THE WILDERNESS STATE.
JOHN xvi. 22.
_Ye now have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart
shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you._
1. AFTER God had wrought a great deliverance for _Israel_, by bringing
them out of the house of bondage, they did not immediately enter into
the land which he had promised to their fathers, but _wandered out of
the way in the wilderness_, and were variously tempted and distressed.
In like manner after God has delivered them that fear him from the
bondage of sin and _Satan_; after they are _justified freely by his
grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus_, yet not many of them
immediately enter into _the rest_ which _remaineth for the people of_
God. The greater part of them wander, more or less, out of the good
way into which he hath brought them. They come as it were into a _waste
and howling desert_, where they are variously tempted and tormented.
And this some, in allusion to the case of the _Israelites_, have termed
_a wilderness-state_.
2. Certain it is, that the condition wherein these are, has a right to
the tenderest compassion. They labour under an evil and sore disease;
though one that is not commonly understood. And for this very reason
it is the more difficult for them to find a remedy. Being in darkness
themselves, they cannot be supposed to understand the nature of their
own disorder. And few of their brethren, nay perhaps, of their teachers,
know either what their sickness is, or how to heal it. So much the more
need there is to enquire, _first_, What is the nature of this disease;
_secondly_, What is the cause, and _thirdly_, What is the cure of it.
I. And, _first_, What is the nature of this disease, into which so many
fall, after they have believed? Wherein does it properly consist? And
what are the genuine symptoms of it? It properly consists in the loss
of that faith which God once wrought in their heart. They that are _in
the wilderness_ have not now that divine _evidence_, that satisfactory
_conviction of things not seen_ which they once enjoyed. They have
not now that inward demonstration of the Spirit, which before enabled
each of them to say, _The life I live, I live by faith in the Son of_
God, _who loved_ me _and gave himself for_ me. The light of heaven
does not now _shine in their hearts_, neither do they _see him that
is invisible_: but darkness is again on the face of their souls, and
blindness on the eyes of their understanding. The Spirit no longer
_witnesses with their spirits, that they are the children of_ God;
neither does he continue, as the Spirit of adoption, _crying in their
hearts, Abba, Father_. They have not now a sure trust in his love, and
a liberty of approaching him with holy boldness. _Though he slay me,
yet will I trust in him_, is no more the language of their heart: but
they are shorn of their strength, and become weak and feeble-minded,
even as other men.
2. Hence, _secondly_, proceeds the loss of love, which cannot but
rise or fall, at the same time, and in the same proportion, with true,
living faith. Accordingly, they that are deprived of their faith, are
deprived of the love of God also. They cannot now say, Lord, _thou
knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee_. They are not
now happy in God, as every one is, that truly loves him. They do not
delight in him as in time past, and _smell the odour of his ointments_.
Once, all their _desire was unto_ him, _and to the remembrance of his
name_. But now even their desires are cold and dead, if not utterly
extinguished. And as their love of God is _waxed cold_, so is also
their love of their neighbour. They have not now that zeal for the
souls of men, that longing after their welfare, that fervent, restless,
active desire of their being reconciled to God. They do not feel
those _bowels of mercies_ for the sheep that are lost, that tender
_compassion for the ignorant and them that are out of the way_.
Once they were _gentle toward all men_, meekly _instructing_ such as
_opposed_ the truth, and _if any_ was _overtaken in a fault, restoring
such an one in the spirit of meekness_. But after a suspense, perhaps
of many days, anger begins to regain its power. Yea, peevishness and
impatience thrust sore at them that they may fall. And it is well if
they are not sometimes driven, even to _render evil for evil, and
railing for railing_.
3. In consequence of the loss of faith and love, follows, _thirdly_,
Loss of joy in the Holy Ghost. For if the loving consciousness of
pardon be no more, the joy resulting therefrom cannot remain. If the
Spirit does not witness with our spirit, that we are the children of
God, the joy that flowed from that inward witness, must also be at an
end. And in like manner, they who once _rejoiced with joy unspeakable,
in hope of the glory of_ God, now they are deprived of that _hope full
of immortality_, are deprived of the joy it occasioned: as also of that
which resulted from a consciousness of _the love of_ God then _shed
abroad in their hearts_. For the cause being removed, so is the effect:
the fountain being dammed up, those living waters spring no more, to
refresh the thirsty soul.
4. With loss of faith and love and joy, there is also joined,
_fourthly_, the loss of that peace which once past all understanding.
That sweet tranquillity of mind, that composure of spirit is gone.
Painful doubt returns: doubt whether we ever did, and perhaps whether
we ever shall believe. We begin to doubt, whether we ever did find in
our hearts, the real testimony of the Spirit? Whether we did not rather
deceive our own souls, and mistake the voice of nature for the voice of
God? Nay, and perhaps, whether we shall ever hear his voice, and find
favour in his sight. And these doubts are again joined with servile
fear, with that _fear_ which _hath torment_. We fear the wrath of God,
even as before we believed: we fear lest we should be cast out of his
presence; and thence sink again into that fear of death, from which we
were before wholly delivered.
5. But even this is not all. For loss of peace is accompanied with
loss of power. We know, every one who has peace with God through Jesus
Christ, has power over all sin. But whenever he loses the peace of God,
he loses also the power over sin. While that peace remained, power also
remained, even over the besetting sin; whether it were the sin of his
nature, of his constitution, of his education, or his profession: yea,
and over those evil tempers and desires, which ’till then he could not
conquer. _Sin_ had then _no more dominion over him_: but he hath now no
more dominion over sin. He may struggle indeed, but he cannot overcome;
the crown is fallen from his head. His enemies again prevail over him,
and more or less bring him into bondage. The glory is departed from him,
even the kingdom of God which was in his heart. He is dispossessed of
righteousness, as well as of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
II. 1. Such is the nature of what many have termed, and not improperly,
_the wilderness-state_. But the nature of it may be more fully
understood, by enquiring, _secondly_, What are the causes of it?
These indeed are various. But I dare not rank among these, the bare,
arbitrary, sovereign will of God. He rejoiceth _in the prosperity of
his servants_: he delighteth not to _afflict or grieve the children of
men_. His invariable _will is our sanctification_, attended with _peace
and joy in the Holy Ghost_. These are his own free gifts: and we are
assured _the gifts of_ God _are_, on his part, _without repentance_. He
never repenteth of what he hath given, or desires to withdraw them from
us. Therefore he never _deserts_ us, as some speak: it is we only that
_desert_ him.
2. The most usual cause of inward darkness is sin of one kind
or another. This it is which generally occasions what is often a
complication of sin and misery. And, _first_, Sin of _commission_. This
may frequently be observed to darken the soul in a moment: especially
if it be a known, a wilful or presumptuous sin. If for instance, a
person who is now walking in the clear light of God’s countenance,
should be any way prevailed on to commit a single act of drunkenness
or uncleanness, it would be no wonder if in that very hour he fell
into utter darkness. It is true, there have been some very rare cases,
wherein God has prevented this, by an extraordinary display of his
pardoning mercy, almost in the very instant. But in general, such an
abuse of the goodness of God, so gross an insult on his love, occasions
an immediate estrangement from God, and a _darkness that may be felt_.
3. But it may be hoped, this case is not very frequent; that there are
not many who so despise the riches of his goodness, as while they walk
in his light, so grosly and presumptuously to rebel against him. That
light is much more frequently lost, by giving way to sins of _omission_.
This indeed does not immediately quench the Spirit, but gradually
and slowly. The former may be compared to pouring water upon a fire:
the latter to withdrawing the fewel from it. And many times will that
loving Spirit reprove our neglect, before he departs from us. Many are
the inward checks, the secret notices he gives, before his influences
are withdrawn. So that only a train of omissions wilfully persisted in,
can bring us into utter darkness.
4. Perhaps no sin of omission more frequently occasions this, than
the neglect of private prayer; the want whereof cannot be supplied by
any other ordinance whatever. Nothing can be more plain, than that the
life of God in the soul does not continue, much less increase, unless
we use all opportunities of communing with God, and pouring out our
hearts before him. If therefore we are negligent of this, if we suffer
business, company, or any avocation whatever, to prevent these secret
exercises of the soul, (or which comes to the same thing, to make us
hurry them over in a slight and careless manner) that life will surely
decay. And if we long or frequently intermit them, it will gradually
die away.
5. Another sin of omission which frequently brings the soul of a
believer into darkness, is the neglect of what was so strongly enjoined,
even under the Jewish dispensation, _Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy
neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him: Thou shalt not hate thy brother
in thy heart_. Now if we do _hate our brother in our heart_, if we do
not _rebuke_ him when we see him in a fault, but _suffer sin upon him_:
this will soon bring leanness into our own soul: seeing hereby we are
_partakers of_ his _sin_. By neglecting to reprove our neighbour, we
make his sin our own. We become accountable for it to God: we saw his
danger, and gave him no warning. So, _if he perish in his iniquity_,
God may justly _require his blood at_ our _hands_. No wonder then if
by thus grieving the Spirit, we lose the light of his countenance.
6. A third cause of our losing this, is the giving way to some kind of
_inward sin_. For example: we know every one that is _proud in heart
is an abomination to the_ Lord: and that, although this pride of heart
should not appear in the outward conversation. Now how easily may a
soul filled with peace and joy, fall into this snare of the devil? How
natural is it for him to imagine, that he has more grace, more wisdom
or strength than he really has? To _think more highly of himself than
he ought to think_? How natural, to glory in something he has received,
as if he had not received it? But seeing God continually _resisteth
the proud, and giveth grace_ only _to the humble_, this must certainly
obscure, if not wholly destroy the light which before shone on his
heart.
7. *The same effect may be produced by giving place to anger, whatever
the provocation or occasion be: yea, though it were coloured over with
the name of _zeal_ for the truth, or for the glory of God. Indeed all
zeal which is any other than the flame of love, is _earthly, animal,
devilish_. It is the flame of wrath: It is flat, sinful anger, neither
better, nor worse. And nothing is a greater enemy to the mild, gentle
love of God than this: they never did, they never can, subsist together
in one breast. In the same proportion as this prevails, love and joy
in the Holy Ghost decrease. This is particularly observable in the case
of _offence_, I mean, anger at any of our brethren, at any of those who
are united with us either by civil or religious ties. If we give way to
the spirit of offence but one hour, we lose the sweet influences of the
Holy Spirit: so that instead of amending them we destroy ourselves, and
become an easy prey to any enemy that assaults us.
8. *But suppose we are aware of this snare of the devil, we may be
attacked from another quarter. When fierceness and anger are asleep,
and love alone is waking, we may be no less endangered by _desire_,
which equally tends to darken the soul. This is the sure effect of
any _foolish desire_, any vain or inordinate affection. If we _set our
affection on things of the earth_, on any person or thing under the
sun, if we desire any thing but God and what tends to God, if we seek
happiness in any creature, the jealous God will surely contend with us:
for he can admit of no rival. And _if_ we _will_ not _hear_ his warning
_voice_, and return to him with our whole soul; if we continue to
grieve him with our idols, and running after other gods, we shall soon
be cold, barren and dry, and _the god of this world_ will _blind_ and
darken _our hearts_.
9. But this he frequently does, even when we do not give way to any
positive sin. It is enough, it gives him sufficient advantage, if we do
not _stir up the gift of_ God _which is in us_: if we do not _agonize_
continually _to enter in at the strait gate_: if we do not earnestly
_strive for the mastery_, and _take the kingdom of heaven by violence_.
There needs no more than not to fight, and we are sure to be conquered.
Let us only be careless or _faint in our mind_, let us be easy and
indolent, and our natural darkness will soon return, and overspread our
soul. It is enough therefore, if we give way to _spiritual sloth_: this
will effectually darken the soul. It will as surely destroy the light
of God, if not so swiftly, as murder or adultery.
10. But it is well to be observed, that the cause of our darkness,
(whatsoever it be, whether omission or commission, whether inward
or outward sin) is not always nigh at hand. Sometimes the sin which
occasioned the present distress, may lie at a considerable distance.
It might be committed days or weeks or months before. And that God now
withdraws his light and peace, on account of what was done so long ago,
is not (as one might at first imagine) an instance of his severity,
but rather a proof of his long-suffering and tender mercy. He waited
all this time, if haply we would see, acknowledge and correct what was
amiss. And in default of this, he at lengths shews his displeasure, if
thus at last he may bring us to repentance.
(II.) 1. Another general cause of this darkness is _ignorance_; which
is likewise of various kinds. If men know not the scriptures, if they
imagine there are passages either in the Old or New Testament, which
assert that all believers without exception, _must_ sometimes be in
darkness, this ignorance will naturally bring upon them the darkness
which they expect. And how common a case has this been among us? How
few are there that do not expect it? And no wonder, seeing they are
taught to expect it: seeing their guides lead them into this way. Not
only the _Mystic_ writers of the _Romish_ church, but many of the most
spiritual and experimental in our own, (very few of the last century
excepted) lay it down with all assurance, as a plain, unquestionable
scripture-doctrine, and cite many texts to prove it.
2. Ignorance also of the work of God in the soul, frequently
occasions this darkness. Men imagine (because so they have been taught,
particularly by writers of the _Romish_ communion, whose plausible
assertions too many Protestants have received without due examination)
that they are not always to walk in _luminous faith_: that this is only
a _lower dispensation_; that as they rise higher, they are to leave
those _sensible comforts_, and live by _naked faith_: (_naked_ indeed,
if it be stript both of love and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost!)
That a state of light and joy is good; but a state of _darkness_ and
_dryness_ is better: that it is by these alone we can be _purified_
from pride, love of the world, and inordinate self-love; and that
therefore we ought neither to expect nor desire, to _walk in the light_
always. Hence it is (though other reasons may concur) that the main
body of pious men in the _Romish_ church, generally walk in a dark,
uncomfortable way, and if ever they receive, soon lose the light of God.
(III.) 1. A third general cause of this darkness is temptation. When
the candle of the Lord first shines on our head, temptation frequently
flees away, and totally disappears. All is calm within: perhaps without
too, while God makes our enemies to be at peace with us. It is then
very natural to suppose, that we shall not see war any more. And there
are instances wherein this calm has continued, not only for weeks, but
for months or years. But commonly it is otherwise: in a short time _the
winds blow, the rains descend, and the floods arise_ anew. _They_ who
_know not either the Son or the Father_, and consequently, hate his
children, when God slackens the bridle which is in their teeth, will
shew that hatred in various instances. As of old, _he that was born
after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even
so it is now_: the same cause still producing the same effect. The evil
which yet remains in the heart, will then also move afresh: anger and
many other _roots of bitterness_, will endeavour to spring up. At the
same time, _Satan_ will not be wanting, to cast in his fiery darts:
and the soul will have to _wrestle_, not only with the world, _not_
only _with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, with
the rulers of the darkness of this world, with wicked spirits in high
places_. Now when so various assaults made at once, and perhaps with
the utmost violence, it is not strange if it should occasion not only
heaviness, but even darkness in a weak believer. More especially, if he
was not watching, if these assaults are made in an hour when he looked
not for them: if he expected nothing less, but had “fondly told himself
“The day of evil would return no more.”
2. The force of those temptations which arise from within, will be
exceedingly heightened, if we before thought too highly of ourselves,
as if we had been cleansed from all sin. And how naturally do we
imagine this, during the warmth of our first love? How ready are we
to believe, That God has _fulfilled in_ us _the_ whole _work of faith
with power_? That because we _feel_ no sin, we _have_ none in us, but
the soul is all love? And well may a sharp attack from an enemy whom we
supposed not only conquered but slain, throw us into much heaviness of
soul, yea, sometimes into utter darkness. Particularly when we _reason_
with this enemy, instead of instantly calling upon God, and casting
ourselves upon him by simple faith, who _alone knoweth to deliver his
out of temptation_.
III. These are the usual causes of this second darkness. Enquire we,
_thirdly_, What is the cure of it?
1. *To suppose that this is one and the same in all cases, is a great
and fatal mistake: and yet extremely common even among many who pass
for experienced Christians; yea, perhaps take upon them to be _teachers
in Israel_, to be the guides of other souls. Accordingly they know
and use but one medicine, whatever be the cause of the distemper. They
begin immediately to apply the promises, to _preach the gospel_, as
they call it. To give comfort is the single point at which they aim:
in order to which they say many soft and tender things, concerning the
love of God to poor, helpless sinners, and the efficacy of the blood
of Christ. Now this is _quackery_ indeed, and that of the worst sort,
as it tends, if not to kill men’s bodies, yet without the peculiar
mercy of God, to _destroy both_ their _bodies and souls in hell_.
It is hard to speak of these _daubers with untempered mortar_, these
promise-mongers, as they deserve. They well deserve the title which has
been ignorantly given to others: they are _spiritual mountebanks_. They
do, in effect, make _the blood of the covenant an unholy thing_. They
vilely prostitute the promises of God, by thus applying them to all,
without distinction. Whereas indeed the cure of spiritual, as of bodily
diseases, must be as various as are the causes of them. The first thing
therefore is, to find out the cause, and this will naturally point out
the cure.
2. For instance. Is it sin which occasions darkness? What sin? Is it
outward sin of any kind? Does your conscience accuse you of committing
any sin, whereby you grieve the Holy Spirit of God? Is it on this
account that he is departed from you, and that joy and peace are
departed with him? And how can you expect they should return, till
you put away the accursed thing? _Let the wicked forsake his way;
cleanse your hands, ye sinners; put away the evil of your doings._ So
shall your _light break out of obscurity: the_ Lord _will return and
abundantly pardon_.
3. If upon the closest search, you can find no sin of commission which
causes the cloud upon your soul, enquire next, if there be not some sin
of omission, which separates between God and you? Do you _not suffer
sin upon your brother_? Do you reprove them that sin in your sight?
Do you walk in all the ordinances of God? In public, family, private
prayer? If not, and you habitually neglect any one of these known
duties, how can you expect, that the light of his countenance should
continue to shine upon you? Make haste to _strengthen the things that
remain_: then your soul shall live. _To-day, if ye will hear his voice_,
by his grace supply what is lacking. When you _hear a voice behind you
saying, This is the way; walk thou in it: harden not your heart_: be
no more _disobedient to the heavenly calling_. Till the sin, whether of
omission or commission, be removed, all comfort is false and deceitful.
It is only skinning the wound over, which still festers and rankles
beneath. Look for no peace within till you are at peace with God; which
cannot be without _fruits meet for repentance_.
4. But perhaps you are not conscious of even any _sin of omission_,
which impairs your peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Is there not then
some _inward sin_, which as a _root of bitterness springs up_ in your
heart to _trouble you_? Is not your dryness and barrenness of soul
occasioned by your hearts _departing from the living_ God? Has not _the
foot of pride come against_ you? Have you not _thought_ of yourself
_more highly than you ought to think_? Have you not in any respect
_sacrificed to your own net, and burnt incense to your own drag_? Have
you not ascribed your success in any undertaking, to your own courage,
or strength, or wisdom? Have you not boasted of something _you have
received, as though you have not received it_? Have you not gloried _in
any thing save the cross of our_ Lord Jesus Christ? Have you not sought
after or desired the praise of men? Have you not taken pleasure in it?
If so, you see the way you are to take. If you have fallen by pride,
_humble yourself under the mighty hand of_ God, _and he will exalt you
in due time_. Have not you forced him to depart from you, by giving
place to anger? Have you not _fretted yourself because of the ungodly_,
or _been envious against the evil-doers_? Have you not been offended
at any of your brethren? Looking at their (real or imagined) sin, so as
to sin yourself against the great law of love, by estranging your heart
from them? Then look unto the Lord, that you may renew your strength,
that all this sharpness and coldness may be done away, that love and
peace and joy may return together, and you may be invariably _kind to
each other_ and _tender-hearted; forgiving one another, even as_ God
_for_ Christ’_s sake hath forgiven you_. Have not you given way to any
foolish desire? To any kind or degree of inordinate affection? How then
can the love of God have place in your heart, till you put away your
idols? _Be not deceived_: God _is not mocked_: he will not dwell in a
divided heart. As long therefore as you cherish _Delilah_ in your bosom,
he has no place there: it is vain to hope for a recovery of his light,
till you pluck out the right-eye and cast it from you. O let there be
no longer delay. Cry to him, that he may enable you so to do! Bewail
your own impotence and helplessness; and the Lord being your helper,
enter in at the strait gate: take the kingdom of heaven by violence!
Cast out every idol from his sanctuary, and the glory of the Lord shall
soon appear.
5. Perhaps it is this very thing, the want of striving, _spiritual
sloth_, which keeps your soul in darkness. You dwell at ease in
the land: there is no war in your coasts, and so you are quiet and
unconcerned. You go on in the same even track of outward duties, and
are content, there to abide. And do you wonder mean-time, that your
soul is dead? O stir yourself up before the Lord! Arise, and shake
yourself from the dust: wrestle with God for the mighty blessing.
Pour out your soul unto God in prayer, and continue therein with all
perseverance. Watch! Awake out of sleep and keep awake! Otherwise there
is nothing to be expected, but that you will be alienated more and more
from the light and life of God.
6. If upon the fullest and most impartial examination of yourself, you
cannot discern that you at present give way, either to spiritual sloth,
or any other inward or outward sin, then call to mind the time that is
past. Consider your former tempers, words and actions. Have these been
right before the Lord? _Commune with him in your chamber and be still_,
and desire of him to try the ground of your heart, and bring to your
remembrance whatever has at any time offended the eyes of his glory. If
the guilt of any unrepented sin remain on your soul, it cannot be but
you will remain in darkness, till having been _renewed by repentance_,
you are again washed by faith in the _fountain opened for sin and
uncleanness_.
7. Entirely different will be the manner of the cure, if the cause
of the disease be not sin, but _ignorance_. It may be, ignorance of
the meaning of scripture; perhaps occasioned by ignorant commentators;
ignorant at least in this respect, however knowing or learned they
may be in other particulars. And in this case, that ignorance must be
removed, before we can remove the darkness arising from it. We must
shew the true meaning of those texts, which have been misunderstood.
My design does not permit me to consider all the passages of scripture
which have been prest into this service. I shall just mention two or
three, which are frequently brought to prove, that all believers must,
sooner or later, _walk in darkness_.
8. One of these is _Isaiah_ l. 10. _Who is among you that feareth the_
Lord, _and obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness
and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the_ Lord, _and stay
upon his_ God. But how does it appear either from the text or context,
that the person here spoke of ever had light? One who is _convinced of
sin, feareth the_ Lord _and obeyeth the voice of his servant_. And him
we should advise, tho’ he was still dark of soul, and had never seen
the light of God’s countenance, yet to _trust in the name of the_ Lord,
_and stay upon his_ God. This text therefore proves nothing less, than
that a believer in Christ “must sometimes _walk in darkness_.”
9. Another text which has been supposed to speak the same doctrine, is
_Hosea_ ii. 14. _I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness,
and speak comfortably unto her._ Hence it has been inferred, that
God will bring every believer _into the wilderness_, into a state of
deadness and darkness. But it is certain, the text speaks no such thing.
For 1. It does not appear, that it speaks of particular believers at
all. It manifestly refers to the _Jewish_ nation; and perhaps, to that
only. But if it be applicable to particular persons, the plain meaning
of it is this, I will draw him by love: I will next convince him of sin,
and then comfort him by my pardoning mercy.
10. A third scripture from whence the same inference has been drawn,
is that above recited, _Ye now have sorrow: but I will see you again;
and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you_.
This has been supposed to imply, That God would, after a time withdraw
himself from all believers: and that they could not, till after they
had thus sorrowed, have the joy which no man could take from them. But
the whole context shews, that our Lord is here speaking personally to
the apostles, and no others; and that he is speaking concerning those
particular events, his own death and resurrection. _A little while_,
says he, _and ye shall not see me_, namely, whilst I am in the grave:
_And again, a little while, and ye shall see me_, when I am risen from
the dead. _Ye will weep and lament, and the world will rejoice: but
your sorrow shall be turned into joy――Ye now have sorrow_, because I am
about to be taken from your head. _But I will see you again_, after my
resurrection, _and your heart shall rejoice. And your joy_ which I will
then give you, _no man taketh from you_. All this we know was literally
fulfilled, in the particular case of the apostles. But no inference can
be drawn from hence, with regard to God’s dealings with believers in
general.
11. A fourth text (to mention no more) which has been frequently
cited, in proof of the same doctrine, is, 1 _Pet._ iv. 12. _Beloved,
think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you._
But this is full as foreign to the point as the preceding. The text,
literally rendered, runs thus. _Beloved, wonder not at the burning,
which is among you, which is for your trial._ Now however this may
be accommodated to inward trials, in a secondary sense, yet primarily
it doubtless refers to martyrdom, and the sufferings connected with
it. Neither therefore is this text any thing at all to the purpose
for which it is cited. And we may challenge all men to bring one text
either from the Old or New Testament, which is any more to the purpose
than this.
12. “But is not darkness much more profitable for the soul than light?
Is not the work of God in the heart, most swiftly and effectually
carried on, during a state of inward suffering? Is not a believer more
swiftly and throughly purified, by sorrow than by joy? By anguish and
pain and distress and spiritual martyrdoms, than by continual peace?”
So the _Mystics_ teach: so it is written in their books; but not in
_the oracles of_ God. The scripture no where says, that the absence
of God best perfects his work in the heart! Rather his presence, and a
clear communion with the Father and the Son. A strong consciousness of
this will do more in an hour, than his absence in an age. Joy in the
Holy Ghost will far more effectually purify the soul, than the want of
that joy. And the peace of God is the best means of refining the soul
from the dross of earthly affections. Away then with the idle conceit,
that the kingdom of God is divided against itself: that the peace of
God and joy in the Holy Ghost are obstructive of righteousness: and
that _we are saved_ not _by faith_, but by unbelief; not by hope, but
by despair!
13. So long as men dream thus, they may well _walk in darkness_: nor
can the effect cease, till the cause is removed. But yet we must not
imagine, it will immediately cease, even when the cause is no more.
When either ignorance or sin has caused darkness, one or the other
may be removed, and yet the light which was obstructed thereby, may
not immediately return. As it is the free gift of God, he may restore
it, sooner or later, as it pleases him. In the case of sin, we cannot
reasonably expect, that it should immediately return. The sin began
before the punishment, which may therefore justly remain, after the sin
is at an end. And even in the natural course of things, tho’ a wound
cannot be healed while the dart is sticking in the flesh, yet neither
is it healed as soon as that is drawn out; but soreness and pain may
remain long after.
14. Lastly, If darkness be occasioned by manifold, heavy and unexpected
temptations, the best way of removing and preventing this is, to
teach believers always to expect temptation: seeing they dwell in
an evil world, among wicked, subtle, malicious spirits, and have
an heart capable of all evil. Convince them that the whole work of
sanctification, is not (as they imagined) wrought at once: that when
they first believe, they are but as new-born babes, who are gradually
to grow up, and may expect many storms, before they come to the
full stature of Christ. Above all, let them be instructed, when the
storm is upon them, not to reason with the devil, but to pray; to
pour out their souls before God, and shew him of their trouble. And
these are the persons unto whom chiefly we are to apply the great
and precious promises: (not to the ignorant, till the ignorance is
removed; much less to the impenitent sinner.) To these we may largely
and affectionately declare the loving kindness of God our Saviour, and
expatiate upon his tender mercies, which have been ever of old. Here
we may dwell upon the faithfulness of God, whose _word is tried to the
uttermost_, and upon the virtue of that blood which was shed for us, to
_cleanse us from all sin_. And God will then bear witness to his word,
and bring their souls out of trouble. He will say, _Arise, shine; for
thy light is come, and the glory of the_ Lord _is risen upon thee_. Yea,
and that light, if thou walk humbly and closely with God, will shine
more and more _unto the perfect day_.