Ver. 2.-Thefoes of the Church are thefoes of God. The psalmist calls the enemies of his nation God's enemies. " Thine enemies make a tumult." But it would not be a matter interesting to us, or one about which we could pray, if they were God's enemies only. The point of importance is that ,they are God's enemies just because they are ours. \Ve find the best relief from the fear of what they may do, in thinking that God counts them to be his enemies; and if we cannot defond ourselves from them, God can defend us. So this realization that our enemies are God's enemies becomes (l) a ground of appeal; (2) a restful consolation; and (3) a source of strcnath. Work this out in relation to the Jewish nation. In a special and representati;e sense the Jewish nation was Jehovah's nation. So the Church, as a spiritual body-the kingdom of God-is Christ's Church. And as everything related to the Jewish nation was of direct concern to Jehovah, and had his active interference as required, so everything related to the Church is of direct concern to the living Christ; and he, by his presiding Spirit, ever actively interferes, as may be required. Passing within the Church, the truth may be applied to each believer. His foes cannot be exclusively his. Being bound up with Christ, Christ is bound up with all his interests. 'rhe believer's friends are Christ's friends; the believer's foes are Christ's foes. I. THIS RELATION C0ID."'ECTS Goo WITH THE NATION'S PROGRESS. This is illustrated in the history. A tribe of slaves came to be an ordered nation, through an experience of good and evil. God was sympathetically and actively present in all the various ste1,s of the national progress. Apply to the development of the Christian Church through a variety of hard and anxious experiences. Foes of heresy, persecution, etc. II. Tms RELATION C01''NEC'l'S Goo WITII THE NATION'S DISASTERS. Compare the expression, "In all their affliction he was afflicted." There had been disasters in the Jewish history, but God was in them for recovery and for sanctifying. Apply to the " dark ages" of the Christian history. Since our foes are God's foes, they cannot overwhelm us.-R. T.
Vers. 3, 5.-0onfederacy in evil desi_qnE. "They have talten crafty counsel against thy people." "They have consulted together with one consent." Prayer-book Ver~ion reads, "cast their heads together." The Prophet Micah has a striking expression for this confederacy in evil-" And so they wrap it up" (Micah vii. 3). Cases of confederacy against God's people, that may be used as illustrations, are such as the following: Chednrlaomer's confederacy against Canaan, which swept away Lot. Combinations of northern nations against Joshua and Israel. Confederacies in times of the Judges; against Asa; and against Jehoshaphat. Schemes of Samaritan parties ~gainst rebuilding walls of Jerusalem, in the time of Nehemiah. A combination of surrounding nations, in the time of the Maccabees, when the Jews restored the altar which Antiochus had polluted. See also Eph. vL 12 for the combinations against s1,iritual religion; the confederacy of chief priest, scribe, Pharisee, Sadducee, a1;1d traitorous disciple, against Christ; and the gathering together of the enemies of Chnst and his Church in the last days (Rev. xx. 8, 9). Other and striking illustrations may be taken from Bunyan's 'Holy War,' which pictures various forms of confederacy aaainst Emmanuel and his "Mansoul." The point suggested is, that neither man, nor a~y combinations of men, can ever get beyond God. Opening this, we may inquire- I. HAS Goo PROVED HIMSELF ABLE TO DEAL WITH CASES OF CONFEDERAOY? All the above instances may be reviewed in order to answer this question; and to them may be added cases from Church history, and from personal experience. Lutber's lifo provides some good examples. Take the principle involved in the saying that "no chaiu is stronger than its weakest link," and show how God has ever broken up codcderations for evil by the simplest agencies. He holds co,,trol of the forces that bind men in a common purpose, and can loosen his hand when he pleases, There PB, LXXXIU, 1-18,) THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 18!)
is no plotting for evil that is beyond Divine permissions. It is strange that we should fear combinations of evil more than individual foes. We need to learn God's superi- ority to them, II. ARE CONFEDERATIONS FOR EVIL REALLY AS BTROXG AS THEY BEEM TO BE? There iB an element of weakness in all human combinations. They are attempts to unite varying wills and dispositions. This weakness is specially felt when combinations of bad men are attempted, to secure bad ends. Self-willed and wrong-purposing men find it hard to agree together. Jealousies are sure to arise, Self-interests overmaster the common interests. Elements of confusion are easily introduced. The confederates turn iheir swords against each other, as the mixed host of Midian did in the days of Gideon. Neither" craftiness" nor" confederacy" is out of the Divine control.-R. T.