METHUSELAH, which signifies _the sending forth of Death_—and LAMECH, _the cutting down_. Indeed what was death ever sent for but to cut down? Death penal, temporal, spiritual, or eternal. It appears the above characters were the father and grand-father of _Noah_, and seem to be prophetic of the Flood which should destroy an ungodly world; that at the death, or soon after the death of _Methuselah_ the Flood would break out, and cut or sweep away the old world, which was soon accomplished. But, to carry on the figure, as expressive of the Work of the Spirit, may not these Names set forth that internal war which every convinced, mourning, illuminated believer experiences in his own soul? There is a warfare before we know our part and lot in Jesus; and there is a perpetual one after—the one before, is between hope and despair; the life, or salvation of the soul, hanging in doubt for years together; but upon the accomplishment of this warfare, through the application of pardon, and receiving the double exchange of _Beauty for ashes_, _the oil of joy for mourning_, _and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness_, as the light of God’s countenance and his glory shines upon the soul—this is the sending forth of death, to cut down the old man with his deeds; and as the new man receives and enjoys the above blessings, so the old man is put off, nor can our weaker passions dare consent to sin, for God is there. But is it not a truth in the experience of God’s elect, in a greater or less degree, that they are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast, that they must be conformed to their Covenant Head in suffering?—that as our blessed Jesus, after his glorious baptism, was led into the Wilderness, to be tempted of the Devil, so must his followers, else what is the use of the spiritual armoury, whereon there hangs a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men—the very idea of conquest must, of course, imply a war; and this is carried on between the flesh and the spirit, the old man and the new; these are yet like the Philistines and Israelites—we are in the field, with our spiritual David, and Goliah, the Devil, at the head of each—army, against army—the flesh lusteth, warreth against the spirit, the spirit warreth against the flesh—these are contrary, the one to the other, as light and darkness, sin and grace, God and the Devil can be. He that has sent forth light to see and enjoy God’s salvation, sends forth death to the old man—so the Apostle says, _We are dead to sin by the body of Christ_; sin is not dead to us, though we die to it, through an application of the atonement; and as we live upon it from day to day, this leads us to long for the time when we shall get entirely rid of it. But into the field of battle we are led, to prove our spiritual armour; to make use of the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the breast plate of righteousness, the sword of the Spirit, and the iron shoes of Gospel peace; all of which