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