The smoke of the pit
If the light which is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness. If the intention which ought to enlighten the whole soul, to fill it with knowledge and love and peace, and which in fact does so as long as it is single, as long as it aims at God alone, if this is darkness, if it aims at anything besides God, and consequently covers the soul with darkness instead of light, with ignorance and error, with sin and misery: O how great is that darkness. It is the very smoke which ascends out of the bottomless pit (Revelation 9:2). It is the essential night which reigns in the lowest deep, in the land of the shadow of death.
1771 text
If the light which is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! If the intention which ought to enlighten the whole soul, to fill it with knowledge, and love, and peace, and which, in fact, does so as long as it is single, as long as it aims at God alone: if this be darkness; if it aim at any thing beside God, and consequently cover the soul with darkness instead of light, with ignorance and error, with sin and misery: O how great is that darkness! It is the very smoke which ascends out of the bottomless pit! It is the essential night, which reigns in the lowest deep, in the land of the shadow of death.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 28 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 6:19-23.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.