.Book IV. AFFLICTION CO~PARE~ TO DARKNESS. 'Approach of the Sun fuddenly di!Tolved, the Waters dried up, and the Earth dreJTed 'in her holy-day Apparel; fuch a mature Growth of Fmits, fuch ftourilhino- of Herbs 'fuch chirping of B~rds, as if it were a perpetual Sprino-.' Even thus, ~fter a cold Winter of Affliction, lhall the Cburch, or a particular Soul be relieved by a fweet and cqmfortable Summer of Profperity. N F E R E N C E ~ I. THIS may help the Godly to bear up under AffliCtions and Sufferings in this World: What though they be pmchmg and troublefome whilfr they lafl, yet they have a very good Effect. Lrke as Froft mellows the Earth, and after it the Clods crumble eaGiy; whereas if there was no Winter, no Frail:, they would be more ftiff, and not fit for the Hulbandman: So thy Heart is hereby made mellow, and more meet and fit to receive the good Seed. Froft dries up the ill Humors of the Earth ; fo do Afflictions thofe of the Soul, &c. The Winter-frof!s kill the \'Ieeds and Worm• which eat the Roots, and hinder the Growth of Herbs and Corn : So AffliEtions rend to kill our Lufrs, thofe Weeds and \'forms that breed and grow in our Hearts always, hindering our Fruitfulnefs in Grace, and true Godlinefs. - II. You know Fire does well in Winter, to warm the Blood, &c. So the Fire of the Spirit will warm and heat thy Soul in and under AffliCtions and Temptations; get therefore near it, and labor to experience its powerful Operations. See 'The Word and Spirit compared to Fire. Ilt It may reprove fuch who are difcontentcd under Afflictions; they would not be in fuch and fuch a troubled Condition, &c, Alas! Soul, will a wife Man be angry and offended with the Winter? Wouldef! tbou have all Summer and no 'vVinrer? all Peace and Profperity, and no Adverfity? Confider how neceJTary Winter is. AFFLIcT I 0 N COMPARED TO DARKNEss. Bel.old 'rrouble and Darknefs, &c. Ifa. viii. 22. And brought me into Darknefs, &c. Lam. iii. 2. A Dsy of Darknefs, &c. joel ii. 2. DARKNESS is taken properly. or metaphorically. - L Properly; Darknefs is nothing elfe but a Privation of Light; it is no pofitiv~ Creature, it hath no Caulc in Nature, but is the Confcquent of the Sun's Abfence. 2. Metaphorically, or improperly; it fignifies divas Things: (L) The State of Na– ture, or llnregeneracy, or deep Alienation from the Life of God: Ye that were fame– times Darknefs, &c. Eph. v. R, I I. (2.) Several Sins wherein wicked Men live. (3.) D&nion. (4.) The Grave. (5.) Hell. (6.) Afflictions. NOfe. Afflictions, Calamities, and fpiritual Defertions, may be compared to Darknefs, P A R A L L E L ~ !.DARKNESS is a judgment; thick Darknefs was one of the Plagues of Egypt: So fame Calamitres and fevere Affitctrons are brought upon a People or Nanon, as a jufl and dreadful Judgment of God. I!. Natural Darknets is occafioned by the Abfence of the Sun, and Obfcurity of the other Luminaries of H eaven: So tome Afflictions and Calamities areoccafioned by the Abfence of the Lig:a of God's Word, and hiding of his Face. When the Gofpd is taken away from a People, that People are prefently involved in thick Darknefs, which is a mof\ fore and fearful .Judgment. Ill. Darknt15 is very uncomfortable, it is a dolefome Thing to have no Light: So to be under fome t\ffli{bon,, efpecially Defcnion, is the moll: uncomfortable State in the World. IV. Darknds caufeth a Man to lofe his Way, and wander about, and expofeth him to many Dangers: So fpiritual Darknels caufes a Man to flumble. Walk whil}i tho~ have the Light, left D"rknefs come upon )'OU; for he that wa/kcth in Darknefs, kno-weth 11ot whither he goeth, John xii. 35· Give Glory to the Lord your God, before he cauft your Feet to jlumble upon !he dark J'v[ountains ; and whiljl you lo•k for Light, he lum it ZJJto tbe_Sbado·:u of Du11h, ]er. xiii. 16. V. There
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