Women are evil the Defection was universal But these Hearts of Men who are said to be good ground were prepared for the Word by which means through the Spirit they came to be regenerated their Hearts were plowed up or broken in pieces by the Word and Spirit in effectual Convictions Plow up the fallow Ground saith the Lord by the Prophet and sow not amongst Thorns Not that Man is able to do this any more than he is to make himself a new Heart which he is likewise required to do Ezek. 18. 11. but the former is the Work of the Spirit by Convictions the latter the Work of the Spirit in Regeneration Till the Heart is pierced by the Holy Ghost and broken to pieces and made soft which naturally is hard the Word can find no saving or effectual rooting there but 't is like a Rock or so stony or thorny that no Fruit of the Word will abide to everlasting Life Therefore I conclude effectual Convictions are a Preparative or a Preparation to Regeneration the Spirit is a Spirit of Burning before 't is a Spirit of Consolation it first plows up the Fallow-ground and then when the Seed is sown it will take Root and bring forth Fruit to Salvation Fifthly Moreover Formality it may appear to all from hence is another Evil that does attend this sort of Men or is another wicked Spirit that hath possession of their Souls What a stir did the Pharisees make about Ceremonies how zealous were they like some now adays for outward Rituals and Traditions of their own devising or which are mere humane as if the chief part of Religion and the sacred Worship of God consisted in external Forms Rites and Ceremonies And art confident saith the Apostle that thou thy self art a Guide of the Blind a Light to them who are in Darkness an Instructer of the foolish a Teacher of Babes which hast a form of Knowledg and of the Truth in the Law A Scheme or System of Notions a compendious Model or Method which is artificially composed such as Tutors and Professors of Arts and Sciences do read over again and again to their Pupils and Auditors these Men are commonly the chief Enemies to the Power of Religion and Godliness and like their Brethren of old great Persecutors of God's faithful and sincere Children whilst they cry up their external Forms considering not what our Saviour saith that God is a Spirit and seeks spiritual Worshippers of him not formal not external or carnal Modes bodily Gestures consecrated Places attended with glorious Ceremonies saying over a few Prayers in which are many vain Repetitions not minding whether their matter of Worship be of Divine Institution or not nor whether they perform their Devotion in the Spirit of Jesus Christ flowing from a rectified Nature and from sacred Principles in the Life and Power that attends all sanctified Christian Worshippers Others of the same sort may be right in the matter of Worship seeming to hate Idolatry and all Superstition yet wholly resting on the external part of Religion and Godliness whose state may be as dangerous as those before named though in this they seem to excel them i. e. they first miss it both in the matter of Divine Worship as well as in the manner of it they are zealous for the Traditions and Commandments of Men as they are formal in their Worship so their Form is not that form of Doctrine once delivered to the Saints 't is not the true form of Godliness having a form of Godliness not the form 't is like a Mask or Vizard or Appearance an accidental form as one observes on that place 't is a devised or an humane nay may be an Antichristian Form thinking themselves to be Christians and the only Worshippers of Christ and cry up themselves to be the Church the Church and yet under this Vizard and pretended Piety are very vitious empty and vain and though they deny not the Power of Godliness in Words yet do deny it in their Practice making a Profession but Strangers to that Life Peace Love Faith and Self-denial which attends and doth accompany all true Christians But the other sort though they are formal yet 't is a better Form hence may be called Virgins that is such who have not will not defile themselves with Women that is with false Churches with Idolatry or the Superstitions of Men these are for the Gospel-Form the Gospel-Doctrine Gospel-Precepts and Ordinances these are not for a Form of Prayer nor for any other Form of Worship but what Christ himself ordained as it is contained in the New Testament These may be Members of a True Church and worship with that Church and be as zealous for the outward and external Parts and Ordinances as any like those we read of Isa 1. 11 12 13. Sacrifices and Burnt-Offerings Prayer Incense New-Moons Sabbaths and calling of Assemblies with appointed Feasts which were Institutions of God But these Men resting on them and having unsanctified Hearts and Lives God hated them and loathed their Services being not performed in Faith and hearty Love and sincere Resolutions that which they did was but as if they had offered up a dead Carcase instead of a living Sacrifice He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a Man and he that sacrifices a Lamb as if he cut off a Dog's Neck and he that offereth an Oblation as if he offered Swines Blood he that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol Such who shew never so much Zeal for the visible Worship of God and for all his Ordinances if only formal in their performances are abominated by the Lord 't is not a Lamp without Oil a Name without the Nature a Form of Godliness without the Power will avail any Person O how do many Professors deceive themselves Sirs all is and will be in vain if the Root of the Matter be not in you if not sincere truly gracious the garnish of outward Worship or formal Services or the Cloak of a visible Profession will not cover you from God's all-searching Eye he sees through all this Deceit and beholds your inward Pride Vain-glory and horrid pollution of your Hearts and Lives 't is all one to be of a false Religion as to own the true if not sincere Christians these have such unclean Spirits in them that their State is worse than before they made no profession at all these Devils are stronger than the first have more cunning craft and subtilty to deceive and blind the Eyes and so destroy the Soul than those who rule in open prophane People for these are commonly Men of great Light and Understanding can discourse well concerning Religion and some of the deep things of God or the Mysteries of the Gospel they can tell you the insufficiency or disability of Man to keep the Law and how impossible 't is to be justified in the sight of God by it as also the absolute
little ground or is worsted in one Soul he will try what Power and Success he can find in another 3. It shews that he is an unquiet and restless Spirit being cast out of Heaven he can rest no where and if he be forced out of some Men at one time he will tempt others nay if the Servant hath a little worsted him he to revenge himself will fall perhaps in the next place upon the Son if he lose some place in his own House he will see if he cannot get into the Temple of the Holy Ghost or if he is forced to leave wet and filthy places in which he delights he will walk through dry places and see what he can meet with there 4. Satan's great Work which he imploys himself in and about is no doubt to get into the Heart of Men to dwell nay rule there and so subject them to himself and defile and polute them one way or other Dry places seeking Rest and finding none i. e. where there is no Water or Moisture or not enough to refresh him he has a cruel Thirst upon him and unless he can meet with that he seeketh which is to make a Prey of the Souls of Men he is in a restless state like a thirsty Person who walking through dry Places can find no Water There are some sorts of Men that aford Satan no Content nor Satisfaction he seeketh for that oft-times which he finds not he is not pleased to be as a Travellor to pass through a place and stay as it were but for a Night but would fain find Rest i.e. have a Place or Heart to dwell in and take sole Possession of I find one of the Ancients who writing on this dark Expression speaketh thus So long as he dwelleth not in me he is said to seek Rest he is grieved and vexed c. 1. Dry Places are commonly clean Places or Places where there is no Dirt or Mire and Satan that unclean Spirit is like a Swine i. e. he delights in filthy and mirery Places which may signify his assaulting the Saints or seeking to get into sanctified Hearts or Hearts renewed by the special Grace of God and throughly purged by the Blood of Christ in whom that filthy sink of Sin and Polution is not only dryed up but the Heart is changed and made new and so no more a House or Habitation for this unclean Spirit but is become the Temple of the Holy Ghost or a Habitation for God through the Spirit And these Men's Hearts are unto Satan like dry Places to a thirsty and restless Person for as the Holy Spirit cannot rest nor take up his abode in filthy and poluted Hearts so the Devil that wicked Spirit can find no Rest nor Place of abode in renewed and sanctified Hearts And as it is no suitable House or Habitation for him so likewise Believers have one dwelling in them strong enough to keep Satan out for stronger saith the Apostle is he that is in us than he which is in the World and again he saith Ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the Wicked one He that is begotten of God keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not shall not so touch him as to enter into his Heart and take up his Dwelling or get Possession of him any more and therefore these Men's Hearts i. e. the Hearts of true sanctified Christians I conclude are meant here by our Saviour which are to Satan as dry places where there is no dwelling or abiding for him 2. As dry Places are clean Places so likewise they are commonly barren Places Places where little or nothing will grow Satan is for such Hearts that will receive his evil Seed i. e. suited and fit to close in with his cursed Temptations which are like to moist or mirery places such as all corrupt and unregenerate Hearts are in others that bitter and evil Seed which this unclean Spirit sows will not take root Or if it should so fall out that through the Carelesness and Negligence of Believers and Strength of Temptations Satan should drop some of his cursed Seed in them and it should meet with a little of the old corrupt Nature there being in the best of Men an unregenerate part yet it would soon wither and come to nothing for their Hearts are as I said before no proper Soyl for the Seed of the wicked one therefore if he gets in a little he is soon turned out again so that in a Word according to the Import of this Saying of Christ as I conceive these Mens Hearts are to the Devil like dry places where he can find no Rest 3. Dry Places are for the most part places least inhabited for want of Water the Hearts of Saints are like uninhabitable Places to Satan in them he cannot find those proper Accommodations which he needs and must have where he dwells But since he can find no Dwelling here no Diabolical Comfort nor Refreshment i. e. no abode in Godly Hearts he saith I will return into my House from whence I came out ver 44. I will return Not that he was quite routed and vanquished before 't is called still his House he lays claim and pleads Propriety in him and Interest still Therefore this Man's Heart was not become the Temple of the Holy Spirit he was gone out or forced out before as a Swearing Cheating Whoring or drunken Devil c. and this might inrage him and move him to attempt some greater Enterprize which we have already spoken to Satan doth not love to loose or let go any strong hold he hath of carnal and prophane Persons but seeing he had received some small Defeat he sets upon the truly Godly Christian like as when he was cast out of Heaven unto the Earth he presently persecuted the Woman which brought forth the Man-child Rev. 12. 13. When he saw he could not uphold his Kingdom by Paganism nor farther execute his Malice by Pagan Emperors but was routed and overcome as to that Power he had as our late Annotators observe to let us know that he retains his Malice though he hath lost his former strength he goes on in pursuing the Church of God Even so I say he having been forced to give way before as was hinted he walks about to seek Revenge upon the Saints but they being to him like dry Places to a thirsty Man or as an Inn to a Traveller viz. no resting Place he resolves to return to his own House that is the Hearts of hypocritical Professors such as the Pharisees were And this returning of his into his old House imports as I conceive his coming again in another form or shape and with a Resolution to get better and more firmer and surer Possession than he had before Now he appears as an Angel of Light Nor can we suppose he had no Party left in the said House when he went out Parables must not he
with Pride as some of late amongst us are and have been as to think they were without Sin yet did not doubt but wherein they came short or were guilty God as a pure Act of his Mercy would forgive them not seeing a Necessity of Christ and of his Righteousness Which Notion tends at once utterly to make void the Doctrine of Faith and Covenant of Grace and so consequently the whole Design of God in sending Jesus Christ into the World for if Salvation may be obtained this way Christ is dead in vain And whilst I am hinting these things to you I cannot but bewail another sort of Men who though not so grossly blind and mistaken as some others are yet doubtless greatly miss it and run upon almost as bad a Rock whilst they apprehend and think all Men are put into such a Capacity that they may be saved if they will i. e. by improving the means of Light and Knowledg they have by their own inherent Power and Abilities without the special Operation of the spirit not considering the woful pravity of Man's Nature by original and actual Transgression they being dead in Sin and stand in as much need to be quickned by Jesus Christ or to have a Principle of Divine Life infused into them if ever they spiritually live as Lazarus had to be quickned and raised again after he had lain four days in the Grave Nay and 't is evident God doth work in us who are spiritually quickned and brought to believe after the same manner which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead One ground or cause of these Mens Mistake may arise from the Consideration of that Power Men in general have by the help of natural Conscience and the external means of Grace to leave the gross Acts of Sin and so reform their Lives and cleave to God in all Acts of Obedience in the external Ordinances of the Gospel which is I fear all the Conversion some Professors ever attained unto and is also indeed the Substance of that which Man by the Power of his own Will is able to arrive unto to affirm that Man by his own natural and internal Abilities as influenced by common Grace hath Power to renew himself change his own Heart or form Jesus Christ in his Soul is in effect to attribute to him Omnipotency and make a God of him even no less than a creating Power For the Image of God which is wrought in all true regenerated Persons is called the new Creature and a glorious Creature it is as ever the Almighty formed being the top-Glory of all his creating Power And besides this necessarily makes way for Men to boast and glory in themselves for it makes Man a Competitor a Co-partner and a Co-worker with God in Redemption for the Work of Redemption doth not only consist in a price paid or an Atonement made by Jesus Christ whereby he appeased Divine Wrath and satisfied God's offended Justice but also by Power and blessed Conquest the one was done without us in the Person of Christ the other is done in us by the Spirit of Christ whereby those evil and vicious Habits that are in us naturally are removed and the Power of Satan broke into Pieces or that strong Man armed overcome and the Soul set at Liberty To this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil No Man can be said to be redeemed by Christ until he is redeemed from his Sins or delivered from that Enmity that naturally is in his Heart against God or that sacred Image of God be again restored in him not until he is quickned or raised from the dead Hence St. Peter speaking of Redemption saith We were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from a vain Conversation c. but with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ as of a Lamb without Blemish and without Spot The Redemption is from a vain Conversation 't is not from Wrath only but from Sin the cause of that Wrath also And all Men know this is not universal seeing but a very few are indeed thus redeemed and they may as well perceive that this is as absolutely the Work of Christ as he is our Redeemer viz. thus to work in us to redeem us as it was his Work to die for us How good is it therefore for us to consider the Danger that arises from mistaken and unsound Principles if we would not be found guilty of this Sin of Vain-Glory The truth is some good Men are so misled that they make the new Covenant a mere conditional Covenant and if after all Christ hath done their Interest in it and eternal Life wholly depends upon the weak and wavering Principles of the depraved Creature and his stubborn and rebellious Will has its negative Voice and if the Creature works not complies not to those Conditions required the whole of Redemption-Work may be lost and not one Soul redeemed And were it thus there is more reason to believe Christ would have lost all his Labour and infinite Kindness than otherwise Since Man is naturally so depraved and averse to that which is truly good having such Enmity in his Heart against God and is wholly under the Power and Government of the Devil and this also would render the new Covenant not better nay not so good as the first for then Man was a perfect Creature having not then such a captivating Power of Sin nor Satan in him but had a Power of Will to stand if he had exercised it and resisted the Tempter from without There is one thing more I shall note before I leave this Point 'T is easy to perceive from hence what Grace it is that Man may fall from I mean finally and totally fall i. e. whatsoever Men may act or do from those common Operations of the Spirit or by the Power of natural Conscience under the external Preaching of the Word or means of the Rod or Afflictions by the Assistance or Help of which I doubt not he may become another Man a great Professor pray hear the Word have a sort of Faith viz. that of Credence be baptized and so become a Church-Member yea a Preacher and may be in the Sight of Men of a blameless Life and Conversation and yet never changed in Heart or regenerated by the effectual and special Operations of Christ's Spirit nor have Union with Christ From this Grace or such a reformed Life and Profession of Religion a Person may fall away and indeed rise no more And such I conclude the stony and thorny-ground-Professors were Moreover 't is as evident that the good-ground viz. the honest-hearted Person brought forth Fruit to Life eternal and fell not finally and totally away from the Grace of God If any ask how it came to pass any of the ground is said to be good I answer Naturally all the Hearts of Men and
THE Counterfeit Christian OR The Danger of Hypocrisy Opened in TWO SERMONS Containing an EXPOSITION of that Parabolical Speech of our Blessed Saviour Matth. xii 43 44 45. When the Unclean Spirit is gone out of a Man c. By BENJAMIN KEACH Author of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pastor of the Church of Christ meeting on Horsly-down in Southwark Ezek. 33. 31. And they come unto thee as the People cometh and they sit before thee as my People and they hear thy Words but they will not do them for with their Mouth they shew much Love but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness Mat. 23. 25. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites 2 Pet. 2. 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness c. London printed and are sold by John Pike at the upper end of Bread-street just by Cheap-side and by the Author at his House near Horslydown in Southwark 1691. Price stitch'd 6d To the Reader IT is more than a Year since I began a Morning-Exercise on the Lord's-Day at seven a Clock when I entred upon an Exposition of all the Parables and express Similitudes contained in the four Evangelists according to the measure of Light and Knowledge received though by reason of a Journey into the Country it has not been continued The Explication of this Parabolical Speech of our Saviour I have been prevailed with to make publick And if this meets with Acceptance I may in a short time publish Proposals for printing the whole which in regard of the greatness of the Charge cannot be done but by Subscriptions And though I must confess my Ability to perform so great a Work to be much inferiour to many others yet by God's Assistance I shall do what I can And the Consideration of the kind Acceptance my other Labours have had amongst God's People has caused me to take the more pains God having blessed the Writings of divers of his Servants to the Conversion of many Souls and Comfort of others yet if I have not sufficient encouragement from Christian Friends I must desist this great Essay Reader The second Sermon I have much enlarged scarcely half of it was delivered when preach'd thinking to have preached a third time upon the Text but was prevented by laying down that Lecture for the Reason afore-mentioned Neither have I been so large on other Parables already opened nor intend to be on those I purpose to explain so that the first Sermon is rather a proper Specimen of the whole Work than the second As touching some part of this dark Parabolical Saying of our Saviour I may differ in my Conceptions 't is probable from divers Men 〈…〉 inclined 't is like to believe that the Man or Men here mentioned are such only that Satan overcomes after they have made a profession of Religion with the same scandalous Sins and so they turn with the Dog to their old Vomit I grant this may be true in respect of some of them yet I do not believe the Lord Jesus intends to shew hereby they do all after manner fall from their 〈◊〉 Religion and Profession 'T is evident to me he applies it to the Pharisees and other People of that Generation but many of them never became openly Prophane yet was their State worse by many degrees than whilst they abode under the Power of gross and scandalous Sins and died in their Vnbelief and Hypocrisy which 't is to be feared many now do If the Scope of the 〈◊〉 be considered That our blessed Saviour designed by this Parable to see 〈◊〉 the State of the Pharisees is evident as may be seen if you begin at the 24th Verse of the Chapter where they charged him with casting out Devils by Bâ—â—lzebub the Prince of the Devils From whence his 〈◊〉 an occasion to set forth the sadness of their Conditions 〈…〉 Zeal and outward Sanctity shewing 〈◊〉 Vers 33 34 35. that their Hearts were not made good but like an Evil and corrupt Tree Then soon after follows these words When the Unclean Spirit is gone out of a Man c. Reader I shall not trouble thee further what Weakness thou findest in these Sermons I hope Chairty will 〈◊〉 it If any Profit thou shalt receive thereby bless God and be 〈…〉 of resting in a Form of Religion being not brought into 〈◊〉 Union with Jesus Christ nor under the Power of true 〈…〉 let me have a part in thy Prayers who is 〈…〉 them being attended with many Troubles and 〈…〉 but doubt not but God will make them all work together for good and will at last I hope through his infinite Grace bring to his quiet peaceable and everlasting Rest His poor Servant thy unworthy Friend and Brother in the Gospel BENJ. KEACH From my House near Horsly-down this 27th of the 3 d Month called May 1691. ERRATA PAge 33. line 28. for Pride read Proud c. l. 34. for regulate r. regular l. 35. blot out by P. 35. l. last f. they r. we and f. thereby r. there â—â— The Counterfeit Christian OR The Danger of Hypocrisy CONTAINING An Exposition of that Parabolical Speech of our Saviour Mat. 12. 43 44 45. SERMON I. When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a Man he walketh through dry places seeking Rest and finding none Ver. 43. Then he saith I will return into my House from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished Ver. 44. Then goeth he and taketh with him seven other Spirits more wicked than himself and enter in and dwell there and the last State of that Man is worse than the first Ver. 45. THIS place of Holy Scripture is generally acknowledged to be hard to be understood most Expositers and Annotators I have met with say but little to it Some call it a Parable and others a parabolical Speech or a Similitude By the Scope and Coherence of the place it is evident our Saviour setteth forth by it the direful State and Condition of the Scribes and Pharisees and other People of the Jews who boasted of their external Holiness or seeming Sanctity they being not prophane or notorious Sinners or as they themselves foolishly said Not Extortioners unjust or Adulterers like as the Publicans were Luke 18. 11. Yet the Lord Jesus sheweth by this Parable how they were deceived for though they were delivered from that prophane and debauched unclean Spirit yet was their State worse than the State of gross and wicked Sinners which is signified by the entering into them seven other unclean Spirits worse or more wicked than the first that were gone out of them That the Words may be applied to them and other People of that Generation is evident from the sequel of ver 45. Even so shall it be with the People of this froward Generation Yet no doubt our blessed Saviour in this place may have Reference to a Man in the like State or as Beza
Caeterum quum Spiritus impurus exierit à quopiam c. as well as unto that People who were carried away with cursed Hypocrisy When the unclean Spirit c. By the unclean Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is certainly meant the Devil called an unclean Spirit 1. Because he hath lost his own original Purity or clean and Holy Nature he being at first created an Angel of Light having like Holiness before he fell which the blessed and elect Angels of Heaven have 2. Because he is so universally filthy and abominable vile in himself and so remains and will abide for ever there being no Possibility for him to become better he being left and forsaken of God without any means afforded of being purged from his unclean and filthy Nature 3. Because he is not only unclean in himself but also defileth the Hearts and Spirits of all such Persons who receive and entertain him nay all the Pollution of our Nature yea the whole Nature of humane Race was originally from that Compliance and yeilding to him by our first Parents 't is this unclean Spirit that hath poysoned and notoriously defiled the whole Man both Body and Soul in all its Powers and Faculties and not the whole Man only but the whole World also And as this is naturally the filthy and miserable Condition of all Creatures so those who yield to his Temptations come to have farther Polution and Defilement cleave to their Hearts and Lives Sin is an unclean thing and it makes all such loathsom and abominable in the Sight of God who are overcome by it Though all naturally are vile and filthy yet there are Degrees of Uncleanness some are worse than others more wicked and so more like to the Devil in whom his very Image or Likeness clearly may be seen 4. He may also be called an unclean Spirit because he continually inticeth and strives to draw Men to Filthiness and to all manner of Uncleanness being an utter Enemy to all Purity and true Holiness envying all those who love it and strive to promote it Is gone out of a Man Not that the Man was actually possessed with the Devil as some may think though 't is very like the Lord Jesus may borrow this Parabolical Speech from a Person actually possessed but he sheweth hereby that all wicked Men are in a mystical and spiritual sense possessed with the Devil all graceless Sinners have an unclean Spirit in them Where Sin predominates and rules in the Heart there the Devil has Possession that Heart is Satan's Throne where he reigns and sways the Scepter Satan was said to enter into Judas and to fill the Heart of Ananias both these had this unclean Spirit in them the one was plagued or possessed with a treacherous Devil and the other with a lying Devil Hence 't is also said that Satan who is the Prince of the Power of the Air both worketh and ruleth in the Children of Disobedience Gone out Either by the Power and Force of the Grace of God in its common Operations he was thrown out or else through Policy he voluntarily leaves his House for a time with an Intention to return again with a stronger force Some adhere to the first sense and others to the last Gone out i.e. as a carnal prophane or black Devil for so he may be said to be in all debauched Persons and in this respect he may be said to be gone out or thrown out of the Pharisees and other false and counterfeit Professors he may not be able to keep them any longer under the Power of open and gross Prophaneness And from hence the Pharisee proudly breaks forth God I thank thee I am not as other Men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers or even as this Publican Why may not Satan be expelled or forced out of his House in some degree by the common Influences of the Spirit All generally grant that legal Convictions and the Operation of common Grace through the Workings of natural Conscience have some considerable Power in them to reform the Life of a wicked Person Nor can I think Satan would yield to any Soul voluntarily so far as to let him become so much as civilized if he could help it therefore I rather think he was forced to give place as not being able to hold his own in some respect as formerly although whilst the Creature abides in his natural State not having a changed Heart Satan hath possession of that Soul still in a great measure and therefore he leaves no doubt a strong Guard behind him when he is said to go out though they may be said to hide themselves or retire into some lurking-holes and Corners of the House or rather of the Heart Satan cannot doubtless keep Possession always so far as to hold Men under the Power of gross and scandalous Sins or cause them to continue openly prophane such Power and Virtue is there in the common Operation of the Spirit or in legal Convictions and workings of natural Conscience together with the help of the external Ministration of God's Word and by the means of Afflictions and those severe Providences and Dispensations under which wicked Men may be exercised that it may tend to make them become other Men though it cannot change their Hearts yet it may make a great change in their Lives by which means they may look like Saints and talk like Saints and sanctified Persons and be taken for such too by the truly Godly nay and that which is worse may conclude within themselves they are converted since their former Enemy that debauched gross and unclean Spirit is gone out of them I am so far of the mind of James Arminius that Man by the means of that common Help and Power God affords to all in general may leave the gross Acts of Wickedness let Satan do what he can which has been often evinced by that Terror severe humane Laws have had on the Consciences of wicked and ungodly Persons I am perswaded were there a Law that he that swore an Oath or was Drunk or committed Adultery should have his right Hand cut off or be made a Slave all the days of his Life we should see Men would get Power over those Temptations of Satan and neither be Drunk nor commit Adultery He walketh through dry Places 1. Satan is said in that of Job To go to and fro in the Earth and to walk up and down in it Satan here speaks saith Mr. Caryl like a Prince therefore saith he Some conceive this was the Prince of Devils that is mentioned in this Text or Belzebub the chief of Devils He walketh about to view his Provinces and Territories from one place to another but he doth not walk to and fro as an idle Peripatetick but to enquire to observe and consider as a Spy to search all things and Persons as he passeth along Therefore 2. This noteth that Satan is a diligent Enemy if he hath lost a
strained too far We ought not to scrue or make too severe a Scrutiny upon every Phrase therefore we cannot think when he is said to return to his former House or attempt afresh the false and counterfeit Christian that he hath quite given over his Designs in assaulting sanctified Persons but he cannot indure to be an Underling he is for kinging it in the Souls of Men would fain reign and sway the Scepter there and where he cannot rule and domineer he harh no Rest nor can be satisfied And therefore he may be said to return as an exiled Prince and lest he should be discovered he puts on a new Garb and is now contented his Captive should become religious that so the deluded Sinner might not discern him but take him for his lawful Sovereign as if he should say I will yield to you now if you will be a Professor and become religious ye shall but I will dwell with you notwithstanding here is room enough for me as a white Devil tho not as a black one And when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished Empty That is the Spirit of God was not there true Grace was not there Christ dwelleth not there that House may well be said to be empty where God and Jesus Christ are not nor is it a hard and difficult thing for the unclean Spirit to enter into such a Soul since there was no Enemy strong enough to keep him out but contrariwise the place seems to be rather prepared and made fit for him to take up his abode in this new religious and spiritual Appearance nay here is not only room for himself but the House is so empty that many other unclean Spirits more wicked than himself may have their abode and dwelling there also Satan saith I will return to my House c. He speaks as if he was sure enough that this sinner was his own and therefore should without any difficulty enter in in that new Disguise in which he now appears and accordingly 't is said he findeth it empty and also swept but doubtless some Dirt and Filth was yet in some Hole or Corner For like as a lazy and slothful House-wife uses to sweep a little of the loose Dust and Filth in the open and middle of the Room and lets many secret Corners lie foul as before and may be leaves the Dirt behind the Door out of the publick view of People So the false and counterfeit Christian reforms his Life in the sight of Men or like the Pharisees makes clean the out-side of the Cup and Platter but their Hearts are still polluted and as vile as ever Swept but not with a proper and fit Broom 't is said to be swept but alas 't was only with the Beesom of legal Reformation and how far that will cleanse the unclean and wicked Person is known to all understanding Men it only takes away the Filth of gross and scandalous Sins therefore said by St. Peter To escape the Corruption that is in the World that is the prophane World i. e. vile and notorious Sins and Pollutions And garnished or painted which may signify that seeming Sanctity moral Vertue and the common Graces of the Spirit Our Saviour elsewhere compares Pharisaical Holiness to painting or garnishing of a Sepulchre Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye are like unto whited Sepulchres which indeed appear beautiful outward but within are full of dead Mens Bones and all Vncleanness Ye build saith he the Tombs of the Prophets and garnish the Sepulchres of the Righteous And thus Pharisaical and Hypocritical Professors may be said to be garnished i. e. they seem glorious to Men who only judg by the outward Appearance and know not the Heart there may be a great change of Life a beautiful outside and yet the evil and vitious Habits and Pollutions of the Heart may be still the same and not changed And remarkable is this Phrase of our Saviour garnished which we know is commonly a curious piece of Art Men by their Ingenuity strive to imitate Nature they will draw the Face of a Man c. with curious Painting very exact so that it much resembles the Person 's natural Face yet 't is not the same 't is but a piece of Paint an artificial Invention Even so in like manner by the Improvement of a Man's natural Parts common Grace Light and Knowledg he may appear in the view and sight of Men as a true Child of God and may talk and discourse like a Saint read and hear God's Word nay and pray also with much seeming Devotion and Piety and may likewise bridle many unruly Lusts and gross Enormities of Life and give Alms to the Poor insomuch that he may very exactly resemble a true and sincere Christian and be taken by all Godly People to be indeed such an one but notwithstanding all 't is but an artificial Piece 't is but like a curious Paint or vain-glorious Garnish it is not the Image of God it is not the new Creature though it looks like it much resembles it yet it is not the same for the Man is a meer Hypocrite a counterfeit Christian the work upon him being only the Product of natural Improvements and not the Effects of the saving Operations of the Holy Spirit Nay and Satan though an unclean Spirit likes to dwell in such a House I mean such a Heart thus swept and garnished as well as in the Heart of a vile and debauched Person And evident it is that this sweeping or external cleansing with the Broom of outward Reformation or the Garnish of moral Righteousness common Gifts and Graces of the Spirit Prayer hearing the Word partaking of the Sacraments and doing many good Works cannot secure the Soul against Satan's Attempts in order to his taking up his Habitation in such Persons Hearts After I had preached these two Sermons a Godly Friend who heard them told me he had met with a Treatise of Mr. Richard Allen's Author of Vindiciae Pietatis who gives the same sense on this mysterious place of Scripture He helped me to the Book which I was ignorant of and Mr. Allen being a very worthy Person I shall give you some brief Hints of what he hath said When the unclean Spirit goeth out of a Man c. That Sinners are vile and abominable saith he it is from that wicked Spirit Satan that dwells in them Every Sinner is a Person possessed of a Devil when a little reformed they seem for a time to be dispossessed c. He walketh through dry Places what these dry Places may be is not easy to determine Some by these loca arida understand loca vacua void empty Places the Deserts and Wastes of the Earth where he finds no body to attempt or molest But could Satan saith he think to find Rest there where was no House for him to lay his Head in Would the Tempter waste his time in seeking whom to
same and under Satan's Power and Dominion O how miserably are some Men deceived thinking if they are reformed and become zealous for external Ordinances and have taken up this or that form of Religion and are taken for Saints by Men that all is well and they shall be saved How did the Pharisees glory in their seeming Zeal and Piety and flatter themselves and yet wofully blinded and in a damnable State and Condition Note also that 4. Morality external Gifts and common Grace are but like a vain Paint a mere empty and artificial Garnish They make a fair show in the Flesh they pride it in themselves and Men praise and admire them but what doth all this signify they are still under a diabolical Power and Influence and twofold more the Children of the Devil than they were before Nay as I shall hereafter shew rather seven times worse than when they were openly wicked and prophane APPLICATION 1. A Terror to Sinners Tremble you that live wicked Lives remember the unclean Spirit dwells in you and has Power over you your Hearts are his Habitation he rules in you and takes you Captive at his Will If in this State you die you are undone for ever 2. See to it you that are Professors lest you are also deceived What is a reformed Life without a changed Heart To cast off the gross Acts of Sin will not avail you any thing without the evil Habits are broke and you renewed in the Spirit of your Mind Though you seem to be godly to Men yet God knows your Hearts and how they stand affected to him and to true real Godliness A form of Religion will never save you and though you may have got some ground against Satan and he seems to have left you or is gone out yet take heed he does not return again with greater strength and get you into stronger Bonds now than he had before But because this will be more fully opened in the next place I shall at present say no more to it now 3. This also affords much Comfort to God's People Satan sets upon you and fain he would subject your Souls to himself and take Possession of your Hearts but he cannot prevail you have got one in you who is stronger than Satan who will preserve you to his Heavenly Kingdom But no more at this time I shall leave what I have said to the Blessing of God THE unclean Spirit that goes out Of Men that vicious are Doth oft-times seek and search about For rest both here and there And fain would he make his abode In places dry and clean And ruin all the Saints of God Which hath been often seen But thou O Lord dost them preserve And in them thou dost dwell So that from thee they cannot swerve To be o're-come by Hell Which Satan seeing strait-way goes To his own Dwelling place And with him brings more dismal Woes On such who want thy Grace Who of it being empty quite Tho swept and garnished He enters in and with strong might They captive all are led And overcome by him again Through curst Hypocrisy And in them he does rule and reign Which few are brought to see What cause have such thy Praise to sing Who are renew'd by thee Whose Heart thy Habitation is They always happy be SERMON II. On MATTH 12. 43 44 45. When the Vnclean Spirit is gone out of a Man c. THE last Day I opened the several Parts of this place of Holy Scripture in the usual Method I have all along taken in my Exposition of other Parables which I have already spoken to according to that small measure of Light and Knowledg the Lord hath been pleased to bestow upon me There remains one thing further to be done and that is indeed the chief and most material of all which is to shew you the sad State of the false and counterfeit Professor out of whom the Unclean Spirit is said to be gone but yet is returned again with seven other Spirits more wicked than himself Our Blessed Lord saith The last State of that Man is worse than the first Now in what respect a painted Hypocrite or one garnished only with common Gifts and Graces of the Spirit may be said to be in a worse State than the open Prophane I shall endeavour God assisting to demonstrate 'T is said Satan returned with seven other Spirits c. Seven is a number of Perfection I judg our Saviour designed hereby to shew that the Devil hath now got stronger hold and possession of such a Person by many degrees many unclean Spirits or worse and more dangerous Sins cleave to him than before so that he is like to be perfectly miserable But to proceed First That which renders false Professors or counterfeit Christians to be in such a deplorable Condition which also evidently appeared in the Pharisees and other People in that Generation to whom primarily our Saviour refers as the close of the 45th Verse shews is that great Ignorance that cleaves to them notwithstanding their common Illuminations which usually does consist in these Respects following 1. They know not their own miserable State looking upon themselves to be rich and increased with Goods and to have need of nothing as appears by that Charge of the Lord Christ against the Church of Laodicea who were fallen into the like Condition they think none knows more than themselves insomuch that they secretly contemn him who tells them how it is with them and this rises from the consideration of that great Knowledg they conceit they have above others But now ye say Ye see therefore your Sin remains If your Ignorance were simple as if Christ should say and not affected or were you sensible of your blindness then your Disease would not be so incurable But now you say you see and you doubt not but you are in a state of Happiness and are the only People of God and yet presumptuously refuse the way of your Relief and Salvation and do not conclude you are under Guilt and Wrath as indeed you are Prophane Persons though their State is bad and very miserable yet are not generally so blind as once to imagine their Condition to be good but act and do those abominable Deeds of Darkness against the Light and Dictates of their own Consciences And though Satan hath got power over them and their Lusts predominate in them yet are they commonly possessed at certain times with fear about their eternal State unless wholly given up to a reprobate Mind having their Conscience seared with an hot Iron and that which seems to bear up their Spirits is the hopes they have of future Repentance for the thoughts of dying in the present Condition they are in is grievous to them Nay and the false Professor whilst he abode under the Power of the Unclean Spirit being openly prophane might tremble as seeing himself posting headlong to Hell but now through the
Notions of Religion though may be false and corrupt Notions but if they can but bring a Person to receive their Principles and external Ordinances then they glory tho hereby he is made twofold perhaps sevenfold more the Child of Hell than before the poor deceived Wretch thinking this change of Religion is a true Conversion and so never looks out for any other but speaking Peace to his own Soul judging all is well within They doubt not but they have Religion enough when it doth commend them to Meâ— and are taken for Saints by Saints their greatest Labor is to keep up their Name and Credit in Religion so that if they may pass unsuspected amongst their Fellow-Creatures or have the Approbation of Men and that if none can charge them justly with any immoral Actions they rest satisfied whereas the greatest Care of a true Child of God is so to walk and labour that he may be accepted of God and have his Approbation 7. Self is commonly in the bottom In all they do they aim not at the Glory of God but have a carnal Design Self-Advantage or Self-Applause c. This moves and quickens them and animates them in all they perform in religious Services and if they miss of their end be it what it will they soon are weary and grow cold and flat in their Spirits and become quarrelsome and seek Offences and disturb the Peace of the Church to whom they belong 8. Moreover they are not the same at Home which they are Abroad not in Private what they seem to be in Publick may be seldom pray either in their Family or Closet or if they do 't is with little Zeal Enlargedness or Affection to God There are divers other Marks and Characters of Hypocrites and of these false Professors which I must pass by because I would speak a word or two of Application In the last place The latter State of these Men is worse than the first 1. Because God oftentimes leaves them to judicial Blindness and to the hardness of their own Hearts According as it is written God hath given them the Spirit of Slumber Eyes that they should not see and Ears that they should not hear unto this day Even thus as God dealt with the Unbelieving Jews or the People of that Generation so I say he oftentimes deals with other formal Hypocrites c. and for the very same Cause Doubtless it was for those Spiritual Sins Unbelief and Hypocrisy the Pharisees and other People of Israel were rejected and cast off And O what Wrath were they laid under the Wrath of God is said to come upon them to the uttermost Moreover some of these false and counterfeit Professors also fall into the very same Sins and horrid Abominations they were guilty of before they made any profession of Religion nay and they prove more vile and notorious in Wickedness than ever It hath often been seen that this sort of Men who forsake the Ways of God which they seemed to own and profess have at last appeared more impudent in Sin than the vilest Men being ring-leaders to all lewd and cursed Practices and Deeds of Darkness so that the same unclean Spirit returneth into some of them in the same shape also though I cannot see any ground to believe it happens so to them all for doubtless many of them retain their seeming Zeal and external Profession of Religion and outward Holiness until they die Evident it is our Saviour applies this direful Doom on the People of that Generation viz. the Jews particularly to the Scribes and Pharisees see the 38th verse Yet certain it is many of them never turned to open Prophaneness but died in their Unbelief whilst they abode proud and zealous Pharisees Yet I see no reason to question but this returning Devil and those seven other Spirits more wicked is applied to them as well as to others who fell away from their seeming Piety and Profession But of some of them especially it hath happened according to what St. Peter speaks For if after they have escaped the Pollutions of the World through the Knowledg of Jesus Christ and are again overcome the latter end of that Man is worse than the first that is such a knowledg of Christ as brings with it or doth produce an outward reformation of Life For as the Elect cannot be deceived so they cannot fall finally having the seed remaining in them cannot sin unto Death they are said to have eternal Life abiding in them Because saith Christ I live ye shall live also He that hath begun that good work in them will perform it to the Day of Christ They are passed from Death unto Life and shall not come into condemnation But as to these false-hearted or hypocritical Persons it happeneth to them that is to some of them according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his own Vomit and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire The Apostle comparing them to Dogs and Swine shews what fort they were viz. such who never passed under an effectual change of Heart but were whilst they made a great or high profession like unclean Beasts A restraint may be put on an evil Beast or on a filthy and unclean Nature where there is not a change of nature 't is one thing to have the Life washed or cleansed and another to have the Heart cleansed Furthermore Some of this sort who have received those high though common Illuminations of the Spirit even to such a degree as they are said to be inlightned and to have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost c. that is in the common Gifts and Graces thereof and yet after all they fall away nay and so fall that they can never be renewed again by Repentance Therefore some of these Persons are they who sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost that shall never be forgiven Prophane Persons doubtless do not sin this Sin nor can true Christians commit it they cannot sin unto Death No no these are those miserable Souls those cursed Apostates who are liable and in danger to sin the unpardonable Sin Nay and observable it is that the Lord Jesus in the verses before he spake this Parable intimates that those very Pharisees c. were guilty of or in danger of being charged with this Sin see vers 30. they shewed so much Malice against our blessed Saviour as to charge him with a Devil and that he cast out Devils by Beelzebub But when the Pharisees heard it they said This Fellow doth not cast out Devils but by Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils And from hence he said All manner of Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven to Men but the Sin against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto Men. And therefore he bids them to make the Tree good intimating whilst the Heart was evil and under diabolical Influences
it would or might carry them away to all horrid Words and Blasphemy And then presently after brings in this parabolical Speech When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a Man c. 'T is not a speaking of hard words against Christ and the Holy Ghost but a speaking them as the Pharisees did out of spite designing to destroy him and render him odious This is dangerous 1. 'T is a sinning wilfully after a Person has received much knowledg it is a Sin knowingly committed against the operations of the Holy Spirit casting contempt or highest reproach upon Christ and the Holy Ghost contrary to the rational Convictions of their own Consciences 2. There is also it appears Malice against Christ and his Spirit in the Hearts of those Men who are guilty of it they are said to do despite to the Spirit of Grace they desert the Assemblies where he manifesteth his Gifts and Graces they reject him viz. the Holy Spirit with them and treat as one observes his Gifts and Motions as if they were mere Delusions and Impostures of an evil Spirit and this is done wilfully out of Malice to Christ his People and Religion 3. Also doubtless Apostacy is another ingredient thereof in some they fall away c. they utterly disown that Religion they have professed 4. Final Impenitency appertaineth to it likewise for what Sins we truly repent of we shall be forgiven But of these 't is said 'T is impossible to renew them again to Repentance because God is withdrawn from them and hath left them for ever so that no Means used can do them any good As God will not renew them again so none else can do it they sin therefore without remorse of Conscience after they have made shipwrack of Faith and that seeming good Conscience they once had for Paul intimated he had a good Conscience before he was converted or whilst a Pharisee Act. 23. 1. But those who are unsound at Heart who do not fall away from their seeming Holiliness and profession of Religion and so die not in Apostacy yet if they never come to be savingly wrought upon or to pass under a Divine Change they all nevertheless perish in Hypocrisy so that every way their State and the State of all of them is and will be at the last miserable And from the whole we may note That the State of the Self-righteous and Pharisaical Persons is far worse than the State of gross and prophane Sinners These are sick and know it not wounded but see no need of a Physician Sinners but see no want of a Christ They may conclude they are converted and therefore seek not after Conversion We always think his State is sad who though mortally wounded yet feels no pain Some Sinners are said to be past feeling their Enemy is hid in them they think he is gone when 't is no such thing for he another way has faster hold of them than ever 'T is a hard and difficult thing to bring a Pharisaical Person one that looks upon himself to be a religious Man to see his woful State and Condition Men may be civilized and make a great Profession of Religion and go for Saints on Earth that are not such in the sight of God in Heaven We may also from hence infer 'T is a most dangerous thing to make a Profession of Religion without true Regeneration be first wrought in the Soul better be no Professors at all than not so as to be sincere Hypocrisy is a most cursed and dangerous Sin these Persons Satan hath commonly the strongest hold of of all others The State of sincere Christians is happy though Satan doth attempt to get into them and destroy them yet he cannot do it there is no abiding for him he may foil them but cannot give them a final fall though they fall they shall rise again Satan cannot be said to be quite thrown out of that Man's Heart where the true Grace of God is not implanted nor the Soul renewed None but the Lord Jesus who is stronger than Satan can bind this strong Man armed and set the Soul at liberty Where the Heart is not changed Satan can return in one way or another at his pleasure he takes them captive at his Will Mortality or all external Gifts and common Graces though it may seem to sweep the House yet is the House empty and all is but like a vain Shew or Garnish all Reformation is nothing without Regeneration APPLICATION This may inform us of the Cause and Reason there is so great Reproach brought upon Religion and on the Ways of God and on the People of God by some who profess the Gospel Alas many of them who are called Saints we may justly fear are but counterfeit Christians such who never experienced a true Work of Grace they may have knowing Heads but unsanctified Hearts And from hence it is there are so many proud Persons in many Congregations who with brazen Foreheads will brave it out with impudent Faces in the presence of Christ's faithful Ministers and though reproved and told of their cursed Pride and abominable Dresses high and shameful Towers hateful to God and good Men yet reform not will not deny themselves of their filthy Lusts tho the Name of God and Religion is exposed to great Reproach and Contempt thereby and the Hearts of sincere Christians wounded and mourn for it bitterly before the Lord. If they had but a spark of true Grace could they ever stand it out thus against the Gun-shot of Heaven How fearless do they seem under the ratling Peals of the Thunder of Heaven They regard not the whetted Sword of the Almighty nor the bending of his dreadful Bow nor mind the Arrows that are just upon the String who is ready to send forth his Anger with Fury and his Rebukes in Flames of Fire Moreover from hence it is also there are so many covetous earthly and hard-hearted Professors and Members in Churches Alas you may tell them of this abominable Sin a thousand times over and all to no purpose their Hearts 't is to be feared are set upon their Covetousness they love the World more than the Word nay more than God or Jesus Christ and yet under a Cloak of Religion shelter themselves as if all was well and they good Christians And because they covet no Man's Goods but their own and so are not guilty of Theft they conclude they are not chargeable with this Sin of Covetousness though Christ's poor Members are not regarded the Naked are not clothed nor the Hungry fed nor the Sick visited They will give something 't is true but not according to the Need and Necessity of the Poor nor according to their Ability nor is it out of Love to Christ nor to his poor Saints neither they give what they do give may be to free themselves from Reproach or to quiet their own Consciences