Some Troublesome Thoughts Wherewith Many Godly Souls are Burdened, Title page – Preface
A DISCOVERY OF SOME Troubleſome Thoughts WHEREWITH Many Godly precious Souls are burthened, and extreamly preſſed: that like a Canker eats out all their Comforts, and keeps their Souls under continuall fears and Diſtractions.
Together with a Compound of ſome Scripture and experimentall Cordials, for the refreſhing of thoſe who are ſick of ſuch a diſeaſe; and through the bleſſing of God, may prove medicinall, to the Cure of ſome, and the Comforting of others.
By Daniel King, Preacher of the Word.
Iſa. 54.11,12,13.
Oh thou afflicted, toſſed with tempeſt, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy ſtones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with Saphirs. And I will make thy windows of Agats, and thy gates of Carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleaſant ſtones. And all thy children ſhall be taught of the LORD, and great ſhall be the peace of thy children.
London Printed, and are to be ſold neer the Temple in Fleet-ſtreet. 1651.
To all poor ſouls, who are troubled and toſſed in Spirit; Eſpecially Zions members that are in ſuch a Condition.
PRecious Saints, and faithfull ſouls; The Lord by his providence bringing me to London, and haveing occaſion to continue there a time, I was ſolicited by ſome dear to me, to ſet pen to Paper upon another ſubject, which I was not willing to do at that preſent. But yet I thought it my duty to imploy my ſelf in the ſervice of Chriſt and his people any way as might tend to the Glory of the one, and the benefit of the other. In diverſe parts of the City, and Suburbs thereof, came news to me of ſome whoſe hearts were exceedingly ſhaken with doubts, and ſcruples, and fears, concerning the condition of their Souls: ſome of which are in Communion with the Churches of Chriſt nicknamed Anabaptiſts: ſome hearing among them, confeſſing the truth, and acknowledging the way of worſhip practiſed by them to be of God, deſirous to be one with them; But onelyonly that ſcruples concerning their own condition, wanting the aſſurance of their Juſtification, and reconciliation to God, keeps them off: Whoſe condition, divers brethren Queſtion not but to be good, and their ſouls dear to God; onelyonly they could not ſee it themſelves. Juſt like the Diſciples here, Chriſt was at hand, and they thought it was ſome other apparition: And ſo through miſtake were exceedingly troubled. And therefore I ſet upon this piece of work, being moved thereto, from three or four conſiderable reaſons.
1. Becauſe he that is in affliction ought to be comforted of his neighbour.Job 6.14. Prov. 18.14. And what Affliction like Affliction of ſpirit? And who is my neighbour but he that ſhewes mercy to me? And truly I cannot but pitty, and tender thoſe who are of the body of Chriſt, in reſpect of Ʋnion with, and in him; And yet becauſe of Affliction of Spirit, dare not manifeſt their right to Communion. It is an Argument of a dead member, not to be ſenſible of the pain of others that ſuffer. Weep with them that weep, ſaith the Apoſtle. And it is ſome comfort to a ſad diſcouraged ſoul, when God gives his people a heart to condole their Condition:Lam. 1.12. When they are not forgotten of the Saints.
2. Becauſe after I had mentioned my Intention in this thing, to thoſe that moved me to the other task: themſelves and others were well ſatisfied, and deſirous that I ſhould haſten in the work as faſt as I could; whereupon I perceived I had a Call to it by them.
3. Becauſe I ſaw I was bound to it as my duty, laid upon me by God himſelf; according to the Ability given me, to draw it forth this way, as well as otherwiſe. Seeing God ſaith, Iſa. 40.1.2. Comfort ye, Comfort ye my people, ſaith your God; Speak to the heart of Jeruſalem; tell her, her Iniquity it pardoned, &c. Shewing that Jeruſalem queſtioned her pardon, or was ignorant of it; And that the ſervants of God, which he had enabled for the work, ſhould declare it to her, and ſpeak to her heart that was troubled, that ſhe might be ſetled. And ſaith the Apoſtle, Comfort the feeble minded.2 Theſ 5.14. And many other Scriptures to this purpoſe.
4. To be a Teſtimoniall to Brethren and friends from whom I am abſent, that I have not ſpent my time idly, about vain pleaſures, though I have not been with them, but was willing to ſet forward the work of God in one kind or other, that might be Ʋſefull.
And now to you poor troubled Souls, whoſe hearts are heavy, and whoſe ſouls bleed with ſorrows, and are full of fears, who languiſh under terrors: I know the objections, and ſcruples of your hearts are numerous, and of various ſhapes, now appearing in one ſhape, then in another: Think not that I can ſpeak to every thought or doubt that may trouble you: I have only ſpoken to ſuch as ſeem to me (and that by ſome experience of my own alſo) to be the ground-work or Foundation of moſt of your fears and ſhakings. And (indeed) for the preſent, neither time nor convenient opportunity would give me leave to adde any more. I beſeech you deal plainly with your hearts; Read this Treatiſe, it may be you may light of ſomewhat that may refreſh your ſpirits. Take heed of beleeving Satan, or your own hearts, but beleeve the Lord ſpeaking in the Scripture the Words of God. Do not (dear friends) refuſe to be comforted, when God tenders Comforts to you: The more your hearts are lifted up with ſpirituall Joy, the more cheerfully you will walk with God. Look up to God for a bleſſing when you read; It may be he may open your Ʋnderſtandings to underſtand the Scriptures, and the dealings of God with his People, and to know them for your ſelves.Luke 24. Deſpair not, though you have been dead in your hearts (not like Lazarus in body, two dayes, or four dayes, but many dayes) but remember Chriſt will have the glory in raiſing you Ʋp. And I beſeech you, when God hath lifted up your heads (or rather hearts) remember me, who am often (to the grief of my heart) troubled with captivating rebelling fleſh;Rom. 7. ſhewing it ſelf preſent when I would and ſhould do good: Intreat that God that is the God of all conſolation, and comforts you, to Quicken me, and carry me through in his work.2 Cor. 1.
But to thoſe who pretend troubleſome times, becauſe they would ſeem Saints: that like Diſſembling beggars, make themſelves ſores where none are, to maintain their Irregular life: That delight in ſin, and evil courſes, and would have Gods Countenance ſhine upon them, and aſſurance of Salvation be given to them, that they might with the more freedom and boldneſs run on in the way of wickedneſs: would have the Wages, but cannot endure the work: Deſire the end, but care not for the way or means that tends to that end: cry Hoſanna to Chriſt with their mouthes, but crucifie him in heart and life: Chriſt is lovely to them as a Prieſt, to ſave them; but tell them of his Kingdom to be ſet up within them, and without them, in heart and life, and then he ſeems a Tyrant. Let me tell thee, whoſoever thou art, that art of this temper, I have ſaid nothing to thee, nor for thee in this Treatiſe: This comfortable Cordiall that I have endeavoured to compound for the comfort of Souls really ſick, ſhall become thy poyſon, if thou offer to meddle with it. Taſte not one ſip of it I charge thee; and if thou doſt, I am guiltleſs of thy bloud, having given thee a fair warning. I have written it for the uſe of thoſe whoſe hearts God hath touched, and are ſick of love for him who is altogether Lovely: Not for ſuch as turn the grace of God into wantonneſs. So I commit it to the bleſſing of God, and the approbation of the Churches of Chriſt; †As namely the Churches of Chriſt in London meeting uſually at the glaſſe-houſe in Broad ſtreet, The Church in Coventry, The Church in Warwick, The Church at Hook-Norton in Oxfordſhire; And the Church meeting neer Martin-Hinmarſh in Glouceſterſhire, or any others to whom I am neer related.and ſuch in them, as are moſt experienced in the dealings of God with troubled ſouls; And deſire to continue, as by the grace of God I am,
A ſervant to Chriſt, and the meaneſt of his Saints, DANIEL KING. From the Lime-kiln at Pickle-Hering in Southwark this 7th. of the 11th. MonethMonth.