Batteries Upon the Kingdom of the Devil, Chapter 1

Batteries Upon the Kingdom of the Devil · Chapter 1

p. 1Sacred Exorcisms: OR, The Case and Cure of the Possessed by the Devil.

ACTS v. 3.

Why hath Satan filled thine Heart?

THE sinful Children of Men, express their Disobedience to the First and the Great Commandment of the Law, by their not serving of, their not seeking to, their not hoping on, and their not rejoycing in the Eternal God. But there is a further, and a viler step of Impiety, which a woful part of Mankind, praecipitate themselves unto; and that is, An hearkening to the Temptations of the Devil, rather than to the Proposals of the mo… Holy Lord. A sad Instance of this we have in p. 2that wretched Ananias, whom the words now read were spoken unto.

In the 28th Chapter of Jeremiah, we read concerning one Ananias, an ungodly Minister, whom God punished with a sudden Death for his Iniquity; and in the 5th Chapter of the Acts now before us, we also read of one Ananias, as it seems, an ungodly Minister too, whom God likewise punished with a sudden Death for his Iniquity. The Primitive Christians in Jerusalem had erected a Bank among them, for the relief of their Poor, Distressed, Afflicted Brethren. In the places of the most Prosperity, and of the best Regulation, the Poor that live upon Charity usually make about a Thirtieth part of the People; but among the Primitive Christians, which the Lord chiefly chose among The Poor of this World, we may imagine a greater proportion of Needy ones. For the Comfort of these Godly Poor, many Gentlemen of good Estates, not only gave their Revenues, but even sold their Fee Simples, as far as they thought it proper for them, and made a Stock which the Apostles became Trustees for the well-disposing of.

One Ananias, with his Wife, pretending to follow this Example, yet secretly detained part of the Price which they had received for an House or Farm, on this occasion alienated.

Our Text is the terrible Expostulation of the Apostle towards this deceitful Man: Why hath Satan filled thine Heart? There are two things implyed in it. First, That he had been carried, yea, and burried on to a most horrible p. 3Sin, by the Temptations of the Devil. And next, That it was his own Act and Fault, which gave the Devil this Advantage over him; there was his own Consent and Folly in hearkening to the Temptations.

I am not yet ready to give you the Doctrine which you are waiting for; we must first compare our Context▪ and from thence fetch two remarkable Consequences of this unhappy Mans being thus Filled by the Devil.

One Consequence of it was, A prodigious Wickedness. 'Tis charged upon Ananias, that he ly'd unto the Holy Spirit. I cannot find how to bring him in guilty of Sacriledge, tho' more than a Jury of Interpreters have brought in that Verdict also against him: But we find him guilty of grievous Dissimulation and Hypocrisie. He seemed as if he had been very liberal, and no less forward and sincere in foregoing his Possessions for the Publick Use, than the best of them all; but he did not really do, what he openly declared and professed for the doing of. Indeed, the Man was afraid lest he should himself come to want before he dyed; he durst not rely upon the Faithfulness of God, which alwayes provides well for the Charitable Man, so he kept back part of the Price. However thought he, I'll make a show, they shall never take me for a Niggard! This is called, A lying to the Holy Spirit, because it was a going to put a Trick upon those Persons that had an extraordinary Measure and Power of the Holy Spirit in them: For besides the committing of this Knavery in a Church-Assembly, wherein there is p. 4a special Presence of the Holy Spirit, it was before the Apostles, which had the Holy Spirit in them, to a Miracle. Vain Man, hadst thou forgotten the story of Gehazi? That like him, thou shouldest not fear a discovery by the Holy Spirit of God!

Another Consequence of it was, An horrendous Misery. 'Tis reported of Ananias here, That hearing these words, he fell down and gave up the ghost. At the beginning of the Jewish-Church, a double dealing with God was immediately followed with a deadly Revenge; of which Nadab and Abihu was an Instance; thus at the beginning of the Christian Church, in such a case we see not unlike Judgments executed. The Apostle Peter had newly wrought a Miracle of Beneficence, behold, he now works a Miracle of Severity, to testifie the Exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. I remember the old Pagan Porphyrius exclaimed against Peter, as a bloody, cruel Man, for this transaction; but he might have remembered, it was not the Apostle, it was the Almighty, that killed this Malefactor; and some have an hope, if it be not a fond one, that he repented while he was expiring; yea, that the Troubles and Sorrows of his Repentance were the things that smothered him. Here is only this further Mystery to be wondered at, That Peter himself had but a few Weeks before been guilty of as monstrous Lying, as this poor Creature here; but upon his weeping bitterly, the Lord forgave him, even so far as to imploy him in passing a dreadful sentence upon one that thus transgressed. O p. 5the Soveraignty of Grace! Lord! how unsearchable are tby Judgments!

Our Doctrine will now of its own accord fall into our hands: 'Tis this, That when Men permit Satan, with his Temptations, to fill their Hearts, they are in the high road unto all manner of Wickedness and Misery.

There are Three Propositions that now lye before us.

PROP. I.

There is a Devil, whose Imployment it is to tempt the poor Children of Men.

Let us a little examine every Article in this Proposition. We say then, There is a Devil. Would you know what a Devil is? We have a description of him in Eph. 6.12. A spiritual wickedness, in high places. That is, a wicked Spirit, lodged in the Atmosphere above and about the Earth which we walk upon. A Devil is properly a Fallen Angel; and so he must be a Rational Spirit, full of enmity against God and Man. There was a vast company of Angels, whereof the Apostle tells us, in Jude 6. They kept not their first estate (namely that of Holiness and Happiness) but left their own habitation (which was in the Heavenly Regions) and God has reserved them for everlasting chains under darkness. p. 6This Hellish Crue of wicked Spirits, is called, the Devil and Satan, in the singular number; and it is worth enquiring, why? For answer to that. It is not because they are one in point of Individuation. Alas, there are incredibly many Legions of them: We read in Luke 8.30. of above Twelve Thousand which could be spared at once to keep Garrison in one single Man. But the Devils are all as one upon these two accounts; both of which the 12th Chapter of Matthew gives us Instructions about: They are one for their agreement; they all espouse one Design, and follow one Business; they don't fall out among themselves: And then also, they are one for their Government; there is a Monarchy among them; and they are all united under one Prince, the Commands and Orders of which Grand Seigniour they all yield the most exact Obedience to. This is the Devil! But what is the Imployment of these wicked Spirits here? Why, for that we say, Temptation is the imployment of the Devil. There are three famous Names by which this Tygre is distinguished: and there is a reference to Temptation in them all. He is called, the Satan, and the Tempter, and the Devil. Before he sets upon us, then he is a Satan; that is, a malicious and a malignant Adversary; he hates us infinitely, and longs to see us miserable. After he sets upon us, then he is a Devil; that is, a clamorous Accuser; he will traduce us, and reproach us, at the Courts in the invisible World, where the Lord gives out his Commissions about our Concernments here. But while he is at work p. 7with us, all that while he is our Tempter. To tempt a Man is properly to perswade him, and seduce him to some evil thing. We all owe a continual Allegiance unto God, and it is as well our Interest as our Duty to acknowledge him in all our wayes. Now the Devil by his Temptations is evermore solliciting us to deny unto our God something of the Homage and Honour that is due unto him, and leave the Paths wherein we shall find rest unto our souls. He has a Natural Propensity and Inclination to this Devilish work; and inveterate Custom of more than Five Thousand Years, has doubtless increased that Habit in him. If you ask how the Devil becomes our Tempter? I must Answer, Sometimes tis more immediately; he has inexplicable wayes of applying himself unto our Souls, and of pressing and pushing them unto many sinful exorbitancies. But sometimes 'tis more mediately: The Men of the World, and the Things of the World, are the Tools with which he operates upon us; by these he throwes the Sparks of Hell upon our Lusts, until he has made them flame and rage into the worst of all abominations. If you ask, why the Devil becomes our Tempter? I must Answer, 'Tis partly out of Malice at God. He would fain be in the Throne of God, and he cannot endure that God should have any Subjects or Children in the World. And partly, 'tis out of Envy at Man. He cannot brook it, that Man should be Saved, and he be Damned; that Man should be Crowned, and he be Chained; that Man should be in the Bosom of God, and he lye in p. 8the bottom of Hell for ever. 'Tis this that puts him upon tempting, and vexing and plaguing of us all.

PROP. II.

The Temptations of the Devil sometimes prevail so far as to fill the Hearts of the Men whom they are used upon. Many Men are so conquered by the Temptations of the Devil, that they let him into their Hearts, and their Hearts then become as full of the Devil as ever they can hold. There are two or three things, in regard of which the Devil sometimes fills the Heart of a miserable Sinner.

First, The Devil blinds the Heart of a Sinner, and so he fills the Heart of him. We read concerning them that are full of the Devil in 2 Cor. 4.4. The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them. The Devil is called, The prince of darkness; and it is an Hellish darkness which he clouds the Mind of a Sinner with. The Devil so blinds the Mind of many a Man with his Temptations, that he can't see the way wherein he should go; he calls evil good, and good evil; and he is plunged into damnable delusions. The Devil perverts the understanding of many a Man, and makes him either to see nothing, or to think amiss of all sacred things. The Sinner having his eyes put out, the Devil now makes the Man to grind for him in all manner of Iniquity. When once the Devil has thus muffled and hood-winked a poor Sinner, he p. 9fills him with all confusion; and he brags, Now the Man is mine for ever! The Devil does what he will with a Sinner, when once he has made a dark Dungeon of his wretched Soul.

Secondly, The Devil gains the Heart of a Sinner, and so likewise he fills the Heart of him. This Victory of the Devil over a Sinner has two degrees to the compleating of it. First, The Devil enters the Heart of the Sinner. When an hideous Man once became full of the Devil, 'tis said in Luke 22.3. Then Satan entred into him. The Devil does besiege the Soul of a woful Man with his Temptations; at last the poor Man delivers up the Keys of the Castle, and e'en lets the Devil enter with all his Forces there. The Devil gets all the Faculties of the Soul in his possession; so that after this, he has the Intellect of the Man to argue for him, the Memory of the Man to be his Treasury, and all the Affections of the Man to side with his Parties, his Intents. As that sorry King said once to the Syrian, I am thine, and all that I have: So the Sinner overcome with Temptations, at length sayes to the Devil, Here, take my Heart, it is thine, and all that I have. When 'tis come to this pass, then; Secondly, The Devil commands the Heart of the Sinner. 'Tis said about such as are full of the Devil, in 2 Tim. 2.26. They are in the snare of the Devil, taken captive by him at his will. With his Temptations the Devil so far prevails against a woful Sinner, that he has the poor Man in a Toyl; the Devil can drag him hither and thither, and e'en do what he will with him. The Devil becomes p. 10the absolute Commander of his undone Soul: If the Devil say, Come, he comes; if the Devil say, Go, he goes; if the Devil say. Do this, he does it, and he cannot for his life do otherwise. Temptations prove to the Sinner like a Spiders web; the Devil even rolls up the silly Fly in his cursed Cobwebs; and though he flutters and struggles a little, yet he sucks out the Heart-blood of him when ever he pleases. Thus 'tis when the Devil fills the Hearts of Men. But that we may make a full conclusion of this Proposition, take this one Conclusion to perfect what we have begun to say.

'Tis our hearkening to the Temptations of the Devil, that gives him opportunity thus to blind, and gain, and fill our Hearts. He cannot so come at us, as to fill us, unless by our compliances with his Temptations we open the doors of our Souls unto him. We find in Gen. 3.2. our Mother did first parley with the Devil, before he could prevail upon her; but when once he had so far prevailed as to make her yield, she was then quickly full of him. 'Tis our yielding to the Devil that procures his filling of us. The Devil could not throw our Saviour, although he had him on the Battlement or the Gallery of the Temple; he said, Cast thy self down. Thus the Devil must have a Mans own consent before he can fill the Man. And every time we hearken to a Temptation of his, we do somewhat permit his filling of us.

p. 11PROP. III.

When once the Temptations of the Devil have prevailed so far as to fill the Hearts of Men. they go on to all wickedness and misery. And this will be evident from these Considerations.

First, When Satan fills the Hearts of Men, there is a desperate and an horrible madness in them. A Natural madness is often caused by the Influence of the Devil upon the Children of Men. It was a common Sentiment among the Jews of old, That madness was oftentimes produced by the Energy of Evil Spirits; especially, if the madness were Jine Febri. Some Devil 'tis which raises the Poysonous Fires in poor Men, to such an heat and heighth as causes a madness in them. Hence twas said concerning a mad Man, in Matth. 17.15, 18. He is Lunatick; that is, one distracted at certain times of the Moon; and it follows, Jesus rebuked the Devil. Be sure there is a Spiritual Madness which the Devil causes in the Hearts which he has made himself owner of. When a Sinner has once resigned himself unto the Devil, it may be said of him, as in Eccl. 9.3. Madness is in his heart; and then he will stick at nothing, though it should prove never so deadly to him. What was blasphemously said of our Saviour, may very righteously be said of a Sinner, in John 10.20. He hath a Devil, and is mad. But when once a Man is mad, what is there …o hinder him from the utmost wickedness p. 12and misery? The more unreasonable any thing is, 'tis the more agreeable to a Sinner that is acted by the Devil; he has upon him that Plague. To be smitten with Madness and Blindness, and astonishment of Heart.

Secondly, When Satan fills the Hearts of Men, he will have wayes to reconcile them unto the most formidable Impieties in the World. There are certain pretended Arguments that the Devil has to perswade all manner of Sins withal; and when once he is got into the Heart of a Man, he can give a strange Force and Strength to those vain Pretences. The Devil will perswade the Heart of such a Man, that Sin is a very Pleasurable thing. He so vitiates the taste of him, that he thinks, as in Prov. 9.17. Stolen waters are sweet. He now finds that sweetness in unlawful things, which 'tis impossible to restrain his Appetites unto: It meerly bewitches him, and he becomes like that poor Man, who being told that he must leave his Drinking, or lose his Eye-sight; replyed, Then farewel these poor Eyes of mine. The Devil will also perswade the Heart of such a Man, that Sin is a very necessary thing. He urges upon him that which he pressed upon our Saviour, in Matth. 4.3. It is for Bread; you'll starve, you'll dye, if you do it not. He now imagines that without the doing of unlawful things, he is utterly undone in the World; and if he can say once, The thing is needful, he will never trouble himself, whether it be sinful or no. In the mean time, there is but one thing to withhold the Sinner from the worst Abominations in the p. 13World; and this one thing does the Devil keep a cruel muzzle upon. When a Sinner is rushing on to his own ruine, his Conscience, that stands in his way, as the Angel did with a drawn Sword, in Balaams of old; that stands and cryes, and pleads, O do not this abominable thing! But when the Devil is in a Mans Heart, he claps a strange Extinguisher upon that Candle of the Lord. The Devil has a way now to bribe the Conscience of a Sinner. As we read of some in Tit. 1.15. Their Conscience is defiled; so the Devil will often debauch the Conscience of a Man at such a rate, that Conscience will even turn Advocate for unlawful things; the Man will now commit the most unparallell'd Villanies, and yet say, I verily thought that I ought to do many such things: Or at least, the Devil has a way to sear the Conscience of a Sinner, We read in 1 Tim. 4.2. about a Conscience seared with an hot iron. Thus the Devil will cauterise the Conscience of a Man, till he may cut it, and wound it, with all manner of Guilt, and yet never be touched with any Remorse at all. Behold, whether you do not now see a Sinner galloping apace towards the farthest wickedness and misery! And what is there to stop his furious careers?

Thirdly, When Satan fills the Hearts of Men, he inspires them with a desperate Enmity against the most probable Instruments of their eternal good. The Devil makes Men very impatient of Reproof; and when he is got into the Hearts of them, one had as good meet a Bear bereaved of her whelps, as go to controul them in their p. 14evil wayes. The Almighty God has his Officers in the World, whose Work 'tis to keep Sinners from the Destruction which they would bring upon themselves; 'tis to pull them as brands o… of the fire. But alas, these Fire-brands of Hell will only black and burn those that shall faithfully go to meddle with them. The only way to save a self-destroying Sinner, is, to tell him the Truth. But if you dare to do that, you shall soon complain, like Paul in Gal. 4.16. Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth? When the Devil has hurled a poor Sinner into the horrible pits of Sin, he presently makes a meer Dog of him; so that like a Dog, he'll snap and snarl at any one that shall go to pull him out; and there is no Remedy but he must perish there.

Hence 'tis that a Zealous Minister of God is usually an extream and odious Eye-sore to such a Sinner: Of a Faithful Minister he'll say, as Ahab of that Prophet, in 1 Kings 22.8. As for that man, I hate him: And he could be content if all the Servants of the Lord were served as once Fourscore of them were by the Arian Persecutors, There have been dreadful and bloody Storms in all Ages raised against the true Ministers of God; but they have all proceeded from the efficacy of the Devil on the Hearts of evil Men. If more than Twenty Hundred Holy Men of God should all be silenced in one day, these would be admirably pleased with it, and wish, That the mouths of them all were in like manner stopt. Why, what's the matter? 'Tis because these Ministers would p. 15save Men from the Paths of the Destroyer; these Ministers would bring Men to a Saving Acquaintance and Communion with the Blessed God. They might indeed beg, as the Apostle did, Forgive us this wrong! But when People have the Devil in them, the Pastors never shall be forgiven so great an Injury; the Witnesses of the Lord Jesus must, as in Rev. 11.11. Torment them which dwell on the Earth. Yea, the more Eminent any Minister shall be, for his Desire and Power, to do good unto all, the more shall such a Minister be maligned, reproached, reviled in the World. There was once a Prophet very remarkable for his undaunted and unwearied Pains to make all his Neighbours Happy; but the Complements bestowed still upon that Minister of God, were those in 1 King. 18.17. Thou art he which troubles Israel; said they, we owe all our Troubles to the Counsels of that Man; 'tis he that has caused all our uncomfortable Revolutions. It were well for us, if he, and all such, were hanged out of the way. Never shall any Man do much good for the Souls of his Neighbours, but the World will treat him as they did the excellent Athanasius of old; they will spit the basest and blackest Venom upon him; and when they can do nothing else, they ll write Libels, wherein, Omne scelus viro sancto objicitur, to render him not capable of being any further serviceable. Especially, there are some sorts of Sectaries more peculiarly acted by the Devil, in storming at the Ministers of God. When the Devil got into Nebuchadnezzar, he was, I conceive, taken p. 16with a Lycanthropy, a Disease which gives a Man the Temper and Motion of a Wolf. Why when the Devil gets into some Hereticks, he makes Wolves of them, and they fall a barking presently, and this, as is proper, chiefly at the Shepherds of the Flock; the best Name they can find for them, is Dogs, and Priests, and Hirelings. These are things that push on the wickedness and misery of a poor Sinner into a depth beyond all recovery; who shall fetch them back, if their Ministers be made incapable?

Fourthly, When Satan fills the Hearts of Men, he makes them rush upon such hardy ventures as they must be utterly and for ever spoiled with. The Devil will make Sinners very venturesome, when once he becomes a Commander over them. The Devil is their Driver; and what can the event now be, but this; They shall be suddenly broken to pieces, and there shall be no Remedy! We read of certain Swine which had the Devil in them, in Matth. 8.32. Behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. The Devil does inchant poor Sinners by the delicious but poysonous Cups of Sin, into such Swine as those; so he'll run them over the most amazing Precipice in the World, and they shall throw themselves into a deep, without fear of choaking there. I'll tell you who was one of them Swine; 'twas Pharaoh, bloody Pharaoh. Who would have imagined that Pharaoh could have been so fool-hardy as to venture into the Red Sea after all the plagues and signs of his approaching ruine? But having the Devil in him, he ventures p. 17in till the Sea covered him, and he sank as Lead in the mighty waters. The obdurate Pharaohs of this World have many and many a time seen, that the great God brings the Seas, yea an whole Ocean of Judgments upon them that hinder this Instituted Worship in their Territories; and yet they still venture upon this destructive Policy, till one after another they all perish in the waters; but now the Devil knowes the Reason of it. In Rev 20.8. we read of a greater venture yet, that shall be made near the last of the latter dayes, by an odd Race of ungodly Men; and what emboldens it? Why the Devil shall deceive the Nations into an expedition that shall bring Fire from Heaven upon them all.

The greatest venture ever made by a Mortal Creature, is in persecuting the People of God. The Church of God is truly called, A burdensome Stone; it alwayes breaks the Backs of them that will be heaving at it: And that Stone yet lies, and lives, and growes, and God will yet make a glorious Mountain of it. The Lord Christ has told us, in Matth. 21.44. Whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 'Tis an allusion to the capital Punishment of Stoning, used among the Jewes of old: They first gave the Malefactor a thrust, which made him fall with his Loins upon a great Stone; and then they cast that great Stone upon the Man himself: If this dispatched him not, the Executioners threw more Stones upon him. This then is the Assertion of our Saviour, If p. 18Men will go to afflict, abuse and oppress the People of God, the Great God will stone them to Death for it; and there will need no other stone, but the cause and the cry of that oppressed People to do their business for them. And yet a vast party of poor Mankind are making this desperate venture every day; the whole World is full of Persecution, wherever you can find any Objects for old Cains Club to be used upon. 'Tis now from the Malice of the Devil that all Persecution does arise; 'tis the Devil that makes Men so venturesome as to wrong the Church of God. It is said in Rev. 2.10. The devil shall cast some of you into prison, and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes; referring perhaps to Trajans Persecution. 'Tis the Devil that makes Men to imprison, and smite, and kill their more pious Neighbours.

What shall I say more? Can there be a greater venture, than for a vile Man to challenge and combate the Infinite God himself? Said the Lord in Ezek. 22.14. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the dayes that I shall deal with thee? Tis the most outragious Phrensie that ever was, for a silly Worm to enter into a Battle against the Omnipotent God; for a sorry Potsherd of the Earth, to make his Batteries upon that God who overturns the mountains in his anger, and makes the very pillars of heaven to tremble. But the Devil every day causes this Ph…ensie in the Children of Men; wretched B…la…s and Thorns, when the Devil is in them, will run such a venture as to commence a Battle against that God who is a devouring Fire. p. 19Doubtlesss the Devil knew Jesus to be the Son of God, and yet the daring wretch would make an assault upon that Glorious One. Why, such a venturesome Disposition does the Devil cause in the Souls that belong unto him, that they will fly upon the Almighty God himself; it may be said of them as in Job 15.25, 26. He stretches out his hand against God, he strengthens himself against the Almighty, he runs upon the thick bosses of his buckler. All the Attributes of God are turned upon irreclaimable Sinners, like so many pointed sharpened Bosses of a Buckler; but when they are acted by the Devil, they will push upon these terrible Bosses. They do like the mad Caligula; when the God of Heaven thunders in Heaven, they go with little squibbing Rockets to thunder back again upon him. The Prophet w…ll compares them unto an Horse rushing into the battle. Though they are fairly warned that if they go on in their Sins, the Great God will make them feel the force of his Iron Fiery Arms, what care they? They'll go on in the rage of Sin, mocking at Fear, and they'll play with Sin just before the Canons roaring mouth. What is there now to keep a Sinner from the utmost wickedness and misery? Alas, what won't Men do when the Devil's in them?

Lastly, When Satan fills the Hearts of Men, he keeps them from all good Impressions by the means of Grace upon them.

The Devil will, if he can, cause Men to live without any means of Grace at all; he will get them to dwell in the region of the shadow of p. 20death; even in those places where they perish for the lack of Vision. We find, that when the Devil was got into Cain, in Gen. 4.16. He went out from the presence of the Lord: So the Devil causes Men to go away from the House, away from the Institutions, and away from the Ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Silver-Trumpets of the Lord Jesus were to sound in the other Hemisphere of our World, the Devil got a forlorn Crue over hither into America, in hopes that the Gospel never would come at them here; and he still gets incredible multitudes and myriads of People elsewhere to live like our Indians, without the Gospel of our Salvation among them.

But where the Devil cannot make Men so barbarous as to live altogether without the means of Grace, he will cause them so to attend upon those means, as to find no profit by them. We are told of some in Mark 4.15. When they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and takes away the Word that was sown in their hearts. Thus, the Devil will entice people to stay away from the House of God, upon very trivolous Pretences and Excuses: There shall be a Lecture in a Town, and not one seventh part of the Inhabitants be present at it, that they may hear the words whereby they may be saved; perhaps, if it be but a little cold, then they'll keep at home when they should be hearing the Word of Life, and they have got, they think, a Scripture too for doing so; That God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice. 'Tis possible they'll promise in the mean time to read a Chapter in Job; and if p. 21they do, I wish it may be the Fourteenth Chapter there. But if they come and sit among the People of God, how do they behave themselves? Their Minds are wandering with a very deadly fickleness; they are Buying, Selling, Travelling, or perhaps plunging themselves into cursed Adulteries, with a Fancy roving to the ends of the Earth. Why, the Devil has carried them out a Hunting with him. And it is well if their Eyes been't sleeping too; many will even set themselves to sleep in that place, whereof a true Child of Jacob would say, How dreadful is this place! 'Tis the House of God, and the Gate of Heaven! Why, 'tis the Devil that rocks the Cradle for them. Yea, 'tis usual for the Devil to make Men carp, and cavil, and quarrel at what is delivered in the House of God, when they should be thereby rather converted from their evil wayes. They'll rail, or scoff, or like Stephens Hearers, they will gnash their Teeth at the Heralds of Heaven; but, alas, they will not mend at the Dispensations of the Gospel.

We have seen some under a Bodily molestation by Evil Spirits, to stop their Ears, and roar and faint when any good thing was to be uttered in the Room, that so they might be sure to hear nothing of it. Why, Evil Spirits make Men continually do what is equivalent thereunto; even to deprive themselves of all benefit by the means of Grace; and what will then become of them? What wickedness or misery can they be refrained from?

p. 22APPLICATION.

I. Let us pity the forlorn Estate of those, whose Hearts the Devil is every day filling of. Since they are in the road unto all manner of wickedness and misery, let us count them subjects for all manner of compassion with us. Who could without yearning and bleeding Bowels, have seen the Man that had an unclean Spirit in him, and that, as in Mark 5.5. Was alwayes crying, and cutting himself with stones? Alas, alas, that is the case of the biggest part of Mankind by far; the Devil fills the Hearts of them, and they cause the Lord Jesus to be alwayes complaining over them, They sin against me, and wrong their own souls! Look, O look with a mou…nful Eye upon the state of our Brethren abroad in the World. It is upon computation affirmed, that near two thirds of the World are perfect Pagans unto this very day; it may be said of them, as the Scripture speaks, They serve dumb Idols as they are led; and it is the Devil that is their leader. Besides these, there is Mahomet, that monstrous Devil of the East, who has covered about a fifth part of the World with his infatuated followers; he has made meer Ideots and Harpies of many Millions ever since the Wo-Trumpets have begun to sound. About a sixth part of the World is called Christendom; and of that, what a large part is enveloped in the thick darkness of Popery, whereof the Apostle tells us, 'Tis through the working of Satan; and therein men believe a lye, p. 23that they may all be damned. What a thing is this? Lord, what is the depth of thy Judgments upon a desolate World! O where is our pity for the vast shoals of poor Souls, whereof the Devil has thus made a Prey? But let us then show our sincere pity by our ardent Prayer, for the hastening of that glorious day, wherein the Dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, shall be bound, and wherein Gods way shall be known upon the Earth, and Salvation among all people.

But what pity, what Heart-breaking pity should we then have upon our own Relations, whose Hearts we see the Devil sadly filling of! We may lament over many of our profane carnal careless Friends, That the Devil still has them in his clutches. And shall we not pity those Lambs of ours, which we see the devouring Lions of Hell apace carrying away? But let our pity here also inflame our Prayer. We read of a poor Woman that cryed unto our Lord Jesus, in Matth. 15.22. Have mercy on me, O Lord, my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. So let us go and pray for our unregenerate Friends, Lord have mercy on this poor Friend of mine, for they have a Devil filling of him. Do thus with most undeniable Supplications.

II. Let us make some Tryals, whether Satan with his Temptations have indeed filled our Hearts, or no? There are multitudes, multitudes of doleful Creatures in the World, who upon a strict Examination will be found as full p. 24of the Devil, as ever they can hold. Let us proceed unto that Examination then, which may discover the people that are in the high road unto all wickedness and misery.

Only 'tis a Caution to be first entred, for the comfort of some discouraged persons, We must not think the Devil is filling of us, meerly because we feel him vexing of us. 'Tis often so, that those Men who have least of the Devil dwelling in them, have most of the Devil striking at them. 'Tis possible, some of you are hurried by prodigious Injections of the Devil, and haunted with suggestions that are fraught with Atheism and Blasphemy, and horrible Ʋnbelief. Such Hellish Thoughts as those are called Muscae Infernales, by one of the Ancients; and Belzebub the God o… Flies does hideously Fly-blow the Minds of many persons by such Hell-Flies as these. But let no Christian conclude his Heart full of the Devil, because the Devil does infest and molest his Heart with such horrible Thoughts. The design of the Devil is to affright you into an hard and harsh Opinion of your selves, and set your Souls all on alight fire with amazements, by hurling at you these Fiery Darts. A good Man will be di…turbed at Atheism and Blasphemy in the Mouths of other Men; so said he in Psal. 44.15, 16. My confusion is continually before me, for t…e voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth. But much more, when he finds Atheism and Blasphemy roaring in his own poor Heart, it throwes him into a terrible consternation; so the Devil makes a sport of him. In this case 'tis often with good Men, as it was with Josephs p. 25Brethren; an horrible Thought is laid in their Soul, as the Cup was in the Sack of old; the Devil then charges them with it, and such is the tenderness of their Conscience, that they own, 'Tis indeed so, I have been an Atheist, and a Blasphemer before the Lord. Thus the Devil attains his ends! But be assured, ye tempted Souls, the Devils being so very busie with you, is no sign that he is filling of you. Such Annoyances of Satan are incident unto the best of Men. We find in 2 Cor. 12.7. an holy Paul himself most miserably buffeted by the Devil. An holy Job, we see in Job 2.9. followed with such a motion of the Devil as that, Curse God and dye. Yea, no less an one than our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, was urged once to say, That the Devil is God. Know it, ye troubled Souls, these Insinuations of the Devil into your Hearts, will never be laid unto your charge, if you do not embrace and cherish them. These Weeds of Hell don't grow in your Hearts; 'tis the Devil that has thrown them over the Wall; if you don't harbour them, and humour them, you shall not be condemned for them. In short, One of the Antients well distinguished between the barkings of the Devil, and the bitings of the Devil; when the Devil only presses us to wicked things, hitherto the Dog only barks; he bites not until we heartily ent…rtai… what he offers unto us. Be comforte… …h…; you are yet clear of the great Transgression.

But let us now pass to the Real Characters of them that have the D…vil indeed filling of their Hearts.

p. 26The antient Sadducees looked upon Devils to be no other than certain evil Qualities or Distempers in the Children of Men. 'Twas their Errour, and it is easie to show whence it arose. As for us, when we see many evil Dispositions in sinful Men, we do not say, those things are Devils; but we may take it for granted, the Devils by filling of their Hearts have caused those Dispositions.

In general, When one is a person of an evil Spirit, it is an evil Spirit that has filled him with it. Particularly, …d▪

First, The Devil has …l'd the Heart, when Lust is alwayes glowing in it, and heating of it. It is not alone in Matth. 10.1. that the Devils are called unclean Spirits. When Men are given to uncleanness, they alwayes invite the Devil to a lodging with them. Ʋncleanness reigns most in those places and those persons, that have most of the Devil in them; and hence a large part of the Devil-worship used among the Pagans, has, like that of Baal-Peor, had abominable Incentives and Practices of uncleanness in it. There are those that love to have lascivious imaginations rolling in their Minds; that imploy divers of their Senses to excite and provoke such imaginations, and that prosecute them with such Actions as to use the Apostles expression, 'tis a shame to speak of. Baudy Talks, Books and Pictures are common things among many that would, it may be, keep clear of more outragious Whoredoms. And besides, the grosser Filthinesses which cannot but wound the Consciences of all that are not beyond all measure p. 27hardened in Impiety, there are the cursed self pollutions which are counted light and small matters by many People, though the Word of God has condemned them as those effeminacies which keep Men out from the Kingdom of Heaven for ever. Why, the Devil who is an unclean Spirit has possession of the Hearts that are thus defiled. These are the Goats that must one day burn with the Devil and his Angels: why, 'tis from the Devil and his Angels that they do already burn. The Fire of Lust is the very Fire of Hell; the Devil has laid a pan of Hell-fire in the Soul of the profane Adulterer; the Heart of such a Wretch is in the Scripture compared unto an Oven; and the Devil has filled that Oven with a Fire fetched from the very bottom of Hell. Here are some of those to whom we may say, W…y hath Satan filled thine heart?

Secondly, The Devil has fil…ed the Heart, when 'tis puffed up with pride. We read in 1 Tim. 3.6. He that is lifted up with pride, fal…s into the condemnation of the devil. The Devil is a proud Spirit; it was his Pride that was h…s fall at first; and when he would give us a fall he does first by Pride give us a lift. It is an usual thing for Men to have an high Opinion of their own Excellencies; they do with a tickled Fancy behold their own Gifts, their own Attainments, their own Performances, and all their Priviledges; 'tis possible their very Attire becomes their Glory; and so according to the Apo…l…s expression, They glory in their shame; th…y quickly come to take offence if all their Neighbours do not now acknowledge them as more eminent than p. 28themselves; they grow discontented with such an estate and station as God has placed them in; and they look with a strange disdain upon those whom they reckon their Inferiours: Yea, 'tis well if they don't arrogate some excellency to themselves, which they never were owners of; if they don't ascribe to themselves those things which they never had, which they never did, which they ought never to pretend unto. But who is it that has thus inflamed the Hearts of Men! Truly the Devil is that Leviathan who is King over the Children of Pride; and his ruling of them is by his filling of them. When the Devil is in the Bodies of Men, he often swells them with a Tympany that is much discoursed of by the writers of those matters. Thus he does when he is in the Hearts of Men; he swells them with a very Diabolical Tympany. When you see a silly little Frogg swelling towards the dimensions of an Oxe, you may be sure 'tis from some inflation of the Devil in him. Here are more to whom we may say, Why hath Satan filled thy heart?

Thirdly, The Devil has fill'd the Heart, when Drink has fill'd the Head. It is said in Ephes. 5.18. Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the spirit. It seems they that have the spirit of strong Liquors intoxicating of them, cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit of God: But this argues that another Spirit, a wicked Spirit, must then be filling of them; the spirits of strong Drinks, afford a sort of Pabulum or Nourishment unto the Devil in the Souls of Men. There are many who drive a trade of Drinking p. 29to excess, even till they have disguised themselves. Many are never well until they feel they have drunk themselves up to some ridiculous elevations. I should wrong the very Dogs and Swine, if I should say, that these Miscreants made B…uits of themselves; no, the Bruits don't care to be drunk: The Rider, in the well-known Story, could not make his Horse drink an Health, after the Beast counted himself to have drunk enough. But I must rather say of them, they turn themselves into Devils; or at least, they turn the Devils into themselves; the Devil goes down with every unlawful Cup, which they are pouring in. You may observe it among the Barbarous Nations of the World, which the Devil is yet a God unto, the Vice of Drunkenness must be Epidemical among them, and where the more liquid wayes of Intoxication can't be had, they have the methods of a Dry Drunkenness to serve instead thereof. Why? the Devil knowes that by Drunkenness he shall keep a sure and a fast hold of miserable Men. We find in the Gospel, that when the Devil was in poor Creatures, he threw them into the Fire, and into the Water. 'Tis frequently the condition of drunken Wretches, notwithstanding that lying Proverb, A d…unken Man gets no harm. Sometimes they are thrown into the Fire, and there they are bur…ed. Several such Instances have we lately seen; their Sin lay in the abuse of Drinks that would burn, and they have themselves burnt with a vengeance for it. Sometimes they are thrown into the Water, and there they are drowned; and one of them, not very long p. 30ago, so remarkably, as that it was in the Hold of a Vessel too; a most proper Disaster! For a drunken Man is but an Old English word for a drowned Man. The Devil sees that if he can make Men drunk, he can do what he will with them; they will then stick at nothing that he shall urge them to; as in the memorable History recited by Lonicerus.

We have a Drink that has been called Kill-Devil; but old Mr. Wilson truly said, it might rather be called, Kill Men for the Devil. It is indeed a thing that every day does fill Men with the Devil. Behold more to whom we may say, Why hath Satan filled thine Heart?

Fourthly, The Devil has filled the Heart, when Falshood is filling of it. It is the word of Truth in John 8.44. The Devil is a Lyar, and the Father of it. Even so, The Devil is a Lyar, and the filler of such. There are those that will tell a Lye for the sake of some secular trivial advantage; perhaps in Buying and Selling they will multiply Lies to serve their little Bargains. This renders Men like our Ananias here; when the Man was catched in a Cheat, sayes the Apostle, Man, Satan has been filling that false Heart of thine. There are those will belye their Neighbours; that will defame, reproach, and either make or spread very false Reports about the Country. 'Tis a Diabolism which they are herein guilty of. This is to be just like the Devil, who uses to slander the Children of Men before the Lord. We read in the Scripture, about, A City full of Lyes; and you may be sure it was then, A City full of Devils too. p. 31When the People of God were honestly employed about the Church-work, which the King had hitherto countenanced, a company of ill-advised Men sent home their lying Address…s, Petitions and Letters against them to obstruct them in it; their words were, Thy Servants, the Men on this side the water, inform, That they are building a rebellious and a bad City; and if the City be built, it will endamage the Revenue of the Kings. Who do you suppose inspired those false Libellers? Doubtless, it must be that Spirit who is called, The accuser of the Brethren.

Moreover, There are those that are very false in their Promises; they'll promise you to do a Work▪ or pay a Debt, most certainly within such a time; but no heed is to be given unto any thing they say; 'tis affirmed, that some Church-Members are very scandalous for this Iniquity. Indeed! But let them for all their high Profession, hear who their Leader is. In this thing they follow the Devil, who made once a large promise to our Saviour, All this will I do for thee; but never was a syllable of it like to be performed. These People serve their Neighbours just as the Devils do the Witches, in the promises that they make unto them, Who do you think fills them all the while?

Finally, There are those that are very false in their pretences too; they'll speak very fair, and be your most Humble Servants; but at the same time the Rule you must have in treating with them, is, When they speak fair, believ… them not, for there are seven abominations in their Hearts; and for that very cause we may add, p. 32There are seven Devils in those Hearts of these. A Judas comes and cringes, and kisses, and complements, and …t is hail Master! and the bottom of all is, to betray that Master; but we are told first, The Devil entered into the Heart of him. I have then shown you the visage of more People, to whom we may say, Why hath Satan filled thy Heart?

Fifthly, When the Mouth is full of the Devil, the Heart cannot but be so too. It is said in Matth. 12.34. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Would we understand what the Heart is filled with? it will be seen at the Mouth. A fur and a filth upon the Tongue will discover the inward Fevers of the Soul. We read concerning, A Tongue set on fire of Hell. There are Tongues that are full of Railing, full of Cursing, full of Ribaldry and Obscenity: Why, 'tis the Devil that sets Fire to those outragious Tongues; but it their Hearts had not first been full of the Devil, there would not be so much Hell belch'd out of their Mouths. There are Tongues that will tear and rend the Blessed Name of God, with whole volleyes of cruel Oaths; 'tis because they are charged full of the Devil, that they go off at such a furious rate. And the same Tongues usually have the Name of the Devil into all affairs; if any thing be amiss, they say, What? the Devil ails it? I Answer them, 'Tis the Devil that ails you, the thing is otherwise well enough: If any thing vex them, they wish, The Devil take it! I Answer them, The Devil has taken you already, or you had never spoken so. Here are yet p. 33others to whom we say, Why hath Satan filled thine heart?

Sixthly, When the Man is full of mischief, you may be sure the Heart is full of the Devil. It was a smart speech of the Apostle to a Man that would have hindered another from turning unto God, in Acts 13.10. O full of all mischief, thou child of the devil. Truly such a Child of the Devil must needs be full of the Devil. There are those that have an extream delight in doing mischief to those that are about them; those that love to sow discords, to make brangles, to multiply disorders; it is a sport unto them to imbroil Humane Affairs; but these Fools are the Tools of the Devil in such things as these. Above all, there are those that stab and wound the Souls of their unhappy Neighbours; that poyson the Souls of their Neighbours with Prejudices against the Truths, and the Ways, and the Servants of the Living God; that entice the Souls of their Neighbours into those companies and practices, which will infallibly undo them for ever. These Agents of the Devil can't be empty of him. The Devil is the chief Tempter of the World; all you little Tempters are but his under-Officers; and it is he that fills you and fits you for that piece of mischief. But some there are that advance to such a measure of mischief, as to attempt no less than the very murder of themselves. When persons fall into discontent, and are not able to bear the sorrows or terrors of their Souls; or when they have provoked God by some extraordinary Impieties and Iniquities, it is no rare thing for them to p. 34fall thus far into the Devils hands. Self-murder is a prodigious piece of self-mischief; and it is therewithal, a sort of Revenge upon the Almighty God himself. None but an Heart full of the Devil will attempt such a nefandous wickedness: Indeed you may see much of the Devil in it, by the assistance which the Devil himself gives to many unnatural self-executions; one would think it impossible to kill a Man by such means as many wretched Creatures kill themselves withal; but when once they have begun, the Devil, who is the Angel of Death, immediately makes them uncapable to desist. Behold, those monsters to whom it might be said, Why hath Satan filled thine heart?

Lastly, Malignity, especially when accompanied with Apostacy, proclaims that the Devil has filled the Heart of a mis…rable Sinner. The Apostl… acquaints us in Eph. 4.26, 27. that if we do but let a little anger lye in our Hearts, we give place to the Devil; we give the Devil a lodging there. What then is done by those that have hatred and malice continually broiling in their Hearts? 'Tis the crime of many; and they bestow the mo…t of their hatred and malice upon those things that have most of God appearing in them. They can't endure Holiness, nor those Principles, nor those Ministers, that would promote much of Holiness in the World. This is not because the Devil is a stranger to the Hearts of those evil Men. Said the Devil once unto our Lord. What have I to do with thee, thou …y one! The Devil is in the Hearts of M…n, when they can't bear what has a stamp p. 35of Holiness upon it; but make their clamours and outcries thereupon immediately. A Man that made some Figure once, passing a Censure upon an Holy Person, had so little Grace and Wit, as to say, That Man is so like to God, that I cannot endure him. There spoke now a Devil incarnate. Alas, there are Men that can't endure what has much of God and Holiness attending of it; a Government that shall be all for Holiness, a Ministry that shall be all for Holiness, is a terrible eye-sore to these evil Men. Why, 'tis a black Mark of the Devil in the heart, which those people wear upon them. But it is more dreadfully symptomatical, if these have heretofore been better affected and inclined. The Devil is the first and chief Apostate in the World; and it's his being in their Hearts that renders others herein like unto him. It is a description of such Apostates in Matth. 12.45. The unclean spirit goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. Many a Man that once had his Heart so swept, as that he could weep at a Sermon, and he had a great kindne…s for the Churches of God; this Man loses all the savours of Heaven that once were upon the Soul of him; he comes to despise and reproach the Scriptures; to sit and flout and scoff in the most serious Ordinances, to entertain a desperate antipathy against what is holy, and just, and good. Now the Devil is gone into the Heart of that Man, with seven more of his Crue, to dwell there for ever. Go toll the passing Bell for the Soul of that Man; there is hardly any hope of his recovery.

p. 36If any one of all these Characters be found upon any of us, let them take the warning, which thereupon belongs unto them: Let them know, that they are going on to all manner of wickedness and misery. Stop, Sinner, stop; O make a stand. What can you think will become of you, if you permit the Devil to fill you any more? It must at last come to that in Matth. 25.41. Depart into everlasting fire with him. But,

III. Let us take some Counsels to prevent Satan from filling of our Hearts by his Temptations.

We may not permit the Devil to fill us: But what shall we do to prevent his doing so?

There are these Directions to be follow'd.

First, Our flying from the Devil, will prevent his filling of us. That is to say, let us get …ut of our Natural, Unconverted, Unrenewed Estate, by turning to God in Christ. While Men are unregenerate, they are▪ …as in Act. 26.18. under the p…wer of Satan. The Devil is an Absolute Lord over the Hearts of them that are not born again; he Rules and Reigns like a Bloody Tyrant, in those poor Hearts, without all controul. Come then, s…ake off the yokes of that H…llish Tyrant, by entering into Covenant with God in Christ; and say sincerely, as in Is…. 26.13. O Lord our God, other Lords besides t…ee have had d…minion over us; but we will now make mention of t…y Name alone. Though you p. 37cannot Repent, you cannot Believe, of your selves; yet make some essay to Repent and Believe, in hopes that the Pity of the Most High may help you to go through with it. And when once you have in that way sincerely given up your selves to God in Christ, the Devil will no more have such an Interest in you as formerly; you will be none of his.

O that you might all thus get clear of the Devils Command! It is a thing that should not be delayed at all. The Devil presses no Temptation more fervently and forceably than this; Delay till to morrow; To Repent and Believe hereafter will be time enough. Tis by this prccrastination that the Devil keeps poor Sinners in his unmerci…ul hands for ever. Sinners, you are to th…s day, The captives of the mighty, and the prey of the terrible ones; the worst Patroon in Algier is an easie Ma…er in comparison of that horrible one which you are continu…lly serving of. Some of you know the Troubles of a Slavery to wicked Frenchmen or Spaniards; and I suppose, would be loth to be in it again: But you are in a more dismal Vassalage, till you are brought home to God. May all young People be particularly admonished against all delays of turning to the Lord. It will be an easier thing for you now to shake off the Chains of the Devil upon you, than it will be afterwards. We read of one, from whom it was an hard thing to get the Devil out; and what was the Reason of it? We read in Mark 9.21. How long ago is it since this came unto him? And he said, of a child. Alas, there is not one unreg… nerate p. 38Child in this Assembly, but it may be said, Satan has filled the Heart of that Child. But if you would now turn from all Sin, while you are Children, it will be unspeakably less troublesome to get out of the Devils clutches, than it can be afterwards. Let all young People then cry to God immediately, that he would bestow a Regeneration on them. David rescues Lambs from the Lion. And yet let not the oldest among us all despair of his deliverance, if he now cry to Heaven for it. One that had been siezed by a wild Beast, cryed out, Help, help, I am yet alive! Are you yet alive? It is not then too lat… for you to be saved from the Jaws of the D…vil, which is carrying of your Souls away.

Secondly, Our fighting with the Devil will prevent his filling of us. This has the Apostle said unto us in Jam. 4.7. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. When the Devil follows us, with any of his Temptations, reject them as the Pious Joseph did, How shall I do this wickedness, and sin against God?

The way to encounter any Temptations of the Devil, is to oppose the Word of God unto them. The Advice proper for us, is that in Eph. 6.17. Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Behold, a Sword for us to combate and conquer all the Devils in Hell withal; I may say of that Sword, as David of Goliahs, There is none like it. When the Devil assaulted our Saviour with his Temptations, he replyed upon him. It is written! It is written! Thus, when the Devil with his Temptations, p. 39would get into our Hearts, let us tell him what is written in the Commandments, the Promises, the Threatnings of the Blessed God. Belshazzar was not more frighted at the Hand-writing on the Wall, than the Devil is at what is written in the Word of God, when 'tis laid before him. I remember, Athanasius, I think 'tis, reports, that in his time, the Devils in some that were possessed, could not bear to hear that Scripture in Psal. 68.1. Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered. Why, the whole Bible is of a like efficacy to drive the Devil from us. Learn to fence with a Text of Scripture, against all the Passes which the Devil is making at us; he'll not be able to close in with us, while we keep the Point of this two edged Sword upon him. This is that strong Sword of the Lord, which will plague Leviathan the cro…ked Serpent, and slay the Dragon that is in the Sea.

Thirdly, We must keep our Hearts, if we would not have the Devil to fill our Hearts. We have this among the Oracles of Wisdom, in Prov. 4.23. Keep thy heart with all diligence. It is by watchfulness that we best secure our Hearts from the Invasions and Incroachments of a busie Devil. We should alwayes be suspicious, lest the Devil be circumventing of us with some of his Temptations; and we should alwayes be as jealous about our own Hearts, as Job was about the Hearts of his unwary Children.

We should keep a constant guard upon our selves; and be among those blessed ones, of whom 'tis said, They fear always. 'Twas said p. 40in Matth. 26.41, Watch, that ye enter not into temptation. Even so, to be watchful, will keep Temptation from entering into us. I pray then, keep alwayes awake. 'Tis possible, that some of you are in circumstances peculiarly exposing of you to Temptations. You have laid aside something of that intimate Communion with God, which you have heretofore been used unto; you are grown formal, sleighty, weary in your Devotions; you are plunged over Head and Ears into the delights, or hurries, or troubles of the World; I must now cry to you, as 'twas cryed unto Sampson of old, The Philistines ar… upon thee, awake. The Devil will quickly fill that Heart of thine▪ if thou dost not awake, so as to keep it with more caref…lness and exactness.

I'll mention to you the most likely contrivance and expedient for the keeping of our Hea…ts; 'tis that in Phil. 4.7. The peace of God s…alt k…p your hearts▪ through Christ Jesus. The Greek word allu…es unto a Garrison. Be sure to maintain your Peace with God, and renew it presently, upon the least eclipse or breaking of it. Let there al…o be always living in your Souls a sense of the Love of G…d in Christ Jesus, and see that Love, f…l that Love, live upon that Love; this will be such a Garrison in your Hearts, that no Devil will find room for his Temptation… there; this Garrison will Gloriously defend you from the Incursions of the Devil.

L…y, If our Hearts were full of what is contrary …o the Devil, it would hinder him f… …ll…g of th…m.

p. 41As now, let the Heart be full of Heaven, and it won't be full of Satan. It is an express…on in Eph. 3.19. Be filled with all the fulness of G…d Let us be filled with many Thoughts on God▪ and for God; be fill'd with apprehens…ons of God, and with resolutions for God; be fi…ed with Meditations about the Fulness and Gl…ry and Bea…ty that is in the Almighty God. An H…art so ta…n up with God▪ can't afford any c…n…r for the D…vil to be f…lling of. The des…cription of Barnabas will now b…long unto us▪ in Acts 11.24. A good man and full of the H…y Spirit. It is not the Evil Spi…it, but the H…y Spirit which fills the Heart o… …ch a Man; he becomes a T…mple to the H…y Spirit of God, and if the Devil dare to molest his Heart with vile Temptations, this Holy Spirit soon drives him out of do…rs again.

Finally, Would we have an Heart not full of Satan? Then be sure that we have an Heart full of Prayer When we have never so well armed our …lv…s against the D…vil▪ and his Temptations, yet w… are after all to be as in Eph. 6.18. Praying always with all prayer. He that would be little in Temptation▪ let him be much in Supplication. The D…vil is not able to stay where much Prayer is going up unto God continually. In the House of a Famous French Minister, after the Devil had made never so much disturbance, yet when they were going to Prayer, he would say, Now you are going to Prayer, I must be gone! Truly, we make our Hearts too hot for the Devil, if Prayer be always abounding with us. When the Soldiers p. 42of Gideon made a shout, the Medianitish Armies fled before it. All the Armies of Hell will fall and run at the voice of our fervent Prayers. Those two things are joyn'd in Jam. 4.7, 8. Resist the Devil; Draw nigh to God. No posture are we so like to beat the Devil in, as by being on our Knees. If the Devils Tempting don't make us leave Praying, our Praying will shortly make him leave Tempting. They that went unto the Lord Jesus of old, had the Devil fetched out of their Friends; let us go to the Lord Jesus, that the Devil may not get into our Hearts. By our Prayers, let us resign and commit our selves to the conduct of God, and call in his help against all the annoyances of the wicked one. Although the Devil do strive never so much to fill our Hearts, we shall by exp…rience find what the Psalmist said. …. Psalm 56.9. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back; this I know, inasmuch as God is for me.