A view of the threats and punishments recorded in the Scriptures, alphabetically composed with some briefe observations upon severall texts / by Zachary Bogan ...

Relapsing into sinne * Punished,* 1.1

With a worse condition. For the Ʋncleane Spirit when he comes again to a house which he hath left, will bring seven more spirits a∣long with him; & keep it so strongly, that he

will hardly be cast out. When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh thorow dry places, seeking rest, (or, habitation) and fin∣deth none. Then he saith, I will return unto my house, from whence I came: and when he is come he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished, then goeth he, and taketh with himselfe Seven* 1.2 (or as many as can be gotten) other Spirits, worse then himselfe, and they enter in, and dwell there∣in, (before, he did but lodge there, but now he will dwell) and the last state of that man is worse then the first, Mat: 12. 43, 44, 45. Our Saviour saies thus to the Jewes. and his say∣ing hath been verified in them: according to his prophecy in the same place, Even thus shall it be also unto this wicked generation This Parable-like speech of his, you have de∣livered by Peter, in plainer termes; as if hee had it in his minde to interpret it, For if af∣ter they have escaped the pollution of the world (pollution, & unclean spirit, answer very well) through the knowledge of our Lord and Savi∣our Jesus Christ, they are entangled again ther∣in, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them then the beginning, 2 Pet. 2. 20. The clean spirit (if I may so call the Holy Ghost) when it hath left a man for a while: (as many times in a manner it doth) when it returnes againe, it comes with a great deale more effi∣cacy. for it finds a man humbled for the

want of it, and empty. Souldiers, that have kept a Castle and lost it; if they take it a∣gaine, will goe neere to make it impregna∣ble. If you consider it, you will finde it hold in Spirituall, Civill, and Naturall things: that Returnes to former conditions or actions (for the most part) improve them.

Threatned.

With a worse punishment, Our Saviour said to the man, whom he had cured of an infir∣mity of 38 yeares, Sinne no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee, Joh: 5. 14.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See Apo∣stacie.
• * 1.2

  This nū∣ber is used to expresse a full num∣ber, or measure, as, 1 Sam. 1••. 5. Isa. 4. 1.