitant delight reserued, resolued, persisted in, is enough for Satan, too much for the sinner.
I say not, leaue all sinne, but louelove no sinne. How impossible is the former, the latter how necessary! It is the content and complacency in sinne, that holds in the Deuill. What is it for a rich man to brag he is no theefe? or a begger to cleare himselfe from bribery? or for an olde man to forbeare the Stewes? or for a credulous Papist, that thinkes to deserue heauen by workes, to adde a mite to an Hospitall? but whiles hee powres a little ointment on Christs feete by charity, by opinion of merit he throwes the boxe at his head. What is it to abstaine from those sinnes, whereunto thou art not tempted? But repentance renounceth all dead workes: and obedience striues to walke in all Gods wayes. In omnibus sine exceptione, etsi non in omnibus cum impletione. None of all must be excepted, though none of all fulfilled. If the Deuill be truely cast out, there is a full resoution in the heart against all manner of sinne.
Thus much of his vnroosting or throwing out: for his vnresting, perplexednes, and discontent, obserue in it foure circumstances. His Trauell, Tryal, Trouble, Euent. 1. For his trauell, he walkes. 2. For his tryall, in dry places. 3. For his trouble, hee seekes rest. 4. For the euent, he findeth none.