The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 97
MEDITAT. XCVII. Of the Children of the Devil, and particularly of Self-will.
THE third ſort of the Devil's Followers, for diſtinction ſake, I call his Children: a Phraſe authorized by the Spirit of God, and therefore not to be boggled at.
But here, for diſtinctneſs in Proceeding, I muſt conſider the Devil under a double Notion, viz. as a particular Being, an Apoſtate Spirit; or a corrupt Nature, or the Spirit of Apoſtaſie.
Thus I think the Scripture conſiders him: ſometimes as an Apoſtate Spirit, as in Job 2 and Mat. 4 and frequently in the Goſpel, where he is ſaid to be caſt out of the Bodies of Demoniacks. Sometimes as a Nature of Spirit of Apoſtaſie, The Spirit that worketh in the Children of Diſobedience. So Learned Interpreters by the Context, interpret that of the Apoſtle, Reſist the Devil, &c. and that of our Saviour, Get thee behind me Satan.
This need not ſeem ſtrange: for ſo the Scripture ſpeaks in other caſes. Thus it ſpeaks of Christ frequently as a Perſon, in the whole Hiſtory of his Life; ſometimes as a New and Divine Nature, Christ formed in you, and Christ in you the hope of glory. The like may be ſaid of Antichrist: The Spirit of Deceit and Deluſion is called Antichrist—This is a Deceiver, and an Antichrist.
Theſe apoſtate Spirits (for there are many of them) are frequently ſpoken of in Scripture in the ſingular number, and call'd the Devil, the Wicked One, and Satan, although there be Devils many, and Satans many. The reaſon of this, I conceive, is either becauſe one and the ſame Principle of Rebellion and Malignity acts them all, as if they were but one Perſon: Or one is call'd the Devil by way of Eminence, as being Ring leader and Prince of Devils: Or in oppoſition to God who is but one, the wicked Spirits are call'd the Devil, to make the oppoſition the plainer, between the two Principles of Good and Evil, the two Kingdoms of Light and Darkn….
This Apoſtate Spirit, though he have no iſſue of his own Body, yet is ſaid to have many Children, amongſt thoſe that are properly the Children of men.
The Apoſtle J…hn makes their number very great, when he divides the whole World into the Children of God, and the Children of the Devil, 1 John 3. our Saviour, whoſe Reflections were always very modeſt, yet makes their number very conſiderable, when he affirms to the whole Generation of the malignant Jews, Ye are of your Father the Devil, therefore they muſt needs be his Children.
According to the Hebrew Idiom of Speech, Perſons and Things are ſaid to be the Children of thoſe whom they moſt reſemble: For Reſemblance ſeems to reſult from the Relation of a Child to his Parent; and therefore they lie under ſome ſuſpicion of Illegitimate, who carry nothing of their Parents about with them, but their Names onelyonly.
Thus they are the Children of God, who do the Works of God, John 8. 41. Who are followers of him, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks. They are the Children of Abraham, who imitate the Faith and Piety of Abraham, John 8. and the Daughters of Sarah, who reſemble her, 1 Pet. 3. 6. Whoſe Daughters ye are, ſo long as ye do well. Thus Men are called the Children of the Devil, Ob ſimile pravit at is ingenium & imitationem.
And oh good God, what a numerous Off-ſpring has this Apoſtate Spirit! How great a part of Earth is inhabited with the Children of Hell! of the Proud, Envious, Falſe, M…licious, Contentious, and others, who are the Children of the Devil, I have already meditated.
Beſides all which, I find two things more that make Men much like to that Wicked One, and denominates them his Children, viz. Self-will, and Ingratitude.
Self-will, or the Unſubduedneſs of our own will to the Will of God, expreſſing it ſelf in Diſcontent, Fretfulneſs, Murmuring, or Impatience, is the expreſs Image of that Apoſtate, proud, reſtleſs Spirit. The Heathens expreſſed this wicked Temper, by an elegant Invention, of the Giants, the Sons of the Earth, making War againſt Heaven. Away with Fables, ſays L…ſius ſomewhere, Vos queruli … …ſtis: The impatient, querulous, and ſelf-will'd, are thoſe Monſters, that do indeed take up Arms againſt God, and rebelliouſly oppoſe the Sovereignty of Heaven. Oh the Divine and Lovely Temper of the Bleſſed Jeſus, who, in the ſharpeſt Caſe, in the bittereſt Cup, ſhew'd forth the Exinanition of his own Will—Not my Will, but thy Will be done.
Oh dear Redeemer, redeem me alſo from the remainder of all Enmity and Oppoſition, that I may account the Will of my heavenly Father, abſolutely pure and perfect, and more elegible than mine own, if I were lift to my choice! Yea rather, that I may be ſo perfectly ſwall w'd up in the Divine Will, that I may have no will of my own, diſtinct from his; but that as a true Friend of God, (Oh ſweet Character) I may will and nill the very ſame things with him!