[L(ut state,.. worse than the first.l The Greek expressions so rendered mean literally "the last things," and the "first things."
The tendency of a backslider, or a man who has at one time pro- fessed religion, but afterwards turned back to the world, to become worse than he ever was before, is a painful ffiu;t, but a notorious one. — ^The possession of clear knowledge of the Gospel combined with deliberate choice of sin and the world, seems the parent of the most hardened state of soul to which mortal man can attain. Ford quotes a striking sentence from Gowper's Letters on this subject : " I have observed that when a man who once seemed a Christian has put off that character, and resumed his old oue, he loses, together with the grace which he seemed to possess, the most amiable parts of the character that he resumes. The best features of his natural face seem to be struck out, that after having worn religion only as a mask, he may make a more dis- gusting appearance than he did before he assumed it/'
The story of the unclean spirit in this passage admits of a threefold application. 1. — It describes the history of the Jewish nation before Christ came upon earth. For a time after the giving of the law they seemed better than the Gentiles, and like a house swept and garnished. But when they became proud, self-righteous, and unholy, the evil spirit returned to them. They were cast off by God, and given over to be oppressed and scattered by the Babylonians, Syrians, and the Romans. And forty years after our Lord was upon earth, their last state was worse than their first. 2. — It describes the history of the Gentile churches since the time when Christ was on earth. For many centuries they seemed like a house swept and garnished. The evil spirit seemed cast out. But in the vast majority of cases they have departed from their first things. The Spirit of God has left them. The evil spirit has returned. Their end seems likely to be worse than their beginning. 3. — Above all, the passage describes the state of individuals who are content with reformation without conversion. This is a sense which ought never to be lost sight of Historical and prophetical interpretations are useful, but they must not be allowed to overlay and bury the lessons that concern each one of ourselves.