of God's professing church, and of the cause of truth and righteousness generally, is intended. It means such a state of things as we have seen that the chapter describes. But, by analogy, the words may be applied to cases of Christian experience— to the state and feelings of individual minds, on many occasions. And we will first endeavour briefly to illustrate them in that view.

Often from the very commencement of divine life in the soul, cases occur, which to the person well described by the What is a more com

concerned, may seem to be words under consideration.

mon or more natural commencement of true religion in the sinner, than conviction, perhaps a painful and alarming conviction, of sin, of guilt, of danger, of exposure to the wrath of God. If upon every one that believeth not in the Son of God, "the wrath of God abideth," what more natural or more necessary means to bring him out of that state, than to make him sensible that it really is his state; and that he has need therefore to ask, "What must I do to be saved?" But, when these convictions are powerful, and also new to the mind, they render it the prey of temptations to despair. Man must have his false confidences torn from him, that he may be led to repose on that which is true. But the ground of true confidence he perhaps as yet discerns not, or he dis

Satan

cerns it but indistinctly. When deprived therefore of that self-satisfaction in which he has hitherto rested, his all seems to be taken from him. avails himself of this state of mind to harass him with new temptations. Whereas before, this enemy of souls would insinuate, that since God is merciful there was no need to fear, and that it was time enough yet to seek his face; so now, he will suggest, that, as God is just, there is no sufficient ground for a sinner to hope. In this state of mind, amid this darkness and temptation, perhaps the evils of the heart, and its natural enmity against God, will seem rather to be roused than subdued and the feeling may resemble that which St. Paul describes: "When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." Sin and Satan, temptation and despair, may threaten to overwhelm the soul. "The enemy cometh in like a flood."

Yes, and on many subsequent occasions, even the mind that has found peace with God through Jesus Christ, may have renewed difficulties of the same kind to contend with. His views are clouded; his former joys are, for the time, fled; God hideth his face; he has no liberty in prayer; his heart seems to be hard and his faith out of exercise. Evils, that he hoped were subdued, revive and shew themselves. He feels his mind to be irritable and, while he cannot but be sensi

P

ble that negligence and sin have brought him into this state, still "his heart fretteth against the Lord." He fears that he may, after all his better hopes," become like them that go down to the pit" of destruction-a partaker of their sins, a partner of their doom. "Iniquities," he mournfully exclaims," Iniquities prevail against me!" "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me?" "The enemy cometh in like a flood."

It is not however God's purpose to leave his tried and tempted, even though offending servant, "in the enemy's hand, nor to condemn him when he is judged: "but only "to humble him, and prove him, and shew him what is in his heart-to do him good at his latter end.”

In each of these cases the individual may apply to himself the description, "The enemy cometh in like a flood: yet let him persevere in pleading the promise, "The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him," and he shall find it fulfilled to his soul.

But we proceed to illustrate the meaning of "the enemy coming in like a flood," with reference to the state of things within, or around the church at large.

Turn back to the period of the general deluge. Then "God looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way

upon the earth." Then the church of God was confined to the one family of Noah, or even within still narrower limits-for not all Noah's family were pious and blessed.

Look to the time of Abraham. When God had cut off the wicked by the flood, and peopled the earth afresh from the one family of Noah ;-we might have hoped that God had planted the world anew with "wholly a right seed;" and that the astonishing display which had been made of his judgments and his mercies, would have produced a lasting and salutary impression upon mankind. But in the time of Abraham we find them fast sinking into idolatry, and all the vices which are its natural accompaniments.

To what a state was the church reduced again, when Israel, the only professed people of God, had been even for ages enslaved to Egyptian idolaters, and deeply corrupted by their impieties and superstitions.

What again was its condition in the time of the judges, and under the reigns of many of the idolatrous kings? And what, when the city and temple of Jerusalem were destroyed, and the whole people carried into captivity?

What, in fine, was its situation in the time of our blessed Lord; when, as he testified, quoting the words of the prophet, "in vain did they worship

God, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men: when the church was corrupted

within, and oppressed from without by the dominion of idolaters.

The state of the Christian church on many occasions has been little more promising. How was it, for a long period, threatened with utter extermination, by the rage of heathen persecutors : and how soon from within its own body, "did men arise speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Christian truth was soon lamentably corrupted by the unhallowed admixtures of a vain philosophy. Scarcely had three or four centuries passed, when the doctrine of Arius, denying the foundation of the faith,-the Godhead of the Redeemer,-and that of Pelagius,-explaining away the doctrine of human depravity, and consequently the necessity for the work of the Holy Spirit in man's recovery,-threatened to supplant and supersede all divine truth within the visible church. Afterwards image worship was established by emperors, and by ecclesiastical councils. with error of doctrine, viciousness of life every where kept pace.

And

Passing over the intermediate state of darkness in the Christian church, if we look to our own times, there is reason in many points of view, to exclaim, "The enemy cometh in like a flood."