Affliction Compared to a Flood

    AFFLICTION COMPARED TO A FLOOD

    "The Lord sitteth upon the Flood,"&c. Ps 29:10.

    "All thy Floods and waves are gone over me"&c., Ps 42:7.

    "For the enemy shall come in like a Flood, &c., Ps 59:17.

    "The Floods have lifted up their heads, O Lord,"&c., Ps 93:3.

    "And the Floods came" &c., Mt 7:27.

    BY Floods some understand ungodly men; others, afflictions; and those principally which wicked men bring upon the saints. Thus Ainsworth, and divers others expound it. Afflictions and troubles, saith Caryl on Job 28:20, are often compared to waters in the Scriptures, &c.

    PARALLELS.

    I. A Flood is the gathering together of many waters; so the ungodly oft-times gather themselves together against the righteous; "For lo, thine enemies make a tumult; and they that hate thee, have lifted up the head. The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab and the Hagarenes, Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek, the Philistines, with the inhabitants of Tyre,"&c. Ps 83:2,6-7. And as many enemies combine together against the saints; so oftentimes many afflictions of divers kinds do beset them: "Many are the afflictions of the righteous."

    II. A Flood, or many waters meeting together, roar, and make a great noise: so the wicked, combining together against the interest of Christ, roar, as it were, in belching out cruel threatenings against the saints. Thus. Pharaoh and the Egyptians made a great noise, as if they would in a moment have swallowed up poor Israel. "The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil: my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them," Ex 15:9.

    III. A Flood comes many times suddenly: so do afflictions and troubles come upon God's people.

    IV. A Flood many times rises very high, overflowing all banks and bounds: so the ungodly rise high in rage and malice against the saints, breaking down all bounds of law and justice, and banks of humanity, making fearful incursions upon the just rights and privileges of God's people, both civil and ecclesiastical.

    V. Floods come violently, there is no stopping them: so afflictions come in like manner oftentimes upon the saints; there is no escaping or stopping the dismal providence of God.

    VI. Floods of water come successively, one wave following another: so do troubles and afflictions frequently upon a believer; like Job's messengers, one at the heels of another.

    VII. Floods many times drive down trees and houses, &c. So afflictions and grievous calamities drive down, and carry away the house and hope of a foolish builder, or unsound professor, Mt 7:29.

    INFERENCES.

    I. WHAT a mercy is it God's people have not been drowned in these Floods, long before this time! it is the Lord only that hath set up a standard against them. As the waters have risen higher and higher, so he hath graciously raised the banks of his divine Providence, and thereby prevented the danger.

    II. Let not God's people be afraid, for the Lord sits upon the Floods, &c.

    1. He sits upon the Floods as an observer, his eye is upon the wicked, he sees what they are doing in secret, their counsels are not hid from him.

    2. The Lord sits upon the Floods, to direct and order their course; Afflictions are ordered by him, both in respect of kind and duration.

    3. The Lord sits upon the Floods as a restrainer; He can assuage these mighty waters at his pleasure: "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, and the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain."

    4. The Lord sits upon the Floods, as a preserver; he it is that keeps his saints from, drowning: "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee,"&c., Isa 43:2.

    5. The Lord sits upon the Floods as a glorious Deliverer: "Many are the Afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all."