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. IX. When a man is deserted, the minde is more vaine, and abated in frequency complacencie consistencie in holy thoughts.

THe third evill that befals the minde is vacuity and emptinesse; when God withdrawes himselfe, it be∣comes like an empty house without inhabitant, when the cloud of divine presence fils his tabernacle, and the foule receives, oracles from his mouth, then a man hath sweet con∣verse with him, and walks with hime, is a man with his friend, as it is said of Noah, Gen. 6.9. and Enoch, Gen. 5.20. God is his centre, and he is much in pur∣suit of him. My soule thirsteth after thee, and I will remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches; my soul followeth hard after thee, Psal. 63. he was much in the thoughts of God; God was with himf, and he with God; when he went to sleepe,

yea, when he awakened, his heart was towards him, When I awake, I am still with thee, Psal. 139.18. yea, I am con∣tinually with thee; and what was the cause of it? Thine hand upholdeth me, Psal. 73.23. an awakened heart hath God ever in sight, I have set the Lord alwayes before me, Psal. 16.8.

As water striveth to ascend as high as the head-spring from whence it cometh; so a heavenly Christian, as he springs from above, is ever streaming thither; but there are times when the minde becomes vaine, and very empty of God, and full of vanity; either be∣ing like a watch that stands still, or like a Conduit-cock that runs at waste; either sleeping, and not acting, or pouring out, and spending it selfe upon things that profit not.

In this state, the soule hath lost much of a threefold excellency which it had.

• 1 Complacency in holy thoughts.
• 2 Frequency in holy thoughts.
• 3 Consistency in holy thoughts.

[unspec 1] First, Complacencie: time was, when

the thoughts of Gods glory and mercy, and works, and word, and of Christ, and other spirituall things, were as ho∣ney, feeding and delighting the soule; meditations were great refreshments and recreations; they were wont to fill the heart with sweet content and comfort, adding much to all spirituall life, both of grace and peace; How precious are thy thoughts to me? Psal. 139.17. David reckoned his re∣course to, and converse with God, a∣mong his chiefe treasures: And indeed, what is better to man in a right temper, then from the Nebo of a spirituall me∣ditation, to behold Canaan? and by heavenly mindednesse, to walke with Christ, and Angels, and Saints in hea∣ven, to have that in a kinde of presence by this prospective, which is yet so di∣stant? This I say peradventure, was your happinesse, but now you are chan∣ged, and fallen from this glory, your soules creepe on the dust, and savour not the sweetnesse of the things above; they hunger not so much after that bread of eternall life, but feed upon va∣nities

and worldly things; you are not so delighted in slipping out of the world, and retyring your selves that you might be with God, nay haply, it is become a burthene to fix your thoughts on that which was your food and life before, your minde is become heavy, the earth hath got into your hearts, and weighed them downe, so that you finde it hard and tedious to pully and winde them up to such spirituall and setled me∣ditations, in which formerly you have had delight: if it bee thus, it is a signe that God hath much withdrawne him∣selfe from you.

[unspec 2] 2. Frequency, it may be it hath been the dayly course of thy soul to visit hea∣ven, soaring on the wings of an heaven∣ly minde, and taking her flight to God and Christ, as the Eagles that flie to the dead body, Mat. 24.18. thou wast wont to finde in every place a passage to thy God, and wert often improving that quicknesse of thy minde which is able to step from the deepest dungeon to the highest heavens in a moment. The mind is so quick of foote, that it is swifter

than the Sun, and can move further in a moment than the Sun doth in a day, and thou wert wont to send this winged messenger, and it returned unto thee like Noahs Dove with Olive branches of peace and comfort in its mouth. In∣deed a Christian drives two trades in the world, one is seene, the other is se∣cret, and in this he is busie when hee seemes to be vacant, and is least alone, when most alone; when he is mured up within his Chamber, or walking in a so∣litary way, he is conversing with such companions, as the world is not ac∣quainted with, he is speaking with God, and hearing God speaking to him words of wisdome, making him wiser than the Auncient, words of reproofe piercing like a sword, yet not to hurt, but heale, and words of comfort stronger than death, and sweeter than life; yea when he seemes to be in the deepes of afflicti∣on, he is mounted above all sorrowes, and his soule is above the clouds; when he seemes to be affrighted with terrors, he is drinking in the waters of life, In the multitude of my thoughts within me

thy comforts delight my soul. Psa. 94.19. Consider this, hast thou been thus filled with God, so conversant in heavenly thoughts, that thou wast never long from heaven, but often looking up to the God of thy life? and how is it now with thee? art thou become a stranger to these wayes in which God and thy soul had formerly so many blessed meet∣ings? art thou growne mindlesse and forgetfull of him? it may bee drawing neare in some heartlesse approach to him in the morning, but then living without him throughout the day: many guests come in, but God is shut out; there is roome for profits, for pleasures, yea for sinfull thoughts and evill sugge∣stions, but none for God; if it be thus, thy case is more miserable, and thou art Deserted: for if God were so present by his Spirit as he was, He would be thy re∣membrancer, and bring such things still to thy minde as before. Joh. 14.26. hee would bee jogging and provoking to heavenly mindednesse.

[unspec 3] 3 Consistency, when our delights are not with God, as the remembrance of him

is not so pleasing, so not so frequent, and not so consistent, I say there will not be that stablenesse of an heavenly minde, that hath beene; thoughts now are but passant and fleeting, not fixed and abi∣ding, yea though conscience spurre the dull minde to this heavenly worke, yet like an unwilling servant, it stayeth not at it, but is soone gone.

Notes

• Third e∣vill in the minde, va∣cuity and emptinesse
• e

  Pedibus duntaxat terram tan∣gentibus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Chr. hom. 3. de incompr. Dei nat.
• f

  De Igna∣tio fabula∣tur, nomen Jesu cordi ejus insculp∣tum invc∣niri.
• Lesse com∣placencie in thoughts of God.
• Juvat im∣mensospa∣tiantem vi∣vere coelo.
• e

  Nulla res tam facilis est quin dif∣ficilis sit si invitus fa∣cias. Sen. ep. 12.
• Lesse fre∣quency.
• Lesse con∣sistency.