The Retired Mans Meditations, Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
Giving a general view of the Counter-workings of Satan to the government of Chriſt, in all the forementioned adminiſtrations thereof.
WE are now come to the next general head propounded, viz. to lay open the work of the Devil, or old Serpent, as he with his Angels fights againſt Michael and his Angels, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof, to withdraw and ſeduce the ſonnes and daughters of Adam, from ſubjecting themſelves unto Chriſt, under any of the adminiſtrations of his government in the conſciences of men; and to fix them in rebellion and enmity againſt Chriſt, by the abuſe of all his patience, and what ever means have beene uſed by him, to the contrary.
For the Devil, knowing very well, that whatever kind of union or marriage-band is contracted and renewed betweene Chriſt and any ſoul, under the firſt Covenant, whether diſpenſed, as the Law of nature or of Circumciſion, there is place and roome left for him, by ſome means or other, to beguile them afreſh, and by his ſubtilty to corrupt their minds, from the ſimplicity that is in Christ, as he did Eve at the firſt. He therefore makes it his buſineſſe, to work the ſubjects of Chriſt, from under both theſe diſpenſations, and to diſſolve (as much as in him lies) all obligations and intercourſe betweene Chriſt and them, in order thereby to prepare them to receive his ſerpentine ſeed, as he is that ſtrange Spirit or adulterous competitor with Chriſt in his bed, that ſits in the Temple of God, as God, ſhewing himſelf to be God, and exalting himſelf above all that is called God. This birth of ſpiritual uncleaneſſe he therefore endeavours by all wayes and means to propagate in oppoſition to the birth of Chriſt, in his heavenly appearance, through which he fixes the ſoul in an implacable and unchangeable enmity thereunto, cauſing a root of gall and bitterneſſe yea, a ſpirit of falſhood and murder, to ſpring up againſt all growing and encreaſing light, that witneſſes an excellency ſurpaſſing the purity of nature or glory of fleſh; as watching over the birth of ſuch a man-child to deſtroy it, ſo ſoone as it appears. In which actings of his, he diſtinguiſhes himſelf into two ſorts of Kingdomes and Rules in the conſciences of his ſubjects, repreſented under the two beaſts, Rev. 13. which he maintains and upholds, in oppoſition to the Rule and Kingdome of Chriſt, gaining as many as poſſibly he can from Chriſt, in order to make his oppoſition the more univerſal and formidable, to hinder and keep out the approaching glory and power of his ſecond coming: which that he may the better accompliſh, he puts himſelf into all formes, from the loweſt to the higheſt, from the moſt fleſhly and outward, to the moſt Angelical and inward, that the natural man, as ſuch, is capable of, to gaine thereby Proſelytes to himſelf in all ages. And whom he cannot hinder from joyning with Chriſt at all, he thus labours to procure their defection and apoſtaſie from him, after they have known the way of righteouſneſſe, taſted the good word of God, and beene ſo farre enlightned, as after which, when they fall away, it is impoſſible to renew them againe unto repentance.
Thus the worldly and natural ſpirit of man corrupted, and prevailed over by Satan, is brought under his dominion, and becomes his ſubject in a twofold capacity, in both which men are made the throne and ſeat of the great Dragon, and are impowred by him to carry on in the world, two differing adminiſtrations of his Rule and Government, both centring in one common intereſt of ſelf, and making up one worldly Babel or City of confuſion; wherein is the ſtrife of tongues; the nature of which we ſhall firſt treat of in general, before we come to the particular unfolding thereof in the following chapters.
The way uſed by the Devil, to bring theſe his deſignes about, is, by gratifying the natural deſires and luſts of men, with baits ſuited and calculated by him unto that frame of ſpirit and diſpenſation of light, which he findes them under, as they have in leſſer or greater meaſures and degrees beene made partakers by Chriſt of a renewall and reſtauration of pure natural life by vertue of his blood; all his aime being to make them ſin wilfully againſt the reconciliation or atonement, freely made for them, offered to them, and received by them, as a fruit of Chriſts ſacrifice and death.
For the Devill, well knowing, that the proceedings of Chriſt through the Goſpel, in judging and condemning men, will be according to what they have and know, and not according to what they have not and know not; ſo as, thoſe that are without Law ſhall periſh without Law, and thoſe that are under the Law, ſhall be judged by the Law, and where there is no law made known, the diſobedience to ſuch unknown Law ſhall not be imputed; as it is written: Where there is no Law, there is no tranſgreſſion: hence is it, that in his temptations and aſſaults, with which he approaches men that are ſubjects unto Chriſt, under his firſt diſpenſation or the birth of natural ight by him renewed and wrought out in their conſciences, he does endeavour, either to make them reject, ſcorne, and withſtand that work of the Law in their hearts, ſo as in their operations, to preferre and adhere to the unrighteouſneſſe and uncleanneſſe of the fleſh, before that righteouſneſſe and holineſſe that Chriſt requires of them; or elſe ſo to over-value, truſt and reſt in their perſonal fleſhly purity and holineſſe, (unto which they may and do oft attaine, under that firſt adminiſtration of Chriſt) as to become fixed oppoſers and reſiſters of the higher diſcoveries of Chriſt, that are yet behind, and were to have beene made knowne unto them, if through this inſobriety and impatience of ſpirit, they had not juſtly deprived and rendered themſelves unworthy thereof.
Now this ſort of ſinners and corrupted conſciences, when thus againe returned into a voluntary ſubjection unto Satans Kingdome and Rule, (being ſuch who have ſinn'd againſt and denied the Lord that bought them) are treaſuring up wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God, who, though they ſhall not be judged, for what they had not and knew not, as to the righteouſneſſe which they themſelves were to have found in Chriſts perſon for their juſtification in the ſight of God, (as ſhall thoſe that are under the ſecond diſpenſation, unto whom Chriſt in this ſenſe is revealed); yet they do juſtly fall under the ſin of unbelief, as well as the other, bringing down the guilt of Chriſts blood upon their ſouls, through the unlawful uſe they make of their preſent attainments and perſonal righteouſneſſe, in which they harden themſelves to the oppoſing and keeping off the manifeſtation of Chriſts own righteouſneſſe unto them, ſo much as in the knowledge of him according to the fleſh.
The ſecond ſort of Chriſts ſubjects, which the Devil applies himſelf to, and attempts the gaining over unto his uſe and ſervice, for the encreaſe of his Dominion in oppoſition to Chriſts, are thoſe of the Circumciſion, children of the firſt Covenant, who are the ſubjects wherein Chriſt ſets up and maintaines his Rule and Dominion by the Law, the holy Commandment delivered to them, in the knowledge of him according to the fleſh; into whoſe hearts he comes, as that ſtronger man, to the diſpoſſeſſing of Satan, and caſting of him out as an uncleane ſpirit, who till then had beene prevailing over their minds to runne into all exceſſe of riot in the groſſe uncleanneſſes of the fleſh, whom now Chriſt reſtrains, by binding him up, and in the roome thereof, bringing forth the fruits of his own indwelling preſence in them, to the cleanſing, ſweeping and adorning of his houſe and Temple, wherein he comes to live with them under the firſt Covenant.
Satan perceiving how deſperate his game is like to prove by this work of Chriſt if he ſhould in down-right termes attempt to bring ſuch as theſe back againe, into the bondage of corruption, is willing for a while very much to decline that way, chuſing rather to endeavour a returne into theſe cleanſed, enlightened hearts, in the forme and appearance of an Angel of light, that he may work death in them, by that which is good, ſeducing and beguiling them with ſubtilty, as he did Eve; by making their very conformity to the Law, and the upholding thereof in power and credit in the conſcience, to be not only the means of his re-entry with ſeven ſpirits worſe then before, but, to ſerve as a ſtrong-hold to reſiſt and beat off Chriſt, in his approaches unto the ſoul, in the glory of his ſecond appearance, by fixing it in a hardneſſe and implacable reſiſtance, againſt the dawnings of that day and brightneſſe of his coming.
In this poſture is the Devil able to ſeat himſelf in the very Temple of God, as God, ſhewing himſelf to be God; whoſe coming into the heart is with power, with ſignes, lying wonders, and all deceivableneſſe of unrighteouſneſſe, in all that periſh and take pleaſure in this kind of unrighteouſneſſe, and hatred of the truth.
By this means, ſin comes forth in the myſterious workings thereof, which lies dead amongſt thoſe under the firſt diſpenſation (as it is written; without the Law ſinne is dead) taking its revival, as to this kind of its operation by occaſion of the coming of the Commandment, in power and prevalency, in reſpect whereof, it is ſaid, The ſtrength of ſinne is the Law: which ſtrength being wanting in thoſe that are without Law, is the reaſon, that ſinne thus conſidered, remains in them as dead: without motion or activity. For untill the ſoul, by the ruling power of the Law, be brought into a kind of ſecurity (in its own apprehenſion) from all prevailing danger of fleſhly impurity and uncleanneſſe, this kind of ſinning ſprings not up in its force and vigour, working death by that which is undeniably good, through which it becomes exceeding ſinful. In this ſecurity the heart of man is the more eaſily nouriſhed up; from the experience it hath of converſe with Chriſt in his own immediate perſonal appearance; as thoſe, Luke 13, 25, 26. who upon this ground maintaine their confidence for acceptance with Chriſt, ſaying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, for we have eate and drunk in thy preſence, and thou haſt taught in our ſtreets; finding themſelves planted into him, as branches in the Vine or good Olive-tree, and ſo rendered righteous in the righteouſneſſe of their head and root; which knowledge and experience, thoſe under the firſt diſpenſation are ſtrangers unto, being aliens from this Common-wealth of Iſrael. Of this number are they, who after much enlightning, fall away, and draw back unto perdition, Heb. 6. and chap. 10. with Demas, Hymeneus, and Philetus, making ſhipwrack, both of faith, and a good conſcience.
In theſe kind of Seducements, the Devil hath beene long verſed, who began this practice upon Adam in his natural righteouſneſſe and purity, experiencing in his caſe, all that reſiſtance that man in honour or at his beſt eſtate, ſtanding but upon the root of his natural perfection, does ſignifie or amount unto, for the keeping out of ſin, or the hindering it a ſecond time from re-entry and revival, to the making of men ſin over the ſame ſin againe, after the ſimilitude of Adams tranſgreſſion. Thus the old Serpent through this deceit is able to ſlay man againe, and work death in him, as faſt as natural righteouſneſſe and holineſſe renewed and revived, does give him matter to work upon this way.
This myſtery of iniquity is undiſcernable at firſt, in the conſciences of thoſe, where it works; who judge it to be their duty and obedience to the Law, which they are performing, whilſt in their very righteous and holy operation, they are made to ſerve a contrary intereſt unto Chriſts, by going about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſſe, not ſubmitting to the righteouſneſſe of God: and ſo prove deceived and ſeduced through an unskilfulneſſe of diſcerning in that which is good, to the deſpiſing and refuſal of that which is a more excellent and enduring ſubstance, for the fading glory of fleſh, and the morning dew of natural righteouſneſſe; wanting that wiſdome which teaches to diſtinguiſh betweene the lawful and unlawful uſe, that is to be made of the Law, and the eating and drinking of the body and blood of Chriſt, worthily or unworthly.
Behold then the evil deſire and luſt that may and doth ſpring up in mans pure, holy and righteous nature, as by being under the dominion of the Law, and living in ſubjection and conformity thereunto, he is ſtriving to ſeparate them whom God has joyned together in Chriſts ſecond appearance, and to uphold competition and oppoſition betweene thoſe that ſhould dwell together as brethren in unity, in the communion of the holy Ghoſt: which counſel of God carries much contrariety in it, to mans natural deſire and luſt, which would faine get away with Gods firſt word, the word of the beginning, Heb. 6. 1. wherewith God at firſt viſits man, refuſing to ſtay to the end, and to hear and obey the ſecond word, which God is pleaſed to have with him (whereby he finiſhes and compleats his firſt operations in him; declaring to him, his whole counſel) whereunto the firſt diſpenſation is appointed only as a fore-runner, and therefore muſt needs be ſhort as to that, which is the work of the ſecond, being no otherwiſe intended from the beginning, but as a meſſenger or preparer of the way.
Hence we may ſee what it is Paul means, Rom. 7. and ch. 8. when he acknowledges that the Law through the weakneſse of the fleſh, though it have nothing in it which cauſes or is the author of ſin; yet it hath that in it, which ſinne takes occaſion by, to ſet up it ſelf anew, and bloſſome forth againe in mans nature when renewed and reſtored to a conformity with the Law which is ſpiritual, holy, righteous and good: for luſt is capable to conceive in Adams poſterity thus renewed and ſet up afreſh, as well as it did in himſelf at firſt: and luſt when it hath thus conceived brings forth ſinne, or an envying and conteſting againſt the glory of Chriſts ſecond appearance, which ſin being perfected, or come to its fixing of the mind in an unchangeable and implacable enmity thereunto, brings forth death, even that death which is ſpiritual and eternal; ſo, Rom. 8. ſuch a carnal mind as this, is called death, as it ſtands in ſuch an enmity to the ſpiritual mind, that it is neither ſubject to that Law of God, which is the Law of the Croſſe and Spirit of life, nor indeed can be.
Thus (ſaith the Apoſtle) by the coming of the Commandment, ſin revived, and 1 died, and what was ordeined for life, I found unto me, to be unto death; ſin getting into its vigour and ſtrength thereby; aſſuring the ſoul, that it is here out of all danger, being begotten againe into Gods own likeneſſe, wherein man was at firſt created, and having the viſible characters thereof, ſhining forth in it; written, not with inke, and on tables of ſtone, but with the Spirit of the living God, and on the fleſhly tables of the heart; ſhewing it ſelf a right change, and a real heart-work, above and beyond all that is accounted civility and morality, and above all notion and ſpirituality that is but head-work and fancy.
What is now to be done, ſayes the Tempter, to this ſort of men, but to perſwade them toreſt here and praiſe and bleſſe Gods Word, that by this firſt viſit and beginning, hath made ſo beautiful & glorious a change in their hearts & nature, as this is, wherof the experiences are ſo lively and refreſhing? (eſpecially when reflection is made upon what they are changed from, when brought to this, and the way and means of attaining it) which hath alſo the approbation and praiſe of viſible Churches and Saints, and of the beſt men ſo judged by mans day, which makes them ſay, Let us tabernacle here, with Moſes and Elias, eſpecially, if we be upon the Mount, and brought thither by Chriſt himſelf, transfiguring himſelf there before us. In this earthly building of the renewed natural man let us fix, and reſiſt all dawnings and approachings of any higher or better ſtate; Let this our Iſhmael live, was once the voice of Abraham himſelf, that afterwards was perſwaded to offer up his Iſaac, that was but according to the fleſh.
If we be prevailed with, to fix here, and live after the fleſh, we ſhall die, Rom. 8. 13. or enter and abide in thoſe wayes of death, which make us enemies to the Croſſe of Chriſt, and cauſe him in the end to ſwear, we ſhall never enter into his Reſt. As man therefore in the purity and holineſſe of his natural will, may be uſing the Law of God lawfully (as we have ſhewed) ſo alſo he may exerciſe himſelf in his own holy and righteous operations of mind and nature, in ſuch manner, as may be quite contrary to the mind of God, and the true end of ſuch conformity wrought in him unto the Law: experiencing by this means, the evil that is incident unto a pure and uncorrupt ſtate of being; and that luſt that is to be known only by the coming of the Law. Which evil deſire or luſt of man, in this ſtate, is a covetouſneſſe which ſets up idolatry in the higheſt ſtreine, endeavouring to oppoſe Chriſt in the Spirit, by Chriſt in the fleſh; by exalting the glory of his firſt appearance, above that of the ſecond.
Sin in this ſenſe, hath for the Mother and Nurſe of it, mans natural righteouſneſſe, wherein he is apt to glory and be puffed up without cauſe, contrary to the true meaning of the Law, which requires him indeed, to cheriſh and maintaine the natural righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, therein and thereby miniſtred, (whether conſidered, as it ſhines forth in the fleſh of Chriſt, or in their own hearts and conſciences, in oppoſition to that which is the filth of the fleſh, or to the reſting in our own perſonal morality and vertue, before the Law came to us:) but authorizes him not or warrants him, to oppoſe herewith the Croſſe of Chriſt, and the excellency of the knowledge of him crucified, or to reſiſt, upon pretence of keeping that up, the coming in of the better and more excellent glory.
When once therefore ſuch a frame of ſpirit, as a root of gall and bitterneſſe is ſpringing up in men, and that wilfully againſt manifeſt conviction and long conteſtation and patience on Gods part, to bring them to another mind: at laſt they are brought by ſad experience to find, that in their fleſh dwells no good thing, but ſuch as will be leaking out of this fleſhly building of the firſt Adam at its beſt (if reſted in) and ſubject to corrupt: So that whilſt with the mind, they ſerve the Law of God, with the fleſh they ſerve the Law of ſin: finding ſin ſo farre from being perfectly overcome and ſubdued, (as once they ſuppoſed) that by degrees, it returnes upon them with greater force, then ever; making them miſerable men, as abandoned and left to its inroad and violence, without any poſſibility of being delivered from this death and wrath, that comes upon ſuch wilful ſinning: in which caſe there remains to them no more ſacrifice for ſinne, but an expectation of fiery wrath.
Howbeit, to repair this loſſe unto them, whilſt they have their abode in this world; the Devil lets them have, as their reward, the praiſe of one another, and enables them to carry the world clear before them, to the oppreſſing and trampling down the righteous and ſpiritual ſeed, wringing out waters of a full cup to them.
Theſe are they, who proſper in the world, and encreaſe in riches, who have no bands in their death, but their ſtrength is firme: who are in no trouble, nor are plagned like other men: but have their eyes standing out with fatneſſe, enjoying more then their hearts can wiſh. They ſet their mouths againſt the heavens, and their tongue walks through all the earth, under the univerſal Dominion and Rule, which Satan (as God of the world) hath, from one end of the earth unto the other.
This great City or univerſal worldly ſpirit and rule under Satan, ſits as Queene alone, and knows no ſorrow, but with her fornications and ſorceries bewitches the world and the inhabitants thereof; exerciſing her univerſal Rule and Dominion over them, under various formes and adminiſtrations of government, till he come, whoſe right it is, and cast downe theſe Thrones before him, receiving to himſelf Dominion, Glory, and a Kingdome, that all people, Nations, and Languages ſhould ſerve him, in a Kingdome that is never to be deſtroyed.
The principal means which God uſes to bring in his Kingdome, and oppoſe theſe Counter-workings of Satan, is, his ſetting up in the perſon of Chriſt, a bruiſed, broken crucified man (that humbled himſelf to the death of the Croſſe, ſuffering without the gates of Jeruſalem) as the mighty power of God, by which, to deſtroy the power of the Devil, and bring to nought the wiſdome of the wiſe, and the understanding of the prudent: as thoſe fooliſh and weak things of God, in mans eye, which he hath choſen to confound the great and mighty things of the world: and as thoſe baſe and deſpiſed things, that are not, which he hath choſen to confound the things that are faireſt in ſhew and appearance. Which weapons of Chriſts warfare though mighty through God, yet being deſpicable and weak in the eye of Satan and to the diſcerning and judgement of men, they are thereby the more harden'd and encouraged to conteſt it out with Chriſt, till at laſt they come to be trampled under his feet, like mire in the ſtreets.