The Dejected Souls Cure, Title page – Errata
THE DEJECTED SOULES CURE: Tending to ſupport poor drooping Sinners. WITH Rules, Comforts, and Cautions in ſeverall caſes. IN DIVERS SERMONS,
BY Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE, late Miniſter of Laurence Jury.
To which is added,
I. The Miniſtry of the Angels to the Heirs of Salvation.
II. Gods Omnipreſence.
III. The Sinners legacy to their poſterity.
LONDON, Printed for John Rothwell at the Fountain in Cheapſide. 1657.
duplicate page
To the Reader.
Chriſtian Reader,
THou art deſired to take notice that the end of this our Epiſtolary Preface, is not to ſtrew the flowers of our praiſes upon our deceaſed brother, whoſe praiſe is in all the Churches of Chriſt; Nay, his works praiſe him in the gates. To ſay no more of him then Chriſt doth of Lazarus, Luk. 16. 22. the poor man died, and was carried by Angels into Abrahams boſome, but there is this double end in it;
1. To aſſure thee, that theſe ſeventeen Sermons on Pſalm 42. and the four following on Heb. 1. ult. are, though a poſthumus, yet a legitimate iſſue; they all having been diligently compared, and reviſed by Mr. Loves own Notes, except the two laſt on Pſalm 42. the Notes of which could not be found; yet the very contexture of them ſhews they are a thred of the ſame ſpinning. This we thought good to inform thee of, becauſe forged and ſuppoſititious pieces have in all ages, in all Sciences, been obtruded upon the world, under the name of perſons of any worth, or eminency. Nay, Jerome tels us that divers Apocryphal books Li. de ſcript. Eccleſ. Tom. 1.were vented under the names of the Apoſtles themſelves: The ſame principles of pride and avarice are buſie in ſuch impoſtures at this day. Theſe Sermons we publiſh, and juſtifie for his. They were calculated by him for the Pulpit, for the Preſs; had he lived to publiſh them, queſtion but they had been more polite. But becauſe we would publiſh nothing but what … purely his, we have therefore ſent them abroad they were left by him, without the addition of any conſiderable ſentence more then what was in his own Notes; That thou mayſt conclude, thou haſt him ſpeaking in theſe Treatiſes, and no body elſe. What ever miſtakes, or literal faults thou mayſt finde, impute that either to overſight of the Corrector, or the Printer; and if thou haſt not a meaſure of knowledge to amend them, exerciſe ſo much charity as to cover them: For cenſorious Criticks, we care not at all to ſatisfie them.
2. The next thing we aim at in this Epiſtle, is to mind thee of that which (if thou haſt any ſavour of the knowledge of the Goſpel) thou thy ſelfe wilt diſcern; and that is, the ſpiritualneſſe, uſefulneſſe, ſeaſonableneſs of this diſcourſe: Which is to raiſe and elevate the ſpirits of the Saints, under the faintings and deſpondencies of ſpirit, to pluck out the ſick ſeathers out of the Wings of Faith and prayer; to hold out ſome ſpirituall pullies to a weak Chriſtian to raiſe up himſelfe by. To buoy up thoſe radicall graces of faith and hope, in the waters of affliction, temptation, & deſertions. This our beloved brother had bin himſelf long in the ſchool of temptation and deſertions, under the nurture of Gods rod: So that no queſtion in theſe Sermons but that he felt what he ſpake, and ſpake what he felt, being enabled by God to comfort others with the comforts wherewith he himſelf was comforted of God. Thou wilt finde ſeveral common, uſeful practical caſes of conſcience diſtinctly propounded, and judiciouſly reſolved, for ſatisfying the ſcrupulous, reſolving the doubting, comforting the dejected Chriſtian. In this Treatiſe are three things very conſiderable.
1. Thou wilt ſee a ſingular dexterity in comforting troubled dejected ſoules, which is certainly one main work of a Goſpel miniſtery. God would have his people comforted, and the Goſpel is a diſpensation chequered with Gods glory, and his peoples comfort; the whole chain of ſalvation is enameled with theſe two, that our hearts might be raviſhed with it: God hath inſeparably linked theſe together, and ſo they are to be held out in the diſpenſation of the Goſpel, which is called glad tidings of great joy, Luke 2. 10. The Goſpel of ſalvation, Eph. 1. 13. Glad tidings of peace, of good things, Rom. 10. 15. But who is ſufficient for theſe things? It is a piece of ſingular skil, not learned in the ſchool of Phyloſophers, no nor yet at the feet of Gamaliel, but under the pedagogy of the Spirit himſelfe, who is foreign, & foreign, the Comforter. To be able to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to him that is weary; Such a one is an interpreter, a meſſenger one of a thouſand. And the Prophet Iſaiah, Iſa. 51. 4. ſpeaks of it as a ſpeciall gift. Though Jerom and other ancient Expoſitors underſtand the words of Chriſt, who is indeed commiſſioned, and fitted by God for this work of binding up the broken in heart, Iſa. 61. 1. (being that true Samaritan that pours his cleanſing Wine and ſuppling Oyle into wounded ſpirits) yet the words by the Jews, Galvin and Aquinas are interpreted of the Prophet; and no queſtion but this gift God doth in a more then ordinary manner furniſh ſome of his Miniſters with, according as his Church hath need of them. Though there be many good Chirurgions in London, yet all are not Maſters of the Hoſpitall, and many good Phyſitians in England, yet all are not publique profeſſors. So, though God hath given to all his Miniſters a charge to ſeek that which is loſt, & to heal that which is ſick, & bind up that which is broken: yet everyone is not in a like meaſure able Ezek. 34. 4.and fit for theſe works. How much is here ſpoken to ſatisfie and ſettle a doubting Chriſtian, we had rather thou ſhouldst finde by thy own experience, then our report.
2. Thou wilt finde here a ſweet mixture of law and goſpel, foreign, a bitter ſweet, at the ſame time purging out thy corruptions, and yet deliciouſly affecting thy ſpirituall taſte: Which if any be offended at, we ſhall onelyonly ſay this, Dat finis amabilitatem mediis, look to the end, and that will put a luſtre upon the means. If the Word wounds, it is to heale; if it caſt down, it is to raiſe up; thou mayſt thank thy own corruptions, that call for corroſives, before lenitives can be applied. It is the proper work of a Chirurgeon to heal; that he lances, and bloods, and ſcarrifies, is by accident, becauſe of the malignant diſtemper of the patient. It is the proper work of a Carpenter to build; that he doth ſometimes pull down, this is by accident. So if the Miniſters of the Goſpel do ſometimes wound, and trouble you, is the fault theirs, or yours? If a Prince ſend a meſſenger to a condemned man with a pardon, on terms of confeſſing his crime, and humbling himſelfe, and engaging to become a new man, and all this while the meſſenger cannot get him to acknowledge himſelfe guilty, or deſire pardon, but he ſtands out till another Warrant is ſealed for his execution, who is in fault, the meſſenger, or the condemned man? the parallel lies plain. O how glad would the ſervants of Chriſt be that they might be alwaies pouring out the precious ointment of the Goſpel! oh how ſweet a theme is the grace of God, the love of Jeſus Chriſt! How ſweet and delightfull would our Miniſtry be, if we might alwaies walk among theſe ſweet perfumes? Doe ye think Miniſters are delighted to heare the ſcreeke and groans of ſoules? when they are put to pain by ſound and clear convictions? Nay, are they not rather aſtoniſhed to converſe every day with ſo many carcaſes, that prick them, cut them, wound them, burn them, threaten, doe what you will, feel juſt nothing? verily were it not out of faithfulneſs to God, and ſouls, they would not inſiſt ſo much on ſuch ſubjects. Certainly as it is the glory of a Chirurgeon not to make wounds, but heale them: ſo it is the glory of Miniſters to heale wounded conſciences.
3. A third thing obſervable, is the ſweet directions that here are ſcattered up and down, how a Chriſtian ſhould behave himſelf in the viciſſitudes of providence. You are taught here your ſpirituall poſtures, how to riſe in thankfulneſſe, how to fall in humility; when you muſt to your cloſe, when to your open order: here is a ſtraight rule, by which you may meaſure your exceſſes, and defects; when you are too much, when too little caſt down; (for we are very prone either to over, or to underdo; it is ſo hard to hit upon the middle.) Here you may learn when you are active, when you are paſſive in your own dejections. It may be you may meet with ſome particulars twice, but remember, he that ſhoots the ſame arrow twice, and both times hits the mark, hath well ſhot.
Now concerning the other Treatiſe, the Miniſtry of Angels; as alſo that other of Gods Omnipreſence: they were not intended for a Philoſophical, but for a Chriſtian auditory; the former ſubject is high, and there is room enough for ſpeculation. Too many in theſe daies have been wantonly buſie to converſe with Angels, out of pride and curioſity, but the good Angels wil not be ſpoken with upon thoſe terms; or if they do ſpeak, to be ſure it will be no comfort to thoſe perſons: for the Apoſtle by laying down a ſuppoſition, hath given us a certainty, that the Angels will ſpeak no other doctrine then he did. Therefore ſuch ſpirits as are intruders into things not ſeen, are vainly puft in their fleſhly mind, Col. 2. 18. how ſpiritual ſoever they ſeem to be. As for that opinion, that every man hath his particular Angel. If any think it not ſufficiently anſwered in this Treatiſe, we ſhall add only this, that when the maintainers of it are agreed among themſelves about it, whether every man have not two Angels, a good, and a bad; Or if every man have but one, whether that be a good one, or a bad one. If it be a bad one, what comfort is there in that Doctrine? If every man have a good one, how can this ſtand with the text, that limits their Miniſtery to the heirs of Salvation? When theſe riddles are unfolded, no queſtion but a further anſwer will be given. This Author doth practically handle that ſubject, and with great ſobriety. To draw towards an end: As God hath always in his Family, ſome ſick and weak children, ſo he doth provide comforts and attendance for them; For he will not leave them comfortleſſe; and certainly he will not leave them helpleſs. Be of good comfort then, there are more with us then againſt us. While we have viſible enemies warring againſt us, we have inviſible Angels taking our part; And therefore the Pſalmist after he had ſpoken of the Protection of Angels in the 34. Pſal. ver. 7. he adds in the 8. v. O taſt and ſee how good the Lord is. Go therefore, and chide thy ſelf for thy unbelief, for thy deſpondency of ſpirit; Say to thy heart, as David, Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? And as God to Jenah in another caſe, Doſt thou well in it? Is it for Kings ſons, for God's children, for thoſe that have Angels to guard and ſerve them, that have hidden Manna, to walk ſo ſadly and dejectly? It is enough for thoſe poor low ſpirits that dwel in the lower region of ſenſe and reaſon to be dejected. If theſe Treatiſes tend to thy comfort, give God the glory. Grace be with all that love the Lord Jeſus in ſincerity, Amen. So pray
The ſervants of thy ſoul and thy faith in the work of the Goſpel.
Edm. Calamy.
William Whitaker.
Simeon Aſh.
Mat. Poole.
William Taylor.
Joſ. Church.
A Table of the chief Heads contained in this Book.
A
ASſurance why the Saints want it, Page 56. means to regain it, Page 93.
Afflictions of the Church do afflict the godly, p. 124. 127.
Afflictions on the outward man apt to diſquiet the godly, p. 141.
B
Back-ſliders if they return muſt be deeply humbled, p. 11. p. 14. p. 165.
C
Caſting down, God's children ſubject to it, p. 6. What perſons God doth moſt caſt down, p. 8. Why God caſts down his own people, p. 30. How God doth it, p. 40. 41.
Checking our own hearts, a good means againſt fainting, p. 45.
Comforts againſt deſertion when it is for ſin, p. 76.
Comforts under affliction, p. 146.
D
Dejections of ſpirit how to reaſon againſt them, p. 46. Dejection when a ſin, p. 53
Deſertion, an act ſometimes of ſoveraignty, p. 61. and ſometimes of juſtice, p. 63
9 Comforts under deſertion, p. 68
Difference between trouble for ſin in the godly and wicked, 167.
F
Formality in duty, p. 53.
G
Great ſinners God uſes to humble much, p. 9.
Grieving the ſpirit, p. 9.
L
Love of God ſuſpended by 8 things p. 89
P
Promiſe made not to the meaſure but truth of humiliation, p. 24. 37. 51.
Pride of gifts p. 33. 90.
Proſperity of the wicked a ſtumbling-block to the godly p. 101.
No reaſon to be diſquieted at it p. 102.
Conſiderations againſt it p. 105.
Proſperity not always a note of a good cauſe p. 112.
… Ends why God ſuffers the wicked to proſper p. 114.
Why his own people want it p. 120.
R
Rules to keep from exceſſive ſorrow for ſin p. 36.
Repentance begins at the boſome ſin
Rules to quiet the heart under outward afflictions p. 151.
Rules for thoſe that are greatly troubled p. 203.
Rules to ſhew how the ſoul may be Evangelically troubled. With rules of Comforts and Cautions 213.
S
Sorrow for ſin when exceſſive 16. 17.
Soliloquies p. 2. p. 43.
Sympathy with ſuffering brethren, and ſinful diſquiet how they differ p. 129.
Sinful ſorrow for the Church's Calamity how cured 132.
Sorrow for perſonal ſufferings when inordinate 156.
T
Trouble of heart for ſin p. 161.
Times when this trouble is moſt felt 162.
V
Unmercifulneſſe p. 91.
Uſe of tryal whether your trouble of ſoul for ſin be right 200.
W
Wicked men why not troubled at ſin p. 26.
Worldlimindedneſſe 92
Want of outward mercies, 6 Conſiderations to quiet the heart under it 142
Wicked men go to ſinful ſhifts 179.
Wicked men ſin and are not troubled, 10 Cauſes) 195
The godly why troubled for ſin more then comforted with their graces, 5 Reaſons. When they may be ſaid to be too much diſquieted for ſin, in 7. particulars 194.
ERRATA.
PAge 2. line 32. dele from Reaſonings, to why art thou diſquieted.