Perhaps the pious Prophet here personating the church, spoke this in allusion to the city or inhabitants of Babylon, who had long been enemies to Israel’s God, and to the people of Jerusalem. These triumphed to see them forsaken, desolate, afflicted, and led into a state of captivity; to see them bowed down and punished because of their sins. The spirit of holy confidence and prophecy inspired the church, and she utters the voice of the text, and adds a very solemn declaration:—_Thus she that is mine enemy_, _shall see it_; _shame shall cover her_; _she shall be trodden down as mire in the streets_. When God had set his people free; when all the grand ends of his chastisement were answered; then he poured out his vengeance on those who afflicted them. Hence he calls his enemies his rod, his staff, his sword, which when he is done with them, he will lay them aside, or devote them to destruction. For what God intends, and they intend, is very different. God intends their spiritual growth, their holiness, and final felicity: they intend their destruction. And as they act from a base principle, after God’s purposes are accomplished, he punishes their enemies. _He that leadeth into captivity_, _shall go into captivity_: _he that killeth with the sword_, _shall die by the sword_. I refer my afflicted friends to the 30th chap. of _Jeremiah_; and I intreat any cruel foe to read the 16th verse, and remember it is the voice of a God that _cannot_ lie. I must just observe that I do not speak this in reference to the administrators of justice, for they bear not the sword in vain, they are the ordinance of God, and should be feared, and revered, and woe unto those who resist this ordinance. But I speak the above truths in reference to all cruel, unjust persecutors; to liars, false swearers, perjurers, and peace murders; verily they have their full reward, therefore they have very little cause to rejoice. This leads me to notice the falls of the believer; and these alas! are daily! Solomon says, they fall seven times, but rise again, because of the work of the Lord upon them, and because the love and mercy of the Lord endureth for ever. They can never fall out of his heart, nor out of his arm, nor out of his covenant, nor out of his thoughts, for they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, as the covenant of grace, which can never be moved. But though this is a most glorious Scripture truth, yet in themselves considered, and situated as they are, in an enemy’s land, surrounded by snares and traps, trials and temptations, from without and within, Satan and a corrupt heart, the prevalency of error, and the aboundings of impiety, the poor believer is in constant danger of falling, in constant need or divine keeping, and in constant need of that humble petition, _Hold thou me up and I shall be safe_. The Lord permits his children often to fall, but never to turn enemies to the truth, to mount the scorner’s chair, or