N00747:181
Spiritual desertions discovered and remedied. Being the substance of divers sermons preached for the…
Spiritual desertions discovered and remedied. Being the substance of divers sermons preached for the help of dark souls, labouring under divine withdrawings. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. ; [Four lines from Isaiah]
printed by B. Green for Michael Perry and Benjamin Eliot, 1699
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. And these changes many times have their frequent revolutions. It is not only thus for once and away, but the Sun of righteousness now shines bright upon them, anon it is beclouded, and then it breaks out again, but presently a sable cloud interposeth. No wonder then if there are such alterations in their carriage, when there is such a change in Gods discovering of himself to them. The coming & going of the Sun makes Summer & Winter. And indeed, though it be always our duty to be in the exercise of our faith, yet it becomes us to ⟨p. 89⟩carry our selves in the exercising of it, suitably to Gods providence in the displays of it to us. It is the wise mans advice, Ec••. 7.14. In the day of prosperity rejoice, and in the day of adversity consider. And Christ himself gave that observation in Math. 9.15. Can the Children of the bride chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but, &c. And if in these they also discover much of sinful frailty, it is not to be admired, since their grace is weak, and their corruption strong, and ready to take the advantage of an hour of Temptation to exert it self forcibly.
3. And these changes many times have their frequent revolutions. It is not only thus for once and away, but the Sun of righteousness now shines bright upon them, anon it is beclouded, and then it breaks out again, but presently a sable cloud interposeth. No wonder then if there are such alterations in their carriage, when there is such a change in Gods discovering of himself to them. The coming & going of the Sun makes Summer & Winter. And indeed, though it be always our duty to be in the exercise of our faith, yet it becomes us to ⟨p. 89⟩carry our selves in the exercising of it, suitably to Gods providence in the displays of it to us. It is the wise mans advice, Ec••. 7.14. In the day of prosperity rejoyce, and in the day of adversity consider. And Christ himself gave that observation in Math. 9.15. Can the Children of the bride chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but, &c. And if in these they also discover much of sinful frailty, it is not to be admired, since their grace is weak, and their corruption strong, and ready to take the advantage of an hour of Temptation to exert it self forcibly.