other, that they who are approved of God, may be made manifeft.

2. By letting the floods run a while, the Lord's purging work is advanced. By floods of trouble and perfecution, he "washes away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purges the blood of Jerufalem from the midft thereof. By this thall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his fin." Yea, by letting the floods of fuperftition, error, and corruption, prevail for a while in a church, he can bring about a reformation. You know, in the natural body, peccant humours they will wade through the body for a long while, and create a great deal of diforder, till they form in fome difeafe, ulcer, or fuch like trouble; and when they come to a crife, they get a turn, and fo contribute to after health, Juft fo it is with the church of God, the mystical body of Chrift, errors and corruptions they will wade for a long time through the church, till they come to fome head, and then the fkilful Phyfician of Gilead applies a proper remedy for purging or correcting these evils, which had been for a long time

latent.

3. God's uniting work is frequently advanced, by fuffering the enemy to come in like a flood. You know, that metal, though broken into many pieces, yet when caft into the furnace, will run together into a lump. Commonly, in a time of peace and profperity, divifions, animofities, and heartburnings do prevail; but when the floods of error, trouble, and defections break out, they that love the Lord and his cause unite together against the common enemy. I have heard it to be the practice of fome travellers in the northern parts of our own country, when they come to deep and ftrong waters in their way, though before they travelled in a straggling manner, yet when they come to the dangerous water, they join arm to arm, and in this pofture their united strength ftands more firm against the stream, than if every one were apart; so, when the floods of errors, defections, afflictions, or perfecutions, are fuffered to run, they who were much feparate and divided through private contentions, will join hand in hand to make a ftand against the common enemy.

4. God's elucidating or enlightening work is advanced, by letting the enemy come in like a flood; particularly, by the floods of error that break in upon the church, truth comes many a time to be fet in a clearer light; and as we have heard, fo have we feen this in the city of the living God. Not to infift upon every thing, I believe the doctrine of the glorious Trinity, and of the fupreme, independent, and felf-exiftent Deity of the Son of God, was never fet in a clearer light VOL. II.

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fince the reformation, than it has been fince that damnable error of Arianifm was broached among us. And never does the faith, love, patience, zeal, and other militant graces of the faints of God, fhine fo bright, to the glory of God, and the credit of religion, as when floods of trouble and perfecution are running in the church. And thus that promife is accomplifhed, of "bringing forth truth unto victory;" and that, If. liv. 11." Oh thou afflicted, toffed with tempeft, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy ftones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with fapphires.'

5. God's enlarging work is many times promoted by the floods of trouble that break in upon the church. The spreading of the gospel, the ingathering of the rest of the elect, is hereby promoted, as you fee from Acts viii. 3. 4. 5. The gofpel, like the camomile, the more it is trode upon, the more does it fpread; the more that the devil and his agents study to fupprefs it, and bear it down, the more does it prevail.

6. God's fructifying work is advanced by these floods. We are told, that the river Nilus at certain times fwells fo high, as to overflow the land of Egypt; but by its overflowing, the ground is rendered exceeding fertile: fo the Lord fuffers the floods to break in upon his church, that he may promote her fertility in grace and holinefs. It has been the obfervation of fome, that religion was never in fuch a thriving condition in this land, as when Epifcopal tyranny and arbitrary power were prevailing. Thus you fee, that God promotes the defigns of his love and glory, even by letting the floods run for a time, before he lift the ftandard, and drive back the enemy. This may ferve to comfort and encourage the hearts of the Lord's people at this day, against the melancholy aspect of things, with refpect to the public caufe and interest of Christ.

But now, fome exercised foul may be ready to fay, Thefe things you have been speaking of, with relation to the church of God, the public interest of Christ, do not fo much trouble me; I defire to believe that God will keep his hand about his own work in the land; but that which afflicts me, is indwelling fin. The enemy is not only come into our borders, our palaces, our judicatories, our dwellings; but, alas! he is come further ben, he is come in like a flood upon my heart and foul, and I know not what to do. O will ever the Spirit of the Lord lift up a standard, and caft down his strong holds there? Well, poor believer, I tell thee for thy comfort, that though the flood has overflowed even to the neck, although the waters be come into thy foul, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him there. Allow me to afk, what is

the

the particular enemy that has come in like a flood upon thee? I think I am capable to affure thee from the word of God, that whatever be the enemy, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a ftandard against him.

Perhaps one may be faying, Alas! Satan has broke in upon me with a flood of temptations, and the flood is fo strong, that I am like to be carried off my feet. I am affaulted with temptations to blafphemous errors, felf-murder, and what not; yea, to fuch evils, as I am afhamed to let any of the world know of. Well, poor foul, is this thy cafe? I tell thee for thy comfort, a God of truth has faid it, that his Spirit fhall lift up the standard, and drive back the enemy that comes in like a flood upon thee:" And has he faid it, and will he not do it? has he fpoken it, and fhall it not come to pafs?" Take this promise in the text, in the hand of faith, hold it up to the enemy, and this word of truth fhall be thy fhield and buckler. This was the way that Chrift dealt with the enemy, when he came in upon him like a flood, Matth. iv. he lift up the banner of the word, the fhield of God's faithfulness, faying, "Thus and thus it is written ;" and thereby the enemy was driven back, and put to the worft. Follow the example of thy great General; tell the enemy, "It is written, the Spirit of the Lord fhall lift up the standard against thee: It is written, The feed of the woman fhall bruise the head of the ferpent, and tread thee under his feet" and therefore I will believe and hope, believe and wait, till the Lord, according to his promise, come in for my relief. And if thou do fo, depend upon it, the enemy will foon lose heart, and the ftrength of his temptations will fall.

Perhaps another may be faying, Alas! there is a flood of darkness broke in upon my foul, that I know not where I am, or what I am doing; though once in a-day I thought the Lord manifefted himself to me, yet now "the Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me; the Comforter that should relieve my foul, is far from me; and I, whither fhall I cause my forrow to go?" I answer, This is no ftrange cafe, for the children of light, to walk in darkness, yea, in such darkness that they can fee no light; but be affured, that " unto the upright light fhall arise in darkness." And therefore "truft in the name of the Lord, stay thyself upon thy God: his goings forth are prepared as the morning; he that fhall come will come, and will not tarry." When the Spirit of the Lord difplays his standard, reveals the glory of Chrift, he will make light, even the light of the knowledge of his glory to thine through every corner of thy foul.

Perhaps another may be faying, There is a whole flood of challenges

challenges that fill my bofom; I am indeed in-darkness, the Lord is hiding; but that is not all, it is my own fins that hath done it, and God is faying to me, "This is thy wickedness, because it is bitter. Haft thou not procured this unto thyfelf? Thine own iniquities feparate between thee and thy God.” I anfwer, All this may be true; and if true, thou haft indeed cause to mourn and weep in fecret places; but yet I would not have thee to mourn like them that have no hope, but turn unto a God in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trefpaffes to them; run into the blood of fprinkling, the fountain opened to the house of David, that washes from fin and uncleannefs. The Spirit of the Lord has difplayed the banner of his everlasting righteousness, and brought it near in the gofpel offer and promife, that fo the guilty finner and difcouraged believer, may come in under it, and find ground of hope and courage under all challenges, faying as the apoftle does, Rom. viii. "Who can lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" &c. Improve the promise of pardon," I, even I am he that blotteth out thy tranfgreffions for mine own name's fake." Improve the name of a reconciled God, "The Lord pardoning iniquity." Pray with David, "Pardon mine iniquity, for it is very great."

Alas! may another fay, indwelling fin and corruption breaks in upon me like a flood, I have whole fwarms of hellish abominations within me. Well, here is comfort, When the enemy fhall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord fhall lift up a ftandard against him. A discovery of Chrift in the light of the Spirit, waftes, weakens, and withers the body of fin. And therefore, O plead, and believe the promife, for the Spirit is promised for this very end, Ezek. xxxvi. 25—27. The Spirit takes the holiness of the head, and applies it to the members, whereby fin is weakened, and holiness is advanced. Has not the Lord faid, "Sin fhall not have dominion over you; I wil fubdue their iniquities?" Art thou oppreffed with remaining ignorance? Well, the Spirit of the Lord fhall lift up the ftandard; for he is a Spirit of avisdom and revelation; he is the anointing, whereby we are made to know all things. Art thou oppreffed with unbelief, like a flood carrying thee away from the living God? Well, here is comfort, the Spirit of the Lord fhall lift up the standard against it; for he is a Spirit of faith, and he testifies of Chrift, as "the Author and Finisher of faith," and will" fulfil in thee all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power." Art thou oppreiled with remaining enmity against God, difcovering itself in the works of the flesh? Well, the Spirit of the Lord fhall

my

lift up the ftandard; for he is a Spirit of love, his banner is a banner of love, his peculiar work and province is to fhed abroad the love of God upon the heart; and when he discovers the love and lovlinefs of our glorious Redeemer, enmity is driven dack: nothing fo much kills enmity, as the discovery of the love of God in Chrift. O! fays another, the vanity and carnality of my fpirit comes in like a flood upon me; I no fooner fet myself to any spiritual work, but the world and the concerns thereof, come in like a flood, and divert my thoughts from the things of eternal concern. Well, here is comfort, the Spirit of the Lord fhall lift up the ftandard; for he is a Spirit of power, whereby we overcome the world. He it is that gives wings to the foul, whereby it mounts up, like the eagle, above things vifible and corporeal, where Chrift is at the right hand of God. O! fays another, I have fo many errors in my heart, that I fear heart fall in with the errors of the day, and fo I be carried away with the flood. "Blessed is the man that feareth always;" but do not fear with a fear of distrust, for the Spirit of the Lord will lift up the standard of truth, and he is given to lead his people into all truth; he is the Spirit of a found mind, to enable believers to diftinguish between light and darknefs, between truth and error; he it is that caufeth the wayfaring man, though a fool, to walk in the way of truth, without erring. O! fays another, grace is fo weak, and corruption fo ftrong, that I fear any little fpark of grace that is in me be carried away, and ruined by the flood. 1 anfwer, Be encouraged, the Spirit of the Lord will carry on his own work, and lift a standard in its defence; "he will not break the bruifed reed, nor quench the fmoking flax, till he hath brought forth judgement unto victory." O! fays another, I can find no quiet or reft for the workings of Satan and corruption together, they are making perpetual inroads upon me by night and by day. Anfw. Poor foul, here is comfort, the Spirit of the Lord fhall lift up the standard, he will testify of Christ, and then thou fhalt have reft in him, as "under the shadow of a great rock in a weary land." If. xi. 10. Christ is there fet up by the Spirit of the Lord, "as an enlign to the nations," and then immediately it is added, "Unto him shall the Gentiles feek, and his reft fhall be glorious." You have another sweet promise to this purpose, If. lxiii. 14. "As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord causeth him to reft. It is the work of the Spirit, to shew to the weary foul the place where Chrift caufeth his flock to reft

at noon.

Another perhaps may be faying, There is a terrible flood breaking in upon me, and that is a flood of divine terrors.

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