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house of the wicked; and he may come in and work much mischief in the house of a godly David; witness the murder of Uriah, adultery with Bathsheba, Ammon's incest, Absalom's rebellion, Adonijah's conspiracy.

6. He may come into your closets, and go along with you to your knees, when you would incline to be alone with God, in order to divert your thoughts, disturb your minds, or alienate your affections from prayer, meditation, or other private duties that you set about. When Joshua appeared before the Lord, Satan stands at his right hand.

7. The enemy may come into your very heart. Satan has very easy access to the hearts of men, by the port of the imagination and outward senses: through these gates or windows of the soul, he can very easily throw in his fiery darts, by which, if a strict watch be not kept, he will infallibly set the whole combustible matter of indwelling sin and corruption as it were on fire: he has a way of drawing forth, by his temptations, the latent atheism, enmity, pride, carnality, and unbelief of the heart; he has no more ado, but to hiss upon his confederates in our bosom, and immediately they come forth out of their fastnesses, to assist him in carrying on his assaults. And God knows, how far even a believer may be driven, if the enemy come in thus upon him like a flood. Melancholy instances thereof are left upon record in scripture, in the case of Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Peter, and many others, which are set up, not for our imitation or encouragement in sin, but as beacons, that we may be upon our guard against the inroads of the enemy that wait for our halting.

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IV. The fourth thing was, to touch a little at the certainty of all this; for it is not said, be the enemy will come, but the enemy SHALL come in like a flood. The certainty of all this will appear from these two or three things.

1. Plain scripture-testimony, the infallible oracles of Heaven certifying us, that the enemy will be upon us, Rev. ii. 10: "The devil shall cast some of you into prison;-ye shall have tribulation ten days." As long as the seed of the woman is within Satan's reach, he will be creating them some molestation or other.

2. The state of the believer, while he is in this world, makes it evident. While the believer is hereaway, he is in a militant state, standing upon the field of battle, surrounded with the armies of hell; and is it to be supposed, that the believer can live in quiet, free of the assaults of the enemy?

3. The experience of the saints of God in all ages confirms this, Christ, the glorious Captain of our salvation, was not

excepted; the prince of this world came upon him with hi craft and cunning; he entered the lists with the powers of hell and earth, and with the corruptions of men; and shall any of his followers expect to be excepted? The ransomed company about the throne, and such as have come out of much tribulation, tribulation from the devil, the world, and their own heart. But I do not stay farther

upon this.

V. The fifth thing was the use of this doctrine and branch of the text, which shall be comprised in the few following inferences.

1. See hence, that this world is not the believer's home or resting-place. If it were, of all men he would be the most miserable: Why? While on this side of time, the enemy will be coming in like a flood upon him. But remember, believer, though thou canst find no rest here, yet "there remains a rest for the people of God." When thou comest to thy own country, thou shalt be beyond the envenomed arrows and fiery darts of Satan; the accuser of the brethren is cast out of that happy land: there thou shalt be beyond the snares and troubles of a wicked world; "there the wicked cease to trouble, and there the weary are at rest. There is no more sea," Rev. xxi. 1. There thou shalt not be molested with the workings of indwelling sin, but "presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy."

2. See hence whence it is the believer frequently expresseth such longing desire to be away, crying, When will "the day break, and the shadows flee away," and the happy morning of immediate vision dawn? Why, it is little wonder, considering that, while here, the enemy is breaking in upon him, like a flood; whereas, if once death, the last enemy, has dislodged thy soul from the clay-tabernacle of the body, thy warfare is at an everlasting end; thou shalt have a victorious palm put in thy hand, a victorious diadem put on thy head, and a victorious song put in thy mouth. Hence Paul, when he saw the battle near to an end, cries, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

3. See hence the need that we have of Christ in his kingly office, to subdue, restrain, and conquer all his and our enemies. Sirs, none of Christ's offices can be wanting. We need him as a prophet, to open the mysteries of the kingdom, and to open our understanding to know them; we need him as a priest, to justify us, and to make reconciliation for ini

quity, by his atoning blood and prevalent intercession; and we need him also as a king, to break up the way before us, to go upon our head, to fight our battles against the armies of the aliens that we have to engage with in our way to glory; he has his name written upon his thigh and vesture, "King of kings, and Lord of lords;" and the armies which are in heaven follow him, even the armies of saints in the church-militant, they follow him; and it is under his conduct we are made conquerors, yea, more than conquerors.

4. See hence encouragement to poor tossed and tempted believers, who are combating with the enemy coming in like a flood upon them, wrestling with flesh and blood, principalities and powers, and perhaps are ready to faint and give over, saying with David, "One day or other I shall fall by the hand of the enemy;" some day or other the strong floods of temptation and corruption will carry me clean away, and I shall be a scandal to religion, and make the name of God to be blasphemed. But, believer, I have good news to tell thee; though the enemy come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Many a fiery dart dipt in hell does now fly about thee; but be of good cheer, the victory is sure, for the Captain of thy salvation has said, that "he will tread Satan under your feet shortly." Many a weary day hast thou with the workings of indwelling sin, crying, "Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me!" but be of good cheer, the victorious General has "finished transgression and made an end of sin:" he has said, that “sin shall not have dominion, and that grace shall reign." Many a heavy cross and trial does the world roll upon thy back, perhaps trials in thy person, in thy family, in thy relations, in thy name, in thy worldly estate; but be of good courage, "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempests, and not comforted, behold the Lord is laying thy stones with fair colours, and thy foundations with sapphires." Perhaps thou would give all the world to be rid of some predominant lust, some sin that easily besets thee; well, be comforted, the Spirit of the Lord has said, that he will subdue your iniquities, that your old man is crucified with him." Perhaps thou art racked with an evil heart of unbelief, and crying, "Lord, help mine unbelief:" well, here is comfort, the Author and Finisher of faith willfulfil in you all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power."

O say you, these are good news indeed, that victory is secured; but how is it secured? Answ. It is ensured by God's ordination and appointment: Luke xxii. 28, 29. "Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations: and I appoint unto you a kingdom." It is ensured by covenant

and promise, that thou shalt go from strength to strength, till thou appear before the Lord in Zion; "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles." It is ensured by the blood of a Redeemer; he has bought thy freedom from sin and Satan, and he will not leave the purchase of his blood in the hand of the enemy: Christ's victory secures thine; he overcame as a public person, in the name of his whole mystical body, and thou mayest warrantably take up the spoils of his victory, saying, “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." The intercession of Christ in heaven secures the victory; if he hath any interest, he will employ it. in the behalf of his friends grappling with his enemies: Satan seeks to winnow you; but he prays for thee, that thy faith fail not. The hand of Moses fell and fagged when Israel was engaged with Amalek ;-but the hand of the man of God's right hand never falls down, and therefore the true Israel of God shall prevail. Thy relation to Christ obliges him to take care that thou be not taken away with the flood. He is thy Bridegroom, and will the Bridegroom suffer his bride to be trampled upon, if he can help it? He is thy Head, and will not the Head see to the safety of the members? He is the Captain of thy salvation, and he will see to the welfare of his soldiers.

Object. I am indeed persuaded, that all who belong to Christ, shall be secured against the enemy, though he come in like a flood; but, alas! that is still my fear, and the great question with me is, whether I belong to him? Well, to put this matter out of question, I only ask two or three questions. (1.) Hast thou not proclaimed and commenced war against all known sin; and are you not resolved, through grace, to "resist even to blood, striving against sin?" If so, though the enemy may come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord will drive him back, and thou shalt be victorious at last. (2.) When the enemy comes in, and prevails at any time like a flood, dost not thou wrestle and strive against the stream, saying, "Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me;" I am led captive by the law of sin and death? This says thou art on the Lord's side. A dead fish goes down the stream, but a living fish bears up against it, though it be borne down by violence. (3.) When the enemy comes in like a flood, Is not Christ thy great [object,] and does not a look of him lighten thy heart, and inspire thee with fresh courage against the enemy? Psal. xxxiv. 5: "They looked unto him, and were lightened." (4.) Art thou not now and then longing to be with the triumphant company above, where there is no more sea, no tempting devil, or deceitful heart? And art thou not 8

VOL. II.

lightened, to think that ere long the battle will be at an end? This says that it shall be according to thy wish, for "he will satisfy the longing soul:" and Christ in heaven is longing as much for thy company, as thou art for his: "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where 1 am."

The last use is, in a word of Exhortation. Is it so that the believer, while in this world, must lay his account to have the enemy coming in like a flood upon him? Then, believer, put on thy harness, and be like the valiant of king Solomon, who have their sword girded upon their thigh, for fear of the night. Fight the good fight of faith, make a stout and valiant stand against the enemy.

Motive 1. Thy enemies are God's enemies, as well as thine. The devil is his enemy, for he sinned from the beginning; the world is his enemy, for the friendship of it is enmity to God; sin is his enemy, it is the abominable thing that his soul hates. Now all God's enemies "shall perish, they shall consume into smoke." Shall they consume away, and may not this hearten thee in thy passage? especially considering,

2. That the Lord of hosts is with thee, God is upon thy side; his name Emmanuel signifies God with us, God to espouse our quarrel, God to bruise the serpent's head, God with us to "finish transgression, and make an end of sin," God with us to overcome the world. "Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God," Is. xli. 10. And therefore triumph with the church, and say, (Psal. xlvi. at the beginning,) "God is our refuge and our strength: The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge; therefore will we not be afraid."

3. The enemy is already defeated, and baffled by thy glorious Head and General; thou hast only a shattered enemy to grapple with: Psal. lxxiv. 14, the children of Israel, there speaking of the overthrow of Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea, sing this song: "Thou breakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness." The meaning is, that the overthrow of Pharaoh and his host in the sea, was a sweet encouraging meal to Israel, in their travels through the wilderness to the heavenly Canaan, and was a pledge of their victory over all their other enemies. So, here, Christ's victory over sin, death, and hell, is a sweet meal to the believer in the wilderness of this world, and is a sure pledge that, ere long, he shall tread them under his feet.

4. Know, for thy encouragement, there are many triumphing in glory, against whom the floods did run with as great violence, as they do now against thee. The cloud of

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