Among all the Dispensations of Gods Providence towards the Children of Men, in this World, there are none more awful and mysterious, than the Desertions which he sometimes exerciseth his own withal. Whatsoever trials they meet with in this World, as long as they can ⟨p. 6⟩go up and down in the light of Gods countenance, all is well; but when once that is last, nothing can afford them any […]. There are two sorts of Professors in the Visible Church; C•rna• men, who never experienced the gracious presence of God with them, and are not therefore sensible of their want of it; but if they can enjoy his common goodness, all pleaseth them, and they seek no farther; and if they are in trouble at any time, it is only for want of these things: and Gracious Souls, who have been made apprehensive of the Love of God, and felt the preciousness of Communion with him; which if it be at any time withdrawn, they quickly repent it, and it brings them into great distress; and because it is now a time wherein God seems more than ordinary, to treat his Children with such Providences as these, […] may no• be amiss for the help of these, to treat a little on this Subject. I find by my observation, many of those, if not the most, whom I have occasion to treat with about their Soul Concerns, who are serious, to be much in the dark, and not a little perplexed about their Spiritual State, and ready to say of themselves ⟨p. 7⟩as she, Gen. 25.22. If it be so, why am I thus? I shall therefore endeavour▪ by Gods help, to open this malady, and prescribe the remedy which he hath […] down in his word. We have this Ca•• here instanced in David. That David was the Pen man of this Psalm, appears by the Ti••e; the occasion of it is also intimated the•e: at the Dedication of his House: but Interpreters are at a loss about the proper meaning of it. Some read it, A Psalm and Song of David at the Dedication of the [or that] House, viz. the Temple, which though he lived not to see dedicated, yet, as a Prophet, he prepared this Song then to be Sung▪ Others read it as our Translation, and suppose that it intends the Dedication of his own House; though some observe that all the Hebrew Expositors carry it in […] former sense. The word translated Dedication, properly signifies, to initiate▪ or introduce a thing into its use.
AMong all the Dispensations of Gods Providence towards the Children of Men, in this World, there are none more awful and mysterious, than the Desertions which he sometimes exerciseth his own withal. Whatsoever trials they meet with in this World, as long as they can ⟨p. 6⟩go up and down in the light of Gods countenance, all is well; but when once that is last, nothing can afford them any 〈…〉. There are two sorts of Professors in the Visible Church; C•rna• men, who never experienced the gracious presence of God with them, and are not therefore sensible of their want of it; but if they can enjoy his common goodness, all pleaseth them, and they seek no farther; and if they are in trouble at any time, it is only for want of these things: and Gracious Souls, who have been made apprehensive of the Love of God, and felt the preciousness of Communion with him; which if it be at any time withdrawn, they quickly repent it, and it brings them into great distress; and because it is now a time wherein God seems more than ordinary, to treat his Children with such Providences as these, 〈…〉 may no• be amiss for the help of these, to treat a little on this Subject. I find by my observation, many of those, if not the most, whom I have occasion to treat with about their Soul Concerns, who are serious, to be much in the dark, and not a little perplexed about their Spiritual State, and ready to say of themselves ⟨p. 7⟩as she, Gen. 25.22. If it be so, why am I thus? I shall therefore endeavour▪ by Gods help, to open this malady, and prescribe the remedy which he hath 〈…〉 down in his word. We have this Ca•• here instanced in David. That David was the Pen man of this Psalm, appears by the Ti••e; the occasion of it is also intimated the•e: at the Dedication of his House: but Interpreters are at a loss about the proper meaning of it. Some read it, A Psalm and Song of David at the Dedication of the [or that] House, viz. the Temple, which though he lived not to see dedicated, yet, as a Prophet, he prepared this Song then to be Sung▪ Others read it as our Translation, and suppose that it intends the Dedication of his own House; though some observe that all the Hebrew Expositors carry it in former sense. The word translated Dedication, properly signifies, to initiate or introduce a thing into its use.
