Description

Have you ever felt like God is far from you? Although God does not abandon any of His children, there are times when believers experience spiritual coldness and distance from God. Acutely aware of this crisis of faith, physician of souls Joseph Symonds helps us understand the nature and reasons for this condition and compassionately delivers the prescription for recovery and prevention of relapse. See for yourself why Symonds’s work is considered the classic Puritan treatment of spiritual depression. It is a resource well worth having.

Contents

Preface

1. The godly are sometimes deserted
2. How, or in what sense, the godly are said to be deserted
3. Four other considerations about desertion
4. Of the first sort of desertion: the withholding of assisting grace
5. That a man may be deserted and not know it, with the causes and evil of it
6. Rules to judge when one is deserted. The first is the consideration of his graces
7. When a man is deserted, his light is darkened
8. The light and motions of a deserted man do not have the former efficacy to affect, impel, repel, and humble the heart
9. When a man is deserted, the mind is more vain and abated in frequency, complacency, and consistency in holy things
10. Great incredulity in a deserted soul, with the causes of it
11. Of the change and alteration of affections in case of desertion, where is spoken of love, hope, hatred, with their sad abatements
12. The second rule to judge of desertion is taken from the increase of sin: where and how the increase of sin may be known
13. The third rule to judge in this case is from the consideration of the means of grace
14. Causes of desertion: they are for instruction, that nature and grace may be better known, the one in its sinfulness and weakness, the other in its freeness and necessity
15. Desertions are for correction, and are caused by pride and carelessness
16. We grieve the Spirit by doing Him dishonor
17. The second means of grieving the Spirit is disobedience and resistance of the Spirit
18. Persuasive considerations to move men to study the preservation of communion with God
19. Directions how to retain a divine quickening presence with us. The first two means are to acknowledge it and to use God’s help
20. Answers to questions regarding our duty to God
21. The third means to retain a divine presence is prayer, in which care must be had of the rise, carriage, and end of it
22. The fourth means: keeping the favor of God, with directions how to do it
23. The fifth means: keeping in God’s way
24. Sixth and seventh means: be doing, and wisely and diligently use the means of grace
25. Three counsels to such as are deserted
26. Motives to use these counsels taken from possibility of recovery
27. Motives to seek recovery taken from necessity
28. Two directions how to seek recovery
29. Two other directions how to recover
30. Of desertions in appearance only, with the causes of mistakes in this case
31. The false rules of men’s judging themselves, causing mistakes in this case
32. Other false rules causing mistakes in judgment
33. The second sort of spiritual desertions: loss of comfort
34. The causes and root of comfort
35. Of the state and degree of this sad condition
36. The effects and consequences of this sad condition
37. The causes and cures of this sad condition

Endorsement

“Joseph Symonds’s The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul is medicine for the soul. With great care and pastoral sensitivity, Symonds explores reasons why someone may be experiencing an overwhelming and unrelenting sense of God’s absence. He guides readers to a place of peace and repose, to a quieted and comforted conscience. There are several good books on this subject, but few are as thorough or as theologically sound as Symonds’s. It should be no surprise that it was popular in England and in the Netherlands; it was even mentioned by Bavinck in his magisterial Ethics. This book should be in the library of every Christian, and not just those who are in the throes of desertion. Reading, thinking through, and applying Symonds’s counsel will not only help us fight spiritual loneliness in our life, but it will also assist in counseling others who long for the light of God’s countenance.”

— Randall J. Pederson, Bible teacher, Zion Christian School; managing editor, Westminster Theological Journal; and coauthor of Meet the Puritans

About the Author

JOSEPH SYMONDS (d. 1652) was rector of St. Martin’s, London. He became an Independent and fled to the Netherlands to escape persecution by Archbishop Laud. He pastored an English-speaking congregation in Rotterdam, Netherlands, with William Bridge and Jeremiah Burroughs. He returned to England to become the vice-president and fellow of Eton College.