Have you heard of spiritual darkness?

Reading the Puritans can be difficult. In fact in today's world many of their sermons could be used for exercising the brain. The answer is to read them again and again.

Thomas Manton on Isaiah 50:10

Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of his servant, that walks in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.

—Isaiah 50:10 (kjv)

 “Sermon upon Isaiah 50:10” (The Complete Works of Thomas Manton, D.D. [London: James Nisbet, 1874], 18:51–61) gives great comfort to depressed and tried believers. Some editing has taken place, but nothing that would affect doctrine.

Thomas Manton's sermon

First, I will open this helpless and hopeless condition, which is here expressed by “walking in darkness,” and “seeing no light.”Isaiah 50:10

In the words there are three propositions:

   1. God’s people may sometimes be in such a condition as to walk in darkness and see no light.

   2. In the most sinking and dark times their great duty is to trust in the Lord.

   3. They that fear God and obey him are most encouraged to trust in him.

For the first point, that God’s people may sometimes be in such a condition as to walk in darkness and see no light.

First, I will open this helpless and hopeless condition, which is here expressed by “walking in darkness,” and “seeing no light.”

1. In the general, it notes great afflictions and dangers, which light upon the church and people of God; as Lam. 3:2. “He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light;” that is, into a very afflicted condition.

2. It notes the continuance and increase of affliction, when our night still grows darker, and all means of relief are utterly invisible to us: Isa. 59:9, “We wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.” It doth not only overtake them, but they had waited long for a change of condition.

3. When we are perplexed and embrangled in our troubles, and miss the true way of support under them. We are said to walk in darkness when we want either the light of direction or consolation.

[1.] The light of direction; and this with respect either to the understanding of our outward and common affairs, or with respect to our duty towards God under such afflictions.

(1.) As to the understanding or right management of our common affairs; being troubled and amazed, we are not able to take any good counsel and advice: Isa. 59:10, “We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes; we stumble at noon-day as in the night.” 

So Job 5:14, “They met with darkness in the day-time and grope in the noon-day as in the night.” It is a great judgment of God upon a people when counsel is perished from them, and they have not the judgment of ordinary men. It is threatened as a punishment on the disobedient:

 Deut. 28:29, “Thou shalt grope at noon-day as the blind gropes in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in they ways, and thou shalt only be oppressed and spoiled evermore, and none shall save thee.” Now thus it often befalls the people of God for their disobedience; they know now what course to take for their common safety.

For more of this sermon, please go to Broken Minds Hope for Healing When You Feel Like You're Losing It.  Appendix C.