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 acknow∣ledged to be hard to be understood;* most Expo∣siters and Annotators (I have met with) say but little to it.

Some call it a Parable, and others a paraboli∣cal 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 Condi∣tion 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 de∣ceived: 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 signi∣fied 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 Peo∣ple of that Generation, is evident from the sequel of ver. 45.*Even so shall it be with the People of this froward Genera∣tion. Yet no doubt our blessed Saviour in this place may have Reference to a Man in the like State; or as Beza, Caete∣rum quum Spiritus impurus exierit à quopiam, &c. as well as unto that People who were carried away with cursed Hy∣pocrisy.

When the unclean Spirit, &c.

By the unclean Spirit,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 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.

1. 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.

1. Because he is not only unclean in himself, but also de∣fileth 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 Pa∣rents; 'tis this unclean Spirit that hath poysoned and notori∣ously 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 un∣clean 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 Un∣cleanness, some are worse than others, more wicked, and so more like to the Devil, in whom his very Image or Like∣ness clearly may be seen.

1. He may also be called an unclean Spirit, because he con∣tinually 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 'tis 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: Sa∣tan 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 'tis also said, that Sa∣tan, 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; orelse, 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 Pha∣risee proudly breaks forth, God, I thank thee, I am not as other Men are,*Extortioners, Vnjust, Adulterers, or even as this Pub∣lican. 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; there∣fore I rather think he was forced to give place, as not being able to hold his own (in some respect) as formerly, al∣though 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 scanda∣lous 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 na∣tural Conscience, together with the help of the external Ministration of God's Word, and by the means of Afflicti∣ons, and those severe Providences and Dispensations, un∣der 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 con∣clude within themselves they are converted, since their for∣mer 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 Temp∣tations of Satan, and neither be Drunk nor commit Adul∣tery.

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 con∣ceive 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 a∣long. Therefore;

1. This noteth that Satan is a diligent Enemy; if he hath lost a little ground, or is worsted in one Soul, he will try what Power and Success he can find in another.

1. 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 re∣venge 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 de∣lights, he will walk through dry places, and see what he can meet with there.

1. 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 walk∣ing 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 Ex∣pression, 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 Habi∣tation for God through the Spirit. And these Men's Hearts are unto Satan, like dry Places to a thirsty and restless Per∣son: for as the Holy Spirit cannot rest, nor take up his abode in filthy and poluted Hearts; so the Devil, that wicked Spi∣rit, 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 Apo∣stle*) 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 there∣fore 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 a∣biding for him.

1. 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 Tempta∣tions, 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, Sa∣tan 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.

1. Dry Places are for the most part places least inhabited for want of Water; the Hearts of Saints are like uninhabi∣table 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 Dia∣bolical 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, 'tis 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, Cheat∣ing, 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 pro∣phane Persons; but seeing he had received some small De∣feat, 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 King∣dom 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 be∣ing 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 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 assault∣ing sanctified Persons, but he cannot indure to be an Un∣derling, 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. Sa∣tan 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 'tis said, he find∣eth 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 Peo∣ple: 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; 'tis said to be swept, but alas 'twas only with the Beesom of legal Refor∣mation; 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 Holi∣ness,* to painting or garnishing of a Sepulchre; Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, for ye are like unto whited Se∣pulchres, 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 Righ∣teous. 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 beau∣tiful outside, and yet the evil and vitious Habits and Polluti∣ons 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 'tis not the same, 'tis but a piece of Paint, an artificial Inventi∣on: 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, 'tis but an artificial Piece, 'tis but like a curious Paint, or vain-glorious Garnish; it is not the Image of God, it is not the new Crea∣ture; 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 na∣tural Improvements, and not the Effects of the saving Ope∣rations of the Holy Spirit. Nay, and Satan, though an un∣clean 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, com∣mon 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 Sin∣ners 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 deter∣mine: 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 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 there∣fore 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 ne∣ver 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, 'tis said of them, so 'tis much more true of him, He rests not but in doing Mischief.

1. 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:—Ile 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 Reforma∣tion; 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 De∣vil; 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 far∣ther Confirmation of the Exposition I have briefly given you of this dark Place of Scripture, not doubting but 'tis 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 Holi∣ness 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 sin∣ful 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 abomi∣nably 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.*

1. 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; 'tis his by Usurpa∣tion 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 them∣selves 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, 'twas then he took Possessi∣on, 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 ra∣ther be under the tyrannical Government of the Devil, than to be ruled and governed by Jesus Christ: And from hence 'tis no wonder they rather chuse to have wicked earthly Ru∣lers 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,

1. 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 Domini∣on 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 In∣couragement, 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 same, and under Satan's Power and Dominion. O how miserably are some Men deceived, thinking if they are reformed and become zealous for exter∣nal Ordinances, and have taken up this or that form of Re∣ligion, 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,

1. 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 them∣selves, and Men praise and admire them, but what doth all this signify? they are still under a diabolical Power and In∣fluence, 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.