The Fearful Condition of Apostates
tVhen the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he watkcth through dry places, seeking rest, andfindcth none. Then he sailh, 1 will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, hefindethit empty, swept and garnished. Then he gocth, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than «Ac rat. — Matthew xii: 43-45.
In these words, our Lord describes the state of the unhelieving Jews. This he does by a parable, founded on the case of a demoniac.
Christ had just healed one possessed with a devil. But the Pharisees, filled with envy, attributed the whole to Satanic inlluence. Our Lord repelled the blasphemous charge, and added a most solemn address on the unpardonable sin. At the close, he drew a picture of the state of that generation. The occasion furnished an example. After the description given in the text, he makes the application. ^’Even so also shall it be unto this wicked generation.” The text is also equally applicable to individuals under the gospel at the present day. We shall then consider it applicable
L To the Jews.
n. To sinners under the gospel.
Our Lord knew tlic hearts of all men. When he cast out devils, he knew what took place. Invisible spirits — the powers of darkness were under his control. He cast out the spirits with his word.
‘’ When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest and findeth none.” It is not the man that walketh through dry places, as some have supposed, but the unclean spirit.
The unclean spirit is supposed to quit possession of the man, doubtless at the approach of Christ, lest he should be expelled by force. Yet this is done contrary to his inclination, and therefore he cannot rest. Being disturbed, he walketh through dry or desert places — places the most barren, and destitute of the water of life, and where there is nothing to oppose his designs — through dry places, where there are no showers of divine grace. Seeking rest. Being driven from one habitation, he seeks another, where he may rest in the hearts of men, and there carry on his designs, undisturbed by Christ. But he does not succeed. He seeketh rest, but being pursued, he findeth none.
Thus when Christ appeared among the Jews, wherever he went, he disturbed the powers of darkness. Evil spirits being driven from one habitation, sought another, where Christ was not known. Being pursued by the preaching of the gospel, and disturbed by the doctrine and miracles of Christ and his apostles, they departed for a time from the Jews to seek rest among the Gentiles, in those dry lands where the water of life had not been found.
But the evil spirit, being driven from place to place, and finding no rest, saith, “I will return into my house.” Mij house. The hearts of wicked men are the residence of unclean spirits. Here they dwell and carry on their designs against the Redeemer’s kingdom in this world. Wicked men are considered as the property and possession of the prince of darkness. He works in them, and by them as instruments to accomplish his purposes. They are called his servants — his children, and are led captive by him at his will. This is the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.
^’ I will return into my house from whence I came out, and when he is come, he findeth it empty” — a lonesome, dreary mansion, without inhabitant, or any occupant to oppose his entrance. Christ had not been admitted. If he had been, it would not have been empty — empty of all good, and of many former obstructions, so that now there is room for more evil spirits.
^’ Swept and garnished” — prepared for his reception. On this discovery, “then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there.” Thus re-inforccd, the possession becomes strong. They enter in and dwell there, without disturbance.
“And the last state of that man is w orse than the first.” The possession becomes strong, and more dreadful and incurable than ever. Even so was it also in fact, with that wicked generation.
The powers of darkness driven from place to place, for a time, by the successful preaching of the gospel, and finding no rest, did actually return among the Jews. Their former habitation was indeed empty. The Spirit of God was gone. They had crucified the Saviour and was abandoned by God himself. ‘^ Behold your house is left unto you desolate.” Evil spirits did actually return, found the hearts of the Jews empty, and re-possessed that unbelieving generation. And thus they continue till the present day, seven times more hardened than they were before the coming of Christ.
But the parable is applicable
11. To sinners under the gospel.
It is more particularly applicable to individuals where the Lord appears to pour out his Spirit and revive his work.
Sinners are awakened to a sense of divine things. A solemn awe fills the place. The Lord appears in his glory. The powers of darkness flee at his approach; and one would think they had fled forever — that all were about to become followers of Christ. But it is not so. Many a sinner is awakened who never becomes a true disciple of Christ. He is alarmed. He looks around, and perceives that all is vanity. He feels that he is mortal, and that he is acting for eternity. Surprised at his former stupidity, he breaks off his habits, and forms new resolutions. With amazing anguish, he looks forward into the eternal world. He is now determined to bid farewell to all sinful pleasures and companions. He listens with earnestness to the word of God. He begins to realize his lost condition. Every thing which he hears or reads, condemns him. A dreadful sound is in his ears. The thunders of a broken law, and the wrath of an angry God, strike terror through his guilty soul. He now begins with all his might to recommend himself to God. And thus for a while he continues to read and pray and weep. An outward reformation has indeed taken place. And in this sense, the unclean spirit may be said to have gone out of the man. But the state of his heart remains the same. Christ is not admitted to dwell there. Of this fact, the sinner himself is conscious. He knows that he has no love to God, or to the duties of religion. But he rests on what he is doing, and what he intends to do. He flatters himself that he is preparing to go to Christ — preparing to believe — preparing to repent. Meanwhile, the work of God goes on. Others are alarmed. They see and feel that they are lost, and earnestly inquire, what must we do to be saved. They are brought to repentance, and receive the Saviour into their hearts. The unclean spirit departs, and Christ sets up his kingdom in their hearts. Christ is formed in them the hope of glory. The Spirit of God descends like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth. These are indeed times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.
But such seasons are commonly of short continuance. The Lord is about to depart, and yet many who have been alarmed, are still without hope, and without God in the world. It is now an awful crisis. The awakened sinner will not remain long in his present condition. God has said, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man.” A few months usually decides the point, and heaven and hell are now depending. The scale is now turning. The Spirit of God departs, and the sinner is lost forever. The evil spirit, as a roaring lion, walking up and down in the earth, seeking whom he may devour, now returns to his old abode. On examination, he finds it empty — a desolate and dreary mansion. The Spirit of God is gone — The Saviour is gone; — and no Christian graces adorn the soul. It is swept of convictions, and serious thoughts. In this manner it is garnished, and furnished for the reception, and entertainment of unclean spirits. His heart is prepared to welcome, and comply with their suggestions.
The dreadful state of this man is often marked — so plainly marked, that it cannot but be observed by others. He begins to manifest a reluctance to religious conversation. He carefully avoids those places where he apprehends danger of being interrogated on the subject of religion, and the state of his own heart. He is particularly cautious to avoid the company of those who are faithful to the souls of men.
The man who is in the state I am describing, has fled not only from serious company, and serious conversation, but what is worse, from the throne of grace.
Persons of this description, sometimes profess to have changed their sentiments on the su1)ject of religion. This they do to keep themselves in countenance, while their conduct is so glaring that they only betray the hypocrisy and deformity of their hearts. In them is fulfilled the words of the apostle. They received not the love of the truth; and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they might believe a lie, and be damned.
Their conduct frequently becomes as loose as their sentiments. The company which before they avoided as dangerous, they now frequent. They return again to the same course of conduct, which before they regarded with aljliorreiice. Their apostacy is thus described by the apostle Peter. “For if, after they have escaped the poUiUions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”
Having long been impatient under the restraints of religion, at length, they burst the bonds, and break through all restraints. And to ward off reproof, and keep themselves in countenance, they make it their business to scan the lives of others, and especially to rail against professors of religion.
The persons here described, are commonly the most hardened of any. I do not recollect an instance in which a person of this description was ever brought to repentance. The last state of that man is worse than the first.
This was the case with numbers in the lime of Christ and the apostles. Many who for a while, listened with solemn altcniion to the instructions of Christ, and followed him from place to place, afterwards lost these impressions. Their apostacy was final. They went back, and walked no more with him. This is also the case of many in all places where the gospel is faithfully preached. Such cases doubtless exist in every revival of religion.^
You will carefully notice the character described. It is the case of one in whom powerful convictions, are succeeded by great obstinacy, and awful stupidity.
In regard to such individuals it may be observed, that there is no prospect that they will ever be brought to repentance. From our Lord’s discourse we have reason to believe, that some of those whom he addressed in the text, had committed the unpardonable sin. We do not say that the persons described, have committed that particular sin. This, however, may be the case. Nothing but deep repentance can prove that it is not so. And it should not be forgotten that all sin is unpardonable without repentance.
But it appears from various passages of Scripture, that some kinds of apostacy, whether they are to be regarded as the unpardonable sin or not, are equivalent to it. We are clearly taught that, persons have in their life time passed the bounds of divine mercy. They have been given up of God. All the hope that any sinners will be saved, is in the sovereign mercy of God. If they are brought to repentance, it must be by the agency of the Holy Spirit. But of him, sinners are sometimes given up. They have done despite unto the Spirit of grace, and are given up to strong delusions to believe a lie. It is impossible to renew them again to repentance. God has said concerning them, they are joined to idols, let them alone.
Such persons have lost their day of grace. They are given over not only by the Holy Spirit, but by the Saviour himself. This was true of those to whom he said, ^’ I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins.” It was true of those over whom he wept, saying, ‘’If thou hadst known, even ihou, at least, in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes!” Their day of grace was past. Their eyes were blinded, and their doom was fixed.
Again — The persons here described will probably not be aware of their danger till they awake in hell. They flatter themselves that they shall repent before they die; and with this they quiet their fears. The Spirit of God has ceased to strive with them, but they are the last to conclude that this is the case, or that they are in any very great danger. It is true they may have some flashes of conviction, some pangs of remorse; but they will soon pass away and leave the heart still more hard.
Sometimes, however, apostates have seen their awful condition a little before the close of life. Some in their last hours have been made awful monuments of the truth of God’s word, and have been filled with horror which no tongue can describe.
But their destruction is generally more sudden. “When they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, and they shall not escape.” “He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” As it was in the days of Noah, so it is now — “they knew not until the fiood came and took them all away. So shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.” Generally, those that are given up to hardness of heart, are also given up to blindness of mind* Their consciences being seared as with a hot iron, they are past feeling. O how awful is their state! Nothing can alarm them. On hearing their state described, one would think that they might now be seen trembling on their seats. But it is not so. Nothing moves them. They are not affected by all the solemn and momentous considerations addressed to them in the gospel — by heaven on the one hand, and hell on the other — These considerations may be presented to them by the faithful preacher, in the kindest and most affectionate manner, and produce no other effect, than a smile of contempt.
Such persons are commonly given over by all serious, praying people. If you attempt to give them a friendly warning, it will only exasperate them. “He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame; and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth to himself a blot.” Hence the direction, “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee.” When such obstinacy and contempt are manifest, Christ says to us, let them alone.
If the Lord should again revive his work, it is not expected that these persons will be made subjects of it. Those who have been partially awakened, and whose convictions have not been wholly lost, may again be awakened. But those who have had powerful convictions, and who have wholly lost their concern, and who have gone so far as to make light of the subject of religion, will in all probability be passed by. A second and a third revival have been witnessed where persona of this description have been uniformly left in awful stupidity and hardness of heart. Titeir last state is worse than the first.
It now remains to apply the subject. Are there any persons present, whose case has been described? We ehall pass them by. There is nothing in the law, and nothing in the gospel which will affect their hearts. Neither the mercies of God, nor the terrors of his wrath — neither the joys of heaven, nor the pains of hell, can awake them from their slumbers. Nothing but the Almighty power of God can do it. But of him they are given up. The Holy Spirit lets them alone. And could we see, and certainly know them, we too would let them alone. They have ‘^ trodden under foot the Son of God;” and “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation that shall devour the adversaries.” Hence it is a hopeless undertaking for the servants of God to undertake any thing for their recovery. Our object in holding up their case to your view, my hearers, is to warn others to beware.
Although we cannot expect to give them a sense of their danger, we point you to their condition, that those of you who are not yet given up of God, may take warning. We would especially point those of you who are now anxious for your souls, to the rocks on which others have made shipwreck of their souls. These, 0 sinner, like yourself, were once alarmed. They turned to flee out of Sodom, but while lingering on the plain, they turned back in their hearts, and have now become pillars of salt. These monuments, are to be found in many places where God has lately revived his w ork. Whether there are any persons of this description, in this place, it is not for me to say. God knoweth. I am permitted to say to every sinner, if you will repent you will be saved. But those who are given up of God, will not repent. They may resolve and le-resolve, but they will die the same. These persons, if there are any such here, will doubtless go from this house as stupid as they came. Instead of applying- this subject to themselves, they will endeavor to silence their fears, and to soothe their consciences. Instead of laboring to be convinced of sin, and to come to repentance, they will attempt to justify their conduct, and to flatter themselves that they never have been awakened. Instead of being alarmed about themselves, and inquiring what they must do to be saved, they will perhaps, go from this place finding fault with others, particularly with professors of religion. Instead of repairing to the throne of grace, and crying for mercy; they will say in their hearts to the Almighty, “depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.” “What is the Almighty that we should serve him, and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him.” No person will be more likely to go away finding fault with this discourse, than that very man whose case I have described.
Do you feel no concern for the salvation of your souls, you have awful reason to fear that the case described is your own. There is no safety here. Do you begin to feel some concern for the salvation of your souls. Beware, then, 0 sinners, beware of every approach to so tremendous a precipice. It is dangerous, awfully dangerous to resist the strivings of the Spirit. It is plain from the Scriptures, that the Spirit does strive with man, and that he will not always strive. How often he will strive with this man, and how often with that man, we cannot tell, but God knows perfectly well. Now to resist the last efioit of the Spirit of
God on the soul, is what phmges the sinner into this hopeless state.
While the Spirit is striving, the sinner feels himself moved by something-, he cannot tell what. He is alarmed. He feels anxious for his soul. But he resists. The Spirit withdraws, and he becomes careless again. The sinner flees to some diversions, or perverts some doctrines to give ease to his troubled conscience; or fixes on some self-righteous plan. In some way or other he gets relief. The Spirit visits him again and again. The sinner still resists its strivings, until the last time is come.
Awful crisis! Once more he moves upon the heart of the sinner. He is now for the last time awakened. But alas! He wards off conviction! He says depart — depart. The Spirit bids him adieu — And the sinner is gone forever.