more intelligent, consistent, holy, and zealous Christians, than those with whom you are in communion. Be assured, that mere preference to person, manner, or voice, would not have been thought, in the apostles's days, sufficient cause for shifting from one church to another. After all, I would intreat you to consult personally and impartially the wisest and most holy Christians you know. Lay the whole case before them, which is more than you can do in a Magazine. And why not consult your own minister himself in a serious, humble, and affectionate manner. Above all, consult the "Wonderful Counsellor;" and be assured, that if you commit your way sincerely to him, he will perform the promise, “I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shouldest go, and will guide thee with mine eye.”

CAUSES OF SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.

"WHAT are the particular causes of that great spiritudl darkness which some eminent Christians labor under; and what are the special ends to be answered by it?"

Answer. THE question implies, that it is a fact that some eminent Christians labor under great spiritual darkness; and if the fact be admitted, as I think it must, our present business is to inquire into the causes of it, and to shew what special ends are answered by it.

Respecting the first, we all acknowledge that God is a Sovereign in the dispensation of his favors; and that there are many instances in which, though without doubt he has a reason for what he does, yet we cannot perceive it. There was much of this sovereign wis

dom in his dealings with Job. Great and good men in all ages have experienced their seasons of darkness under which their only remedy has been to wait upon the Lord, who had hid his face from them, and to look for him. But though there are cases in which we can only say that it pleaseth God, from reasons unknown to us, to suspend his favors, yet there are others in which the want of spiritual enjoyment may be accounted for.

I say nothing on the case of a person who shall indulge himself in any known sin, or live in the neglect of any known duty, as the question respects those characters only who are considered as "eminent Christians.” Concerning these, the following particulars are submitted to consideration.

First, Such darkness of mind may be owing to the want of clearer light into the glorious gospel of God our Savior. The gospel is a scheme of sovereign grace, intended to display the glory of the Divine character in the salvation of sinners through Jesus Christ. Now if a good man's views of the gospel be partial, or confused, or attended with obscurity, his faith in its leading truths must be proportionally weak, and attended with many interruptions in its exercise. But if our faith in those truths, which exhibit the great blessings of salvation, be weak and wavering, the evidences of an interest in them will be faint and low; and of course, if we be not lost in insensibility, we shall experience much of a dark and discouraged state of mind.

Secondly, Such a state of mind may arise from mistaken views of the Christian character. If we attribute that to a Christian, at all times, which is true of him only on certain occasions, we shall paint him in a light in

which truth will not bear us out. And if we proceed to judge of the reality of our religion not by the nature, but the degree of it; and conclude, that because we do not, in the general course of our lives possess that heavenly-mindedness which has been possessed by other Christians on special occasions, therefore our religion is vain, we shall plunge ourselves into the depths of despondency.

It is true, that in describing that loveliness of character after which every Christian must aspire, we do not, and ought not, as ministers, to introduce any thing but pure Christianity. It would be unbecoming in us to hold up the faults and defects of good men as objects of imitation; yea, it would be disloyal to God, o employ ourselves in deciding upon the degrees of sinful imperfection, which might possibly accompany true religion. It would resemble the conduct of an unprincipled lawyer, who should be employed in teaching his countrymen how far they might proceed in evading the laws, without being exposed to punishment. But though the highest degrees of grace and heavenly-mindedness must be the object of our pursuit, yet the attainment of those degrees is not a criterion of sincerity. The bruised reed was not broken, nor the smoking flax quenched, by our compassionate Redeemer.

Thirdly, In some Christians, who are eminent for their humility, piety, and close walking with God in duty, this state of mind may be supposed to arise from a natural gloominess of temper and constitution. It is reasonable to suppose, that our natural temper will mix itself with our religious affections; and make a deep impres sion upon our spirit and general deportment, either in VOL. III.

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favor of cheerfulness or melancholy. A gloomy constitution will dispose us to be always viewing the dark side of the cloud, and therefore will generally be accompanied with doubts, fears, and darkness of mind. Such Christians, though they labor after the destruction of sin, yet they seem to think the joys and comforts of the Gospel a kind of forbidden fruit, or things which do not belong to them. Thus, like a distempered eye, they view every object as distorted, inverted, and discolored.

Fourthly, Another cause of this state of mind may be, a dwelling too much in our thoughts upon ourselves, and looking too little to Christ, and the free promises of the Gospel.

It is true that sanctification is the evidence, and the only evidence of an interest in Christ and eternal life; but it is not by continually poring over this evidence, that it will become bright and satisfactory. On the contrary, if, instead of drawing our principal enjoyments from what Christ is, we look for comfort from what we feel in our own minds; we shall not only be disappointed, but a kind of legal bias will be given to our spirit, which is certain to gender to bondage and darkness.

But whatever be the causes from whence such a state of mind may arise, there are wise ends to be answered, no doubt, in its being permitted. Some of these may be as follows:

First, In some instances it may be designed to mortify pride. In many cases it may be the means of curing, or preserving us from vain confidence. There is that degree of corruption in the hearts of the best of men, that, were it not checked in its growth by some

means, would, in various circumstances exalt them above measure. Many an excellent character, had he not been humbled by a degree of habitual dejection, might have fallen a prey to other kinds of temptation, and have marred for ever his credit, comfort, and usefulness.

Secondly, In other cases, particularly in those of ministers, it may be designed to make them capable of the greater sympathy and compassion towards weak believers; and to qualify them for speaking a word in season to those who labor under spiritual darkness and discouragements. The Apostles were afflicted for the sake of others, that they might be able to comfort them with the same comforts wherewith they themselves were comforted of God.

Thirdly, It may be intended to wean them from the present world, and make them long after a state of unmixed light and joy. It is very possible too, that the heavenly enjoyment may be abundantly heightened and sweetened by its succeeding to a state of darkness and dejection. It is not very difficult to conceive, that the amazing transition from darkness to light, and the joyful disappointment of all their fears, should furnish a source of bliss in the world to come, to which other Christians may, perhaps, be comparatively strangers.

W. C.