The case and cure of a deserted soule, or, A treatise concerning the nature, kindes, degrees, symptomes, causes, cure of, and mistakes about spirituall desertions by Jos. Symonds ...

CHAP. XXV. Three counsels to such as are deserted.

NOw I come to deale with such as are forced to draw this sad conclu∣sion against themselves, that God hath departed from them: and I feare when men seriously consider what hath beene said, that it will be found that not a few have cause to sit downe in the dust and to poure out teares in the sad sense of their grievous losse of the quickning presence of God; Me thinkes it is visi∣ble in some that they are changed, and have declined from that lustre, life and activity of spirit, which seemed once to be aloft, and to be elevated to an ex∣cellent height of holinesse, and heaven∣ly mindednesse, but now lyeth grovel∣ing in the dust, with clouds and chaines of evident darknesse and death upon them. And now I wish for such a spirit, that I might come to them with like successe, as the Angel to S. Peter when he lay sleeping in the prison. The An∣gel

of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison, and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, arise up quickly, and his chaines fell off from his hands, and he went out and followed the Angel. Acts 12.7.9. God hath sent us also to strike off mens chaines, and to open the iron gate that leades in∣to the spirituall City, and hath given us the hammer, Ier. 23.29. and with it the key of the Gospell, Luke 11.52. And oh that he would mannage these by his strength, that men might be de∣livered that are in prison.

In dealing with such, I will take this course to draw them out of these deepes.

I will lay down the matter of perswasion, arguments to prevaile, rules to direct.

First, the matter of perswasion, or the things that I plead for are,

1 To consider well whether you be not in this case: Call home your thoughts and send them as spies throughout all the Region, and see if you finde Christ in it as in former times, see if thy soule

lye not as Jerusalem, when the Babylo∣nians came upon it, are not the wals broken downe, the gates burned, the Temple spoiled and pillaged, the inha∣bitants driven into captivity? Inconsi∣deracy undoeth men, you will never sit down by the waters of Babylon and weep, till you remember Zion from whence you are carried; there could not be place for so much sloth and secu∣rity in you, if you did see and consider how you are. According to the ac∣quaintance which men have with them∣selves, so are their feares, cares, joyes, endeavours. No man will seeke for what he thinkes he hath. Laodicea drea∣med golden dreames, when she slept in poverty and sought not reliefe, because she knew not her need, Apoc. 3.17. it is not a sleight view, or weak conjecture, or transient thought, or light suspition which will rouze the heart out of her sleep; these things may disquiet, but they are as weak physick, which moves the humours, but removes them not, working paine, but not cure; If you saw your selves indeed wrapped in

darknesse and death, lying like Lazarus in the grave, covered with earth, bound up and putrified, you would then heare when we cry to you, Lazarus arise. Ne∣cessity would quicken you, nothing could hold you, you would mourn and howle, and pray, and seeke, and not cease till you finde, therefore put the case out of doubt, and be serious and impartiall, it is wisdome to know well what it is not safe to beare, and to know we have not that which is misery to want.

2 When you see in what case you are, make hast to recover, take heed of trifling, the businesse requires speed, therefore as the Angel said to Peter, so I say, arise quickly, Acts 12.7.

[unspec 1] 1 Consider you are at a constant losse; you will not let your money lye dead, you count every day losse when it is not used, when your Ships be ready to goe out, or come in, but cannot for want of winde. My brethren, Grace is your stock, your money, the estate which is laid up in the soul, as in a Ship that is bound for heaven, the place of

the richest trade, and when you lye be∣calmed, and cannot put forth, you lose much: if you had a winde, if the Spirit did come with gales of grace you would grow rich. The more goods you send to heaven the greater wil your account be; But when you lye still and trade not, or when your commo∣dities are not vendible, you wrong your selves: Thinke of it, you have but a few dayes to trade in, and what you sow, that you shall reape; if you were good husbands, diligent and industri∣ous, what might you get? Whereas by carelesnesse you are at losse, you might be getting, more grace, strength, testimonies of divine love, sights and tasts of hidden treasures and pleasures, in this life, and might be also still adding to the heape of glory in the next life. Count therefore every day a great losse, and be speedy. Doe as the Disci∣ples when Christ called them; Imme∣diately they left all and followed him; and as David, I thought on my wayes and tur∣ned my feete unto thy testimonies, I made hast & delayed not to keep thy Commande∣ments.

Psal. 119.59, 60. weigh it well. 1. Grace is the richest treasure of heaven and earth, that brings in the best ad∣vantage. 2. You lose it may be, such a time of trade as you may never have at gain, as the dayes of youth and strength, and health, when grace doth waste, or the dayes of the Gospell; while the sun shines you should make hayt.

[unspec 2] 2 There can be no reason of delay; if your case be sad, and you feare to begin so dolefull a work, and so stir in such a wound, will it not be worse? and must not the thing be done? and though there be pain in stirring, yet it is the way to the cure, and the disease is worse then the paine: or if you think to take a fitter time, I say there is no choice in present necessity; deliberation is idle where the eminence of the danger requires pre∣sent action: would you lie still and con∣sult of a fit time, if you were in the Sea, or if your house were on fire? or if you thinke to dispatch some businesse first? then I say this is folly, may not both be done? or will you with Saul be seek∣ing your asses when a kingdome seekes

you? will you leave your childe star∣ving, to go to feed your hogs? or if you think it is hard to recover your losse, and so rather sit downe in heavinesseu, then put forth your selves in endea∣vours; then I say mourning will not help it, is it hard, but is it not necessary? will it not be harder? or if you thinke I may finde my selfe in better case, my heart more quicke, more soft, I may have a better time, then I say, and you may not; what promise have you that while you lye stil, your work shall bee done to your hands? nay, have you not learned, doe you not understand that if you come to him with what you have, you shall receive what you have not? there is therefore no reason for delay.

[unspec 3] 3 Delay is very sinfull in this case.

[unspec 1] 1 It is disobediencex: the authority of a Superiour is as much crossed in the time as in the matter of his commands: the Iewes had sinned as well in mispla∣••ing their feasts, as in neglecting of

them; you call your servant to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 presently, and he saith I will co•••• week hence, and how doe you const•••••• this? the Iewes thought to build 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Temple, but because they did it not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gods time, God was angry. Hag. 1.••,••

[unspec 2] 2 It is ingratitude; God calls you to come to him that he might doe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good, and you say you will come at lei∣sure, would you doe so with your K•••••• in such a Case?

[unspec 3] 3 It is contempt of God, and of his ••••∣vour, you count it not worth your pa••••, for if you were willing you would 〈◊〉〈◊〉 what he demands, nothing keepes y•••• at a distance from it but dislike, if the heart were pleased it would yeeld.

[unspec 4] 4 There may be hard thoughts of God in it; you thinke he will not par∣don, or accept you, but then why do•••• he call you?

[unspec 5] 5 It is disloyalty; why are you wil∣ling to be unserviceable to your G•••• for a moment? what are you fit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 when you are asleep? and would you not that your servant should rise wh•••• you awake him? much time is gon••

you have but a short time of service, and your reward is for eternity: up then, and ••ose no more time for shame, that have ••ost so much; is not he worthy of all thy ••••••e, that is thy life? rest not then in purposes and promises; for if the heart were faithfull, it would not only wish but work, not only purpose but per∣formey.

[unspec 4] 4 Delay is dangerous.

[unspec 1] 1 It is Satans advantage; when you are without God, he is diligent to de∣prave and corrupt; when the body is dead it is meate for wormes; when the house is empty, there is roome for lusts and all evill. Mat. 12.45. you may get guests which you can never be rid of.

[unspec 2] 2 God may depart againe; It is a great condescension when the great God comes to call upon you to come to him if you stand off he may turne from inviting to threatning, and from kinde i••reaties to bitter chidings; love will

not bear contēptz; therfore heare 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he calleth: if you take not his offer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 you accept not the season, you may pro∣voke him to goe, never to returne aga•••• but you may run out your time in a ••••∣ing life, your sun may be clouded whi•••• you live, God may leave you to the w•••••• of Satan in a great measure, to but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and binde the soul in chaines: therefore be speedy.

3 Put on to purpose.

[unspec 1] 1 With strength, muster up all you power, that you may recover your selves out of the hands of those th•• have prevailed against you, and th•• you may regaine the ancient liber•••• which you have lost, and have a graci∣ous hand of God with you in all yo•• wayes, you may seeke and not find•• except you seeke with much conte•••••• on. 1. The heart that hath long go•••• astray will not be easily brought 〈◊〉〈◊〉 frame, there is such an habituall dea••∣nesse upon it, that without much i•• tensnesse of endeavour it will not be•• raised. 2. God will be hardly pursue•• and pressed, he hath set all things i••

way of Justice,a so that he that fig•••••• shall overcome, all degrees of grac•• and enlargements of spirit in life and joy come as rewards: he is not in case to receive that is not in case to seek, for hee knoweth not the worth of his presence, that doth not strongly seeke it: many times many lose the commo∣dity, because they will not give a little more.

[unspec 2] 2 With continuance; sit not down till you have attained; presse on, and re∣solve never to be at quiet till God re∣turne againe: hee seekes in vaine that seekes not till he finde.

Notes

• 1. Counsell. Consider if it bee not so.
• 2 Counsell. Make hast to recover.
• Because you are at a constant losse.
• t

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉;
• There is no reason of delay.
• u

  Compres∣sis manibus. prov. & Latin. & Heb. Liv. l. 7. Drus. prov. he∣braica.
• Delay is very sin∣full.
• Disobedi∣ence.
• x

  Si praetae∣riit tempus, praeteriit ••arifitium. prov. i.e. non litat qui suo tempore non sacrificat. Drus. prov. Ca••••. 1. l. 5. Minus solvit qui tardius solvit. Elem. Jurispru. part. 2. §. 10.
• Ingrati∣tude.
• Contempt
• Jealousie.
• Disloyalty.
• y

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vocabantur qui semper ••••••unt 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sed non dant. Sic Antigonus vocabatur, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Plut. in Paul. Aemil.
• Delay is dangerous
• It is Sa∣tans ad∣vantage.
• God may depart a∣gaine.
• z

  Debet a∣mor laesus irasci. Qui rogantem contempse∣ras, forsi∣tan audies objurgan∣tem. Hier. ad Helio∣dorum. de laud. vit. solit.
• 3. Counsell. Put on in earnest.
• With strength.
• a

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. in
• With con∣tinuance.