"Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. (39) But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: (40) For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (41) The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. (42) The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (43) When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. (44) 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. (45) Then goeth he, 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 the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation."
I pass over all the several subjects contained in this passage of Jesus, from making any observations upon them, being in themselves self-evident; in order to call the Reader's attention to one here spoken of, which may not perhaps at first be so immediately plain and obvious. I mean, respecting the unclean spirit in his departure and return. The unclean spirit, no doubt, means the devil. And when men, under the cursed influences of the devil, are living in the open and notorious vices of profaneness, drunkenness, dishonesty, sabbath-breaking and the like, they may be said to have an unclean spirit. But if any outward reform takes place in such characters, and we behold a change wrought upon them, so that they are more decent in life, and conversation, the devil may be said to have gone out from them, under the character of an unclean spirit. But it: there be no saving change wrought in the sou.1 by the regenerating power of the Holy Ghost: if the devil be gone out of his own accord, and not driver, out by the stronger man, he, even Jesus (Matthew 12:29); this man's heart is still as much as ever under Satan's government; for he calls it his house, and saith he will return to it; yea, and he doth return to it, if so be there be no saving change wrought upon the man's heart by grace. So that, though he goes out an unclean devil, yet he comes back only somewhat cleaner, but, still a devil, and reigns, and rules in his house, of the man's heart, as much as before. Yea, our Lord saith, that the last state of this man is worse than the first. For if, while under the same awful influence of an unrenewed, ungenerated heart, the man is prompted to put on the appearance of an outside sanctity; and covers over the uncleanness that is within, with a seeming zeal for religion without: these, are like the seven other spirits of the devil, more wicked than the former, because more desperately deceiving, both himself and the world; and of consequence, the end is more dreadful. And who shall calculate the numbers there as living under this most wretched of all delusions? Who shall say, the many, who go out of life well pleased with this whitening sepulchre-reform; in whose heart, no saving change hath been wrought; nor any acquaintance made with the person, work, or grace of God the Holy Ghost. John 3:3; Acts 19:2. Reader! see to it that no change satisfies your mind, but that which is wrought by the Holy Ghost and Christ, formed in your heart the life of glory. Romans 8:9-17; 2 Corinthians 5:17.