Spiritual desertions discovered and remedied. Being the substance of divers sermons preached for the…

4. Labour to testify your resentment of this kindness by an answerable holy walking. How holily should they live ⟨p. 107⟩ever after, whom God hath brought out of the horrible pit, and set them upon a rock? if God hath now set you in the light of his countenance, let your light shine accordingly, so that it may appear that you have intimate converse with Jesus, that the influence of his favour is accompanied with the influence of his grace, exciting all the graces in you to a more vigorous exercise. How fast should Christians grow when they live under the refreshing beams of the Sun of Righteousness irradiating of them? the Psalmist saith, Psal. 92.13, 14. those that are planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of our God: they shall still bring forth fruit in their old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.

3. Be sure now to lay in for a dark time. It is now summer with you, and that is a season to provide in against Winter; and to neglect it will be egregious folly. Christ hath now taken your into his banqueting house; be sure to take this happy advantage to establish your faith, and every grace. Think there may come a spending time again, and how much it concerns you to be better stored against it comes, than formerly: ⟨p. 108⟩Consider therefore, and suppose you hear God saying to you, as once he did to the Prophet, 1 King. 19.7. arise and eat, because the Journey is too great for thee. Now lay up experiences, now record the evidences which are so clearly given your of his love to you, and the confirmations of your safe and good estate; that when other witness fails, as it may, you may have this to support you then. If you neglect thus to do, it will be no small disadvantage to you in a shock of desertion, which you cannot tell how soon you may be afresh assaulted withal.