THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH (OR BAPTIST) MAGAZINE. No. CXCIV.-FEBRUARY 1, 1860. Essays, Expositions, &c. THE ENEMIES, THE ARMOUR, AND THE WARFARE OF THE CHURCH. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high (it should be heavenly) places."EPH. vi. 10-17. THESE are the church's enemies:-the armour and the warfare are afterwards described. The anomalous condition in which the church of God has been long placed may have affected the translation of this striking passage, and not less its just interpretation. Of the warfare of the church it has been remarked, as an indication of its earnestness, that the repetition five times of the word against, in v. 12, is very emphatical, as it shows the length and difficulty of the battle. It being here plainly told that the devil is confederate with the rulers of the world, and (what might seem unnatural) with not a few of the professed functionaries of the church itself, our first concern evidently is to ascertain and distinguish the enemies with whom we have to contend. It is glorious and blessed to conquer in this war. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things." This, though a short, is a complete description of the enemies and armour of the church of Christ. Its completeness is worthy of the pen of inspiration: none is left out. Our whole warfare is de VOL. XVII.-NO. CXCIV. scribed, and the whole armour of God, with which we must contend against "the power of darkness." The leader and instigator of the combined adverse host is the devil, who, great as is his power, finds it needful to use artifice as well as strength. He looks into the workings of human nature and the relations of society, and skilfully forms his plans in a perfect adaptation to the notions and conditions of mankind. He knows his inferiority to the Mighty One with whom he is at enmity, and, as a bad cause needs powerful supports, he is very careful in selecting instruments of capacity and influence. As a leader, Satan would be inferior to many of his servants, did he not prefer the edicts of emperors, the sword of the magistrate, the pen of the learned, the tongue of the eloquent, together with the influence of priests, and councils, and venerated usages, to the owls and bats of ignorance and vice. The pitiful and vulgar hostility of "the baser sort" is not to be compared to the power of sacerdotal demagogues, political oppressors, confiscations, imprisonment, excommunication and C exile. These are Satan's chosen instruments to "wear out the saints of the Most High." It is in the language of congratulation Paul tells the Corinthians-"We are not ignorant of his devices." Knowledge is a vast advantage in contending with a powerful and subtle foe. The whole church of God, whose adversary Satan is, are all, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, provided with a complete suit of armour and a sharp, two-edged sword, to fight the good fight of faith. And since every disciple is appointed to fight in the ranks of this noble army, who that has a spark of the fire of heaven glowing in his bosom, or bows in adoration to the sceptre of the Son of God, would choose to skulk alone and hide himself, while all his brethren, the children of light, are contending against the power of darkness? In the combined onset of the sons of God is the safety of each and all. The foes of the body of Christ are the foes of each member. All, therefore, are commanded to "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might," to fight his battles manfully, and not to quail before the enemy; for all that fight shall overcome, and be more than conquerors, through him who loved them. We are contending for a prize of surpassing excellence, and are determined to obtain it, whatever resistance the enemy may offer. The prize of our high calling of God, by Christ Jesus, is a crown of glory-an unfading inheritance; and this invaluable boon, which transcends all the riches, and honours, and pleasures of this world, is not to be surrendered to the malice of the devil, whether he contend as a roaring lion, or demand our homage as an angel of light. Should the strife involve us in the loss of reputation, property, and life itself, even all this "is not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." With such a bright mansion in the skies, shall we go back and join ourselves with the disobedient and the ungodly? That be far from us! "Our heart is not turned back, neither have we dealt falsely in thy cove nant." Does a host encamp againgst us, and dispute our passage to the land of promise? They are vanquished enemies. Christ has triumphed over them in his cross. And though they rally ever so often, they shall be again broken and put to flight. Wherefore, brethren, "fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." Now consider this:-our heavenly race and spiritual warfare are not as when men run and contend for an earthly prize. "They do it for a corruptible crown, we for an incorruptible." "We wrestle not with flesh and blood:" our strife is not as theirs who take the sword, or as theirs who contend for victory in the public games. Ours is a moral and spiritual warfare-a war of truth and holy principles against error and unrighteousness. We contend for truth with the weapons which only truth can supply. Soldiers who fight in the field of battle, or combatants who strive in the public games, rely on their strength of body and their skill in using carnal weapons. Ours is a good fight, without wrath or emulation, hatred or revenge. In love to God and all men, we "earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints," or if need be, we "resist unto blood, striving against sin." We fight as did the Captain of our salvation, who "did not strive, nor cry, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets." So mild and gentle was the Son of God, that "a bruised reed he did not break, and the smoking flax he did not quench, until he sent forth judgment unto victory." Yet this peaceful course-this holy enterprise of truth and grace is regarded by the world as a daring and criminal assault on its laws, institutions, interests and pleasures. The reign of heaven is accounted hostile to the ancient belief, to the powers of the legislature, and to the social usages of man. The leader of this opposition to the gospel is the devil; and he early engages the wise, and the mighty, and the noble, and sometimes even the devout (Acts xiii. 50) in his service. Kings, formerly at enmity; are reconciled and take counsel together; and hostile tribes, as if all of one mind, unite against Jehovah and his Anointed. Satan knows that the power against which he is contending is omnipotent; but his rage and haughtiness still impel him to contend, and he leaves no engine unemployed --no mode of warfare unattempted. God could send horses of fire and chariots of fire to carry up his saints to the cloudless land of everlasting peace. But who then would stand up against the workers of iniquity? Who would go forth to pro claim the gospel, to open prison doors, to bind up the broken-hearted, and set the captive free? Who in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ would receive the living oracles, and make known to the church "the things which must shortly come to pass?" Paul divides the army of the enemy into three departments, namely, principalities and powers,-the rulers of the darkness of this world,—spiritual wickedness in high places. There being three classes of enemies, and all in some respects as different as possible from one another, there is of necessity a threefold warfare. To this diversity of foes and combats the armour of the saints is divinely adapted. Unless, however, we carefully mark these several distinctions, we cannot understand the apostle's description. To jumble together what he has so carefully distinguished, would render his meaning, in a great degree, unintelligible. In the language of Scripture, both the holy and fallen angels are represented as principalities and powers. The former are the principalities and powers in heavenly places, to whom is "made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." The latter, we presume, are the principalities and powers over whom Christ triumphed by his cross. Here, however, these terms are employed to denote the rulers of the earth, as in Tit. iii. 1. Archai (principalities) are such as are highest in authority-the princes and the leaders of the people; exousiai (powers) are those sent by them--their deputies and representatives, who hold subordinate offices. This term also comprises the strength of the people as called forth and organized for the service of the prince. Persecutors and oppressors, whether supreme or subordinate, whether rulers or ruled, must be stoutly and perseveringly resisted. How many of the servants of the Lord, prophets, apostles and martyrs, have they afflicted and slain as the worst of evil-doers! In how many persecutions has the church endured the most cruel and protracted sufferings! both uttered by our Lord, amount to the full import of "the rulers of the darkness of this world.” The devil being afterwards expressly mentioned as casting fiery darts, is evidently comprised in Paul's enumeration of our spiritual foes. In the moral darkness of the world, brought in by the wicked one, men grope as the blind at noon-day. The darkness of the world is its ignorance of God and its manifold delusions, its deep moral degradation, and ever-wakeful enmity against the light of truth. Through this darkness Satan now rules-the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. This dominion, once acquired, is easily retained. How manifest is the reigning power of evil in the ignorance and folly, the will-worship, and cruelties, and vices of mankind, of which the fruit is misery and ruin. Now whatever agencies may be at work, and whatever revolutions may be effected in the dark empire of unrighteousness, nothing endangers its stability but the light of the gospel and the saving grace of God. This soon wakens the jealousy and kindles the enmity of ungodly men. Every movement of the heralds of salvation is assiduously watched; every effort to diffuse the light of truth is counteracted. All who confess the name of Jesus as the Son of God and the only Saviour, are hated for his sake. The jealousy and wrath of the powers that be are exasperated. Spoliation, imprisonment, and suffering are inflicted on the faithful. There is no mercy shown:-the most feeble are not spared. Their adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about, seeking whom he may devour. But, saith he who is "the first and the last, who was dead and is alive, Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer:-behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." How fearful the picture of our fallen nature presented by the wide dominion and revered authority of the The next class of enemies mentioned wicked one as "the god of this world," after principalities and powers are "the prince of the power of the air,” and rulers of the darkness of this world." Are" the spirit that now worketh in the chilnot these the fallen angels, who are col-dren of disobedience:" yet the saints relectively designated "the power of dark- sist him steadfast in the faith; for ness," which phrase, together with the "greater is he that is in them than he designation of the prince of this world," that is in the world." "the The three classes of enemies that have been described constitute the great power with which Satan contends against the Son of God. These orders can neither be augmented nor diminished. But though selected and combined from the beginning of the war, they never were, in point of number, strength and efficiency, what the latter days have witnessed. In the Latin world, the cause of darkness is maintained by a strong community of kings and myriads of priests, all thirsting for the blood of the saints and of the martyrs of Jesus Christ. The third class of adversaries are de- | spirits in the heavenly world. The beanominated spiritual wickedness (en tois venly places or heavenly state here deepouraniois) in heavenly places. These note the professing church of God, whence pneumatika tes ponerias are here impro- Christ saw Satan fall like lightning. The perly understood of demons or wicked prince of this world was then cast out. spirits. These indeed, being "the power But though excluded by the heavenly of the air," are in the visible heavens, constitution of the kingdom of God, false though we see them not, but certainly brethren and lying prophets crept in by not in the church of God, either in heaven his instigation, and the better to accomor on earth. In 1 Cor. xii. 1, the term plish his wicked stratagems and their pneumatikon is applied, as here, to spi- own selfish ends, they transformed themritual men and 'spiritual gifts-spiritual- selves into ministers of righteousness. ities, or things spiritual, whether true or "And no marvel; for Satan himself is only pretended. The worst and most transformed into an angel of light." dangerous adversaries of the church of God were the false prophets and apostles, who, while pretending to be sent by Christ, were the ministers of Satan; of whom, even in the first age of the gospel, there were many," all, like their father the devil, walking in craftiness, and handling the word of God deceitfully. Hence the apostolic admonition," Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world." Wherefore both those who were truly inspired, and such also as falsely pretended to have received the Spirit, are included under the same generic designation. The spiritualities of wickedness, then, are wicked men who, pretending to have the Spirit, use their talents and influence in the churches wickedly. And is any wickedness on earth so great, or any craftiness so diabolical, as that of theirs who daringly pervert the truth of God, and deceive the souls of men? They do not strive against the welfare and order of society, but against the living God and the kingdom of his Son. This indeed, like the woman in the land of Shinar, is "wickedness," -the first-born of the serpent, who beguiled Eve by his subtlety. Their zeal, and preaching, and pretended sanctity are naught, and serve only the more to fit them for executing "the wiles of the devil" against the people of the Lord. These men are represented as being in the church, which is here, as twice before in this epistle (ch. i. 3, and ii. 6), called heavenly places. It is to be regretted that our translators, following Beza, have improperly rendered epouraniois high places. They thus gave what they believed to be the true sense, not liking to suppose (as they had no reason to do) evil Paul, who had the mind of Christ, and well knew the power and devices of the devil, has not been exactly followed in subsequent descriptions of his army. "His principal devices," says good Mr. Newton, "are-1st, To hide from them the Lord's design in permitting him thus to rage. 2nd, To make them utter impatient speeches, which do but aggravate their distress. 3rd. To persuade them that all they feel and tremble at arises immediately from their own hearts. (And have they not some reason for thinking so? Mark vii. 21). 4th. To drive them from the throne of grace." This is what Mr. N. calls learning the devices of Satan from experience. We much prefer learning them from the word of God, who knows them perfectly, and has not left us to wonder and conjecture what can be his modes of working. Unless we hold by the Scriptures against Satan, we shall be like a man who bolts and watches the back door, while he leaves the front door wide open for his crafty enemy, who laughs at his simplicity while he spoils his goods. Those who go after false doctrine, and do not stand their ground against persecution, have already turned aside after Satan. Will they, then, after having thus transgressed, so run that they may obtain? Will they so fight that they may be more than conquerors? Let saints indeed beware of an evil heart of unbelief, and of the law in their members warring against the law of their mind; yet the devil has other forces, as our fa thers experienced in many cruel persecutions, and as is still experienced by persecuted brethren in other lands. The warfare and the armour remain to be considered. Glasgow. (To be concluded in the next). A. M. BAPTISTS AS THEY WERE.-No. IX. LETTER FROM THE CHURCH AT NETHERTON, TO THE CHURCH AT BEwdley, 1712. To the church of God meeting together at Bewdley. We of the church meeting together at Netherton do desire grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ may be multiplied, through the merits of Jesus Christ, that ye may be fruitful in every good work, and abound in love to all the children of God. DEAR BRETHREN AND FRIENDS. Since it hath pleased God by his provi dence to remove those brethren that were eminent amongst us for gifts and parts, and also of late our Elder, by death, and we at present are left within ourselves very destitute of ministerial ability, notwithstanding the greatness of our number, being more than a hundred members, and our meetings consist sometimes of near twice as many hearers, by which you may know the great need we are in of a settled minister amongst us; and seeing it hath pleased God to raise up two amongst you which we hope are in some measure qualified for that great work of the ministry, we desire and intreat you for the love you have to God and the precious souls of men that you will be willing to give your consent that we may have brother Clark to serve us in the gospel of Christ, if the Lord will so order it, for he is one that we have been acquainted with this (these) many years, and we have a very great respect and esteem for our brother Clark, and we have cause to believe he hath the like for us; therefore we do desire your free consent in this respect. Signed at Netherton this 30th day of October, 1712, by us whose names are underwritten in the behalf of ourselves and the rest of the church, BAPTISTS AS THEY WERE.—No. X. MIDLAND ASSOCIATION LETTER, 1713. The Elders, and Brethren, the Messengers | right hand, having graciously permitted of several Churches of Jesus Christ us once more (without molestation from assembled at Bromsgrove, the 25th, 26th, the enemies of Sion) to offer up our 27th days of May, 1713. To the Church of Christ at Bromsgrove greeting. BELOVED IN OUR LORD.-The Prince of the kings of the earth, who strongly and carefully holdeth the stars in His united cries to Heaven for ourselves and you, and to consult about the affairs of our Israel; we desire that we and you may accept with all thankfulness such an undeserved favour, and we gladly lay |