The tryal & triumph of faith: or, An exposition of the history of Christs dispossessing of the daughter of the woman of Canaan Delivered in sermons; in which are opened, the victory of faith; the condition of those that are tempted; the excellency of Jesus Christ and free-grace; and some speciall grounds and principles of libertinisme and antinomian errors, discovered by Samuel Rutherfurd, professor of divinity in the University of St. Andrews. Published by authority.

SERMON XXVII. (Book 27)

Mar. 7.30.

And when she was come to her house, she found the Devil gone out, and her daugh∣ter laid upon the bed.

BEcause I hast to an end, and shall not now refute the dream of Papists from this col∣lecting the lawfulnesse of their bastard confir∣mation, and of confirming children, by the un∣hallowed blessing of the Prelate; only observe the case of the child; Mark saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Cast, in a violent manner, in a bed: for this is not to be a bed of rest and security, as some Papists collect, but to expresse how vio∣lent Satan is in his last farewell, as when he is

to be cast out, Mark 9.20. When the possessed childe is brought to Jesus, and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming: The Devil and the unclean spirits are not thrown out of a person, or Land, but they must rage and foam: 1. The Lord saith, Zach. 13.2. I will cut off the names of Idols out of the land,* 1.1 and they shal be no more remembred; and I will cause the prophets, and the unclean spirits to passe out of the land; But this cannot be done but with great violence, vers. 3. The father and the mo∣ther shall thrust through with a sword the false Prophet, even their own son ere he be put out of the land: The Devil will not be removed without blood, sweating and great violence; when the unclean spirits of men given to curi∣ous Arts, and the Idoll Diana is preached down in Ephesus, Acts 19.18. That whole great City was full of wrath, and they cry out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians: 19. And the whole City was filled with confusion: When Christ cometh to the Crown and the Throne; Jews and Gentiles, the Kings and Rulers of the earth, Herod and Pilate with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel are gathered together, Act. 4.25, 26, 27. The word, Psal. 2.1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Rage∣shu, it is to make a great tumult, as a furious multitude gathered together, that maketh a noise as the noise of a troubled sea; therefore some, not without reason, say the sons of Zebe∣deus

are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Benairegesci, Sons of Thunder, Luke, Acts 2. useth the word after the 70. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Which Budeus expoundeth of fierce and wilde horse; and certainlie Christ is Crowned upon Mount Zion with garments rowled in blood, this is a spoiling of, and a triumphing over principalities and powers, Christ dyed the black Crosse with red blood, when he performed this noble act of Re∣demption, Col. 2.14, 15. So when Christ entreth in any soul to dwell, there he must first binde the Devil▪ And then spoyle his house, Mat 12.29. What wonder is it, that multitudes of heresies and sects, and many blasphemous and false ways arise now, when the Lord is to build up Sion: Satan, when Christ is to saile, and his Kingdom a coming Kingdom (as we pray) raiseth up storms and winds in the broad Lake of Brim∣stone to drown the Church of God: Christ hath not fair weather when he goeth to Sea, Mat. 8.23, 24. Yet his journey is lawfull: When Christ is upon Acts of his Priesthood, and stan∣deth at the great high Altar with his Censer of gold, to offer up the prayers of the Saints to God, he casteth fire with the same Censer down upon the earth, and there be then Thundrings, Lightnings, and Earthquakes; and hence fol∣loweth terrible judgements upon the earth, as hail, fire mingled with blood, and a mountain burning with fire, and the third part of the Sea becomes blood, and a clear burning star, like a

Lampe, called Worm-wood, making the third part of the Waters bitter, doth fall from Hea∣ven, which is as much as when Christ is upon Acts of mercy toward his people; pestilent He∣resies of the Popish Clergy and others, darkneth the third part of the Sun and Moon; that is, of the light of the Gospel, Rev. 8.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Even as when our Lord Jesus standeth to intercede for the people, and to pray for fallen Ierusalem, which is as a fire∣brand plukt out of the fire: Satan standeth at his right hand, his working hand to hinder him, Zach. 2.1.2.3. 2. This resolveth to many their state;* 1.2 Many are free of the Devil: I thank God (saith one) I know not Satan, nor any of his works: I have peace; Satan did never tare me, nor cause me to fall to the earth, nor doth he tor∣ment me:* 1.3 But this is a fearful condition: 1. It is an Argument of a false peace: When the strong man is within, the house is in peace: not to be tempted of the Devil, is the greatest temptation out of Hell; and if there be any choise of Devils, a raging and a roaring Devil is better then the calme and sleeping Devill:* 1.4 when the Devil is within, he sleepeth and is silent, and the house or soul he is in, is silent, and there is a Cove∣nant with death and Hell, Isa. 28.15. Now Hell keepeth true to a naturall man for a time, Cessation of Armes between the soul and Sa∣tan is security for a time, but its not peace: The Devils warre is better then the Devils

peace; Carnall hypocrisie is a dumbe and si∣lent thing, but its terrible to be carried to Hell without any noise of feet: The wheels of Sa∣tans chariot are oiled with carnall rest, and they go without ratling and noise; the Devil carrieth few to hell with shouting, and crying, suspect dumb holines; when the Dog is kept out of doors, he howles to be in again; the Co∣venant of Satan to Eve (sin and you shall not die) standeth with all men by nature, till Jesus Christ break peace between us and Satan. 2. Contraries meeting, such as hot and dry fire,* 1.5 and cold and moist water, they conflict one with another, and where Satan findeth a sanctified heart, he tempteth with much importunity, as at one time, Christ findeth three mighty temp∣tations, and he departeth from him onely, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for a little time:* 1.6 Where there's most of God and of Christ, there there's strong injections and Fire-brands cast in at the win∣dows, as some of much faith hath bin tempted to doubt; Is there a Diety that ruleth all, and where is he? We see him not; Another is often assaulted with this, Is there a heaven for Saints? Is there a Hell for Devils and wicked men: we never spoke with a Messenger come from any of these two Countreys: A third is troubled with this: Such a businesse I have expede, whether God will or not: The flower of the soul, the high lamp of the light of the mind is frequently darkned with foggy and mi∣sty

spirits, coming up from the bottomlesse pit, and darkning any beames and irradiations of light that cometh from the sun of righteousnes: Faith is more assaulted then any other grace: Satan shaketh other graces; but this is win∣nowed between Heaven and Earth, Luke 22.31, 32. Satans first Arrow shot at Christ, labou∣reth to put a terrible (if) upon his light: If thou be the Son of God. It is as much, as if God be God, if the Son of God be the Son of God: It is not the evidence and certainty of funda∣mentals, nor the strength of Grace that privi∣ledgeth souls from Satans shafts; strength of saving light, putteth the Saints often under the Gun-shot of Satan, that he may finde a shot of them; there's only Law-surety against tem∣ptations up in Heaven, when you are over score out of time, within eternities lists never while then.* 1.7 3. Not to be troubled thus, argueth a house not watched, the gates are open night and day, as the gates of Hell, that want key and lock; and the soul so secure, as the person seeth not what Devils come in, what go out: but the watch set by Gods fear, examineth all Mes∣sengers that cometh in, all motions, all suggesti∣ons, all Angels, white and black, all rises, falls, ebbings and flowings of love, joy, desire, fear, sorrow, come under search, and scrutinie, Whence come ye, from Heaven or Hell? Its time of War with the Saints in this life: And then all Cities keep watch, and strangers with∣out

a Passe are examined, searched and tryed, what correspondence they have with the ene∣my.* 1.8 4. Gods way of hardening by Satan is often mysterious, silent, dumbe and speaketh not, Joh. 9.39. For judgement I come into this world: But what a judgement? such as walk∣eth in the dark, and killeth in a midnight sleep, That they that see may be made blinde: this judgement speaketh not. O terrible, God hath put out the mans two eyes; but how, or when, he cannot tell; the nerves and eye-strings of the mans soul are broken, but there was not a crack nor any noise heard, when God snapped them in two pieces. Christ came when the man was sleeping, & his Sergeant the Devil with him, and put his hand on his heart and gave the lock, the sprents, & wards of the heart a throw and a crook & all the keys in heaven and earth cannot shut or open his heart, and this was done with∣out noise or pain, the man was never put to his bed for the businesse; the conveyance of the businesse was spirituall, but invisible: O sleep∣ing world, awake out of your rotten and false peace: Oh, the Lord bindeth men, and they cry not: And the Devill bindeth many, and they cry not; Pharaoh knew not when his heart was hardned, the conscience saw it not, even as a stone groweth in the bladder without our sense of it: the businesse was transacted with∣out one cry, or any witnesse: Carnall Hellish security is dumbe-born: Let my childe sleep

(saith the Devill) and awake him not, till the heat of the Furnace of Hell melt away his false Peace: Why? but men may be deluded, having no bands in there death, as they lived deluded? Wrath and justice are moving to ma∣ny souls sleeping in death, without noise of feet, the sword of God is crying to souls without any voice; the wheeles of the fiery chariots of Gods indignation are moving over slain men in Scotland and England without the ratling or prancing of the horses: O pitty, a Tempest, a Divell comes and steals away the mans soul, and his conscience out of him in the night, and he knoweth not: CHRIST saith, Silence, waken him not, while he be over ears in the Lake; and Satan saith, Waken him not while I bee sure of him; a dumbe judgement is twice a judgement.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Sathan not cast out of a Land, or person, but by violence both to Satan & the party
• * 1.2

  2.
• * 1.3

  1. False peace known.
• * 1.4

  A roar∣ing and a raging Devil is better then a calm and sleeping Devil.
• * 1.5

  2.
• * 1.6

  Luke 4.13.
• * 1.7

  3.
• * 1.8

  4. Gods way of hardning & blin∣ding, as its my∣strious, so its si∣lent and invisible.