The Retired Mans Meditations, Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
Shewing particularly, the evil ſeed that is ſowen in the natural conſcience by Satan: through which he works men off from their ſubjection to Chriſt, in his firſt diſpenſation, and fixes them in rebellion againſt him.
HAving already in general laid open the methods of Satan; the weapons of his warfare, together with the diligent and skilful proſecution of his deſignes upon mankind, to ſeduce them, work them off, and forever deteine them from their duty and faithfulneſſe unto Chriſt, their true Husband and Lord: we ſhall come now in a more particular manner, to ſhew how cloſſe an attendant he is upon the foregoing works of Chriſt, in the hearts and conſciences of men conſidered under the former diſpenſations, walking about like a roaring Lion, ſeeking whom he may devoure: watching what he can find in ſuch hearts, (that in the BEGINNING are Gods and Chriſts owne workmanſhip, (as hath beene ſhewed) and trying whom he may corrupt from their firſt purity and ſimplicity, through the actings and luſtings of their owne wills, till he fix them at laſt, in an unchangeable defection from, and enmity againſt God, that created them, and Chriſt, that bought them.
We ſhall here therefore declare, what effect the power of Satan hath in the renewed natural conſciences of men, cauſing them to deteine the truth (manifeſted in them) in unrighteouſneſſe, and rendering them unworthy, either of keeping the good they have, or of receiving any further or gre… by the blood of Chriſt, who hath more grace and mercy in ſtore for thoſe that approve themſelves faithful in the leſſer meaſures committed to them.
For ſuch is the long-ſuffering and forbearance which by Chriſts ranſome is procured from God on the behalf of fallen man, that he will have none to periſh, for want of meanes to be ſaved: but does ſo provide for them, according to the ſtate they are in, that all may, if they will, be led unto repentance, and come to the knowledge of the TRƲTH, which the witneſſe of God, ſet up in them, faithfully hearkened to, will enable them to feele after; but when it ſo comes to paſſe, that in ſtead hereof, they do abuſe this good will of God towards them, and through the impenitency and hardneſſe of their hearts, go on to deſpiſe and neglect the grace tendered to them, then does God think fit to reveale his wrath from heaven againſt ſuch ungodly, and unrighteous men, that hold the truth of God in unrighteouſneſſe: accounting them unworthy of more favour, who (under all their receivings of the witneſſe of TRUTH, declaring it ſelf in the work of their conſciences, and the protection and encouragement, which in the practice of, and conformity unto the ſame, is afforded to them in this ſtate, from the wholeſome and good impreſſions of the holy Angels, as the benefit of their Miniſtery and charge) do deſpiſe all this already ſhewed them, being willing to be hardened by Satan, and bid defiance thereunto, walking on in wayes of unrighteouſneſſe, highly provoking and diſpleaſing unto God, (notwithſtanding all the faithful dictates, inward motions of light, and impreſſions in their owne minds and conſciences, to the contrary) of which number are they of the Nations, Kindreds, and Tongues, throughout the whole world, whether acquainted with the holy Scriptures and things contained in them, or not, being ſuch as live without Law, and periſh without Law; who being founded upon the principles of right reaſon, or the common enlightning work of God in the conſcience, according to the meaſure and degree received, do refuſe to reteine the Truth thus manifeſting it ſelf in them, in a way of righteous and holy operations and walkings, according to the rule of that firſt diſpenſation; and as taking pleaſure in the contrary, and preferring before it the corrupt converſation of the old Adam, conſiſting in vanity, fooliſh uncleanneſſe and noiſome luſts, do proſecute the ſame with all greedineſſe, till they come to be wholly alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them and affected by them, becauſe of the blindneſs of their hearts, rendering them at laſt, past all ſenſe and feeling of the evil they commit, being given up by God, to this uncleanneſſe of ſpirit, through the luſts of their owne hearts, as the due reward unto their wilful diſobedience: that as they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge, but rather choſe to break with God, ſo alſo he held it juſt, to break with them, and give them over to a reprobate mind, to do things that were not convenient, and to be filled with all unrighteouſneſs, fornication, wickedneſs, covetouſneſs; becoming full of envie, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whiſperers, back-biters, haters of God, deſpightful, proud, boaſters, inventers of evil things, diſobedient to parents, without underſtanding, Covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful, who knowing the judgement of God, by that ſelf-evidencing TRUTH with which all are enlightned more or leſſe, that come into the world, do moſt wickedly and profanely impriſon the workings thereof; ſuppreſſe, ſlight and reject all its motions and counſels declaring to them continually that they that do ſuch things are worthy of death; and going on in oppoſition and defiance thereof, not only to do the ſame things, that bring downe finally the wrath of God, but take pleaſure in them that do them.
Under this head of openly prophane perſons, what multitudes of ſubjects unto himſelf, as their Lord and Ruler, does the Prince of the aire gaine? who works in theſe children of diſobedience, carrying them captive unto his owne will to accompliſh his deſignes, and maintaine his quarrel againſt all ſhew and appearance of godlineſſe, even in the very forme of it, as well as the power; and to render them in this corrupt intereſt of theirs the more formidable, he embodies them as it were in one corrupt love and deſire, filling them with one common ſpirit of uncleanneſſe, alienation and enmity to the life of God and godlineſſe in any kind, which influences them in all their operations, whether conſidered as private perſons, in their actings betweene man and man, or as publick perſons in their Miniſtery of Rule and Government over one another, according to the various formes and adminiſtrations thereof, under which (through Gods providence) they are placed, and become related to: all which, conſpiring (as it were) together, in one ſpirit, and combined in one corrupt intereſt, are as a univerſal Dominion and Rule which the god of this world maintains, greatens, and manages againſt Chriſt and his ſpiritual ſeed, (conſidered either under the firſt or ſecond Covenant,) as a diſtinct juriſdiction of his owne, keeping all that are under him in this ſenſe, as much as lies in his power without all appearance or influence of any other God, but himſelf. So, as they are properly deſcribed in the Scriptures, to be ſuch, as live without hope, and without God in the world. Therefore it is, that this corrupt intereſt and prophane ſpirit, conſidered, as diſperſed through the Nations, Kindreds, People and Tongues, in the whole world, is called the beaſt, Rev. 13. which John ſaw coming out of the ſea foaming out its owne filth, in a way of open profaneneſſe, having ſeven heads and ten hornes, and upon his hornes ten crownes, and upon his heads, the name of blaſpemy, or evil ſpeaking, againſt godlineſſe in any kind; unto whom the Dragon gives his power and ſeat and great authority; that is, does ſo influence and advantage them in all their actings of Magiſtracy in the capacity of publick Perſons and Rulers, in order to render and keep them ſubſervient to this corrupt intereſt, that he gives them all manner of proſperity and ſucceſſe, in the exerciſe of all power and tyranny, to the greatning and advantaging of themſelves, in the things of this life, and of their worldly being: who finding and experiencing the ſweet of this gaine, do ſhew themſelves obedient and faithful in all their actings, to the intereſt of the god of this world, which they ſerve, and are moſt cruel and fierce, like Leopards, Beares and Lions to flie upon, devour, and tread under foot all oppoſition whatſoever, that does ſtand in their way, or would weaken and take away this intereſt and power of theirs, which as it is put forth in a way of Magiſtracy, worldly Rule and Dominion, is deſcribed by the ſeven heads and ten hornes, which this beaſt wears, as the Enſigne of its univerſal Dominion over the whole world; and that throne which Satan, under all the variety of forms and adminiſtrations of Rule and Government, hath gained unto his intereſt, and made inſtrumental to accompliſh his furious deſignes againſt the people of God, in all ages of the world.
This ſeven headed and ten horned beaſt, that is here deſcribed in the likeneſſe of a Leopard, having the feet of a Beare, and the mouth of a Lion, is the ſame with the four great beaſts, that came up from the ſea, divers one from the other, Dan. 7. The firſt like a Lion, the ſecond like a Beare, the third like a Leopard, and the fourth dreadful, ſtrong and exceedingly terrible, having ten horns; and theſe beaſts are ſaid, v. 2. to be brought upon the ſtage, or into their actings, by the ſtriving of the four winds upon the great ſea. This great ſea ſignifies the wavering, unſtable principles of the firſt creation, which is here preſented as the matter the Devil works on for the raiſing up of his throne, intimated by the ſtriving of the four winds thereupon to the bringing up of the four beaſts, which this old Dragon or univerſal evil ſpirit, that evil one, ſignified by the four winds, for the comprehenſiveneſſe of evill nature that is in him, by his conteſtings and ſtrivings in the hearts and conſciences of men, does forme to himſelf and ſet up as inſtrumental to his deſignes in all generations from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof.
The greatneſſe of the growth and extent of this Dominion, reaching unto heaven and to the ends of the earth, was ſignified unto Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4. under the ſimilitude of a great tree, which grew and was strong whoſe height reached to the heavens, and the ſight thereof to all the earth, whoſe leaves were faire, and the fruit thereof much, and it was meat for all, upon whoſe branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: which was interpreted to ſignifie this univerſal Rule and Dominion throughout the whole earth, capable to be corrupted and wrought over (as it were) out of the hands of Chriſt, through God's permiſſion, as the meanes whereby to bruiſe the heele of Chriſt and his members, throughout all the ages of the world; and ſuffered to be actuated by the Devil and his Angels, living in the ſeveral branches of it, and keeping it up over the Nations, as that, which is argued to be better then no Rule and Government at all, as conteining the meanes for the giving of meat in due ſeaſon and maintaining orderly life and converſation amongſt men, upon grounds of common equity, juſt and right; The countenancing of all which is no way inconſiſtent with the Magiſtrates ſubſerviency to him, in the exerciſe of that enmity and implacable rage, with which he is proſecuting Chriſt and his ſeed, by his Lawes and Decrees for that purpoſe, whereby the throne of iniquity growes, and ſpreads it ſelfe, throughout the whole earth.
By comparing theſe Scriptures we ſhall find it evident, that this univerſal Monarchy or Dominion, exerciſed upon theſe principles and intereſts, and made the throne and ſeate of the Dragon in all times of the world from beginning to end, is that which we are to underſtand by the four Monarchies; nor are we to think it ſtrange, that one Monarchy, which as in the four parts of it, it does comprehend all worldly Rule and Dominion, ſhould be deſcribed as by four diſtinct Monarchies, ſince the Scripture it ſelf leads us hereunto, when the four beaſts mentioned, Dan. 7. are ſumm'd up into one beaſt, Rev. 13. 1, &c. ſignifying but the ſame Antichriſtian Rule and Power comprehenſively in the one, which is to be found diſtributively in the other four, in its ſucceſſions, variety of formes and adminiſtrations, wherein it hath had its being in the world, propagating and continuing it ſelfe in the ſame ſpirit, and intereſt, (which nevertheleſſe is ſtill in and under all that variety but one and the ſame evil ſpirit and corrupt intereſt) in and by the meanes of civil Rule and Government, domineering over the Saints in the world, and alwayes making warre with them, as that one beaſt that hath ſeven heads and ten hornes; (in which way of interpretation I would not be underſtood, to exclude the literal or hiſtorical ſenſe, and common acceptation of the four Monarchies, which very well conſiſts with this) in the fall of which univerſal Monarchy and Government the four beaſts do all of them expire, and the Rule of the fourth Monarchy determines, as the thrones that are to be caſt downe, that the Ancient of dayes may ſit, and ſet up an everlaſting Dominion, a Kingdome that ſhall receive no end. And whereas, Dan. 4. 23, 25. by the Decree of the watchers, that ſtrong and beautiful tree (under which alſo this univerſal Monarchy is repreſented) was to be hewen downe and deſtroyed; yet ſo, as to leave the ſtumps of the roots thereof in the earth, with a band of Iron and Braſſe in the tender graſſe of the field, to be wet with the dew of heaven, and have its portion with the beaſts of the field, till ſeven times paſſe over him; this ſignifies the depraved, degenerated ſtate of this Government, as it is left in the hands of Satan, and managed by him and his inſtruments, during the time that the Saints heele is to be bruiſed thereby, which continues ſo, untill it be renewed and reſtored in ſubordination unto Chriſt and his Kingdome at his ſecond appearance, when ſeven times will have paſſed over it, and the ſeventh Angel will have ſounded, to the bringing in of Chriſts Kingdome, whereby he is to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron, reigning with his Saints upon the earth a thouſand years, when it ſhall be knowne that the moſt High rules in the Kingdomes of men, (and not the Prince of darkneſſe,) giving them to whomſoever he will, in a ſubſerviency unto himſelfe, as reſtored to their Primitive conſtitution and perfection.
Thus we have taken notice of that firſt beaſt, coming up out of the ſea (in the conſtitution, deſignes and periods thereof, Rev. 13. 1.) comprehending all Nations, kindreds, Tongues and Languages, as they deteine the TRUTH in unrighteouſneſſe, or in oppoſition to juſt and holy operations, and ſtand armed with the power of worldly thrones and Civil Judicatures, for their greater inſtrumentalneſſe unto Satan, in rage, fierceneſſe and cruelty, fitted for the uſe he makes of them, in bruiſing of the holy people and redeemed ones of God.