N00747:202
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.
2. To such as, after much darkness and distress, are gotten into the light. There are those whom God sees meet to keep under a cloud a great while; they seek him, but they cannot find him; they cry after him, but he doth not show himself to them, so as to let them apprehend his love, and discern the smiles of his countenance to their consolation: but after long waiting, & praying, and groaning, and many a longing look; at length he comes and darts in his refreshing light into them, with which he makes them glad, and their souls are abundantly satisfied with it: to such as these let me offer these counsels.
2. To such as, after much darkness and distress, are gotten into the light. There are those whom God sees meet to keep under a cloud a great while; they seek him, but they cannot find him; they cry after him, but he doth not shew himself to them, so as to let them apprehend his love, and discern the smiles of his countenance to their consolation: but after long waiting, & praying, and groaning, and many a longing look; at length he comes and darts in his refreshing light into them, with which he makes them glad, and their souls are abundantly satisfied with it: to such as these let me offer these counsels.
1. Acknowledge that it is Gods free grace that he comes at last. Account your selves well rewarded for all your waiting; and be so far from murmuring against him that he came no sooner, as to admire at his undeserved kindness that he would come at all. Let him then be entertained with all the Testimonies ⟨p. 105⟩of an heart ravished with his favour, and abundantly satisfied in hi• company: give him therefore all the welcome that possibly may be; express your gratitude to th• highest: let it now be seen in your whole carriage, that this change hath produced an answerable frame in your minds according as David tells us his did. Context verse 11. thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.