N00747:96
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]
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.
7. And they may be hereupon under sore Temptations to despair, and give up all hope: they may think themselves lost, and refuse to be comforted, be just ready to sign and seal the conclusion; not only that they are unregenerate, ⟨p. 49⟩but Reprobates too, and gotten beyond all hope of mercy: was it not so with them, Psal. 31.22. I said in my haste, I am cast out of thy sight, and Lam. 3.18. my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord; & Jonah 2.4. I am cast out of thy sight. There are indeed at such a time the efforts of Faith, but they are so languid, that they cannot tell what to make of them; although they are still such as God preserves, and never suffers them utterly to renounce or abandon their hopes in him; they shall many times utter contradictions in the same breath, which shall be a witness of two contrary principles wrestling in them: but still they known what to make of themselv••, and are fearfully tempted to despair, and ready to conclude that they can hold out no longer; and though such degrees of desertion as these, are not very frequent, yet sometimes God, to show his power, and let it be known what he can do in bringing of his to glory at l•st through the sorest Temptations, suffers it to be so.
7. And they may be hereupon under sore Temptations to despair, and give up all hope: they may think themselves lost, and refuse to be comforted, be just ready to sign and seal the conclusion; not only that they are unregenerate, ⟨p. 49⟩but Reprobates too, and gotten beyond all hope of mercy: was it not so with them, Psal. 31.22. I said in my haste, I am cast out of thy sight, and Lam. 3.18. my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord; & Jonah 2.4. I am cast out of thy sight. There are indeed at such a time the efforts of Faith, but they are so languid, that they cannot tell what to make of them; although they are still such as God preserves, and never suffers them utterly to renounce or abandon their hopes in him; they shall many times utter contradictions in the same breath, which shall be a witness of two contrary principles wrestling in them: but still they known what to make of themselv••, and are fearfully tempted to despair, and ready to conclude that they can hold out no longer; and though such degrees of desertion as these, are not very frequent, yet sometimes God, to shew his power, and let it be known what he can do in bringing of his to glory at l•st through the sorest Temptatio•s, suffers it to be so.
5. How long these Desertions may abide on a Child of God?
A. There are no certain limitations to ⟨p. 50⟩be set here, but we may take this general account of it.
1. That Gods Sovereignty is to be adored in these Dispensations. The best way to silence the cavillings of corrupt nature about the degree or duration of Gods absconding from his Children, •s that of Elihu, Job. 33.13. he giveth no account of any of his matters: and if we have risings of heart against this, God will, before he hath done with us, bring •s to acknowledge, that here is reason enough to stop our mouth•: so he did by Job.
1. That Gods Soveraignty is to be adored in these Dispensations. The best way to silence the cavellings of corrupt nature about the degree or duration of Gods absconding from his Children, •s that of Elihu, Job. 33.13. he giveth no account of any of his matters: and if we have risings of heart against this, God will, before he hath done with us, bring •s to acknowledge, that here is reason enough to stop our mouth•: so he did by Job.
2. Yet the Desertion shall last no longer than till the end of it is attained. God aims at something by it, and accordingly, useth it as a medium in order thereunto; and consequently he will continue it no longer then till he hath done that by it which he designed▪ it for; and this must needs be so, because God is infinitely wise, and will do no thing in vain: how then should he continue to do that which himself calls his strange work, any longer then there is occasion for it.
2. Yet the Desertion shall last no longer than till the end of it is attained. God aims at something by it, and accordingly, useth it as a medium in order thereunto; and consequently he will continue it no longer then till he hath done that by it which he designed▪ it for; and this must needs be so, because God is infinitely wise, and will do no thing in vain: how then should he continue to do that which himself calls his strange w•rk, any longer then there is occasion for it.
3. Hence those Desertions that are for Chastisement, usually end when we ⟨p. 51⟩are brought to Gods foot, and amended by them. If God corrects us for our folly, and we continue to be stout and refractory, or careless and regardless, it is not to be wondered if he proceed with us in this course; he hath therefore said, Hos. 5.15. I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence, and s••le my face: and David tells us, how long it was with him in this regard, and how he obtained a return, Psal. 33.3, 4, 5.
3. Hence those Desertions that are for Chastisement, usually end when we ⟨p. 51⟩are brought to Gods foot, and amended by them. If God corrects us for our folly, and we continue to be stout and refractory, or careless and regardless, it is not to be wondred if he proceed with us in this course; he hath therefore said, Hos. 5.15. I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence, and s••le my face: and David tells us, how long it was with him in this regard, and how he obtained a return, Psal. 33.3, 4, 5.
4 There are some Desertions that have their frequent revolutions: there are the turns that some of Gods Children are entertained withal: sometimes they are in the light, and anon in the dark; now they are lifted up, and presently they are cast down; and they can come to no settlement: God is not to be contended with when it is so; but if we search diligently, we may possibly find a satisfactory reason in our selves for it.
5. God will show his manifold wisdom in bringing of his to glory, & hence acts very differently with them in the exercise or trial of their graces. If God may be glorified by us, that should satisfy us; and in this way he gaineth great glory; hence,
5. God will shew his manifold wisdom in bringing of his to glory, & hence acts very differently with them in the exercise or trial of their graces. If God may be glorified by us, that should satisfie us; and in this way he gaineth great glory; hence,
1. Some have but few of these desertions, and those also very short: and they are carried the greater part of their life in a clear light: Of such we have the Psalmists remark, Psal. 89.15, 16. they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance; in thy name shall they rejoice all the day.
1. Some have but few of these desertions, and those also very short: and they are carried the greater part of their life in a clear light: Of such we have the Psalmists remark, Psal. 89.15, 16. they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance; in thy name shall they rejoyce all the day.
2. Others have more of these at their setting out, and afterward they enjoy a great serenity. God pleaseth to hold them a considerable time in the dark, before he makes remarkable discoveries of himself to them; though he gives them the grace, yet they want the comfort of it; but afterwards, after humble waiting, he comes in with his wondrous light, and replenisheth them with it; they find the meaning of that, Psal. 112.4. unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness; a cloudy day hath a serene sun-set, and in the evening it is light.
3. Others begin fair, but are afterwards tried with awful withdrawings God at first seals his love up to them, takes them into his chambers, and manifesteth his wonderful love to them: and after that he changeth his providence toward them, and they are carried into ⟨p. 53⟩deep waters, where there is no standing: when they have been Royally feasted with his love, they are called to the trial of their grace by his withdrawings. Such was the close of Davids Reign.
3. Others begin fair, but are afterwards tried with •wful withdrawings God at first seals his love up to them, takes them into his chambers, and manifesteth his wonderful love to them: and after that he changeth his providence toward them, and they are carried into ⟨p. 53⟩deep waters, where there is no standing: when they have been Royally feasted with his love, they are called to the trial of their grace by his withdrawings. Such was the close of Davids Reign.
4. Others have a dark time between; their beginning and ending is bright, but God interposeth a time of clouds and darkness, in which they feel no small exercise. So it was with Job.
5. Others are kept in the dark all their days; and possibly set in a cloud too; the Apostle speaks of some such, in Heb. 2.15. who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage; and we find the Psalmist thus representing of his own condition in this respect, Psal. 88.15. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. Now in all these things God brings about his own glory, and carries on the saving good of his Children, and is not to be disputed but adored in the arbitrary conduct which he affords them through life and time.
5. Others are kept in the dark all their days; and possibly set in a cloud too; the Apostle speaks of some such, in Heb. 2.15. who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage; and we find the Psalmist thus representing of his own condition in this respect, Psal. 88.15. I am afflicted and ready to dy from my youth up. Now in all these things God brings about his own glory, and carries on the saving good of his Children, and is not to be disputed but adored in the arbitrary conduct which he affords them through life and time.
Proposition 2. That his so hiding from them, i• troublesome and terrible to them; it is that which oppresseth, and almost sinks & overwhelms their spirits.
There are two things that may here ••me under consideration.
1. We may enquire into the nature and operation of this trouble.
