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an inconceivable degree, by the consideration, that he who is now posting to destruction, once ran well in the way of life. Whatever he was in time past, serves now to no other purpose, than to make our reflections on what he is, more piercing and afflictive.

6. In all these circumstances we may be assured our great adversary will not be wanting to improve his opportunity. He who is always walking about seeking whom he may devour, will then especially use all his power, all his skill, if haply he may gain any advantage, over the soul that is already cast down. He will not be sparing of his fiery darts, such as are most likely to find an entrance, and to fix most deeply in the heart, by their suitableness to the temptation that assaults it. He will labour to inject unbelieving, or blasphemous, or repining thoughts: he will suggest, that God does not regard, does not govern the earth: or at least that he does not govern it aright, not by the rules of justice and mercy. He will endeavour to stir up the heart against God, to renew our natural enmity against him. And if we attempt to fight him with his own weapons, if we begin to reason with him, more and more heaviness will undoubtedly ensue, if not utter darkness.

7. It has been frequently supposed, that there is another cause (if not of darkness, at least) of heaviness, namely, God's withdrawing himself from the soul, because it is his sovereign will. Certainly he will do this, if we grieve his Holy Spirit, either by outward or inward sin either by doing evil, or neglecting to do good by giving way either to pride or anger, to spiritual sloth, to foolish desire or inordinate affection. But that he ever withdraws himself, because he will, merely because it is his good pleasure, I absolutely deny there is no text in all the bible which gives any colour for such a supposition. Nay it is a supposition contrary not only to many particular texts, but to the whole tenor of scripture. It is repugnant to the very nature of God: it is utterly beneath his majesty and wisdom, (as an eminent writer strongly expresses it) "to play at bo-peep with his creatures." It is inconsistent both with his justice

No. XII.

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justice and mercy, and with the sound experience of all his children.

8. One more cause of heaviness is mentioned by many of those who were termed mystic authors. And the notion has crept in, I know not how, even among plain people who have no acquaintance with them. I cannot better explain this, than in the words of a late writer, who relates this, as her own experience. "I continued so happy in my Beloved, that although I should have been forced to live a vagabond in a desert, I should have found no difficulty in it. This state had not lasted long, when in effect, I found myself led into a desert. I found myself in a forlorn condition, altogether poor, wretched and miserable. The proper source of this grief is, the knowledge of ourselves, by which we find, that there is an extreme unlikeness between God and us. We see ourselves most opposite to him, and that our inmost soul is entirely corrupted, depraved and full of all kind of evil and malignity, of the world and flesh and all sorts of abominations." From hence it has been inferred, That the knowledge of ourselves, without which we should perish everlastingly, must even after we have attained justifying faith, occasion the deepest heaviness.

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9. But upon this I would observe, 1. In the preceds ing paragraph, this writer says, "Hearing I had not a true faith in Christ, I offered myself up to God, and immediately felt his love." It may be so; and yet it does not appear, That this was justification. 'Tis more probable, it was no more than what are usually termed the drawings of the Father. And if so, the heaviness and darkness which followed, was no other than conviction of sin, which in the nature of things must precede that faith whereby we are justified. 2. Suppose she was justified almost the same moment she was convinced of wanting faith, there was then no time for that gradually increasing self-knowledge which uses to precede justification. In this case therefore it came after, and was probably the more severe, the less it was expected. 3. It is allowed, there will be a far deeper, a far clearer and fuller knowledge of our inbred sin, of our total corruption by nature, after justification,

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than ever there was before it. But this need not occasion darkness of soul: I will not say, That it must bring us into heaviness. Were it so, the apostle would not have used that expression, if need be for there would be an absolute, indispensable need of it. for all that would know themselves: that is in effect, for all that would know the perfect love of God, and be thereby made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. But this is by no means the case: On the contrary, God may increase the knowledge of ourselves to any degree, and increase in the same proportion the knowledge of himself and the experience of his love. And in this case, there would be no "desart, no misery, no forlorn condition ;" but love, and peace, and joy gradually springing up into everlasting life.

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IV. 1. For what ends then, (which was the fourth thing to be considered) does God permit heaviness to befal so many of his children? The apostle gives us a plain and direct answer to this important question; That the trial of their faith, which is much more precious than gold that perisheth though it be tried by fire, may be found unto praise and honour and glory, at the revelation of Jesus Christ, There may be an allusion to this, in that wellknown passage of the fourth chapter (although it primarily relates to quite another thing, as has been already observed :) Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, but rejoice that ye are partakers of the sufferings of Christ: That when his glory shall be revealed, ye may likewise rejoice with exceeding great joy, ver. 12, &c.

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2. Hence we learn. that the first and great end of God's permitting the temptations which bring heavi ness on his children, is the trial of their faith, which is tried by these, even as gold by the fire. Now we' know, gold tried in the fire, is purified thereby, is separated from its dross. And so is faith, in the fire of temptation; the more it is tried, the more it is purified. Yea, and not only purified, but also strengthened, con-" firmed, increased abundantly, by so many more proofs of the wisdom and power, the love and faithfulness of God. This then, to increase our faith is one gracious end of God's permitting those manifold temptations. 3. They serve to try, to purify, to confirm and in4 M 2

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crease that living hope also, whereunto the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath begotten us again of his abundant mercy. Indeed our hope cannot but increase, in the same proportion with our faith. On this foundation it stands: believing in bis name, living by faith in the Son of God, we hope for, we have a confident expectation of, the glory which shall be revealed. And consequently, whatever strengthens our faith, increases our hope also. At the same time it increases our joy in the Lord, which cannot but attend an hope full of immortality. In this view the apostle exhorts believers. in the other chapter, Rejoice that ye are partakers of the sufferings of Christ. On this very account, happy are you; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. And hereby ye are enabled, even in the midst of sufferings to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

4. They rejoice the more, because the trials which increase their faith and hope, increase their love also : both their gratitude to God for all his mercies, and their good-will to all mankind. Accordingly the more deeply sensible they are, of the loving-kindness of God their Saviour, the more is their heart inflamed with love to him who first loved us. The clearer and stronger evidence they have of the glory that shall be revealed, the more do they love him who hath purchased it for them, and given them the earnest thereof in their hearts. And this, the increase of their love, is another end of the temptations permitted to come upon them.

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5. Yet another is, Their advance in holiness; holiness of heart and holiness of conversation: the latter naturally resulting from the former; for a good tree. will bring forth good fruit. And all inward holiness is the immediate fruit of the faith that worketh by love. By this the blessed Spirit purifies the heart from pride, self-will, passion; from love of the world, from foolish and hurtful desires, from vile and vain affections. Beside that sanctified afflictions have, (through the grace of God) an immediate and direct tendency to holiness. Through the operation of his Spirit, they humble more and more, and abase the soul before God. They calm and meeken our turbulent spirit, tame the fierceness of our nature, soften our obstinacy and self-will, crucify us

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to the world; and bring us to expect all our strength from, and to seek all our happiness in God.

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6. And all these terminate in that great end, That our faith, hope, love and holiness, may be found (if it doth not yet appear) unto praise from God himself, and bonour from men and angels, and glory assigned by the great Judge to all that have endured to the end. this will be assigned in that awful day to every man according to his works, according to the work which God had wrought in his heart, and the outward works which he has wrought for God and likewise according to what he had suffered; so that all these trials are unspeakable gain. So many ways do these "light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory!"

7. Add to this the advantage which others may receive, by seeing our behaviour under affliction. We find by experience, example frequently makes a deeper impression upon us than precept. And what examples have a stronger influence, not only on those who are partakers of like precious faith, but even on them who have not known God, than that of a soul calm and serene in the midst of storms, sorrowful yet always rejoicing: meekly accepting whatever is the will of God, however grievous it may be to nature: saying in sickness and pain," The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it?" In loss or want, "The Lord gave: the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord!"

V. 1. I am to conclude with some inferences. And first, How wide is the difference between darkness of soul and heaviness? Which nevertheless are so generally confounded with each other, even by experienced Christians! Darkness, or the wilderness-state implies a total loss of joy in the Holy Ghost: heaviness does not; in the midst of this we may rejoice with joy unspeakable. They that are in darkness have lost the peace of God; they that are in heaviness have not:,so far from it, that at the very time peace as well as grace may be multiplied unto them. In the former, the love of God is waxed cold,

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