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.