{"product_id":"the-case-and-cure-of-a-deserted-soul","title":"The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul","description":"\u003cp\u003eHave you ever felt like God is far from you? You are not alone. In \u003ci\u003eThe Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, \u003c\/i\u003ePuritan minister Joseph Symonds helps us understand why God seems distant at times. As an able physician, Symonds compassionately delivers a prescription to draw us near to our Lord again. Find a balm for your weary soul in the classic Puritan treatment of spiritual depression.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEndorsement\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Joseph Symonds’s \u003cem\u003eThe Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul\u003c\/em\u003e 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 \u003cem\u003eEthics\u003c\/em\u003e. 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.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—Randall J. Pederson, Bible teacher, Zion Christian School; managing editor, \u003cem\u003eWestminster Theological Journal\u003c\/em\u003e; and coauthor of \u003cem\u003eMeet the Puritans\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-color-mode=\"light\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"form__input wmde-markdown-var markdown-editor markdown-editor-show-live\" name=\"externalTextMarkdown\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown-editor-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown-editor-preview\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"wmde-markdown wmde-markdown-color\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContents\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePreface\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe godly are sometimes deserted\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow, or in what sense, the godly are said to be deserted\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFour other considerations about desertion\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOf the first sort of desertion: the withholding of assisting grace\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThat a man may be deserted and not know it, with the causes and evil of it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRules to judge when one is deserted. The first is the consideration of his graces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen a man is deserted, his light is darkened\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe light and motions of a deserted man do not have the former efficacy to affect, impel, repel, and humble the heart\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen a man is deserted, the mind is more vain and abated in frequency, complacency, and consistency in holy things\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGreat incredulity in a deserted soul, with the causes of it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOf the change and alteration of affections in case of desertion, where is spoken of love, hope, hatred, with their sad abatements\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe second rule to judge of desertion is taken from the increase of sin: where and how the increase of sin may be known\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe third rule to judge in this case is from the consideration of the means of grace\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCauses 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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesertions are for correction, and are caused by pride and carelessness\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe grieve the Spirit by doing Him dishonor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe second means of grieving the Spirit is disobedience and resistance of the Spirit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePersuasive considerations to move men to study the preservation of communion with God\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDirections how to retain a divine quickening presence with us. The first two means are to acknowledge it and to use God’s help\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnswers to questions regarding our duty to God\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe third means to retain a divine presence is prayer, in which care must be had of the rise, carriage, and end of it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe fourth means: keeping the favor of God, with directions how to do it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe fifth means: keeping in God’s way\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSixth and seventh means: be doing, and wisely and diligently use the means of grace\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThree counsels to such as are deserted\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMotives to use these counsels taken from possibility of recovery\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMotives to seek recovery taken from necessity\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo directions how to seek recovery\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo other directions how to recover\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOf desertions in appearance only, with the causes of mistakes in this case\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe false rules of men’s judging themselves, causing mistakes in this case\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOther false rules causing mistakes in judgment\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe second sort of spiritual desertions: loss of comfort\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe causes and root of comfort\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOf the state and degree of this sad condition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe effects and consequences of this sad condition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe causes and cures of this sad condition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Soli Deo Gloria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53009746166071,"sku":"sqt1789813003237","price":10.54,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0992\/8910\/4695\/files\/the-case-and-cure-of-a-deserted-soul_1.jpg?v=1789813008","url":"https:\/\/effortlesschicclad.shop\/products\/the-case-and-cure-of-a-deserted-soul","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}