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_. SERMON XLVII. 1 PETER i. 6. _Now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations._ 1. IN the preceding discourse I have particularly spoken of that _darkness_ of mind, into which those are often observed to fall, who once walked in the light of God’s countenance. Nearly related to this is the _heaviness_ of soul, which is still more common, even among believers: indeed almost all the children of God, experience this, in an higher or lower degree. And so great is the resemblance between one and the other, that they are frequently confounded together: and we are apt to say indifferently, such an one is in _darkness_, or such an one is in _heaviness_; as if they were equivalent terms, one of which implied no more than the other. But they are far, very far from it. Darkness is one thing; heaviness is another. There is a difference, yea a wide, an essential difference, between the former and the latter. And such a difference it is, as all the children of God are deeply concern’d to understand: otherwise nothing will be more easy than for them to slide out of heaviness into darkness. In order to prevent this, I will endeavour to shew,