An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…

Fourthly, A fourth expounds it of internal darkness, the darkness of his spirit, or of those mists and clouds which hang about his mind. A godly man falling into this darkness, doth not actually believe he shall return out of it (for such a faith were his return out of it) but a wicked man as he hath no ground, so no possibility (continuing in the state he is) to believe it. Saul had a woeful dark spirit, and believed not that he should return out of it, by the help of God; therefore he went to a Witch (a Counsellor of the Prince of darkness) for help.

Fourthly, A fourth expounds it of internall darknesse, the darknesse of his spirit, or of those mists and clouds which hang about his minde. A godly man falling into this darknesse, doth not actually beleeve he shall returne out of it (for such a faith were his returne out of it) but a wicked man as he hath no ground, so no possibility (continuing in the state he is) to beleeve it. Saul had a wofull dark spirit, and beleeved not that he should returne out of it, by the helpe of God; therefore he went to a Witch (a Counsellour of the Prince of darknesse) for helpe.

But fifthly, I rather conceive, as often elsewhere, so here, by darkness is meant, outward affliction. When the destroyer comes upon him, and he is cast into a sad dark condition, he hath no faith for himself, that he shall return out of it, or be delivered from it. This is an extreme aggravation of the miserable state of a wicked man, who either hath no outward prosperity, or his prosperity is nothing to him, he enjoys it not; but if ever he fall into outward misery, how great is his misery, so great that he gives himself for gone, a lost man for ever: He believes not that he shall return out of darkness.

But fifthly, I rather conceive, as often elsewhere, so here, by darknesse is meant, outward affliction. When the destroyer comes upon him, and he is cast into a sad darke condition, he hath no faith for himselfe, that he shall returne out of it, or be delivered from it. This is an extreame agravation of the miserable state of a wicked man, who either hath no outward prosperity, or his prosperity is nothing to him, he enjoyes it not; but if ever he fall into outward misery, how great is his misery, so great that he gives himselfe for gone, a lost man for ever: He beleeves not that he shall returne out of darknesse.