Why are you cast down, O my soul? - Pearls from Philpot [b]"Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why sodisturbed within me? Put your hope in God, forI will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God."[/b]Psalm 42:11Do you forget, O soul, that the way to heavenis a very strait and [b]narrow[/b] pathtoo narrow foryou to carry your sins in it with you?God sees it good that you should be cast down.You were getting very proud, O soul.The world had gotten hold of your heart.You were seeking great things for yourself.You were secretly roving away from the Lord.You were too much lifted up in SELF.[b]The Lord has sent you these trials and difficultiesand allowed these temptations to fall upon you,to bring you down from your state of false security.[/b][color=000066][b]There is reason therefore, even to praise Godfor being cast down, and for being so disturbed.How this opens up parts of God's Word whichyou never read before with any feeling.[/b][/color][b]How it gives you sympathy and communionwith the tried and troubled children of God![/b][b]How it weans and separates you from dead professors.[/b][color=000066][b]How it brings you in heart and affection,out of the world that lies in wickedness.And how it engages your thoughts, time after time,upon the solemn matters of eternityinstead of beinga prey to every idle thought and imagination, andtossed up and down upon a sea of vanity and folly.But, above all, when there is a sweet response fromthe Lord, and the power of divine things is inwardlyfelt, in enabling us to hope in God, and to praise Hisblessed namethen we see the benefit of being castdown and so repeatedly and continually disturbed.[/b][/color][b]"Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why sodisturbed within me? Put your hope in God, forI will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God."[/b]Psalm 42:11
How it brings you in heart and affection,out of the world that lies in wickedness.And how it engages your thoughts, time after time,upon the solemn matters of eternity
_________________CHRISTIAN
"Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why sodisturbed within me? Put your hope in God, forI will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God."Psalm 42:11Do you forget, O soul, that the way to heavenis a very strait and narrow pathtoo narrow foryou to carry your sins in it with you?
_________________SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
The English Puritan William Bridge preached 13 sermons on Psalm 42:11. They have been complied in the book "A Lifting Up for the Downcast" which is still published by Banner of Truth's Puritan Paperbacks. It is very rich, very comforting, and very pure. Bridge composed these sermons to address the saints' spiritual depression in areas of failure and sin. I heartily recommend these gems.You can check out the book [url=http://www.monergismbooks.com/liftingup2984.html]here[/url]. Powerful thread, Kire!Brother Paul
_________________Paul Frederick West
From your Link brother Paul. This book looks like a need of the hour for saints, not only for themselves, but to minister to others. The world does not have "the solution". Thank you.[b]Lifting Up For The DowncastAuthor: William BridgeDescription: Depression is not unique to our times. To encourage the depressed, Bridge wrote this choice book and filled it with the kind of rich encouragement which our generation too rarely hears. These thirteen sermons on Psalm 42:11, preached at Stepney, London, in the year 1648 are the work of a true physician of souls. In dealing with believers suffering form spiritual depression, Bridge manifests great insight into the causes of the saints discouragements such as great sins, weak grace, failure in duties, want of assurance, temptation, desertion and affliction. A correct diagnosis is more than half the cure but Bridge does not leave his readers there. He gives directions for applying the remedy. For example in dealing with great sins he says, If you would be truly humbled and not be discouraged; not be discouraged and yet be humbled; then beat and drive up all your sin to your unbelief, and lay the stress and weight of all your sorrow upon that sin. The general causes of spiritual depression are the same in every age. Down cast Christians of the twentieth century can find help here as surely as did past generations. [/b]