due season, " our light shall shine in obscurity, and our dark- ness be as the noonday1."]
Address —
1. Those who are walking in the light of their own carnal enjoyments —
[Truly it is but a taper that ye possess, whilst ye are
regardless of the radiance of the noonday sun And
what does God say to you ? " Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks ; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled : but this shall ye have of mine hand at last, ye shall He down in sorrow"1." " Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry : behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed : behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit"."]
2. Those who, though Israelites indeed, are yet walking in somewhat of a gloomy frame —
[We have before said, that such seasons may occur : but the direction given you by God himself is that which must be your consolation and support : " Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, and yet walk- eth in darkness and hath no light ? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God0." There may be reasons for the withdrawment of light from your souls, reasons of which you at present have no conception. Peradventure God has seen that you have not duly improved the former manifes- tations of his love ; or he may see that an uninterrupted con- tinuance of them might give advantage to Satan to puff you up with pride. But, whether you can trace these suspensions of the divine favour to any particular cause or not, learn at all events to justify God in them, and to improve them for the deeper humiliation of your souls : and look forward to that blessed period when you shall " dwell in the light as God is in the light," and enjoy a day that shall never end1'.]
1 Isai. lviii. 10. m Isai. 1. 11. n Isai. lxv. 13, 14.
0 Isai. 1. 10. p 1 John i, 7. Rev. xxi. 23. and xxii. 5.