A Lifting Up for the Downcast - Puritan Paperbacks

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 from 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. Downcast Christians of the twenty-first century can find help here as surely as did past generations.

Contents

1. The Good Man’s Peace
2. True Peace May be Interrupted
3. Saints Should Not be Discouraged Whatever Their Condition Be
4. A Lifting Up in the Case of Great Sins
5. A Lifting Up in the Case of Weak Grace
6. A Lifting Up in the Case of Miscarriage of Duties
7. A Lifting Up in the Case of Assurance
8. A Lifting Up in the Case of Temptation
9. A Lifting Up in the Case of Desertion
10. A Lifting Up in the Case of Affliction
11. A Lifting Up in the Case of Unserviceableness
12. A Lifting Up in the Case of Discouragements Drawn from the Condition Itself
13. The Cure of Discouragements by Faith In Jesus Christ