R. B. AS the war is here proclaimed, and the General or chief Commander constituted, so next here is a natural enmity put into the whole seed of the woman, or humane race, against the whole seed of the Serpent that then was, or the Diabolical nature. This is plain both in the Text, and in the experience of the fulfilling of it. As in the instrumental serpent, it is the whole serpentine nature, that hath an enmity to the humane nature, and the whole humane nature to the serpentine nature; they being venomous to us, and we abhorring them as venomous, and as such as our lives are in danger of: so is it the whole humane nature that is at enmity to the Diabolical nature. Vide Muscul. Calvin. Luther. in locum. All men have naturally as great an abhorrence of the Devil, as of a serpent, they apprehend him to be their enemy, they abhor the very name and remembrance of him: If they do but dream of him, it terrifieth them, they are afraid of seeing him in any apparition. If they know any temptation to be from him, so far they dislike it and abhor it, though for the thing presented they may cherish it. This is not special saving grace, but this is a great advantage to the work of special grace, and to our more effectual resisting of temptations, and entertaining the help that is offered us against them, when our very natures have an enmity to the diabolical nature: we now look on him as having ⟨p. 92⟩the power of death, as Gods executioner and our destroyer and malicious adversary. And if there be any Witch or other wicked person that hath contracted such familiarity and amity with him, as that this natural enmity is thereby overcome, that proveth not that it was not naturally there, but that they by greater wickedness are grown so far unnatural. 5. As this enmity is established in the nature of mankind against the diabolical nature, so is there a further enmity legally proclaimed against the diabolical pravity, malignity and works. Vide Paraeum in locum. God will put an enmity by his laws (both natural and positive) making it the duty of mankind to take Satan for their enemy; to resist, and use him as an enemy, and fight against him and abhor his works, and so to list themselves under the General that fighteth against him, to take his colours, and to be of his Army:
R. B. AS the war is here proclaimed, and the General or chief Commander constituted, so next here is a natural enmity put into the whole seed of the woman, or humane race, against the whole seed of the Serpent that then was, or the Diabolical nature. This is plain both in the Text, and in the experience of the fulfilling of it. As in the instrumental serpent, it is the whole serpentine nature, that hath an enmity to the humane nature, and the whole humane nature to the serpentine nature; they being venemous to us, and we abhorring them as venemous, and as such as our lives are in danger of: so is it the whole humane nature that is at enmity to the Diabolical nature. Vide Muscul. Calvin. Luther. in locum. All men have naturally as great an abhorrence of the Devil, as of a serpent, they apprehend him to be their enemy, they abhor the very name and remembrance of him: If they do but dream of him, it terrifieth them, they are afraid of seeing him in any apparition. If they know any temptation to be from him, so far they dislike it and abhor it, though for the thing presented they may cherish it. This is not special saving grace, but this is a great advantage to the work of special grace, and to our more effectual resisting of temptations, and entertaining the help that is offered us against them, when our very natures have an enmity to the diabolical nature: we now look on him as having ⟨p. 92⟩the power of death, as Gods executioner and our destroyer and malicious adversary. And if there be any Witch or other wicked person that hath contracted such familiarity and amity with him, as that this natural enmity is thereby overcome, that proveth not that it was not naturally there, but that they by greater wickedness are grown so far unnatural. 5. As this enmity is established in the nature of mankind against the diabolical nature, so is there a further enmity legally proclaimed against the diabolical pravity, malignity and works. Vide Paraeum in locum. God will put an enmity by his laws (both natural and positive) making it the duty of mankind to take Satan for their enemy; to resist, and use him as an enemy, and fight against him and abhor his works, and so to list themselves under the General that fighteth against him, to take his colours, and to be of his Army:
