A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

:332 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGJ^avid, nor in Peter). But he was so earnest after iti'irst, because that little which was left, was scarcely ornot at all seiisible in his spiritual distress. Where theglory of the sun hath lately been, the succession of acandle's light is little worth. Secondly, and because nowhe vehemently thirsteth after a great deal mt.re than he atpresent had. Learned and rich men think themselves notWhen thelearned and rich in respect of what they desire.sun begins to peep up, we gaze no longer at stars. God'scomforting Spirit began a little to warm his heart again,whereupon he grew so eager and greedy of that heavenlyheat, that he thinks his heart key-cold, except it flame tothe height. That damp and darkness of spirit into whichhe was fallen by reason of his grievous fall, had so frozenhis affections witii disconsolate deadness and heaviness ofheart, that a little glimpse of spiritual life and lightsomenessis presently swallowed up as it were, and devoured ;and serves only to set an edge to his desire, to whet hisstomach, and stir up his appetite after a more full and furtherfruition of those comfortable graces and wonted communionwith his God, a retaste and return whereof is sosweet and dear unto his soul.Take heed then that you do not mistake. When I speakof a spiritual desertion, I mean it not either in respect ofa total or final dereliction and forsaking on God's part, ora total and final falling away on the saint's side ; to holdsuch an apostasy were a fearful apostasy ; but only in respectof the exercise and operation of grace, of presentsense and feeling, as I said before. Life lies still in theroot ; and upon the first breaking out of the heavenly andhealing beams upon the soul from the sun of righteousnessreturning in mercy, puts forth again and prospers. Davidbeing astonished with a mighty blow of temptation (asBernard resembles it), lay for a time, as it were, in aswoon ; but upon the voice of the prophet, sounding in hisear, he awakened and came to himself. As we see in heatedwater, the air's blowing upon it doth recover and reduce itto its former natural coldness, by the aid of that little remainderof refrigerating power which is originally rooted inthat element : so by tiie awaking of the north wind andcoming of the south, I mean the blessed Spirit's breathingafresh upon David's heart, scorched dangerously with thefire of lust, by stirring up and refreshing the retired andradical power of grace, that immortal seed of God, never tobe lost, did sweetly and graciously bring it again to itsformer spiritual, comfortable temper and constitution.2. Sometimes the Lord may for a time withdraw the