Commentary on Judges, Sermon 11
THE ELEVENTH SERMON CONTINVED VPONUPON THE SAME TEXT, Verſ. 2. 3.
VERS. 2. Ye ſhall make no couenant with the inhabitants of this land, &c.
THe ſecond verſe now followeth, wherein the couenant in the behalfe of the people, is ſet downe, as it is on Gods behalfe Verſ. 2. 3. The ſenſe. The couenant of the people with the Lord.in the former verſe. For a couenant is betwixt two parties at the leaſt. The points of their couenant are theſe two; one, that they ſhould make no league with the inhabitants of the land; the other, that they ſhould breake their altars downe. Then hee findeth fault with them, not for Idolatry wee ſee, (which as yet they had not fallen to) but for the not keeping of their couenant. And hauing clearly conuinced them, he expoſtulateth with them, and asketh them why they had done ſo, as if hee had been ready to heare their excuſe, if they could alleage any; if not, their ſinne muſt needs be the greater. After this hee proceedeth to ſhew the puniſhments that ſhould bee inflicted on them: and they were three. The firſt, that hee would not expell theſe nations for them: and what then? The other two aroſe from that: for it followed then, that they ſhould abide ſtill in the land, to the great hurt and annoyance of the of Iſraelites who dwelt there. And the two waies, as I hauehave ſaid: firſt, that they ſhould be as thornes to pricke them, and put them to paine: the other, they ſhould be as ſnares, in which they ſhould be taken, and caught with their ſinnes: and when they ſhould afterward fal to their Idolatry, they ſhould moſt grieuouſly be puniſhed.
Theſe things being thus ſet downe, wee may obſerue theſe foure things in theſe two verſes: firſt their couenant with God: ſecondly, the conuicting them by the Angell, of breaking it: thirdly, the Lords expoſtulating with them for it: fourthly, the puniſhment threatened for it. Concerning Doct. 1.the firſt, in this that the people was bound to couenant with God, as he did with them, learne all of vsus, that if wee will looke for benefit by Gods couenant made with vsus, we muſt enter into couenant with him, and looke to bee faithfull in keeping it with him: which I ſpeake not as though wee may claime any thing by due deſert thereby, but that wee may know that God hath ſo appointed, and we ought to performe it accordingly. And though God maketh promiſe here but of earthly benefits, yet in other places he couenanteth with his, to giuegive them heauenly alſo; as pardon of their ſins, and Ier. 31. 31.life eternall, and he will moſt ſurely keepe promiſe in both. So although the godly are bound heere onelyonly to ſome particular duties, yet in the generall couenant, they are vrged both to beleeue thoſe things which God promiſeth them, and alſo to walke before God continually in their whole courſe, wherein yet their failings are not reckoned againſt them, which by frailty they offend in: but if any will boldly tempt God, being careleſſe in looking to their couenant; let ſuch know that God will not bee mocked, their ſinne will finde them out. And ſo vnderſtand it of particular couenants, ſuch as this was that God made heere with this people. If hee promiſe to bleſſe them in their marriage, earthly affaires and buſineſſe, with ſuch like, if they bee faithfull therein, as they couenant; then if they faile, and bee falſehearted, God is free from his word and promiſe.
The next thing in the couenant is, that God in forbidding them fellowſhip Doct. 2.with thoſe nations, and commanding them to pull downe their altars, on which they were wont to offer to their falſe gods, did thereby cut off occaſion from them of committing Idolatry: teaching vsus thereby, that if we will auoide the occaſions of euill, we ſhall alſo be kept from the euils themſelues, yea groſſe ſinnes; as idolatry, drunkenneſſe, adultery and the like, though we be very prone to commit them. And yet on the contrary, if we will not ſhunne the occaſions of them, and the meanes that leade to them, we ſhall vndoubtedly fall into them. Take one for example, the moſt common of the reſt. If we bee fooliſhly and vnbeſeeming our profeſſion ſnared with ſome woman, as hauing been caught by her eye lids, and taken with that which is precious in her; we muſt, to auoid the fowle and ſhamefull ſin of adultery; firſt with chaſt Iob, to make a firme couenant not to looke vponupon Iob 31. 5.her: ſecondly, neither talke of her, nor with her, whereby wee might eaſily nouriſh wicked luſt and deſires. And thirdly, come we not in her company if it may be, as godly Ioſeph refuſed to doe, or at leaſt looke wee not after her, Gen 39. 10.neither let our thoughts linger nor carrie vsus that way, but by feruent prayer be chaſed away farre from her, and then there is no feare of committing the ſinne, or of falling into any further danger, for the word of the Lord hath ſpoken it. So I might ſay, many a man might hauehave eſchewed murther, if hee could hauehave withdrawne his heart from wrath and reuenge; and ſo might many hauehave auoided oppreſſion, and miſerlineſſe, if they could hauehave ſnibbed the firſt ſtraying concupiſcence and their vnlawfull deſires after another mans commodity.
I propound theſe inſtances among the reſt (not hauing time to ſpeake of all, or many,) for that the diuell ſpiteth the ſeruants of God, and ſeeketh more ſpecially theſe waies to bring his malice to paſſe, caſting a blindneſſe vponupon them, that they ſhall hardly ſee, no not when they be in great danger, Note.till they be fallen into it, by being taken with the baite that he laid for them. Yea wofull experience hath made vsus to ſee this to be too true: and they who hauehave broken out of this ſnare, know with what difficulty they hauehave eſcaped; and as for the common ſort, who ſhew no great religion in their liues, there are few of them but are brought to ſhame, if opportunity ſerue, ſome of theſe waies, or be made to hang downe their heads by reaſon of guilty conſciences; and ſuch miſchiefe both the one and the other might hauehave auoided, Note.and namely vncleanneſſe one of the fouleſt, if they could hauehave been perſwaded to ſhunne the occaſions thereof, in keeping out of the company of ſuch as by whom they become beſotted and impotent; and alſo if they could walke ſoberly in their particular callings by them, as hauing nothing to doe with them. So that we may ſee what good they get by their dalying, vnſeaſonable companying, and looſe talking which they vſe with women, which yet is one of the chiefe delights that the ciuill ſort of men doe take, and yet they would thinke they ſhould hauehave great wrong offered them, if they ſhould be warned of it.
But to come more particulerly to this couenant which the heads of Iſrael Doct. 3.muſt keepe toward the Lord, of caſting downe their alters, and of hauing no fellowſhip with the Canaanites, they affoord a ſeuerall leſſon. By the firſt that I mentioned, this may bee learned, that Chriſtian Magiſtrates are by their authority to pull downe all Idols, and aboliſh ſuperſtition both Deut 7. 5.of the infidels and heretickes, and the occaſions of Idolatry, and to purge their dominions and iuriſdictions from ſuch droſſe and abominations. (Hezekiah brake downe the braſen ſerpent being abuſed, and called it Nehuſhton, that is, a peece of braſſe.) And ſo much the rather, ſeeing Gods worſhip is 2. King. 18. 4.ſimple and vncompounded, and hee that addeth thereto any ſuperſtitious ceremony, tainteth the ſubſtance as much as lieth in him. And all Chriſtians ought to doe the ſame in their priuate houſes, and places ſubiect to them, as their fields, farmes, Chappels, &c. And yet let them take heed, that they attempt not to doe ſo out of their callings, or in other mens houſes, or other places where they hauehave no authority to meddle, vponupon any deuotion or good intent (as they cal it) either to honor God, or benefit others, or though it were to winne the Idolaters themſelues. For that courſe is not onelyonly not ordained of God, to winne the Idolaters to ſound religion, but alſo forbidden: and other meanes, as the preaching of the word, conference, &c. are appointed to root the ſame out of mens hearts, and to turn them from ſuch blind deuotion. The other may bee tearmed zeale, but vnaduiſed, corrupt and ſinfull; neither of an wiſe Chriſtian to be vſed. And this bee noted by occaſion of the one part of the peoples couenant: namely, that they muſt pull downe their alters.
The other, to wit, that they ſhould hauehave no fellowſhip with them, I hauehave, ſpoken of before, chap 1. verſ. laſt, ſaue onelyonly that I ſpake not particularly of Doct. 4.making marriages with Idolaters; which yet followeth by good and neceſſary conſequent. For if a priuate Chriſtian fearing God, may hauehave no familiar conuerſing with ſuch, then much leſſe in marriage making with them, which is the neareſt fellowſhip of all other. And ſo I briefly conclude with the charge giuen by the Lord in Deuteronomie, Yee ſhall make no marriages Deut. 7 3.with them, neither giuegive thy daughter to his ſonne, nor take his daughter to thy ſonne.
Now the meſſenger of God hauing told the people of the couenant Doct. 5.which they were bound to, he ſhewes them their ſinne, that they had broke their couenant; and conuicteth them of it ſaying: ye hauehave not obeyed. Which being ſo ſpoken to them, they could not deny it. And this Scripture teacheth, that men ought to bee conuinced of their ſinne by the word of God, and to hauehave them ſo proued to be iuſt prouocations of God, which yet they liue in, as that they may not bee able to denie them; and all to the end they may the eaſilier be brought to repentance, and not onelyonly told in preaching what is ſinne, which I grant muſt be done; but as farre as may bee, they are to bee charged as guilty who are ſo: and to bee vrged as they hauehave giuen cauſe, ſo farre as that they may be pricked in their conſciences, vnleſſe their hearts be flinty, and ſo to ſay from their hearts, we hauehave ſinned. And this is one principall point in preaching to be aimed at by Gods commandement to Timothy, where it is ſaid, preach the word, in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, rebuke, 2. Tim. 4. 2.conuince, and exhort with all lenity: and this conuincing is moſt auaileable, (through Gods bleſſing) among other meanes to awake the drowſie conſcience, and ſo to quiet and reforme it. This is that which our Sauiour foretelleth vsus in Saint Iohns Goſpell, that the ſpirit of God, that is, the power of Act. 2. 37. Ioh. 16. 8.the word inſpired by the holy Ghoſt, and preached by his Apoſtles and Miniſters after his reſurrection, ſhould conuince the world of ſinne. So we reade in the ſecond of the Acts, that Peter proued againſt the Iewes, and conuicted them in their conſciences that they had crucified the Lord of glory who conſented thereto. And it is ſaid immediately following there, when they heard it, they were pricked in their hearts. Thus when Dauid could eaſily yeeld to the truth generally ſet downe to him by Nathan, but 2. Sam. 12.could goe no further; namely, to ſee himſelfe faulty, whoſe ſinne reached to the heauens, the Prophet Nathan conuinced him, and told him, ſaying; thou art the man that hath dealt ſo cruelly and wickedly; and then hee could ſay, I hauehave ſinned. So in Sam. 24. when God had ſhewed Dauid his ſinnes, in 2. Sam. 24. 16. 17.numbring the people, he repented and yeelded. verſ. 17.
Thus Paul dealt with the Romans, when he ſought throughly to make odious to them their former ill courſe, What fruit had yee (ſaith hee) in thoſe things whereof ye are now aſhamed? their conſciences bare them witneſſe that that they had none. And as this kind of dealing with the people in our preaching is moſt profitable, and like to doe moſt good, ſo it is one of the hardeſt matters, namely, to rouze vp the conſcience, and to conuince it. Profitable I ſay it is, for that if it be awaked and pricked, it cannot but acknowledge Note.the ſinne in all likelihood, and bleed and ſo relent for it, and craue pardon, and abandon it, which is the direct way whereby the holy Ghoſt guideth men to ſaluation: but if any be drowſie and ſleepy conſcienced, ſo that they be not moued by hearing any reproofes, or doe ſtriue againſt the light of their owne conſcience, being conuinced which is more, or wax hardened, which is worſt of all, and a moſt vnkind abuſing of that gratious worke of God in them: I bewaile their caſe, for they not onelyonly receiue not any benefit thereby, but doe waxe worſe, and ſo depart from God, ſo as they ſeldome returne to him againe (for the moſt of them) of which ſort Iudas was, and ſome others. And yet theſe ſhifts men will vſe when they are conuicted: for either they are not pricked, or ſtruggle againſt it and ſeeke to ſhift it off; or elſe they are hardened by the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne; all which ought Heb. 3. 12.moſt carefully to be taken heed of.
To returne therfore, it is profitable for the hearers to be oftentimes conuinced, and otherwiſe our miniſtery doth them little good, but ſo it is alſo hard to winde in with them, and to pierce their hearts, as I ſaid; I meane to bring the hearers to this point, that they ſhall cry out and ſay, eueryevery one for his owne part, I hauehave ſinned. For concerning the miniſters, who ſhould bee one ſpeciall meanes to doe it: they, for the moſt part abſtaine from this worke altogether; either winding vp all in obſcurity, that they are not vnderſtood, or at leaſt contenting themſelues with the bare propounding of the truth, without applying it to the conſcience, or diſcouering the corruption of the heart, that ſo the hearer may not eſcape. This worke they leaue to the peoples diſcretion. And alas they are ſo farre from working the word vponupon themſelues, that they hauehave many ſtarting holes and excuſes for their ſinnes, and extenuate them, and alleage their owne infirmities, and other Note.mens examples, ſo that though they be ſtricken by our preaching as with an arrow, yet they be harneſſed and bumbaced in ſuch wiſe, that they will ſhift off the blow, and not bee wounded thereby, but rather will follow their owne euill courſes the more, and harden their hearts ſtill, who may well ſet the beſt ſide outward (I denie not) and for a while carrie a faire ſhew, as though all were well with them, but God knoweth their harts, and let them be ſure that their ſinne ſhall find them out, and it ſhall not goe well with them in the end. The vſe of this is, that we ſo looke to our ſelues in the whole Numb. 32. 23.carriage of our liues, that we feare not what may be ſaid to vsus, or brought againſt vsus (ſo verifying the prouerbe, the righteous is bold as a Lion) and Prou. 28. 1.the rather ſeeing wee hauehave iudged our ſelues, that wee may not bee iudged of the 1. Cor. 11. 31.Lord; and hauehave kept our conſciences pure and good, to the end we may not feare conuincing of them, (for the word of God can offer no violence to Note.them who offer it firſt to themſelues) eſpecially for any wilfull offending: but yet if for all this we be found too light, and in ſomethings worthy to be blamed, (as who can looke ſo narrowly about himſelfe but he may be iuſtly charged) or if wee breake out amiſſe, then our dutie is to deſire that the word may challenge vsus euen for that: and being conuinced of it, let vsus willingly and readily yeeld, wherby we ſhall free our ſelues from the iuſt blame of blockiſh, ſleepy, of ſecure and obſtinate hearers.
But now I paſſe from this conuincing of them by the meſſenger of God, Doct. 6.to the expoſtulating with them for the breach of their couenant, ſaying: Why hauehave ye done this? As if he ſhould ſay in the perſon of God to them, if ye can ſhew any reaſon why yeemay doe thus, I giuegive you leaue, come forth, and make your anſwere: but the people anſwered not a word, in token that they held themſelues guilty. This teacheth that God is equall and righteous in his proceedings, yea euen toward thoſe who hauehave prouoked him: as he ſaith in the like caſe by his Prophet, to thoſe that were the poſterity of this people heere mentioned, come and let vsus reaſon together, &c. Hee Eſa. 1. 18.doth not as men do, who will ſmite them who hauehave done them wrong before Note.they ſhall know why; and are neuer willing to come to good conditions with them, how tractable ſoeuer they might finde them. Theſe are indeed cruell and vnmercifull men, who will not offer any indifferency; the Lord (I ſay) dealeth not ſo; but offers to them who hauehave dealt trecherouſly and broken couenant with them; that if they can alleage any ſound reaſon for their doings, yea euen from himſelfe, as that hee hath dealt hardly with them, and hath been void of compaſſion to them, hee will heare them, and giuegive them leaue to plead their owne cauſe. Which aduantage hee giuing them, he doth ſtop all mouthes and is iuſtified himſelfe, in all his words and Ier. 12 1. Pſal. 51.workes.
Which makes greatly for the conuicting of all ſuch as ſay like them in Ezechiel, the Lords waies are vnequall, and that he could hauehave kept them from Ezek. 18. 25.ſuch falles and dangerous eſtates thereby, as come vponupon them. Where yet who ſeeth not, that hee hath ſet double hedge and ditch betwixt them and their ſinnes; nay rather brazen wals, to the end they might not come neere nor commit them. Hee hath (to ſpeake plainely) ſent his Prophets among Note. Gen. 2. 17.them, to forbid and threaten them, euen as hee did to Adam, if hee ſhould reach out his hand, and eate of the forbidden tree. Hee allureth and ſeeketh to win them, and perſwadeth them to imbrace the good way, and not to Luk. 15.come neare the way of death and puniſhment; euen as hee ſeeketh them who are loſt, but few of them will heare and come: ſo that he may ſay, what ſhall I doe more for this people: yea he may as well ſay to them, as hee did to the people by Hoſea the Prophet, when he ſaid; O Ephraim, what ſhall I doe vntounto thee? O Iuda, how ſhall I entreate thee? So that if any harden their hearts Hoſ 6. 4. See Iob 39. 37. 38.in ſuch manner, to charge God for their ſinnes, from which yet by no perſwaſions nor reaſons they could bee reclaimed: nay for the maintaining wherof they hauehave ſhewed themſelues rebellious and obſtinate: know they, that while this Scripture and ſuch other ſhall remaine to witneſſe againſt them, they ſhall neuer bee able to finde the ſmalleſt eaſe by ſuch cauiling, whereby they doe but as it were by patching new with old, make the rent worſe.
And by this we may ſee, that we were not beſt to truſt to our owne imaginations, nor to follow our owne waies: neither to deale as Adam, to excuſe Iob 31. 33.our ſelues; nor to be like to them in the Goſpell, who when they were bidden to the marriage, ſent their anſwere as it pleaſed them, but ſo as it little became them; for thereby wee wade but the deeper into danger, and Luk. 14. 18.beare away more blowes, as it may bee ſaid of them that ſtriue againſt his Eſa. 54. 17.chaſtiſements. For eueryevery tongue that ſhal contend with him in iudgement he ſhall condemne. And this we may ſee if wee liſt, in that fearefull example of him that hid his talent in the earth, which he was commanded to put to vſe, and occupie it. Hee thought hee had reaſon enough to ſay for his defence, that hee knew him to bee an hard man of whom hee receiued it; and therefore would be ſure to returne him his owne againe. But what anſwere heard he? euen this, Take the vnprofitable ſeruant and caſt him into vtter darkeneſſe, Mat. 25. 30.there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Therefore we ſee by this, as alſo by our text, in that the people had nothing to anſwere, when a reaſon was demanded of them why they had done ſo; that when men hauehave followed their owne ſwinge, in ſinning as they hauehave deſired, they ſhall neuer bee able to anſwere any thing in their owne defence ſoundly, nor iuſtly; but to the further encreaſe of their ſinne, as I hauehave ſaid already, but ſhall bee tongue tied: wherupon it followeth, that which I hauehave proued, that the Lord hath ſo good right when he dealeth againſt ſinners, that entring into iudgement with them, hee feareth not to giuegive them all vantages that they thinke will ſerue their turnes: but in the end they ſhall ſee that they do but make themſelues thereby the more guilty. For by theſe meanes in giuing this people liberty to anſwere what they could, their ſinne was the more aggrauated againſt them, they hauing not ſo much as any colour to defend themſelues. And this being ſo, let vsus learne hereby not to yeeld onelyonly by ſilence, but to be humbled alſo and relent; and proceed on to true repentance: yea, let vsus beware that wee hauehave no controuerſies with the Lord, by being bold to offend and prouoke him; thinking (though fooliſhly and falſly) to make a good end: for be we ſure we ſhall neuer make our part good againſt him: neither let vsus ſinne in hope; for when wee are threatened puniſhment for the ſame, or when we ſhall be arraigned, we ſhall eaſily be found guilty, and the Lord ſhall be iuſtified, and then all our faire ſhewes muſt vaniſh, leauing vsus in the briers.
Thus we hauehave heard the people reproued for their ſin: now the threatning Verſ 3. The ſenſe.of the puniſhment followeth, which is ſharpe and ſore; and is ſet down in three points. The firſt is, that God would not expell their enemies, as hee had vponupon condition promiſed: the ſecond, that their remaining ſtill in the land ſhould be as thornes in their ſides: the third, their gods ſhould bee as a ſnare to catch them in, to their deſtruction.
And for the firſt of theſe puniſhments, namely, that God ſhould not expell The firſt puniſhment.the Canaanites, it is well to bee weighed what he meant by it, that wee may the better ſee what a puniſhment it was: Now his meaning in thus ſpeaking was this: for as much as yee hauehave not ſtood to your couenant to driue the nations out, but hauehave ſuffered them to remaine there ſtill; neither will I ſtand to mine, which was but conditionally made with you: ſo that wheras I promiſed to be with you, and ſtrengthen you, and to expell them for you as I hauehave begun to doe, now I will doe ſo no more. And what will follow of that? euen this, that if I doe it not, you ſhall not be able to doe it of your ſelues; for ye are too weake, as ye hauehave good proofe. And yet if they be not caſt out, they ſhall remaine to your deſtruction. This the Lord meant by ſaying that he would not caſt them out.
This firſt puniſhment teacheth vsus this; that when we remoue not annoiances Doct. 1.while we may, we ſhall not be able afterward, when we would. Now our greateſt annoiances are eueryevery mans ſpeciall ſinnes, euen as this one, Note.their breaking off couenant with the Lord, was theirs. And when wee ſee ſome of the ſpecialleſt of theſe our ſinnes, and what eye ſores they be to vsus, while our hearts goe after them, and what trouble and ſorrow they bring with them to vsus; and yet wee caſt them not from vsus, but ſtill retaine them; it ſhall come to paſſe afterwards, that they ſhall get ſuch ſtrength in vsus, that we ſhall not be able to depart and come out from them, no not then when wee would. For they ſhall ſo winde themſelues into vsus, and ſo draw our delights after them, eſpecially through long lying in them vncontrolled, that wee ſhall become drunken with them, and beſotted, ſo as wee ſhall be vtterly impotent, and not by our prayers or other meanes (if we vſe any) be able to preuaile againſt them.
Nay I ſay more, when God ſhall viſit vsus with ſickneſſe or otherwiſe, or when his word hath in ſpeciall manner wounded our conſciences, and feared Note.vsus with his diſpleaſure for them; yet euen then wee ſhall not be able to breake off from them, and come out of louelove with them; they hauehave ſo ſtrongly and forcibly drawne vsus after them, euen as an husband, a naturall man vponupon his death bed can hardly depart from the wife of his youth, whom he hath dearely loued. And if (as in that caſe it comes ſometimes to paſſe) if, I ſay wee doe crie out of ſuch ſinnes in the anguiſh of our conſciences, or when we thinke we ſhall die, (as ſuch afflictions will ſearch deepe, and (perhaps) conſtraine vsus to vtter in our extremity and paine, ſome confeſſions of them, and diſlikings, and to make purpoſes, while God holds vsus (as it were) on the racke with promiſe and proteſtation, neuer to returne to them Note.any more; yet it ſhall appeare, that euen thoſe promiſes are but wrung from vsus by force and feare, as Sauls confeſſion was, when hee heard hee ſhould loſe his kingdome. For when Gods heauie hand ſhall once bee off, from wringing and paining either our minds or bodies, wee ſhall bee ready to runne to our old byas againe, as Ahab did after his raſh and haſty putting on ſackcloth, and to imbrace thoſe and the like ſins, with as great liking (that I ſay no more) as we did before.
Behold therefore what a bondage it is to bee deluded by, and ouercome of ſuch baſe commanders, and what iniurie we doe our ſelues, when we fall into league with any ſpeciall ſinnes; and why doe wee not throughly and hartily diſlike and ſet againſt them while they be as it were in the bud, and as yet but newly ſprung vp in vsus, and in their firſt alluring of vsus? yea rather why did we not rather keep thē out at the firſt, ſo that they might hauehave had no ſuch power ouer vsus? For there is hope in the beginning of our acquaintance with them, to withſtand and ſhake them off, if wee would ſet our ſelues to the purpoſe to doe it; namely, as the word of God teacheth vsus, that is, with diligence and vprightneſſe, knowing that wee ſhould not loſe our labour. Whereas if wee giuegive place to tentations, and fooliſh allurements, and doe not wiſely and ſeriouſly withſtand the beginnings thereof, wee bee not only in danger to become ſlaues to them afterward, and vnable to chaſe them away when we would, as I hauehave ſaid; but alſo to proſtitute our ſelues to many other which are their companions, till wee finde that which this Rom. 13. 13.people found heere in expelling the Canaanites, that we cannot poſſibly be rid of them; or if ſome few doe, yet it is with exceeding difficulty. So that they are wiſe who giuegive not vp their members as weapons of ſinne, but by Rom. 6. 13.faith ſet themſelues to mortifie it betimes, after they hauehave attained ſound hope to be ſaned: knowing that otherwiſe the ſtrong man Satan will hold and keepe poſſeſſion, if a ſtronger then hee come not, euen the Lord himſelfe by his power to driue him out.
And yet if this bee well begun and attempted of vsus, I thinke this caueat or watch word not vnprofitable, but neceſſary, that although wee hauehave got the vpper hand, and caſt out the vncleane ſpirit, yet if we ſhall ſuffer (by our careleſneſſe and ſloth) this good worke to ſlake and to bee broken off, our enemie will make another aſſault vponupon vsus, and gather ſtrength to recouer his poſſeſſion againe. For though he be once driuen out, yet hee imbarkes himſelfe (if he can get in againe, as he laboureth to doe) and ſtronglier keepeth the hold with double force and courage; nay ſeuen fold more then at the firſt he did, and then what will the end bee, all may ſee; to wit, though not worſe then in the beginning, as it is with him, who did but goe about it, but did it not in deed, yet with exceeding difficulty and perill, though hee had expelled him before.
From hence it is, that many at this day, and thoſe alſo of the forwarder ſort, hauehave no courage in them to roote out ſinne in their townes and families, ſeeing they entertaine the ſame in themſelues. And if they attempt any ſuch thing, yet they doe it but faintly, and ſoone leaue it off. And hereof it is, that numbers neuer grow to any great ripeneſſe in religion, I meane the practiſe of it, neither doe euer come to ſee the tenth part of the fruit of it in Note.the comfort that it bringeth, becauſe they are not wiſe to chaſe away thoſe common ſinnes, to the which they doe moſt lie open, nor doe but dallie with them, and neuer oppoſe themſelues againſt them any thing hartily, eſpecially any long time together. So that many liue in whoredome, in malice, in oppreſſion, deceiuing, and the reſt (for the moſt part) who are kept from reprochfull euils, yet liue but a dead and vncomfortable life, ſeeing they doe not reſiſt offers to ſinne, when they hauehave any made to them, as Gedeon did the kingdome, but ſeeke and hunt after them rather: and ſuch a life hath ſmall force in it to perſwade others to repentance. And this of the firſt puniſhment.