Those who are satisfied with the bare knowledge of God in relation to themselves, which the outward range of their daily mercies affords; and who are instructed by the truth, and by Christ, in the faith of what God has revealed in the Scriptures, are in great danger of not discovering the workings of Satan, by means of these natural blessings, or what is called Providence.
This danger arises from the ever-flowing goodness and bountifulness of God, “even to the unthankful and the evil,” pledged as He is, by gracious promise under the Noah covenant, that “seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease.”
Satan can originate nothing of himself that is different from himself— he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him: when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the father of it.” He must therefore take advantage of what God is, and what He bestows in long suffering mercy and grace upon His creatures; as the material by which to work against Him—and even make this absolute goodness of God, an assailable point for mischief; through the active wickedness of fallen human nature, which always supplies a link to him in his enmity, further to discredit God, and by means of His love, alas! so that mankind “glorified him not as God, neither were thankful.” Human selfishness too (which being what it is) can duly gain its support from the abuse of these external mercies so abundantly supplied, and come within its grasp; lends its hand willingly or unwillingly to this craft of the devil.
The result of “the Preacher’s research is solemnly stated in Eccl. 7, “Lo this only have I found, that God hath made man upright: but they have sought out many inventions.” This apothegm however, is no longer supposed to be a challenge, or a reflection upon the world’s progress; but is accepted as a compliment to human genius, and as an encouragement to modern perseverance. Man, fruitful as he obviously is in expedients, must be on this very account a witness against himself; since this ingenuity can only be displayed by inventions to ameliorate his own state; or to modify the circumstances in which he finds himself placed, by some cause or other superior to what he is, and out of which lie is impotent to extricate himself. “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him that he should still live forever, and not see corruption.”
Adam could never have known a want unprovided for, till by his sin against God, he was driven out from Paradise. to suppose otherwise would be a reflection on the Creator, and that He could rest from all his works where the creature could find a lack. Call this genius—and inventive genius if men please so to dignify themselves, with Cain at its head—or let man elevate himself into a second cause by his “ways and means,” in the scientific ranges of a creative or productive power—yet the question remains, what gave this opportunity for its exercise And when this point of self-sufficiency is reached, and by such methods as these, man only throws himself more off from God? Moreover, by this abuse of his natural and external mercies, both personal and relative, he joins issue with Satan in the line of his devices; and this forms the primary but common ground of their combined action, which delivers over to “the course of this world —to the prince of the power of the air—the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.”
The result of this confederation is, that these gifts bestowed by Providence (or natural mercies) are taken and used by the receiver as a warrant and means for independence and pride or ease with a deepening forgetfulness of their Giver, and ending in a denying of the claims of God, so “Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation.” Such a state of things as this, must sooner or later bring in judgment if merely to maintain the government of God upon the earth—though grace will make this its own opportunity for discovering the hidden resources of God’s wisdom and love in human redemption, by a full and eternal deliverance.
The original sin, which took man out of the hand of the Creator, when an innocent being—put him into the power of Satan as a sinner, and with an evil nature! What must progressive history be, founded on this double rebellion? save as God brightens up the dark pages of its records, by promises and types, and shadows “of good things to come.” By sovereign and effectual grace He brings in this remedy for the rescue of the sinner, and the maintenance of His own holiness. The grand reserve of God, is Jesus Christ, the Son of his own love!
Man, in the fruitless search after the happiness he has lost, little thinks he is leaving it behind him, by still “going out (like Cain) from the presence of God” the only source of blessing, present or eternal; nor can there be either permanent peace, or personal security, till we are brought by gifts (certainly by “ His unspeakable gift”) to God Himself—till in fact we begin with Him, where He now begins with us. Providence cannot supply these wants, nor reconcile a sinner to God. The cross of Christ is the only one meeting-place for exigencies such as ours—the place of Satan’s defeat and of our salvation.
Mere gifts of whatever kind or range, can never put us outside the enemy’s power, nor plant us inside the circle of the coming glory; but an association and oneness through grace with a risen and ascended Saviour and Lord does place us where the devil has neither title nor dominion. We are beyond the reach of the enemy, with Christ and through Christ, with God, and by means of His own gift, in grace, but with the giver, “the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Blessed portion, “the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more forever.” —B.