Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace…

A ad. Direction, for Answer to it, is, When men cannot discern any Temptation, or Distemper in themselves, but that they are content to hear what Conscience would say to them, and yet cannot take it up, then they would set themselves to try whither that silence proceeds from some sinful Cause in themselves, justly procuring that silence of Conscience, as a punishment to them, or from some Sovereign Cause in God, ordering that silence to try them, and to humble them, and that they may, by being kept a while in the mist, more singly give proof ⟨p. 133⟩of their dependency on him: For, as in other afflictions so in this, sometimes God will exercise his Sovereignty, and if it be once known to be for trial, the thing that we are called to, is sweetly silent submission to God, and allowing him so to dispose of us as he pleases; As that Word, Isa. 50. v. 10. holds forth, He that walks in darkness, and sees no light, let him in that Case, stay himself on the Lord; He may be kept quiet, and from thwarting with God, if he can take up that to be his design; But if some sinful Cause hes procured this, Men are put to it, as they would not lie under any effects of Gods anger, to be dealing with him, to have that cause, that hes brought it on removed, that in due time, this sad effect of it may be removed also. It is true, that as in other Cases, so in this, it is not Ordinary nor Common for God to afflict His People with Darkness, without some sinful Cause; And we may easily know, that among men, who have corruption in them, there is no trial that comes on them, but there is some cause in themselves, that may procure it, and so may keep them in the dark if God should narrowly mark it: And hence we may gather, that it is very difficult to discern rightly, by clear evidence the one of these from the other; Yet we think in every case it is not absolutely necessary, for godly persons to conclude a designed controversy for sin, though they can never go wrong to take with sin, albeit yet they would not always bind it on God, as if he were quarrelling for it, though he might very justly do so.

A ad. Direction, for Answer to it, is, When men cannot discern any Temptation, or Distemper in themselves, but that they are content to hear what Conscience would say to them, and yet cannot take it up, then they would set themselves to try whither that silence proceeds from some sinful Cause in themselves, justly procuring that silence of Conscience, as a punishment to them, or from some Soveraign Cause in God, ordering that silence to try them, and to humble them, and that they may, by being keeped a while in the mist, more singly give proof