by Rev. Donald MacFarlane
The Enemy comes in like a Flood (Isaiah 59.19.)
The enemy spoken of is Satan. He is the great enemy of God, of His people and cause, and the great enemy of men in general. The manner of his coming in — like a flood. Indicative of power. He comes in powerfully — a flood is very powerful. There is suddenness — a flood comes suddenly. So does Satan. It is widespread — the nature of a flood is to spread to advance in its course till met by something to make it stop. Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further. All this is true regarding the manner in which Satan comes in. He comes in like a flood. A flood is destructive, as history proves, so are the floods of Satan. The promise is that the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. In his own strength man is impotent before the power of the enemy. It requires divine power to overcome and put him to flight. “It is not by power nor by might, but by my Spirit saith the Lord.” So it is said here. “The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” This implies victory from Satan and his servants. Devils and men are on the one hand; Christ and His people on the other. The standard is the banner of the Cross, the standard of the Gospel, by which the enemy is overcome. Having made these preliminary remarks by way of exhortation, let us proceed to consider some of the times when the enemy comes in like a flood, and when and how the Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against him.
Man was in a state of holiness and happiness as he came forth from the creative hand of God; in every way capable of answering the end of his being — the glorifying and enjoying of His God. But the enemy Satan came in like a flood, attacking our first parents by his temptations and they sinned and fell. How sudden; how powerful and destructive was his coming in, as seen from the fact that ere they were aware they were overcome and destroyed themselves. Oh Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself. The fact that we all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God shows how extensive the flood was. Thy enemy comes in like a flood at the time of the captivity. What I mean is that it was the enemy coming in that led to the captivity. He turned the people of Israel from following the Lord to idols and the Lord, who is a jealous God, gave them into the hands of their enemies, who carried them away into captivity.
The enemy came in like a flood, before the reformation from popery and from prelacy when doctrinal errors flooded the church. Many of the Lord’s people were persecuted unto death by the two evil systems of Popery and Prelacy. These were indeed the floods of the enemy. In times of persecution, the wolf and the lamb can easily be distinguished. The enemy comes in like a flood now, in our own day. In general, it may be said that Satan comes in like a flood in our day, inasmuch as wickedness abounds generally throughout the land, such as the running of trains and steamboats on Sabbath not to speak at present of the various floods which invade this generation. I shall confine myself to some that are very prominent — that which threatens to deprive us of the use of the Bible, the inspired word of God — Rationalism, or the Rationalistic view of Criticism which Professors use to deprive us of the Scriptures of the Old Testament as the Word of God.
Whatever may be the motives of the Professors in their treatment of the Bible, it is pretty clear to those who are possessed of spiritual penetration, and that know the devices of Satan, that the rationalistic views which the Professors thrust upon the church are floods of the enemy to deprive us of the Word of God. What awful responsibilities rest upon men engaged in such a work. This is the work in which they so defiantly persist, for they must know that they are only reviving a heresy that has been condemned and repudiated by the church centuries ago, and it is a sign of sad backslidings, that there should be so many in the church doing all in their power to support men who try to deprive us of this treasure, the Bible.
That which seeks to deprive us of the Sabbath, avowed enemies and professed friends, are made use of by the great enemy to rob us of the blessed Sabbath. There are those that occupy the responsible office of the holy ministry, that would turn the Sabbath, or at least part of it, into a day of amusement and pleasure. It is deplorable that ministers should be found amongst those that advocate this evil. It has been reported that one of these Dr Fraser, London, when brought to task by his Presbytery, said that he did not advocate the opening of picture galleries on the Lord’s Day but he would not condemn or oppose it. Is this consistent with his ordination vows? As a minister he is under solemn vows to condemn and oppose any kind of Sabbath desecration. This is one of the ways in which the enemy is coming in like a flood. It may be remarked that in every age, in which the Church was backsliding from the Lord, that the enemy was coming in with such floods as I have described. They are a sure type of the backsliding state of the church in our day.
“The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” He did this when the enemy came in to cause the fall of man. He revealed that a Saviour was to be raised up of the seed of the woman, who should bruise the head of the enemy. This Gospel was preached to our first parents, and it is very probable that it was blessed to the saving of their souls. Thus by the standard lifted up the enemy was overcome and put to flight. The Spirit of the Lord lifted up a standard at the deliverance from bondage, proclaimed liberty to the captives, actually delivered them. He raised up Cyrus — His anointed — whom He employed to bring them out of their captivity. The Spirit of the Lord lifted up a standard at the time of the Reformation. The Spirit made use of men, whom he raised up, qualified for the work — Luther and others in Germany, Knox and others in Scotland. There the Spirit used men in lifting up a standard against the enemy, and what was the standard lifted up. The standard of the Cross of Christ. The standard of the Gospel of free grace of salvation.
There is another standard that is sufficient to overcome the enemy, to put to flight the armies of the aliens — the standard they lifted up in the sound and faithful preaching of the Gospel — salvation through the finished work of Christ — justification by faith. In the lifting up of the standard they had been engaged in a warfare. A spiritual warfare. They fought as good soldiers of Jesus Christ under the banner of His Cross; through Christ strengthening them. He sends none alone a warfare at their own charges. They overcame and lifted up the standard of Victory. The reformation was effected, reformation in doctrine etc. This took the place of the floods of error which so long pervaded the church under the iron thraldom of Popery and Prelacy. To come to our own time. This is a time of need when the floods of errors and corruption are evident abroad throughout the Church. May we not, even in the midst of merited wrath, expect that the Spirit should lift up a standard against the enemy, who comes in like a flood in order to deprive us of the Word of God, of the Sabbath, and to carry the rising generation away by the floods of infidelity, innovations and other forms of ungodliness. We need this; we pray for it; we labour for it; we expect it, for He hath said, when the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. The Lord will fulfil this promise. He will lift up a standard. He has done this in some measure already. In the midst of the general defection that has befallen the church. The Lord has a few faithful servants and people in her yet. These he uses to lift up a standard against the enemy. They meet with opposition in their work, but all whom the Lord employed to bear a faithful testimony on his side in the past encountered opposition. The cause is a worthy cause. The Lord’s faithful witnesses should not be daunted or made to shrink from the plain path of duty, by any such opposition. They lifted up a standard in giving a faithful testimony against errors. They do this in the church courts, in the pulpit and in the closet. Among the various divinely appointed means instituted for lifting up the standard, prayer is a very powerful one, and the Lord’s people observing that the enemy is coming in with floods of errors have been stirred up to the exercise of prayer on behalf of the Lord’s cause in the Free Church, in the Kingdoms throughout the world, and if those floods have been in any measure arrested as they have, it is, we believe, in answer to prayer.
Preached 1879 at Moy
The Feast. John 11.56.
The Feast, the passover, which was instituted in Egypt in commemoration of the deliverance of the children of Israel from their bondage in that place, continued to be observed till the death of Christ. Christ is now, in the New Testament dispensation, our pass-over 1 Cor:5.7. The passover was only a type of Christ’s death, as set forth in the sacrament of the supper. The sacrament of the Lord’s supper is a commemorative ordinance. It is in commemoration of the great deliverance he accomplished for His people by His death. This ordinance is to be observed by His children till He comes again. 1. Cor:11.26. This is the feast we should keep in view this day in view of our approaching communion Sabbath. Why is the sacrament of the supper called a feast: Just because it is really a feast. Christ is our life. Cor:3.4. His flesh is meat indeed; His blood is drink indeed. John:6.55. The occasion of the dispensation thereof is a feast-time because Christ offers Himself then not only to those who are His children but also to those who are not His children, but the children of Satan. In the sacrament He offers Himself to His own beloved, needy, but undeserving children to feed upon that they might be nourished, strengthened, encouraged, and edified. And in the preaching of the Gospel (for the Gospel is preached on such an occasion) He offers Himself to sinners, even the chief. “Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.” Prov:8.4. “Whosoever will, let Him take the water of life freely.” Rev:22.17.
Christ is set forth in both the sacrament and in the preaching of the Gospel, and both classes of men to whom He thus presents Himself need Him. Sinners however, insensible of their need, stand in need of Him, and His people feel that they need Him, yea, that without Him they can do nothing, that they cannot do without Him.
The person enquired about. “What think ye that He will not come to the feast?” Christ is the person enquired about and often this is the person we should enquire about too, and be anxious and desirous that he would come to the feast. Some may be solicitous as to who are the ministers coming to the feast, but not so much as to whether Christ will come to it. Why are His people so anxious that He Himself should come to the feast? Because He is the all in all in that ordinance. He is the feast. Then if He does not come there will be no feast. There may be dishes, but no food.
Christ is also the Host. It is He that serves the feast to His guests. If He does not come they shall not get anything. “Saw ye Him whom my soul loveth?” Song of Sol:3.3. Christ is the Beloved of their soul, their Friend, Brother, etc. They saw His glory, beauty and excellency. “We would see Jesus” John:12.21. They desire to see Him, to meet with Him in His own ordinance, to enjoy and glorify Him. They have doubts as to whether He will come. Those who sincerely desire Christ’s coming to the feast are often troubled with doubts. They are exposed to the assaults of unbelief and of Satan, and are in consequence dejected in their souls fearing that Christ will not come to them. Psalm:43.5. They consult one another “What think ye? Have ye heard any word about His coming at the throne of grace? Enquire ye of the Lord.” There are indeed many things that seem to keep Him away, carelessness, want of prayer, anxiousness, repentance, etc., not to speak of open ungodliness. There are encouraging considerations to expect His coming. It is His own feast. His ministering servants will be there. (Lo I am with you always.) His people will be there. His own promise. There are preparations necessary for His coming. Repenting in sackclothes and ashes. The grace of humility in exercise, prayer. Christ likes that His people should petition Him to come. He will be enquired of by the house of Israel. Others constrained Him and He went with them. There is communion between God’s people and Himself by prayer. They correspond with Him by prayer, and He answers their prayer so far as it is for His own glory and their good. Then if you would have Christ come to the feast be much as the throne of grace. Oh! that He would come for His own name’s sake, to glorify His great name and bless us according to need. Amen.
Letter to Editor of Inverness Courier.
Sir, — From repeated reports of newspapers, it appears that the decision of last Commission of Assembly in the case of Professor Smith, has caused a great deal of excitement in many quarters especially in Elgin, Aberdeen, Greenock, Glasgow, and other places. This in my opinion shows that Satan is angry because the progress of his wicked attacks on the blessed Word of God has been so far arrested: and is is very sad to think that he should get so many sympathisers among professing Christians. Let those who so boldly take the side of a man that has done so much to shake the faith of precious immortal souls in the Bible take heed lest their present audacity be turned into trembling, and confusion, when they shall appear before the judgment-seat of Christ to be judged by the inspired word of God. It is no new thing in the history of the Church to see Members of Parliament, Bailies, Lawyers, and others holding responsible offices in the church, taking offence at the teaching of Holy Scripture, and standing up against the Lord and against His Anointed. But, “He that sits in the Heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision”.
I am &c,
D. McF.
Strathearn, 26th Nov. 1880.
Fornaci Di Barga
Visiting that Tuscan village again in June of this year, I found Emelia and her mother to be just the same.
The mother spoke about tensions between her and others in her wider family circle, because of her religion. She said that, when she read the Bible, she often had little sense of benefitting from it. However, she sometimes felt spontaneously inclined to pray; and when this happened she felt greatly refreshed. I asked what it was she prayed for at such times. She said that she prayed for the pardon of her sins, she prayed to be helped to understand the Scriptures, she prayed for people in trouble, and on Saturdays she prayed for ministers who were preparing to preach on the Lord’s Day.
Emelia has a tendency to depression. However one cannot fail to be impressed by her transparent honesty, and the sincerity of her zeal for the gospel. She regards herself as ignorant, and she feels deeply that she comes short in regard to her example and the witness she gives in her family and among her neighbours. But despite all her sense of insufficiency, I feel that the words will have fulfilment in regard to her, ‘and the last shall be first’.
Emelia’s husband and children were again at most of the meetings. It is difficult to tell how much the word of God has come to mean to them; though Simonetta, who is now 13 years old, shows more interest than the others.
The friends of the family, the Mazzei’s, were at fewer of the services than before. I understand that they still sometimes attend Mass. The husband argues volubly that it is enough to believe in God, and to do no harm to one’s neighbour. ‘What more than that can anyone do?’ he asks. Emelia told him that he should pray as the minister taught the highland kitchen maid: Shew me myself, and Shew me Thyself. Mazzei said that, if there were no R.C. Church in Italy, the young people would grow up altogether ignorant of how they ought to live. He asked why it was that the religion which we were discussing had not taken hold in Italy; and why it was that the R.C. Church attracted greater numbers. It was pointed out that the R.C. Church counts among its numbers thousands of pagan people who are regarded as converts just because they submit to being baptised; even when they continue to follow their heathen practices. I also referred to how the R.C. Church had opposed the gospel whenever it had had a prospect of gaining ground in Italy; burning those who criticised the Pope (as Savonarolla) and destroying books which contained the doctrines of the gospel (as Parleario’s Justification by Faith).
Two sisters, who used to attend the meetings when Mr MacInnes went to Fornaci at first, and whose interest for a time fell off, were with us again several times during this visit, as work permitted.
The greatest encouragement that I felt on this occasion was from the presence of a friend of Emelia’s. Miriana is a young mother, with a daughter called Tania. Miriana attended every meeting during this visit, until she went on holiday two days before I left. By the end of the first evening she was sufficiently relaxed to ask some questions, and she continued to ask questions every time she came.
She asked about praying to saints; she asked if it was necessary for a change to come when one believed in Jesus; she asked if, to be a true Christian, one had to be full of love towards everybody one met. She said that, when she was a girl, the priest had asked her why she was not coming to Mass. She had replied that sometimes she read the Bible, but the priest had said that it was more important to attend Mass.
Miriana said that she had practically no one with whom she could talk about religion, except Emelia; that if she began to talk seriously about it people would probably think her out of her mind. The hold which the R.C. Church has on those born and brought up within it was clearly seen in Miriana’s case. Even though she is critical of the local priest, understands something of the teaching of the Bible, and sees many things wrong with the R.C. Church, she twice spoke feelingly of how great a faith one would need before one could leave the R.C. Church.
It would be such an encouragement if Miriana were to come to saving faith in Christ; and may there be much prayer that this will in fact take place.
The Rev. Angus Morrison visited Fornaci in November, and may his visit prove a source of much blessing.
Both on my way to Fornaci, and on my way back, I saw Franco Maggiotto again.
Franco has more than one difficulty, but it seemed to me that his work was going ahead. He spoke of visits he had had recently from different groups of priests. He also spoke of encouragement he had received from new contacts being made locally. I talked several times with a shopkeeper nearby who, along with his wife, has begun to attend the meetings Franco holds at Finale.
Franco has also become involved with work at Milan, where he has responsibility for another small congregation which called him to be their pastor after their previous pastor went to America. In fact I met one of the young people attached to that group in Milan, as he was down seeing Franco when I was there.
This seventeen year old boy, called Walter, had been president of Catholic Action in his school. He was learning to play classical guitar music, and that was how he made contact with the church in Milan. His teacher was in charge of the Christian bookshop associated with the church, and spoke to Walter about the bookshop and about the church. As a result of this Walter began to attend the services in February of this year, and has continued to attend ever since. I asked him what it was that had attracted him to the church. He said that certainly salvation was the most important thing, but that he was also impressed because he saw that, in the church services, the Bible was being applied in a practical way.
Walter was to have got a lift to England a week after my return, and we were looking forward to a visit from him in Aberdeen. However Franco phoned just after I got back to Scotland to say that Walter’s family had become apprehensive about his going to stay with a Protestant family in another country, and that it had been made impossible for him to visit us. We pray that Walter will be able to withstand pressures which will be put on him; that this and other aspects of Franco’s work will be seen to prosper under the blessing of the Lord.
J.T.
Book Reviews
Parting Counsels: An Exposition of Second Peter, Chapter 1 by John Brown; pages 329, price £4. Banner of Truth Trust
The present volume is among the very last of the great expository works on the New Testament which Dr Brown was able personally to see through the press. As the title “Parting Counsels” indicates, the exposition of the First chapter of Second Peter is in the nature of a valedictory address — “better”, says the author, now at the end of long years in the Church’s ministry, “to offer it as a gift than leave it as a legacy”. Dr Brown had often been urged to bring out a volume on Second Peter as a companion volume to his expository work on First Peter, but on the ground of increasing age and the difficulties of undertaking fresh work of such an exacting nature, he declined. He felt, however, that the first chapter of Second Peter was complete in itself, that he had given a good deal of careful study to the chapter and had satisfied himself that he had arrived at a true understanding of its meaning. He therefore published the work in November 1856. We have here then the mature fruits of his ripe scholarship.
The chapter falls into two natural parts of almost equal length. The first covers the practical counsel prescribed to those to whom the Epistle is addressed, “who have obtained like precious faith with us”, to lead a sound moral life by cultivating all the virtues and graces of the Christian faith, so “making their calling and election sure”, and reaping the reward which awaits the saints, “an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”. In the second part, the apostle writes under the impression of an early death, “Shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me”, no doubt in reference to the words of warning in John xxi v.18 which gives urgency to his words. Peter recalls the scene he had witnessed on the Holy Mount, but nevertheless enforces his advice on the ground of holy scripture alone, “the more sure word of prophecy”. Included with this study are four sermons preached at various times by Brown. The first two sermons are upon closely related subjects, “How Christians may know that they are of the Truth and may assure their hearts before God”; “Assurance of Salvation and how to Obtain it”. The other two sermons inserted at the request of friends are on the subjects: “The Object of the Christian Economy, and the Means of its Accomplishment” and “The Christian Minister’s Request to his People at the Commencement and towards the Close of His Ministry”. This last sermon was preached by John Brown to the congregation at Biggar as a young minister entering upon his first charge in February 1806, and again delivered some 50 years later in February 1856 to his congregation at Broughton Place. The preacher takes the opportunity to offer young aspirants to the Christian Ministry timely advice, rich with the experience of a long ministry in the Lord’s service.
This volume shows the author’s well known powers of exact exegesis. The sole aim which John Brown set himself, to elicit the true meaning from the text of scripture, is seen in his treatment of the difficult words: “No prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation”. Dr Brown never allowed the scientific side of his work to supersede or diminish the reverend spirit which he always brought to the study of God’s holy word, and the present volume is no exception. In a day when superficial religious literature abounds, these devout evangelical studies should prove refreshing and edifying, with solid doctrinal instruction mingled with the practical duties of the Christian life and should be of great help to ministers and students in their personal lives and work. There is a mistake in the year of Brown’s birth given on the dust cover as 1807 — it should be 1784, a slight misprint appears on page 315, easy instead of “eask”; and on page 316 overleaf, Paul’s advice to Timothy omits the words which should be supplied in order to complete the sense, “continue in them”, 1 Timothy iv, verse 16. This volume is another of the fine reprints of John Brown’s great expository works, produced by the Banner of Truth Trust which deserves, and we hope will enjoy, a wide circulation.
A.F.M.