Answ. 2 Secondly: If a man be so in the dark, as yet he can see to work, and dig up pits; it argues, that the darkness, is but the darkness of a cloud; a man cannot see to work artificially in the night, but though there be much darkness by reason of a cloud, yet he may see to work, and to dig up pits because it is day. Now in Psalm, 84. the Psalmist faith, at verse 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, and in whose hearts are the ways of them, who passing through the Valley of Baca, dig up pits, the rain also filleth the pits, they go from strength to strength, till they appear before God in Zion. It is an allusion to the practice of the Jews, when some of them went up to Jerusalem, their way lay through the Valley of Baca, which was a very dry Valley, where no houses were, where no Water was for their relief and refreshment; whereupon they digged up pits, and to the rain fell, and they were refreshed, got strength, and went on to Jerusalem, where they saw the Lord in his Ordinances: So saith the Psalmist, Blessed are they in whose heart the Law of God is. There are a Generation ⟨p. 50⟩of men in the world, that have the Law of God in their hearts, though they cannot act and work towards God as they would; these sometimes are in a dry, and barren condition, where no Water or Comfort is; yet if in this condition, they dig up pits, go to prayer, wait upon God in Duty, though they find no Comfort springing up in their Duty for the present, yet in due time, the rain of Gods Blessing will fill those dry pits, and empty duties, whereby their Life shall be like unto a Pool of Water, and they shall go from strength of Grace, to strength of Grace, till they see the Lord. Know ye therefore, any man that is in this Valley of Baca, where no Water is, yet if he can find in his heart to dig up pits, to pray, read, hear, meditate, confer, and perform Duties, though those duties be empty of Comfort for the present, yet the rain of Grace and Mercy shall fall upon those Pits, and he shall go from strength to strength, till he appears before the Lord in Glory. Now thus it is with the Saints, though darkness, and a great darkness be upon them, yet in that dark condition they are still digging up pits, and therefore this darkness is not the darkness of the night, but the darkness of a cloud, and they may say, this is a cloudy darkness, and it will over ere long.
Answ. 2 Secondly: If a man be so in the dark, as yet he can see to work, and dig up pits; it argues, that the darkness, is but the darkness of a cloud; a man cannot see to work artificially in the night, but though there be much darkness by reason of a cloud, yet he may see to work, and to dig up pits because it is day. Now in Psalm, 84. the Psalmist faith, at verse 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, and in whose hearts are the waies of them, who passing through the Valley of Baca, dig up pits, the rain also filleth the pits, they go from strength to strength, till they appear before God in Zion. It is an allu•ion to the practice of the Jews, when some of them went up to Jerusalem, their way lay through the Valley of Baca, which was a very dry Valley, where no houses were, where no Water was for their relief and refreshment; whereupon they digged up pits, and to the rain fell, and they were refreshed, got strength, and went on to Jerusalem, where they saw the Lord in his Ordinances: So saith the Psalmist, Blessed are they in whose heart the Law of God is. There are a Generation ⟨p. 50⟩of men in the world, that have the Law of God in their hearts, though they cannot act and work towards God as they would; these somtimes are in a dry, and barren condition, where no Water or Comfort is; yet if in this condition, they dig up pits, go to prayer, wait upon God in Duty, though they find no Comfort springing up in their Duty for the present, yet in due time, the rain of Gods Blessing will fill those dry pits, and empty duties, whereby their Life shall be like unto a Pool of Water, and they shall go from strength of Grace, to strength of Grace, till they see the Lord. Know ye therefore, any man that is in this Valley of Baca, where no Water is, yet if he can find in his heart to dig up pits, to pray, read, hear, meditate, confer, and perform Duties, though those duties be empty of Comfort for the present, yet the rain of Grace and Mercy shall fall upon those Pits, and he shall go from strength to strength, till he appears before the Lord in Glory. Now thus it is with the Saints, though darkness, and a great darkness be upon them, yet in that dark condition they are still digging up pits, and therefore this darkness is not the darkness of the night, but the darkness of a cloud, and they may say, this is a cloudy darkness, and it wil over ere long.
