The Retired Mans Meditations, Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Concerning the common intereſt wherein the Devils ſubjects meet and correſpond, under both the diſpenſations before mentioned, which yet by the wiſdome and power of Chriſt, comes at laſt to be diſſolved in the uſe which he makes of the one to deſtroy the other.
THE two ſorts of ſubjects before ſpoken of, are the two maine pillars and ſupports of Anti-chriſts Kingdome, who are figured out in thoſe two beaſts, which as two fit engines of warre the Devil makes uſe of in carrying on his enmity againſt the Saints of the Moſt High, in the contendings of him and his Angels with Michael and his Angels from the beginning of the world, to the ending thereof.
Theſe two beaſts in the eleventh of Daniel, under the figure of the Kings of Perſia and Greece, have their ruling power deſcribed, the one as King of the North, the other as King of the South, which Ezekiel, chap. 20. v. 46. & ch. 21. v. 2, 3, 4, 5, 12. interprets to our hands; where by the South he ſhews is intended the earthly Jeruſalem, as in her declining apoſtatizing ſtate, ſhe is ripening her ſelf for judgement by the hand of thoſe that are not a people, even the Heatheniſh Nations. And by the North He ſhewes is to be underſtood the King of Babylon as Head of thoſe Heatheniſh Nations, who areall remote and aliens from the beauty of holineſſe, that like the Sun in his ſtrength, ſhines forth in Zion.
Theſe alſo in the 8. of Daniel are ſignified by the RAM and the HE-GOAT; all which places compared together, do make known to us the conſiſtencie and correſpondencie wherein the Devil does at his pleaſure, through Gods permiſſion, retaine theſe two branches of his Dominion, when it is for the furtherance and advancement of his work, making leagues between them and ſtrengthening them by marriage; for in the end of years they ſhall joyne themſelves together, ſaith Daniel. The Kings daughter of the South, ſhall come to the King of the North to make an agreement or aſſociation in prejudice to the Saints of the Most High, and both theſe Kings hearts ſhall be to do miſchief; and they ſhall ſpeak lies at one table in joynt conſultations againſt the true witneſſes of Jeſus, thoſe that would ſerve to the introducing of his everlaſting Kingdome.
But in this combination of theirs they ſhall not proſper to the end: though they mingle themſelves thus with the ſeed of men, and as the iron and the clay, Dan. 2. 43. would faine be embodying themſelves together, all ſuch attempts ſhall be frivolous and diſappointed by God, made an occaſion of haſtening the ruine and downfal of Antichriſts Kingdome that would thus be peecing up it ſelf in both its branches againſt the Kingdome of Chriſt.
For when the hypocritical Apoſtate-generation of Profeſſors (ſignified by the daugher of the KING OF THE SOƲTH, as having lived in the warmth and zeal of a legal ſpirit under the Sun ſhine or day of Chriſts firſt appearance) ſhall be ſo put to it, as to have no other relief left them but to aſſociate themſelves in combination with the prophane Heathen againſt the ſpirit of Chriſt in his faithful Witneſſes, and to eſpouſe the intereſt and principles of the corrupt degerated world, figured out by the first beaſt and by the KING OF THE NORTH, (as living remote from the Sun-ſhine of Chriſts firſt appearance, under the ſingle Miniſtery of Angels,) and by the Iron, Dan. 2. as a ſtony-hearted generation that cannot mix with the Clay, (Iſrael with their hearts of fleſh, or knowledge of Chriſt after the fleſh) then is the time of the downfal of both theſe Kingdomes neere; as is intimated by that Dreame of Nebuchadnezzar with the interpretation thereof, Dan. 2. ſignifying to us the whole Kingdome of Anti-chriſt, under the great Image, whoſe brightneſſe was excellent, and whoſe forme was terrible, the head whereof was of gold, and his armes of ſilver, his belly and his thighs of braſſe, his legges of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay, to ſignifie his two ſupporters before deſcribed, and as both of them conſiſt together in one body or Univerſal Kingdome of Anti-chriſt, having the adornments of ſpiritual gifts, and all ſort of natural perfections, to ſet it ſelf out by; though ever declining, decaying and growing worſe and worſe in its apoſtatizing frame of ſpirit from Chriſt; who towards the end will ſmite both theſe Rules and Kingdomes of Satan, as well the Iron as the Clay, and by dividing them will break them and ſhatter them to peeces, making one of them the ruine of the other; So that the great Whore ſhall be burnt with fire by thoſe very hands that were on her ſide for a ſeaſon, and ſo both of them in a manner ſhall fall together, to make way for the stone cut out without hands, which as a great mountaine is to fill the whole earth.
As therefore we have thus ſeene theſe two branches of Antichriſts Kingdome deſcribed in their conſiſtencie and aſſociation together; ſo it will be requiſite to conſider them, as in thoſe Chapters in Daniel before mentioned, they are repreſented alſo in their divided intereſts, and fierce irreconcileable oppoſitions one againſt the other.
Thus we ſee them ſignified to us under the RAM and the HE-GOAT, the RAM being the ſame with the King of the North, and the HE-GOAT with the King of the South: the firſt having a Kingdome and intereſt within himſelf, which the openly prophane will and judgement of man eſpouſes and embraces in oppoſition to and diſlike of the rule and intereſt of the renewed natural man, and the reformations and purity of his actions; in the exerciſe of which power, the RAM puſhes Weſtward and Northward and Southward, laying about on all hands, to ſubdue all unto his degenerated intereſt and way, ſo that no beaſt might ſtand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; So he did according to his will and became great.
But to encounter him, Behold, a HE-GOAT that came from the Weſt on the face of the whole earth, none touched him in the earth, and he had a notable horne betweene his eyes, and he came to the RAM, and ran unto him in the fury of his power, and he came cloſe to him, and he was moved with choler againſt him, and ſmote the RAM, and there was no power in the RAM to ſtand before him, but he caſt him down to the ground, and ſtampt upon him, and none could deliver the RAM out of his hand. Therefore the HE-GOAT became very great, and when he was ſtrong the great horne was broken; and for it, came up four notable ones towards the four winds of heaven, and out of them came forth one little horne which waxed exceeding great towards the South, and toward the Eaſt, and toward the pleaſant Land, Dan 8. In which deſcription, under the type of this HE-GOAT and this RAM, we are given to underſtand the root and cauſe of this oppoſition and diviſion betweene theſe two branches of Antichriſts Kingdome, which is occaſioned and maintained by Chriſt in the Miniſtery of his firſt appearance, in and by which for a ſeaſon he aſſociates in principles, Councels, actions and intereſt, his owne Saints in their fleſhly ſtate and as children of the firſt Covenant, with thoſe that in the concluſion prove Hypocrites and Apoſtates, binding them up together in one Covenant, as with a ſtaffe of beauty and of bands Zach. 11. and making as yet, no diſcrimination or difference betweene the ſervants and the true heirs that are Lords of all, but embarquing them together in one common intereſt and exerciſe of power, owned and ſupported by himſelf in oppoſition to the Rule and Kingdome of Satan under the firſt beaſt; and ſignified by the One horne, which was betweene the two eyes of the HE-GOAT, which came not to be broken untill he had maſtered and quite ſubdued the RAM, and then it fell back by way of degeneration, into the intereſt and power of the firſt beaſt, making head and oppoſition thereby againſt the HOST OF HEAVEN, from whom till then he had beene aſſiſted; and in the confidence of this united ſtrength being waxed great, he ſets himſelf againſt this Hoſt of Heaven (the true and right Heires, differenced from the ſtate of ſervants by the ſpirit of true ſonſhip or adoption) and in his violence and rage he caſts ſome of them down upon the earth, and ſtamps upon them as the off-ſcouring of the world; yea, he magnifies himſelf againſt the PRINCE OF THE HOST Chriſt himſelf, and bruiſes his heele upon the Croſſe, the conſequents whereof are the taking away of the daily ſacrifice, or whole viſible worſhip of the Jews, the caſting down of the place of Gods Sanctuary which God delivered up into the hand of the beaſt by reaſon of tranſgreſſion, whereby the truth was caſt downe to the ground; and the Rule of Antichriſt proſpered and practiſed againſt the HEAVENLY HOST to give both the Sanctuary and the Hoſt to be trodden under foot, in reſpect of the tranſgreſſion or abomination THAT MAKES DESOLATE. For no ſooner does the King of the South, or earthly Jeruſalem oppreſſe the ſpiritual ſeed and prevaile againſt the true Sanctuary and Heavenly Hoſt, to tread them under foot, but the King of the North comes up against him like a whirlwind, Dan. 11. 40, 41. with Chariots and horſemen and many ſhips, and he ſhall enter into the Countreys and paſſe over; yea, he ſhall enter into the glorious Land and many ſhall be owerthrowne; ſo as the firſt beaſt exerciſing the power of the prophane and unrenewed judgement and will of man, armed with ſeven heads and ten hornes, hath a mind put into him towards the Whore, to make her deſolate and naked, and eate her fleſh, and burne her with fire; to the conſuming and deſtroying of one branch of Anti-chriſts Kingdome by the other.
Thus the King of Babylon did to Jeruſalem in the time of Jeremiah; and the Romanes to the Jewes inhabiting Jeruſalem after their crucifying of Chriſt; The like is foretold concerning the earthly Jeruſalem that now is in the dayes of the Goſpel, or Holy City, Rev. 11. which is given to the Gentiles to tread under foot fourty and two moneths, and in the ſtreets whereof the dead bodies of the Witneſſes are to lie unburied three dayes and an halfe; for ſaith God, Zach. 14. 2, 3. I will gather all Nations againſt Jeruſalem to battel, and the City ſhall be taken; then ſhall the Lord go forth, and fight againſt thoſe Nations, as when he fought in the day of battel.
The Nations and the earthly Jeruſalem contend it long together, the conqueſt falling ſometimes to the one and ſometimes to the other, accordingly as Jeruſalem is faithful with her God, and keeps her ſelf as a virgin daughter of Zion, chaſt to her own husband; for then ſhe ſhakes her head and bids defiance unto the King of Syria and all the Nations round about her; but when ſhe revolts and back-ſlides from God, and moves him to jealouſie by that which is not God, then he moves them to jealouſie by them which are not a people, and provokes them to anger with a fooliſh Nation; their Rock that bought them is pleaſed to ſell them and deliver them up into the power of the Heathen and openly prophane people.
Thus Antichriſt wages warre with Chriſt, ſerving himſelf of the power and intereſts of both his Kingdomes, to advance his deſignes, and withſtand the coming in of Chriſts everlaſting Kingdome; both which are made up but of the principles of worldly wiſdome and power, managed upon a different account. The firſt conſiſting of the Dominion and Rule which Satan exerciſes over the Nations, Kindreds, and Tongues that he works off from Chriſt, in and under the firſt diſpenſation; cauſing them to hold the truth in unrighteouſneſſe, or to impriſon the witneſſe thereof in unholy and unrighteous walkings; wherein being become ſubject and ſlaves to Satan, and preferring that ſtate before the benefit of reſtauration by the blood of Chriſt to their firſt purity and perfection, tendered to them; they envie, hate and oppoſe all thoſe men that are better then they, and who by their holy profeſſions and righteous walkings, condemne them; thinking it ſtrange to find any that run not with them into the ſame exceſſe of riot, ſpeaking evil of them by reaſon thereof.
But now ſecondly, becauſe the Devil lies too much expoſed to common view in the exerciſe of this his firſt Rule and Dominion, and is not able to carry through his work, againſt the righteous and holy ſeed of Chriſt, under ſo foul a face as open prophaneneſſe, or at beſt, only a ſtate of Heatheniſme moralized by civil government; but finds by experience that the Saints of God are able to raiſe up too ſtrong a power and party againſt theſe meere heatheniſh ſubjects, even out of the world it ſelf, (as reſtored in ſeveral meaſures and degrees, to ſome purity and rectitude of natural principles, by the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, and by the preaching of the Goſpel to every creature under heaven) he therefore winds about, and changes his courſe by transforming himſelf into an Angel of light and declaring himſelf a friend unto Chriſt, conſidered in his firſt appearance, and as he is the reſtorer and renewer unto man of his firſt purity & natural perfection; knowing that by this his diſſimulation and feigned complyance with Chriſt, as vile and falſe a ſpirit as he is, he can come in by flatteries into thoſe ſouls and conſciences whence he hath beene caſt out and kept out by force; and can returne as unſuſpected, and take up his place and ſtate in the very Temple of God, ſhewing himſelf that he is God, by all the ſignes, wonders and evidences that fleſh and blood can expect from him to approve himſelf by, to the deceiving of the very elect themſelves, if it were poſſible, and uſing all deceivableneſſe of unrighteouſneſſe, he knowes how to greaten and enlarge his Dominion and Rule, by this ſecond branch of it: in the uſe he makes of enlightned, reſtored men, the children of the firſt Covenant, that are under the Dominion of the Law, married to Chriſt by that Covenant, and who will admit no Rule nor Government over them, but ſuch as is conſiſtent with the righteous and holy operations and actings that are required by the Law in thoſe that work as debtors unto it; whereof we have, at large ſpoken, in opening the myſterious workings of ſinne and Satan, that are taken by the occaſion of the Commandment, working death by that which is good: ſo that the Devil makes a ſurer game for himſelf this way then the other; for out of this grave there is no redemption, but it muſt be let alone for ever; There remaines no more ſacrifice for ſin, nor place for repentance, when after ſuch enlightnings there is a drawing back, and falling away, through a root of bitterneſſe ſpringing up againſt the dawning and approaching glory of Chriſt in his ſecond and heavenly appearance.
Such backſlidings and declinings of heart are fatal, as having mingled in them that ſeed and nature of ſinning, for which God ſwears in his wrath, whoever becomes wilfully guilty, ſhall never enter into his reſt; but be delivered up to beleeve a lie, that they all that are ſuch, might be damned and periſh everlastingly, becauſe they received not the love of the truth that they might be ſaved: but after they had received the knowledge of it, became bitter haters and oppoſers thereof.
When once this Decree of Gods wrath comes in its execution upon any ſoul, denying unto it the benefit of the ſacrifice of Chriſts death, let men have beene never ſo farre enlightned, to the eſcaping of the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt: to the attaining of excellent ſpiritual gifts, having all knowledge, all faith, that can be had without the love of the truth ſhining forth in the Croſſe and Reſurrection of Chriſt; all this and all the righteouſneſſe they have done ſhall be no more remembred, but in the iniquity they herein commit, they ſhall ſurely die, and their old ſins from which they had beene waſhed and purged, returne with vigor and power againe upon them, making their latter end worſe then their beginning.
So then the Devil is no loſer at laſt, by temporizing for a while, and giving, as it were, leave unto his ſubjects, theſe ſonnes of perdition, to conforme to the Lawes of his enemy, and walk with, the Saints as friends, and fellow ſubjects in Chriſts Kingdome; for when they break and part, (theſe drawing back to perdition, whilſt the true heirs go on to the ſaving of the ſoul) the Devil finds his reckoning in the winding up, and ſerves himſelf of this his deceitful compliance by himſelf and his inſtruments with Chriſt and the true ſpiritual ſeed, to paythem home at laſt with inveterate rage and malice, ſignified, Rev. 12. by that flood of water which he poures out after them, if it were poſſible, to drowne and destroy them utterly; as is moſt apparent alſo in the action and carriage of the He-goat in Daniel, that pretended a long while to be for Chriſt the Prince of the heavenly Hoſt, and to engage on his and their behalf againſt the RAM, till hereby he had ſtrengthened the Kingdome to himſelf, and then Chriſt and the true Saints have the ſlip given them, and none more enraged againſt them at laſt then the HE-GOAT, none that ſpeaks greater words againſt them, or more ready to piece up in aſſociation with the RAM which he before had beaten downe, and got the perfect maſtery over.
This will be found by experience a moſt certaine truth; that Hypocrites and Apoſtates when once they come to wilfull ſinning, and with Saul to diſcerne that God hath left them and is departed from them (as to what divine preſence and fruits of it, they had before beene made ſenſible of) none will be more ready to joyne avowedly with the Devil and the worſt of his inſtruments, to accompliſh their rage againſt the ſuffering Saints of Chriſt; who by this meanes, have all the power of the world not only withdrawn from being their protection, but declaring it ſelf in viſible oppoſition to them, and have little other defence left them then in faith and patience to poſſeſſe their ſouls, as the poore, deſtitute and needy ones of the flock of Chriſt. Which dark diſpenſation and ſeaſon is haſtening apace, being, as it were, the midnight-ſtate wherein the Bridegroome ſhall come the ſecond time without ſinne unto ſalvation; and unto which all things muſt work, as the laſt times draw to their end, when the falling away will be greater then ever, and the rage of all the Churches enemies moſt enflamed and implacable, and when all viſible protection and defence ſhall be as good as taken away from the true ſpiritual ſeed and ſuffering Saints, to the making of ſuch a time of trouble, as never was ſince there was a Nation.
Yet the Scriptures do declare, that although the ordinary viſible protection ſhall be taken away and withdrawn from the holy people, and their power of the arme of fleſh broken, God will however be a little Sanctuary unto that reſidue and remnant which he ſhall preſerve faithful unto himſelf under all the trials and ſhakings that ſhall be brought upon the world. For, Zach. 14. 3. It is ſaid, Then ſhall the Lord go forth againſt thoſe Nations as when he fought in the day of battell, which ver. 13. interprets to be in the caſe of Gideon, when a great tumult from the Lord was ſent amongſt his peoples enemies, ſo as they did lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and roſe up one against another, until they all fell together (like Abners and Ioabs men at the poole of Gibeon) and became a prey to Gideon with his company, who ſtood (as it were) ſtill, with their lamps burning, and hearts praying unto the Lord, until this ſalvation was wrought for them. And this which was wrought by the Lord only, is yet ſaid to be done by the ſword of the Lord and of Gideon; to ſhew that there was a ſword ſtill in the hands of Gods people, though retained in ſuch a poſture of creature-weakneſſe, that it was more in ſhew then any thing elſe.
Unto this day of battel, fought and won by Gideon, doth the Holy Ghoſt by the Prophet Zachary referre, thereby foreſhewing, how that the like diſpenſation of Gods power and protection, is reſerved to be put forth by him on the behalf of that remnant that ſhall be reduced to ſuch a ſmalneſſe in number and deſtituteneſſe of all viſible power, that nothing but ſuch a day of battel (to be acted over againe for them) as this, is judged meet by God to be the meanes for their deliverance.
And becauſe in this battel, as we have ſaid, there was not only the ſword of the Lord, but the ſword of Gideon; it doth ſeeme to intimate, that the ſword and power of Magiſtracie, as well Civil as Military, ſhall not be ſo quite taken out of the hands of Gods people in the laſt and worſt of dayes (even whilſt the Witneſſes are propheſying in ſackcloth, and finiſhing their teſtimony,) but that in the midſt of the little remnant of Gods faithful ones, there ſhall be found ſuch a holding of that ſword in their hands, as was with Cideon and his three hundred, having been taught the practice and uſe of it in the greateſt purity and moſt exact ſubſerviencie unto Chriſt it is capable of, till the reſtitution be made of that and all other things, in their full redemption from the bondage of corruption, by Chriſts ſecond coming.