N00747:208
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. To such as for the present, have more than ordinary discoveries of Christs love made unto them. There are such seasons with some of his people, wherein he makes extraordinary visits unto them, and bestows on them, not only comforting assurances, but raptures; they are as it were carried into the Third Heaven, and made to see and hear things that cannot be uttered; and though the transport may be soon over, yet the impressions of it may remain, and the soul continue under the joys of it: so it was with the Spouse, Cant. 2.3, 4. I ⟨p. 109⟩sat under his shadow with great delight, & his fruit was sweet to my taste: he brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. To such let me give this counsel.
3. To such as for the present, have more than ordinary discoveries of Christs love made unto them. There are such seasons with some of his people, wherein he makes extraordinary visits unto them, and bestows on them, not only comforting assurances, but raptures; they are as it were carried into the Third Heaven, and made to see and hear things that cannot be uttered; and though the transport may be soon over, yet the impressions of it may remai•, and the soul continue under the joyes of it: so it was with the Spouse, Cant. 2.3, 4. I ⟨p. 109⟩sat under his shadow with great delight, & his fruit was sweet to my tast: he brought me to the banqueting house, and his barner over me was love. To such let me give this counsel.
1. Take heed of being proud of these visits. Truly there is reason to be exceedingly glad of them; Christ doth therein wonderfully manifest his love to the Soul: but you have no reason to be High minded on this account: it is a free favour, and you ought to say, what am I that he should thus regard me a sinful worm? remember that these visits are not your ordinary repast; you must have something else to live upon. It may be you never had such a treat from him before, & possibly you shall never meet with such another, till you come to be lodged in his everlasting embraces: and if you begin to be lifted up, there is a Thorn ready to prick this bladder, as Paul had his for his prevention,