devour in those waste Places where he knew well enough there were none to be found He knows too well where Sinners dwell to go to seek them where they are not more like to find the Devil at a Market than in a Wilderness Thus therefore seems not to be the sense Why may not saith he these dry Places be the Saints on Earth the Fountain of whose Blood is dried up in whom the Sun hath dried up their Dirt and Mire in which this Swine loves to wallow c. He seeketh Rest this notes two things 1. When the Devil is gone out of any Person he is never at Rest till he is gotten in again either thither whence he went out or into some other Habitation where he may do more Mischief Like Children like Father 't is said of them so 't is much more true of him He rests not but in doing Mischief 2. The Devil loves to dwell where he may be at Rest that is not from Work his Rest is his Work but from Resistance or Opposition i. e. in carnal and unclean Hearts c. Seeking Rest and finding none He goes saith he through these dry Places from Saint to Saint from Heart to Heart in hope to find Entertainment but is still disappointed here 's little Rest for me to be had these dry Places I see are no Places for me here 's watching and wrestling and warring against me so much praying complaining against me that there 's no stay for me here I le go back to my old Habitation And when he comes he finds it empty swept and garnished a little cleaner and handsomer than when he left it The Devil can allow Sinners a little Reformation but though it be a little cleansed and garnished yet it lies empty still there 's no Tenant hath taken it up though the Devil went out Christ was not let in but there it lies void for the next that comes Then he goeth and taketh seven other Spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that Man is worse than the first Beware of a returning Devil the Devil at his return often makes sevenfold worse Work than before he did Allen's Godly Fear p. 213 214 215 216. He modestly offers this as his Thoughts on the Place and I find others confirming by some brief Hints the same things I thought it not amiss to recite this Passage of his as a farther Confirmation of the Exposition I have briefly given you of this dark Place of Scripture not doubting but 't is the sense and meaning of our Saviour But now to draw towards a Close take two or three Points of Doctrine Observe 1. Satan is an unclean Spirit As God is the Author and Original of all true Holiness so is Satan of all Sin and Wickedness And as God's Nature is pure so the Devil in his Nature is impure all Purity proceeds from God and all Sin proceeds from Satan God strives to promote the one and the Devil labours to promote the other As God's Kingdom is set up in the World and maintained by Holiness and spiritual Sanctity so the Devil's Kingdom is set up and upheld by Sin and Filthiness As God by his Spirit dwells in sanctified Hearts so the Devil dwells in polluted and sinful Hearts And as Christ makes that Man or Woman holy and clean where he makes his abode so Satan makes those Souls where he takes up his Dwelling unclean and abominably wicked Moreover as he who is truly sanctified and made Holy is said to be of God so they that are wicked and ungodly are said to be of the Devil All those who are spiritual and truly gracious are like to God or bear some Resemblance of him and all unclean and wicked Persons are like to the Devil These things considered no marvel Satan is called an unclean Spirit 2. All prophane notorious and ungodly Sinners are in a woful state the unclean Spirit is in them their Hearts are Satan's Habitation The Heart of Man was not originally Satan's House nor hath he any just Right or Propriety in it 't is his by Usurpation and Conquest as Men yield up themselves to him and entertain his Temptations Man both Body and Soul is the Lord's he is his Creature nor ought he to suffer any to dwell in him much less to rule and sway the Scepter over him but the Holy God But as all Men as they come into the World have wretched and cursed Natures through original Depravity so ungodly Men actually have cast off God their lawful and only Sovereign and have imbraced the wicked one they have received and do subject themselves to Satan that unclean and filthy Spirit he is King and Lord over them The Devil hath got Possession by Craft he inticed our first Parents to open the Door to him they gave him the first Entertainment 't was then he took Possession and thereby at once corrupted all that are in the House I mean all the Faculties of the Soul to such a Degree that they all naturally side with Satan and are for him and are filled with Enmity against God and oppose and resist his Spirit and rebel against the Light Wicked Men had rather be under the tyrannical Government of the Devil than to be ruled and governed by Jesus Christ And from hence 't is no wonder they rather chuse to have wicked earthly Rulers and tyrannical Kings to be over them than to be subject to a Prince who is an Enemy to Wickedness Tyranny and Oppression This shews the Blindness and miserable State and Condition of all wicked and ungodly Men. We may further note also 3. That Satan may lose some ground in Sinners Hearts he may seem to be gone out of them and they may become sober and civilized and yet may be in the Gall of Bitterness and their Hearts notwithstanding may be still Satan's Habitation Let these Men change their Lives and become other Men in the View of the World alter their course of Life yet they are miserable Satan has spiritual Power and Dominion over them he has a strong party in their Hearts when he seems to be gone out and knows they are his still and owns them as his dwelling place When he cannot meet with Entertainment in other places when Saints afford him no Incouragement but displease and defy him and their Hearts are as dry places he can nevertheless return at pleasure to his old Habitation and there he enters and dwells Let them change their Religion yet they are Satan's Slaves still he matters not if they leave Popery and cleave to Prelacy and so become Protestants in general nay imbrace a more refined sort of People and take upon them a more strict Profession of Religion yet still they belong to him if they are not truly regenerated and renewed in their Souls let them be Presbyterians Independents or Baptists it signifies nothing they are still the
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
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
Portion and take that to be his that belongs to an Hypocrite as an Hypocrite on the other hand mistakes that which belongs to him and applies that to himself which is the Portion of sincere Christians but Grace is like a small Seed at first that cannot be soon espied in the House i.e. the Heart especially when there is much Smoak and Darkness yet remaining But may be some may say What you have said tends to take us off of Holy Duties and Obedience God forbid for though we would not have you rest or depend upon your Duties and Obedience yet let me tell you a godly Man or he that is a true Christian hath such Righteousness wrought in him and by him that exceeds the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees if he had not he could in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven 1. His Obedience and Righteousness flows from a Principle of Divine or Spiritual Life or from a Principle of saving Grace or else they would be all but dead Works and from thence he acts and doth all that he performs Godward 2. He acts from a Principle of Faith his Obedience flows from thence seeing himself justified and accepted only in Jesus Christ 3. He acts from a Principle of Love to Christ and is also always the same and for the hardest part of Religion as well as for the easiest part of it Moreover he is as careful to â—eep a good Conscience towards God as to keep a Conscience void of Offence towards Men he takes up all the Duties of Religion in Point of Performance though he lays them all down in Point of Dependance He is as careful of his Heart and Ways that he â—â—y please God and glorify him as much as a Man can be that expects to merit God's Favour thereby he knows he must attend upon the means of Salvation as well as to expect Salvation it self 4. He exceeds all others in his end which is the Honour and Glory of God or to live to God on Earth as well as to live with God in Heaven Lastly How severely doth what we have said look upon all Self-righteous Persons and those proud People that boast of their Holiness and Perfection that think they need no Repentance O that they would consider it and tremble before it is too late and they perish eternally for rejecting the chief Corner-stone Remember unless ye believe that Christ is he ye shall die in your Sins Also it looks severely on all formal and carnal Christians who have nothing but a Name Alas Sirs If the painted Hypocrite he that is so gloriously garnished with many great Gifts Parts Wisdom Learning and seeming Piety is in a damnable Condition what will become of you Mourn O England what a Number of filthy debauched treacherous proud drunken swearing and unclean Christians as they are called hast thou in the Bowels of thee they shew their Sin as Sodom and hide it not and yet glory as if they were the only People of God Awake Sinners before God's Judgments are poured out upon you for certainly great Wrath is at the Door God hath wrought Wonders for the Deliverance of this Nation but ye slight and contemn them Neither Judgments nor Mercy will humble you what would you have since nothing God doth pleases you Certainly the Almighty will not bear with you much longer if you repent not But ye who are truly pious and sincere ones rejoice you who mourn for your own Sins and for the Sins of the Land you are secured from the hungry Lion your Day is coming the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is near your Redemption is at hand lift up your Heads and praise God for ever SAtan a Spirit is unclean From whom all Filth doth flow A wicked Heart his House has been There still he dwells also As all true Holiness O Lord Is from they self alone So we do find from thy bless'd Word Sin 's from that wicked one And that he in a filthy Heart Takes up his curs'd Abode So thou so good to thy Saints art In them to dwell O God And that thou mightst Possession have Satan thou hast cast out And from all Filth our Souls to save Strange things hast wrought about Let such who garnish'd are by Art And common Graces fear Whilst all those sing with joyful Heart Who are indeed sincere Let Sinners and each Hypocrite Consider their sad doom Whilst Saints do sing having in sight The Glory that 's to come The latter State of some Men will Be worser than before But Saints are happy and safe still And shall for ever-more FINIS The whole will contain 100 or 120 Sheets in Folio Preached August 10. 1690. Matth. 12. 45. * Mark 5. 8. * Luke 22. 3. †Acts 5. 3. ‖ Ephes 2. 2 3. Luke 18. 11. * Job 1. 7. * 1 John 2. 14. †1 John 5. 18. 2 Pet. 2. Mat. 23. 27 29. Doct. I. 1 John 3. 8 12. * John 8. Doct. II. Rom. 8. 7. Doct. III. Doct. IV. This Hymn was sung at the close of the first Sermon Morning-Exercise on Horsely-Down August 17 1690. Mat. 12. 45 Rev. 3. 17. Joh. 9. 41. 1 Tim. 4. 2. 2 Cor. 10. 12. Mat. 18. 11. Rom. 10. 3. Ròm 7. 9. Rom. 2. 17 18. Rom. 2. 22. Charnock Mat. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 1. Joh. 7. 48. Charnock Prov. 14. 16. Mat. 21. 32 33. Rom. 2. 17 18 19. Prov. 26. 16. 1 Cor. 1. ult 1 Cor. 1. 30. Phil. 3. 8 9. Rom. 7. 9. Rom. 7. Rom. 3. 10. Isa. 65. 5. Mat. 9. 20. Ephes. 2. 1 2. Ephes. 1. 18 19 20. 2 Cor. 5. 17. 1 John 3. 8. Rom. 8. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 17 18. Mat. 13. Quest Answ Jer. 4. 3. Isa. 1. Rom. 2. 19 20. Annotators John 4. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Isa. 66. 3. Counterfeit Christians are not all of one sort Rom. 3. 19 Joh. 8. 24. Rom. 3. 24 25. Object Answ 1 Cor. 3. 11. Mar. 16. 16 Act. 15. 24 Rom. 10. 3. Rom. 11. 8. Rom. 11. 6. Annotat. Object Answ Annotat. Rom. 4. 5. Annotators Phil. 1. 29. Joh. 6. 65. Joh. 6. 44. Ps. 110. 5. Rom. 8. 7. Object Answ Jer. 31. 33. Jer. 32. 40. Jer. 31. 3. Rom. 8. 29. Joh. 6. 37. Eph. 1. 4. Act. 27. 24 25 31. Annotators on the place Charnock Acts 4. 12. Rom. 10. 3. Phil. 3. 8 9 10. Mark 16. 16. Mat. 25. Mat. 23. 23 24. Luke 11. 42. Mat. 23. 4. Mat. 7. 3. John 12. 43. Mat. 23. 6 7. Mat. 23. 15. Rom. 11. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 20. 1 Joh. 3. 15. Joh. 14. 19 Phil. 1. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 22. Heb. 6.4 Mat. 12. 24 28. Vers. 31. What the Sin against the Holy Ghost is that shall not be forgiven Annotators Heb. 10. 29 Heb. 6. 6. Obs. 1. Obs. 2. Obs. 3. Obs. 4. Obs. 5. Obs. 6. Obs. 7. Obs. 8. Informat 1. Informat 2. Mat. 25. Reproof 1. Rom. 4. 11 12. Versâ— 13. Reproof 2. Reproof 3. Reproof 4. Doth God allow of nothing for Ornament We say all immodest and fantastical Garbs and Dresses are loathsom and to be abominated See Wall 's Baptism anatomized Though this Man has abused me and my Brethren yet I do not think such a scurrillous Adversary worthy of an Answer See the Narrative of John Child's Life and Death three or four years ago printed Reproof 5. Reproof 6. Examinat Sincerity described Rom. 8. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 7. Object Answ Mat. 5. 20. Quakers condemned Acts 4. 11. John 8. 24. Comfort Sung at the Close of the second Sermon
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
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
bear the Image of the Devil by Corruption they understand not the Nature and Extent of Original Sin the pravity of their natural Faculties the lameness and impotency of their own natural Powers nor the sinfulness of the first motions of their Hearts boasting as one observes of self-Ability in the midst of utter Weakness and an affection to God under prevailing and horrid Enmity Pride commonly arises from a conceit of some excelling Quality whether Beauty Parts or Knowledg or affected Piety and these Men never being convinced of their own natural Deformity Filthiness and Pollution of Sin that contagion of the Soul the universal stain of Nature nothing but Pollution succeeding in the place of original Purity are swelled up in spiritual Pride and self-conceitedness The Pharisees were the proudest of all People and they were the most ignorant of Gospel-Truths they would have their Opinion a Rule to all the People and that must be a Truth which they so esteem to be and that an Error which they conceit so to be Pride being the Devil's Sin is hateful to God He that looks upon himself too much looks upon God too little If God hides the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven from any 't is from the Wise and Prudent The Design of God in the glorious contrivance of the way of Salvation by Christ is to confound and destroy the Pride of Man and because Man's corrupt Reason cannot comprehend the Sacred Mysteries of the Doctrine of Faith they contemn and disbelieve the revelation of it No Religion nor Ordinance of God is valued by some Men but what suits with their own affected Principles and Notions from hence the Greeks counted the Gospel Foolishness and the Jews were so wedded to their own legal Righteousness that unto them Jesus Christ was a stumbling-block the pride of their Knowledg and Attainments was the Mother and Nurse of their incredulity Have any of the Pharisees believed on him These Men sin as I have often told some of you against the Remedy and fence against the Edge of that Sword by which their Souls should be wounded and they die if ever they come to live indeed therefore what hopes is there of them Alas Men swelled up with an Opinion of their own good Estate and Condition without Christ are unfit for Faith This is one of the strong Holds exalting it self against the Knowledg of God How loth is a proud Man to become a Fool that he may be wise or to captivate his Reason to the obedience of Faith to be justified by another's Righteousness and that our own Righteousness which is so pleasant and acceptable in our sight and in the sight of Men should be as filthy Rags or a loathsome thing in the sight of God is to these sort of People a strange Paradox Lucifer as some pretend is one of the chief of Devils who is called also the King of Pride If so certainly he is one of those wicked Spirits that entred into this Person Now what but infinite Power can throw out this Devil this Pride and bring this Soul to the foot of the cross and make it strike its swelling Sails to Jesus Christ and become nothing in it self and to hate and loth its own Righteousness by reason of that impurity and pollution that cleaves to every best Duty they do or can perform Thus this unclean Spirit raises up strong Fortifications against the way of Salvation the way of Faith or going to Jesus Christ for all as poor and undone Sinners These Enemies in Hypocritical and Self-righteous Persons stand armed in the Breaches of Nature as one observes to beat off all Assaults of the Gospel and therefore the latter State of these Persons is worse than the first Thirdly Self-confidence may be another evil Spirit that is entred into these Persons and which renders their State so bad 'T is impossible to perswade them that their Condition is nought and damnable you may as I hinted before quickly bring a vile and debauched Person to acknowledg his State is dangerous tho there is no turning him from his evil course yet he stands not upon self-justification but rather readily yields to you if you deal with him at a seasonable time with Wisdom and tell him he is a very wretched Creature I know I am so saith he the Lord have Mercy upon me But the Man out of whom the debauched Devil is gone is in his own Eyes become another Person a seeming Saint one that hears Sermons Prays and gives Alms and yet not renewed nor his evil Habits changed O 't is no easy thing to bring him once to doubt or question the Goodness of his Condition he blesses God for that help he has had to change his former course of Life God I thank thee I am not as other Men nor as this Publican I was as bad as other but I am become religious now I am no Swearer Whoremonger Drunkard Extortioner c. To this purpose you have the Pharisee boasting and praising of God this renders his state lamentable with a witness What made the foolish Virgins so bold as to go forth to meet the Bridegroom Was it not that confidence they had that their condition was good A wise Man saith Solomon feareth and departeth from iniquity but a Fool rageth and is confident Confidence is opposed to Fearing so that this sort of Men are secure and unsensible of their Danger till it is too late As in the Case of the Foolish Virgins they saw not their fearful State till the Mid-night Cry was heard And hence our Saviour told the Scribes and Pharisees that Publicans and Harlots went into the Kingdom of Heaven before them Which fully confirms what we say from this dark Scripture viz. That openly prophane Persons and notorious Sinners are not in so dangerous a condition as a false Professor or counterfeit Christian who having passed under a seeming change of Life and left the gross Acts of Sin though never throughly wrought upon by regenerating Grace and I conclude this of Self-confidence is one of those more wicked Spirits that are now entered into him Behold thou art called a Jew and rests in the Law and makes thy boast of God c. And art confident that thou thy self art a Guide of the Blind a Light to them that sit in Darkness c. Thus these Persons proudly with great Self-confidence arrogate all Wisdom and Knowledg to themselves and are like the Sluggard Solomon speaks of i.e. wiser in their own conceit than seven Men that can render a Reason Tremble ye who fear nothing who conclude all Wisdom and Knowledg is with you and that you need not be taught more than you already know Some Men tho openly prophane glory and boast of their Church and Christianity and doubt not but in that Faith to be saved But if those who are of a good moral Life and zealous for the external Parts of true
necessity of Faith and Regeneration These are not only averse to all humane Innovations and Traditions of Men and so contend for God's Holy Institutions in respect of his visible Worship as I told you before but seem to be inlightned very much into that internal Work of God's Grace upon the Soul c. but never come themselves under those saving Operations of the Spirit but rest in the Speculative Knowledg of those Mysteries and are meer empty and formal Persons and Strangers to that Divine Life and sacred Change of which they speak and yet possibly may not be throughly convinced of that deceit and delusion they are under but may hope all is well with them but since they are not savingly renewed but only reformed having not Jesus Christ dwelling in their Hearts nor the Power of the Holy Ghost to enable and influence their Souls in the performance of their Duties and in mortification of their Sins and Corruptions they are frequently overcome by Satan and horrid Evils prevail and predominate in them by which means they bring great reproach upon Religion and all those who do profess it hence the Apostle calls this sort the Enemies of the Cross of Christ Phil. 3. 18. and this further aggravates their Sin and Misery for whilst openly prophane and not pretending to Religion and Godliness they could not injure the Name of God nor expose the Gospel and Professors thereof to that scorn and reproach as now they do Sinners openly wicked though notorious and vile Enemies to God yet the hurt and wrong they do is especially to their own Souls but these by their carnal earthly Prâ—â—â— loose and formal walking hinder the promulgation of the Gospel and Conversion of the Souls of Men besides their weakning the Hands and grieving the Hearts of the truly Godly Moreover they also pollute and defile too often the Church of Jesus Christ and bring great trouble upon the same Hence there is in most Congregations who keep up a strict and regular Discipline 〈◊〉 so much Church-work which makes the Communion of the Saints the more uncomfortable to them for though it cannot be denied but sincere Persons may fall under Sin and Temptation and so all the trouble of Churches and Reproach that falls upon Religion doth not arise from these counterfeit Christians or formal Professors yet doubtless the chiefest part of them do It is said Offences will come but wo to them by whom the Offence comes From all which considerations their state seems worse in many degrees than before Sixthly The wicked Spirit or abominable Sin that some of these Mens Souls are also possessed with is Legality And though this clearly appears by what I have already said yet I shall speak a little more fully and distinctly unto it All that these Persons do and perform is in a legal Spirit and that I may shew you what I mean by Legality in short it is this i. e. They act and do for Life look upon themselves to be under a conditional Covenant and whilst they live up to that Law or Rule which they judg they are bound to observe and keep in order to Justification they have Peace rendring the Gospel and Covenant of Grace by their false Apprehensions of it no better than a legal Ministration or conditional Covenant as was hinted before in respect of another sort of Men For like as the Jews of old acted in a legal Spirit and sought to be justified by the Works of the Law so these perform all their Services and Duties in the same Spirit viz. not from Life or a Divine Principle of Saving-Faith but for Life To keep the Commandments of God and live religiously is absolutely necessary But then this must be done from a renewed Nature and flows from Faith it being the proper Effect or Fruit thereof but to strive to live a sober and holy Life and obey God's Precepts and rest upon their so doing and look to be accepted with God and justified thereby is that which too many of this sort of People do and this is to act in a legal Spirit Possibly a Man may say I know I cannot perfectly keep the Law but I will do by the help of God what I can and wherein I through weakness do transgress the Lord is merciful and I trust will forgive me But let me remember what God saith viz. That he will in no wise clear the Guilty Moreover what the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law that all Mouths may be stopped and the whole World become guilty before God 'T is evident as God will not forgive an impenitent Person so he will not forgive the Penitent except they believe in Jesus Christ 'T is not for the sake or worth of Repentance that God forgives any Man the Penitent as well as the Impenitent are guilty all have broke the Law all are under Sin and Wrath Repentance will not do a holy Life will not do Prayer and hearing Sermons will not do By the Deeds of the Law and by any thing we can do no Flesh shall be justified If Men believe not on Christ let them be what they will Professors or Prophane they shall die in their Sins God pardons no Sinner as a simple Act of his Mercy without a respect had to the Satisfaction Christ hath made to his offended Justice by his Death And hence it is that the Apostle saith All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the remission of Sins that are past through the forbearance of God Therefore God doth not accept of our Obedience in keeping the Precepts either of the Old or New Testament and forgive all our Deviations as a meer Act of his Mercy for if this way Righteousness and Justification were attainable 't is evident Christ died in vain as I said before for could not God have done this if Christ had never come to shed his precious Blood I remember some Years ago I heard of a Man who lying on his Death-bed when a Godly Person desired him to look out for a Christ answered He had lived a godly Life all along and why said he do you tell me of a Christ or to that effect He thought 't is evident none needed a Christ but prophane Persons and I fear many are of his Mind tho they express it not as he did with their Tongues But possibly some may say We do not think that our Righteousness justifies us any otherwise than through Christ ' s Merits To which I answer 'T is not throug our personal Righteousness though joined or coupled with Christ's Merits that we are justified but through the personal Righteousness of Christ alone and the Merits of his Blood received by Faith 't is in this way
and only by this way we must be saved if ever we come to Heaven Another Foundation can no Man lay He that believeth not shall be damned Let him be what he will Righteous or Wicked 't is a great Error to think that Christ's Merits make our Services or Performances meritorious though 〈◊〉 are accepted thereby when they flow from Faith yet not as the Spring or procuring Cause of our Justification To close with this let me add one thing further which shews the Danger these Persons are in This Errour is a capital One 't is to err in a main Fundamental of Religion and therefore Heresy a damnable Principle And hence the Apostle calls it a subverting the Souls of such who receive it And it was also from hence God gave the Jews up to Judicial Blindness i. e. because they went about to establish their own Righteousness and did not submit to the Righteousness of God 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 That must needs be a dangerous Evil that provokes the Holy God thus to leave and give up a Person to blindness of Mind and final Impenitency for such must needs perish of necessity Therefore in the last place it follows that the state of these People is worse than it was when they were no Professors of Religion at all but were openly wicked and prophane Sinners these unclean Spirits are worse than the first And from hence let all take heed how they mix Law and Gospel together in the case of Justification If by Grace then is it no more of Works otherwise Grace is no Grace But if it be of Works then it is no more Grace otherwise Work is no more Work There is no mixing of the Merits of good Works and the free Grace of God together but one of these doth exclude and destroy the Nature of the other for if Election and Justification were partly of Grace and partly of or from foreseen Works then Grace is no Grace and Works no Works For whatsoever proceedeth of Grace as one observes that cometh freely and not of Debt but whatsoever cometh by Merits or Works that cometh by Debt But now Debt and free Grace or that which is free and absolutely by Grace and that by desert are quite contrary things therefore to say Men are Called and Justified partly by Grace and partly by Works or by whatsoever is done by the Creature this were to put such things together that cannot agree for 't is to make Merit no Merit Debt no Debt Works no Works Grace no Grace and so affirm and deny one and the same thing Therefore how absurd a thing is it for Men to mix the Law and Gospel together in this sense or make that which is the Creature 's Act or Work a procuring Cause of acceptance and Justification in God's sight seeing it utterly destroys the nature of Grace and so consequently the glorious Design of God's eternal Purpose in Jesus Christ and that blessed Covenant of his confirmed by the Mediator thereof Where the Creature is wholly abased and the free Grace of God alone exalted Man is not a co-worker or co-partner with God therefore those Principles that have a natural tendency so to do ought to be abominated by all good Christians But it is objected That we are said to be justified by Faith and also that Repentance is required as a Condition of Salvation c. 1. I answer Some put Faith in the room and place of perfect Obedience to the Law and that Faith which they speak of they affirm is the sole Act of the Creature But this certainly is a grand Errour for it would make our Justification to be still by Works and so destroy the Nature of God's free Grace for that which is the Creature 's Act is all one with the Creature 's Work 't is but to change one Work of the Creature to another from an external Work of the Life to an internal Work of the Heart For as Mr. Cary well observes 'T is Christ's perfect Righteousness and Obedience only which is put into the room and place of ours to justify and save us and his Sufferings take away the Curse which our Disobedience brought upon us Faith therefore is only the instrumental Cause of our Justification 't is only as an Instrument or Way of our receiving and applying the Righteousness of Christ if it justifies as a Condition of the New Covenant as Works were required under the Old and as that act or work injoined on our part to be done by us as Antecedent to the benefit of the Promise that would make our Act or Work the formal Cause of our Justification and so render the Terms of the New-Covenant much of the same Nature with the Old Faith is not our Righteousness in it self as a Work but in relation to Christ the Object of it or as an Act of receiving and applying his Righteousness and Merits as Eating nourisheth though it be the Meat that doth it in this sense Him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness And now whereas the Apostle James speaks of Works justifying and not Faith only Jam. 2. 24. it is easy to be comprehended and the great Apostle of the Gentiles and he reconciled Paul speaks of the Cause of our Justification before God and James of the Signs of our Justification before Men or shews how our good Works justify our Faith The one speaks of the Imputation of Righteousness the other of the Declaration of our Righteousness or one speaks of the Office of Faith the other of the Quality of Faith the one speaks of the Justification of the Person the other of the Faith of that Person the one speaks of Abraham to be justified the other of Abraham already justified Moreover 2. That Faith by which we are said to be justified is as much the Free-Gift of God's Grace to us as Christ is the Free-Gift of his Grace for us and hence Faith is called the Gift of God Eph. 2. 8 9. and also a Fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And as it is a Grace wrought in us so also such a Grace that was promised to us as part of Christ's Purchase To you it is given saith the Apostle in the behalf of Christ not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake that is it is given freely of God's meer Grace yet upon the account of Christ's Merits and Mediation Their believing in Christ was not in their own Power No Man can come to me that is believe in me except it were given unto him of my Father And all that the Father hath given to me shall come unto me that is believe on me And again No Man can come unto me except the Father which sent me draw him