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 lovingkindness 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 L.

ON HEAVINESS THROUGH MANIFOLD

TEMPTATIONS.

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. ness is one thing; heaviness is another. There is a difference, yea, a wide and essential difference, between the former and the latter. And such a difference it is, as all the children of God are deeply concerned to understand: otherwise, nothing will be more easy, than for them to slide out of heaviness

Dark

into darkness. In order to prevent this, I will endeavour to shew,

I. What manner of persons those were, to whom the Apostle says, "Ye are in Heaviness:

II. What kind of Heaviness they were in:

III. What were the Causes and,

IV. What were the Ends of it. I shall conclude with some inferences.

I. 1. I am, in the First place, to shew, What manner of persons those were, to whom the Apostle says, "Ye are in Heaviness." And, First, It is beyond all dispute, that they were believers at the time the Apostle thus addressed them. For so he expressly says, ver. 5, "Ye who are kept through the power of God by faith unto salvation." Again, ver. 7, he mentions" the trial of their faith, much more precious than that of gold, which perisheth." And yet, again, ver. 9, he speaks of their "receiving the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls." At the same time, therefore, that they were "in heaviness," they were possessed of living faith. Their heaviness did not destroy their faith: They still" endured, as seeing him that is invisible."

2. Neither did their heaviness destroy their peace, the peace which passeth all understanding, which is inseparable from true, living faith. This we may easily gather from the second verse, wherein the Apostle prays, not that peace may be given them, but only, that it may "be multiplied unto them;" that the blessing, which they already enjoyed, might be more abundantly bestowed upon them.

3. The persons to whom the Apostle here speaks, were also full of a living hope. For thus he speaks, ver. 3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again," me and you, all of us who are "sanctified by the Spirit," and enjoy the "sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ," ""unto a living hope, to an inheritance," that is, unto a living hope of an inheritance, "incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away." So that, notwithstanding

their heaviness, they still retained an hope full of immortality.

4. And they still " rejoiced in hope of the glory of God.' They were filled with joy in the Holy Ghost. So, ver. 8, the Apostle having just mentioned the final " Revelation of Jesus Christ," (namely, when he cometh to judge the world), immediately adds, "In whom, though now ye see him not," (not with your bodily eyes,)" yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory." Their heaviness, therefore, was not only consistent with a living hope, but also with joy unspeakable: at the same time they were thus heavy, they, nevertheless, rejoiced with joy full of glory.

5. In the midst of their heaviness, they likewise still enjoyed the love of God, which had been shed abroad in their hearts;-"whom," says the Apostle, "having not seen, ye love." Though ye have not seen him face to face, yet, knowing him by faith, ye have obeyed his word, "My son, give me thy heart." He is your God, and your Love, and desire of your eyes, and your "exceeding great reward.” Ye have sought, and found happiness in him; ye delight in the Lord, and he hath given you your hearts' desire."

6. Once more. Though they were heavy, yet were they holy: they retained the same power over sin. They were still "kept" from this "by the power of God:" they were “obedient children, not fashioned according to their former desires," but, "as he that had called them is holy," so were they "holy in all manner of conversation." Knowing they were "redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, as a Lamb without spot and without blemish," they had, through the faith and hope which they had in God, "purified their souls by the Spirit." So, that, upon the whole, their heaviness well consisted with faith, with hope, with love of God and man, with joy in the Holy Ghost, with inward and outward holiness. It did no way impair, much less destroy, any part of the work of God in their hearts. It did not at all interfere with the "sanctification of the Spirit," which is the root of all true obedience; neither with the happiness,

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which must needs result from grace and peace, reigning in

the heart.

II. 1. Hence, we may easily learn what kind of heaviness they were in The Second thing which I shall endeavour to shew. The word in the original is λundevres, made sorry, grieved, from λvæn, grief, or sorrow. This is the constant, literal meaning of the word: and, this being observed, there is no ambiguity in the expression, nor any difficulty in understanding it. The persons spoken of here, were grieved: The heaviness they were in was neither more nor less than sorrow, or grief; a passion, which every child of man is well acquainted with.

2. It is probable our translators rendered it heaviness, (though a less common word,) to denote two things, First, The degree; and next, The continuance of it. It does, indeed, seem, that it is not a slight or inconsiderable degree of grief which is here spoken of, but such as makes a strong impression upon, and sinks deep into, the soul. Neither does this appear to be a transient sorrow, such as passes away in an hour: but, rather, such as, having taken fast hold of the heart, is not presently shaken off, but continues, for some time, as a settled temper, rather than a passion, even in them that have a living faith in Christ, and the genuine love of God in their hearts.

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3. Even in these, this heaviness may sometimes be so deep, as to overshadow the whole soul, to give a colour, as ́it were, to all the affections, such as will appear in the whole behaviour. It may, likewise, have an influence over the body particularly in those that are either of a naturally weak constitution, or are weakened by some accidental disorder, especially of the nervous kind. In many cases we find "the corruptible body presses down the soul:" in this, the soul rather presses down the body, and weakens it more and more. Nay, I will not say, that deep and lasting sorrow of heart, may not, sometimes, weaken a strong con. stitution, and lay the foundation of such bodily disorders, as are not easily removed. And yet all this may consist with a measure of that faith which still worketh by love.