The Retired Mans Meditations, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Shewing the fixed enmity and war that is maintained and kept up by Satan, againſt the Rule and Kingdom of the Mediator in the World, in order to make of none effect unto men, the ineſtimable price and uſefulneſs of Chriſts Blood, in their fallen ſtate.
WHen the Devil found by the juſt and irrevocable ſentence of God, which was paſſed upon him and the wicked Angels, the deſperatneſs of his and their condition; and underſtood the power of a mighty Saviour and Redeemer, diſcovering itſelf in the Mediator, to obviate and break in pieces all his devices and evil deſigns (together with the way whereby this ſhould be wrought out and brought to paſs by the promiſed Seed that was to be born of a woman, whoſe heel he ſhould have the liberty to bruiſe, before his own head ſhould be totally broken, and himſelf and inſtruments troden under foot) he is preſently enflamed and breaks out into implacable rage againſt the woman and her ſeed (in whom all mankinde are again made alive) and ſuch of theſe with whom he cannot prevail to continue his ſubjects (but deſpairs of bringing them to his Lure, or making them to ſerve his ends) he ſets at open defiance, not being idle in the mean time, by his utmoſt endeavors, to keep off as many as he can from cloſing with the free and gracious offer, tendred to all men in the blood of Chriſt; and where that hath had any influence or prevalency to bring over men unto Chriſt for a ſeaſon, he makes it his buſineſs to beguil and ſeduce them back again unto him notwithſtanding, if it be poſſible.
And thus increaſing and ſtrengthening a party to himſelf, from within the bowels of the Mediators own Kingdom, he declares himſelf in an open war and abſolute enmity againſt the true and faithful Subjects and Witneſſes of Chriſt, which he puts in execution (by vertue of the general Commiſſion received from God, wherein liberty and power is given to this Serpent to bruiſe their heel) not only to the depriving them of all that might be hopefull or deſirable to them in this life, and making the world to become a barren wilderneſs to them in all reſpects, as far as he may; but alſo to the incenſing and arming all the viſible Powers and Thrones of this world againſt them, to keep them in a kinde of temporary captivity and ſubjection.
In which poſture we may finde the faithful Subjects and Witneſſes of Chriſt, from Abel downwards, to the laſt finiſhing of their teſtimony, Rev. 11. patiently bearing all the brunts of this war between Michael and his angels, and the devil and his angels, from its firſt riſe to its laſt concluſion, untill the meaſure of Chriſts ſufferings in them be fulfilled in the utmoſt extent of them, as the whole ſeed is therein concerned; by means whereof their faith and patience is exerciſed to the end, even till the time come that they muſt be crowned with glory and honour, and be ſet above all the works of Gods hands.
Hence then we may perceive the race of patience, that on the one hand is ſet before the true believers, in conformity to their head, making the world and preſent life in it, as an irkſom wilderneſs unto them, whereinto they are led to be tempted and proved to the utmoſt, in the obedience of their faith: and the race of proſperity, earthly glory and power on the other hand, which the wicked are likewiſe brought into, as their reward in this life in the ſervice of the god of this world: who are permitted to have their hearts deſire, and for a ſeaſon to bring their wicked devices to paſs, even againſt the righteous.
For both their ſakes therefore it will be needfull to take as exact and particular a ſurvey of the whole matter on all hands as we can (which in the following chapters our intention is to do, and therefore in this we ſhall but give ſome general glances thereat) that we may come the more clearly to ſee the end of the Lord, and ſtand aſtoniſhed at the wiſdom of his Counſels, and excellency of his Workings, in the winding up.
This method of Gods proceedings, being that which is chalked forth to us by the Scriptures of truth, from the beginning to the end, may through Gods bleſſing become the means of explicating many dark and difficult places thereof, and miniſter a fit occaſion to lay open the power and workings of Satan, as influencing the judgement and wills of men, whilſt the free motion and managing thereof is in their own keeping, unſubdued and unbroken by the croſs of Chriſt, that takes this arbitrary and ſelf-directing power out of their hands, bringing it down to a perfect ſilence and ceſſation in all thoſe that by believing enter into the true Reſt; of which (by being left alone to the uſe of their freedom) thoſe do come ſhort (even after all their attainments in a ſtate of common ſalvation) who for a while do appear the ſubjects of Chriſt, whether under the firſt or ſecond diſpenſation, and afterwards prove to be of that prevailing power and intereſt which Satan wins from Chriſt, and works over to himſelf, fixedly engaging them to take part and ſide with him, as that Serpentine brood and viperous generation, that treads ſo hard upon the heel of the true Saints in all Ages, with a bloody cruelty, and fixed implacable enmity againſt thoſe precious witneſſes of Chriſt, for their exact likeneſs and conformity unto their Head; which is ſuch, as that Rev. 11. 4. they are deſcribed by the ſame two Olive branches, which Zach. 4. are applied unto Chriſt himſelf, to ſignifie, that they are planted with him into the ſame likeneſs, in Gods twofold name, figured out thereby, and ſo have that twofold name and witneſs wrought out in them, which diſtinguiſhes them as well from the children of the firſt Covenant (who bear conformity but with one of the Olive branches, as ſingly communicable, without the other) as alſo from all that are called Gentiles, whoſe very light is but as darkneſs, to the ſhining forth of the ſingle witneſs only, in the children of the firſt Covenant.
Thus we are to underſtand by the two OLIVE TREES and the two CANDLESTICKS, mentioned Rev. 11. 14. the whole Spiritual Seed (conſidered in their exact conformity to their Head, as well in his ſecond as in his firſt appearance) who are the two witneſſes, that from the very beginning of the world, ſucceſſively, in their ſeveral generations, have been the ſlain ones of the Lord, the ſlaughtered ſheep of Chriſt, for the word of God and teſtimony of Jeſus.
Yet we are not to reſt and content our ſelves only with this general ſenſe of the place, which is true, and doth give the proper character of the true Saint, poſſeſſing and inheriting whole Chriſt, and bearing upon him his whole name or his new name, wherein of twain they are made one, inſeparably communicated, as the twofold witneſs, wherein the true heirs of ſalvation muſt be found, to the glory of God the Father: But we may farther take notice of a more reſtrained and particular conſideration of theſe two witneſſes (which will be but a ſmall digreſſion from the matter in hand) as they are ſpoken of in that place, Rev. 11. where they are alſo to be looked upon as a particular number of the true Seed, living and ſtanding up in the world, in that age and ſeaſon foretold by John, and qualified with an extraordinary Spirit of propheſie, in reference to the juſtifying (before the eyes of the world) the truth of this twofold witneſs, being clothed with power ſuitable, in a way of working wonderful things, during the time of ſuch their propheſie: whereof Elijah was the type in his days, who by praying to God, ſhut up the heavens for three years and an half, that it did not rain (the like is propheſied to be done by theſe witneſſes, ver 6.) and brought down fire from heaven, to prove that he was a MAN OF GOD, and that his God was the true God; yet after all this was forced to flie for his life, to get from under the cruelty and oppreſsion of his enemies, and was at laſt taken up viſibly into heaven, in a chariot of fire, Eliſha beholding and looking upon him.
In which Spirit of Elijah ſome of the true Spiritual Seed are reſerved by God to be brought forth in the laſt days, and to give a moſt ſpiritual and remarkable witneſs unto the truth of Chriſts firſt and ſecond appearance in his Saints, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. In which diſpenſation they ſhall ſerve as the immediate forerunners to the brightneſs of Chriſts ſecond appearance for the reſtoring of all things, preparatively, by this their Miniſtry of fire, as John Baptiſt ſerved unto the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, by his Miniſtry of water; and in that ſenſe was owned by Chriſt to be as Elijah already come, to wit, in the ſhadow or figure of this Elijah that is to precede his ſecond coming.
By what then hath been ſaid, we may perceive who are meant by the Spiritual Seed; and how they are deſcribed in the Scripture as the two witneſſes of God; firſt, in a more general acceptation, as in all Ages they are to have their heel bruiſed, and to be ſlain for the word of God, and then in a more particular and reſtrained ſenſe, as ſome of them are to come forth in the latter days, in the Spirit and power of Elijah, to prepare for Chriſts ſecond coming, and then to have their dead bodies for three days and an half remain unburied in the great City, ſpiritually called Sodom and Egypt: which city, as the mother of Harlots, hath been extant in its ſpirit and principles from the beginning, as well as the prophane heatheniſh world with the powers thereof, embodied together upon differing grounds and intereſts by the Spirit of the old Dragon, and influenced by him as ſuitable inſtruments of War and Engines of battery, for the bruiſing of the heel of the true Spiritual Seed, and keeping them under, in all generations, as ſpectacles to men and angels: who are weak, deſpiſed, thirſt, hunger, are naked and buffeted, have no certain dwelling place, but labour, working with their hands; who being reviled, bleſs; and being perſecuted, ſuffer; and being defamed, entreat; are made as the filth of the world, and off-ſcouring of all things to this very day.
To this War between the Seed of the woman, and the ſeed of the Serpent, all things tended and wrought from the very moment that Chriſt did accompliſh and finiſh the ſeventh days work; diſcovering thereby Gods true REST, as it was ſet up in his own Perſon, as the Mediator and Lamb ſlain from the foundation of the world, when he offered up that in ſacrifice, according to the will of the Father, wherein he rejected and caſt under his feet the pureſt, choiceſt excellency and perfection of all natural beings (as they ſtood ſingle in themſelves, unperfected by the union and ſubjection they were to be taken into by his ſecond appearance) neceſſarily conducing to the breaking of the ſerpents head, and top glory in his Angelical nature, and to the trampling it under the feeet of the Saints.
In like manner, the Devil, that old Dragon, perceiving that to be done in Chriſt the Mediator, which he could by no means relliſh or bear; that which was totally croſs and deſtructive to him, as fixed in that ſelfiſh ſpirit or ſingle ſtate of natural perfection, wherein he luſted to Rule and Reign, as god in the world; and propounding the greatneſs of a Kingdom and glory to himſelf (in which to enjoy his own will, think his own thoughts, do his own works, and ſpeak his own words, which were not lawfull for him in the Sabbath of the true Reſt to the Lord) he wilfully and maliciouſly quitted his head, Chriſt; left his own habitation (chooſing rather to become the Father of lyes, then to remain the ſon and ſervant of truth) and ſo finiſhed and compleated that root of enmity againſt Chriſt and the Spiritual Seed, in himſelf, whoſe off-ſpring they are that have this root of gall and bitterneſs ſpringing up in them (notwithſtanding the life and perfection of their natural beings, wherein either they were at firſt created, or unto which, in the principles thereof, they are again renewed in the blood of Chriſt) by which they ſtrike in with the devils intereſt, in downright oppoſition to Chriſt, taking part with that King Apollyon, Rev. 9. 11. to deſtroy him, what in them lies, as himſelf plainly tels this ſort of men, Joh. 8. 37. acknowledging them to be Abrahams fleſhly ſeed, but (ſaith he) ye ſeek to kill me, and therefore, ver. 39. he denies them (in effect) to be Abrahams ſpiritual ſeed, or of the faith of Abraham; for if ye were thus the children of Abraham (ſaith he) ye would do the works of Abraham, and this did not he: he did not become an enemy and ſeek to kill men for ſpeaking the truth, which they have heard of God, ver. 40. If therefore you deſire to know what Father youbelong to, I tell you plainly, you are of your father the devil, and the luſts of your father ye will do; he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, becauſe there is no truth in him; when he ſpeaketh a lye, he ſpeaketh of his own: for he is a lyar and the father of it, ver. 44.
So then, although God gave to Angels and men at firſt the goodneſs and perfection of natural beings, and doth freely offer a renewal of the ſame to men, in the blood of Chriſt, by the firſt covenant, made again in force by vertue of his death, as the firſt Teſtament, Heb. 9. 15, 16, 17, 18. yet this image and likeneſs of God, wherein they were made, and whereunto they are again renewed, as it ſtands ſingle and alone without the other, is a mutable and corruptible ſeed, the children whereof are therefore capable to turn again into degenerate plants, and into the wild olive tree. For God comes down in the miniſtry hereof as under a veil, to the creatures ſight and enjoyment, in which man fixing and taking up his abode (waiting for no further diſcovery, nor expecting or liſtning after that ſecond voice of him that ſpeaketh from heaven) may for ever ſtand excluded from entrance into or converſe with the glory that is within the veil, where God is to be ſeen and enjoyed by the creature, face to face.
By the blood of Chriſt then, man is firſt made capable to be taken out of the wild degenerate ſtate of nature, and to be planted into the good Olive tree (the fleſh or natural man, in the perſon of Chriſt) and when he comes to partake of the fatneſs thereof, as it ſingly gives forth Chriſt in his firſt appearance, or a knowledge of him only according to the fleſh (which Paul grew a ſtranger to, as he came to be more acquainted with the Croſs) he is ſtill but in a capacity to ſtand or fall again, as upon his ſecond proof and trial, in the renewed exerciſe of his free will and rectified natural abilities of mind, he demeans himſelf: according to which he proves the womb whereinto is received either a divine ſeed and birth, whereof the mediator in his death and reſurrection is the author and parent; or elſe a deviliſh ſeed and birth, whereof the Serpent and old Dragon is the Father, growing up into a wilful and fixed enmity againſt the Croſs of Chriſt. One or other of theſe two ſeeds all ſorts of men do become, by the evil and unworthy, or the good and worthy uſe of Chriſts blood, and the benefits of his death: and ſo are either the ſeed of the woman and of promiſe, or the ſeed of the Serpent, lying children, born from beneath of the father of lyes, in compariſon of the divine birth of the true ſeed that in the other ſenſe are born of God and from above.
This latter is attained unto through Gods bounty and free love, the Mediator adopting them into oneneſs of ſeed with himſelf, as he is the only begotten Son in whom God is well-pleaſed.
The other, through Gods juſt permiſſion, and Satans prevailing power and influence upon their luſt and natural will at its beſt, are changed and corrupted into likeneſs and oneneſs of ſeed with the old Serpent. By reaſon of which different diſpenſations, the innocent, good, righteous and perfect ſtate of mans nature, communicated to him by vertue of the firſt covenant, comes either to grow up into that which is much better, even into the power of an endleſs life, or elſe to degenerate and ſink down into that which is much worſe, even eternal enmity and oppoſition of mind unto God, which is the ſecond death.
That then which fixeth man in his unchangeable and permanent ſtate of everlaſting bleſſedneſs or miſery, is the bringing him forth out of his firſt wavering and changeable ſtate into oneneſs of ſeed with Chriſt the Mediator, in his ſecond appearance, wherein he is made to bear the likeneſs of his death and reſurrection: or the leaving him to be transformed into oneneſs of ſeed with the deſtroyer, and thereby to become a child of perdition.
The firſt of theſe changes, mans natural will at its very beſt, luſteth againſt, as the greateſt croſs that can be brought upon it, until by regeneration and the baptiſm of fire, it be prepared, broken and ſubdued into a meet ſubjection thereunto.
And the latter change cannot be obtruded by the devil, or forced upon mans will, but is brought upon him by and with his own free conſent: which was not found difficult to be gained in the ſtate of mans innocency and purity in Paradiſe, and is not more, ſince.
Here then we ſee the ſeat and original of this enmity between the two ſeeds (ſpringing up in the manner before expreſſed, in their reſpective heads and roots) who are thus to be found, as they are in their heads and firſt principles, before they flow forth in the off-ſpring, and are diſcerned in their diſtinct operations, in the particular beings of men here in this world, as deeds done in the body, whether they be good or evil: for which all men are rendred accountable, when they come to ſtand before the judgement ſeat of Chriſt.
In order therefore to their own voluntary actings herein, they are endued with the exerciſe of a freedome of will, which by creation was perfect, abſolute and uninterrupted; and which (by the ballance that God ſince the fall, keeps up by the miniſtry of the holy Angels, with their influence and impreſſions upon the natural enlightned conſcience, as alſo by the work of the ſpirit himſelf, upon thoſe farther illuminated minds, under the firſt covenant, againſt the power and influence of the devil upon mans corrupted and depraved ſtate) is ſo far and truly exerciſed by man in the ſeveral meaſures and degrees thereof, as will render him inexcuſable for not hearkning to the light and means tendred and afforded to him through the blood of Chriſt, revealed by the Goſpel, in one or other of the three forementioned branches of his kingdome.
So that now, upon Gods making man on the ſixth day of the creation, forming the firſt Adam of the duſt of the ground, and breathing into him the breath of life, he became a living ſoul, was ſet up in the firſt image of God, brought forth in the ſame kind of mutable perfection with the Angels, and in all the glory and accompliſhments of this firſt ſtate, was a fit ſubject brought upon the ſtage, capable to be attempted by both theſe great Captains and competitors, Michael, in the perſon of the bleſſed Mediator, and the old Dragon, in the perſon of the devil. And this laſt ſeems to get the ſtart of the other at firſt on ſet, foraſmuch as by means of the womans weakneſs, who was firſt in the tranſgreſsion, he makes a great advance towards his deſign, ſuppoſing he had neer attained his end; for he had prevailed ſo far, as to bring Adam and Eve into the tranſgreſſion and forfeiture of all the natural good they were by creation made poſſeſſours of.
And then further, in proſecution of the ſame deſign, upon this breach made between God and them, he endeavours to caſt in the ſeed of alienation and fixed enmity between them and God, in order to ſet up his abiding Throne and ſeat in the fallen nature of man, whereof the firſt Adam was the earthly head, in whom the door was ſet open, whereby ſin entred into the world, and death by ſin.
Thus things were brought into a moſt hopeful way, in the eye of the devil, to diſappoint and defeat the deſign of the Mediator, as to the ſafe conducting the promiſed ſeed, through all this diſadvantage and oppoſition, into the deſired place of the true Reſt. Whence it is that the Mediator and Lamb ſlain from the beginning, did hereupon think it high time to make diſcovery of himſelf, and of the means for the accompliſhing and bringing of his deſigns to paſs, in deſpite of the Serpents ſubtilty, and in downright oppoſition to the very gates of hell.
By way of promiſe therefore he declares and engages himſelf to ſet up another man, a ſecond Adam, Jeſus the Son of Mary to be born of the ſeed of the woman; who, by being bruiſed in his heel, and undergoing all the rage and enmity that the devil and his inſtruments could exerciſe upon him, ſhould arrive at ſuch a neerneſs and intimacy of converſe with God in the glory within the veil, as that by the joy thereof ſet before him (and the power thereof conveyed into him, in the ſeed of it, when he was laid hold on by the WORD, in the womb of the Virgin) he ſhould be enabled to offer up himſelf in ſacrifice to the Fathers will, without ſpot to God, through the eternal ſpirit; enduring the Croſs and deſpiſing the ſhame: and ſo through his ſufferings entring into the glory that was to follow, he is for ever ſet down upon his Throne, at Gods right hand, expecting till his foes be made his foot-ſtool.
Hence it is, that as through man came death, ſo alſo by man comes the reſurrection of the dead; and the ſame man or firſt Adam, who was of the earth, earthy, becomes the ſubject matter for both theſe ſeeds to work upon, the ſeed of the promiſe and ſeed of the Serpent, both being to be ſown in this earth, influenced and managed by theſe two grand competitors, Michael and the Dragon; in order to engage and fix the particular men and women of Adams poſterity, either in their true Reſt, or in an everlaſting enmity thereunto, and excluſion from it; as they are either begotten of God and born of the ſpirit, whereby they become children of the promiſe and heirs of ſalvation; or left in the ſtate of their natural beings, voluntarily to drink in the ſeed of the Serpent, and thereby to become hardned and prove finally children of wrath, and ſons of perdition, as born after the fleſh, and as by a fair ſhew in the fleſh they do exerciſe and manage the fierceſt perſecution againſt the true ſpiritual ſeed.
So then, according to the birth which they are of, they are either meaſured out with a line of life, unto life; or a line of death, unto death: anſwering the two great ends, whereunto we ſhall find all things ſerve in this world and in the kingdom thereof.
This is that being of this world or from beneath, ſpoken of by Chriſt in the Goſpel, which though in its riſe and beginning, as hath been ſhewed, it be of God; yet in its progreſs and end, through the unlawful uſe thereof, it comes to be of the devil, who is the head and father unto that ſtate, ſpirit, and intereſt, which ſtands in direct contradiction and enmity to that of Chriſt and the promiſedſeed, as they are the Jeruſalem that is from above, and are not of this world. For in this Serpentine ſeed, there is comprehended an irreconcileable enmity and oppoſition to the power and excellency of the Croſs of Chriſt.
In which contrariety and oppoſition to the Croſs, all natural perfection and goodneſs is looked upon by God, as conſidered only in its ſingle ſeed (and as the enjoyers and poſſeſſors thereof are left by God to their own natural ſenſes, capacities and powers of mind, aſſiſted with all needful helps and means, proper and ſuitable to that ſtate) without the addition of a higher and more excellent birth, reſerved by God as a fruit of his bounty and free grace unto his choſen and beloved ones.
By what hath been ſaid, we may plainly ſee, that although Gods own choſen veſſels are determined from all eternity, and fixed in ſuch a neerneſs of union with God in their head, that they can never be moved, but are preſerved by the power and influence thereof, from all poſſibility of miſcarying, ſo as to fall ſhort of true bleſſedneſs: yet thoſe that are in the number of the non-elect, are not neceſſarily determined ſo much as in the means leading them to their deſtruction, but have the free uſe of their own natural abilities to prevent the ſame, aſſiſted with all ſuitable, requiſite helps and means from God to keep them from it; who omitteth nothing that is to be done on his part, conducible hereunto, which is conſiſtent with the freedome of mans will, and doth not offer violence to the principles which himſelf chooſeth to joyn iſſue with God upon; beſides all which, he that is faithful and cannot deny himſelf, is pleaſed to be in the poſture of one that is not yet riſen up to ſhut the door finally upon them, but leaves open a poſſibility of graffing them into an oneneſs of ſeed with the right heirs, if at his coming he ſhall find them making a right and lawful uſe of the blood of Chriſt (required by that firſt covenant, renewed thereby upon them ſince the fall) and not voluntarily rendring themſelves uncapable of ſuch favour by their needleſs provocations, in hardning their hearts againſt the voice and teachings of the Croſs, and rejecting that counſel of God againſt their own ſouls.
God then is ſo far from looking upon the fall of man in the firſt Adam, and the act of diſobedience by him committed, as the fixing of him and his poſterity in an incapacity of returning unto God, and of being made the true and right heirs of ſalvation, that he is pleaſed through the blood of Chriſt, to declare himſelf reconciled to the whole race of mankind, as beholding them in a new head, in the ſeed of the woman, or ſecond Adam, a truth at large diſcuſſed and held forth, 2 Cor. 5. as alſo Jer. 31. compared with Ezek. 18. where Chriſt challenges all ſouls to be his, as having obtained the non-imputing of ſins paſt unto them, in order to put them upon a new trial of perſonal obedience unto him who is the Lord that bought them, and hath renewed life in them, that they ſhould henceforth not live unto themſelves, but to him that died for them. Yea, this is ſo evident, that the creature itſelf, Rom. 8. 19, 20. earneſtly groans and labours, expecting a reſtauration by this price of redemption paid by Chriſt, from under the bondage of corruption, ſo as to be brought into the glorious liberty of the ſons of God.
In ſumm therefore, there are theſe two great and general benefits, flowing forth from Chriſts death upon all men.
The firſt is, a common enlightning of ſpirit, whereby there is ſet up in them in ſome degree, more or leſs, the candle of the Lord, ſhewing the work of the law in their conſciences, to the accuſing or excuſing them in all they do, and enabling them to ſuch improvement thereof, as to attain the anſwer of a good natural conſcience unto the Rule ſet before them, under the firſt adminiſtration of Chriſts kingdom.
The ſecond is, Gods not imputing to them ſins paſt (as alſo the often renewing of his pardon to them for ſins preſent, Pſalm 78. 38. exerciſing therein his forbearance for the ſake of his own juſtice, as pacified and atoned by Chriſts ſacrifice) accompanied with protection and encouragement which thence alſo is afforded them by the hands of the good Angels, as his miniſters of juſtice unto all ſuch as by approving themſelves faithful in that little they have received, are found in the number of wel-doers.
by which we ſee the extent of the vertue of Chriſts blood, even to the ends of the earth, wherein he hath prepared as large a remedy for the fallen ſeed of Adam as the diſe aſe required.