Baxter's Directions to the Depressed: Cast your cares on God (part 4) --- Assurance and Adoption

The Signs and Causes of Melancholy, with directions suited to the case of those who are afflicted with it. Collected out of the works of Mr. Richard Baxter, for the sake of those, who are wounded in Spirit. By Samuel Clifford, minister of the Gospel London, Bible and Three Crowns, 1716. pp51-66. [Edited and abridged by SML.]

Click here for an introduction to Baxter on Melancholy

Chapter 4: Directions to the Melancholy.

Direction 1: Take notice of worldly sorrows and discontents: do not put so much value in earthly things to that they can disquiet you: but learn to cast your cares upon God.

[This objection is in light of being directed as Children of God to fully trust God, yet fearing that we do not have the necessary heart-attitude to be called His children.]

Objection: BUT how can I be a Child of God, and not have the Spirit of Adoption.

Answer: The spirit of adoption means:

1. That spirit, or those qualifications and workings in their souls, which by the Gospel God gives only to his children.

2. And which raise in us some such child-like affections to God, inclining us in all our wants to run to him in prayer as to a father, and to make our moan to him and open our griefs and cry for redress and look to him and depend on him as a child on the father.

This spirit of adoption you may have and yet not be certain of God’s special love to you. The knowledge only of his general goodness and mercy may be a means to raise in you true child-like affections. You may know God to have fatherly inclinations to you, and yet doubt whether he will use you as a child, for want of assurance of your own sincerity. And you may hope God is your father, when yet you may apprehend him to be a displeased angry father, and so he may be more you terror than your comfort. Are you not ready in most of your fears and doubts and troubles to go to God before all other for relief? And does not your heart sigh and groan to him when you can scarcely speak? Does not your troubled Spirit there find its first vent!

And say Lord kill me not: forsake me not: my life is in your hands: O soften this hard heart and make this carnal mind more spiritual! O be not such a stranger to my soul. Woe to me that I am so ignorant of you! So disaffected to you! So backward and disinclined to Holy Communion with you! Woe to me that I can take no more pleasure in you, and am so mindless and disregardful of you! O that you would stir up in me more lively desires and workings of my soul toward you! And suffer me not to be at such a distance from you. Are not such as these the breathings of the Spirit! Why these are child-like breathings after God: this is crying Abba, Father. This is the work of the Spirit of Adoption, even when you fear that God will cast you off.

Baxter's Directions to the Depressed: Cast your cares on God (part 3)

The Signs and Causes of Melancholy, with directions suited to the case of those who are afflicted with it. Collected out of the works of Mr. Richard Baxter, for the sake of those, who are wounded in Spirit. By Samuel Clifford, minister of the Gospel London, Bible and Three Crowns, 1716. pp51-66. [Edited and abridged by SML.]

Click here for an introduction to Baxter on Melancholy

Chapter 4: Directions to the Melancholy.

Direction 1: Take notice of worldly sorrows and discontents: do not put so much value in earthly things to that they can disquiet you: but learn to cast your cares upon God.

4. And study how great a sin it is to set our wills and desires in discontented opposition to the wisdom, will, and providence of God, and to make our wills, instead of his, as gods to ourselves. Does not a murmuring heart secretly accuse God? All accusation of God has some degree of blasphemy in it: for the accuser supposes that somewhat of God is to be blamed. If you do not dare to open your mouth and accuse him, do not let the complaining in your heart accuse him. Know how much of religion and holiness consists in bringing this rebellious self-will to a full resignation, submission, and conformity to the Will of God. Till you can rest in God’s will, you will never have rest.

5. Study well how great a duty it is to wholly trust God, and our blessed Redeemer, both with Soul and Body and all we have. Is it not infinite power, wisdom, and goodness to be trusted? Does God support the Heavens and the Earth and the whole Creation? And yet you cannot rely upon Him? Is He not wise enough to be trusted with the conduct and disposal of you? Is he not good and gracious enough to be trusted with your Life, Estate, and Name and Welfare? Is He not great and powerful enough, to be trusted against the greatest danger or difficulties or opposition that can befall you? Is he not true and faithful enough to be trusted, whatever improbabilities may arise before you? Who ever trusted him in vain, or was ever deceived by Him? Are not his Son, and Spirit and Covenant and Oath, sufficient pledges of His love for your security? Whatever he will be to the Ungodly, I am sure he will not cast off the Soul that loves Him, and would fain be fully conformed to his Will. It cannot be that he should spurn at them that are humbled at His feet, and long and pray, and seek and mourn, after nothing more than His grace and love. ... It is the refuge of my soul, that quiets me in my fears that God my father and redeemer has commanded me to trust him with my body, my health, my liberty, my estate; and when Eternity seems strange and dreadful to me, that he bids me trust him with my departing soul. Heaven and Earth (as was said before) are upheld and maintained by him, and shall I distrust him?

Objection: BUT it is only his Children that He will save.

Answer: True: and all are his Children who are truly willing to obey and please him: if you are truly willing to be Holy, and to obey his commanding will, in a godly righteous and sober Life, you may boldly rest in His disposing Will, and rejoice in his rewarding and accepting will, for he will pardon all our infirmities, through the merits and intercession of Christ.

Part 4

Baxter's Directions to the Depressed: Cast your cares on God (part 2)

The Signs and Causes of Melancholy, with directions suited to the case of those who are afflicted with it. Collected out of the works of Mr. Richard Baxter, for the sake of those, who are wounded in Spirit. By Samuel Clifford, minister of the Gospel London, Bible and Three Crowns, 1716. pp51-66. [Edited and abridged by SML.]

Click here for an introduction to Baxter on Melancholy

Chapter 4: Directions to the Melancholy.

Direction 1: Take notice of worldly sorrows and discontents: do not put so much value in earthly things to that they can disquiet you: but learn to cast your cares upon God.

2. Set yourself more diligently than ever to overcome inordinate love of the World. It will be a happy and good use of your troubles if you can follow them up to the fountain, and find out what it is that you cannot bear the want or loss of, and consequently what it is that you love too much. God is very jealous, even when he loves, against every idol that is loved too much, and with any of the love which is due to him, and if he takes them all away, and tears them out of our hands and hearts, he is merciful as well as just. I speak this not to those who are troubled only for want of more faith and holiness and communion with God and assurance of Salvation: These troubles might give them much comfort if they understood aright from whence they came and what they signify. As impatient trouble under worldly crosses proves that a man loves the world too much, so impatient trouble for want of more holiness and communion with God, shows that such are lovers of holiness and God. Love goes before desire and grief. That which men love, they delight in if they have it, and mourn for want of it, and desire to obtain it. The Will is the love, and no man is troubled for the lack of something he doesn’t desire.

3. If you are not satisfied that God and Christ and Heaven are enough for you as a matter of happiness and contentedness, study the case better and you may be convinced. Learn better your catechism and principles of religion, and you will learn to lay up a treasure in Heaven and not on Earth, and that it’s best to be with Christ, and that death, which kills all the glory of the world and equals the rich and the poor is the common door to both Heaven and Hell... and conscience will ask you if you have lived for God or for the flesh, and what had preeminence in your hearts and your lives. Study more to live by faith and hope on the unseen promised glory with Christ, and you will patiently endure any sufferings in the way.

Part 3

Baxter's Directions for the Depressed: Cast your cares on God (part 1)

The Signs and Causes of Melancholy, with directions suited to the case of those who are afflicted with it. Collected out of the works of Mr. Richard Baxter, for the sake of those, who are wounded in Spirit. By Samuel Clifford, minister of the Gospel London, Bible and Three Crowns, 1716. pp51-66. [Edited and abridged by SML.]

Click here for an introduction to Baxter on Melancholy

Chapter 4: Directions to the Melancholy.

When the disease is gone very far, directions to the melancholy persons themselves are vain, because they have not reason and free will to practice them: at that point, it is their friends around them who must have the directions. But because with most of the melancholy people, and at the onset, there is still some power of reason left, I shall give the following directions for use of such ones.

Direction 1: Take notice of worldly sorrows and discontents: don’t put so much value in earthly things to that they can disquiet you: but learn to cast your cares upon God.

1. Do not give way to a habit of peevish impatience. Did you not reckon on sufferings and of bearing the cross when you first gave yourself up to Christ, and now you think it strange when afflictions come on you? Look for them, and make it your daily study to prepare for any trial God may bring upon you, and then it will not surprise and overwhelm you. It is your unpreparedness that makes it seem insufferable.

Especially make it a matter of conscience to keep yourself out of a settled state of discontent in your mind: do you not have much better than you deserve? Do you forget how many years you have enjoyed undeserved mercy? Discontent is a continued resistance to God’s disposing will, and some rebellion against it. It is like an Atheist to think that your sufferings are not by his providence; and dare you complain against God and continue in such complaining? To whom else does it belong to dispose of you and all the world? And when you feel distracting cares for your deliverance, remember that this is not trusting God. Take care of your own duty and obey His commands, but leave it to Him what you shall have. Tormenting care only adds to your afflictions. It is a great mercy of God that he forbids these cares and promises to care for you. Your Savior himself has largely, though gently, reprehended them (Matt 6), and told you how sinful and unprofitable they are, and that your Father knows what you need; and if he deny it you, it is for a just cause; and if it is to correct you, it is also for your benefit, and if you submit to him and accept his gift, he will give you much better than what he takes from you, even Christ and everlasting life.

Part 2.

Baxter on Melancholy (or Depression)

What is “Melancholy”? I hesitate to answer that and soon Baxter will speak for himself, but since that may be the question in your mind, I want to address it now. If you disagree, please feel free to reasonably (and briefly) let me know why or how I should change this post. Do read on in Baxter as I post him for a better understanding. Until then, basically Melancholy is an old term for some of what we generally call depression now. The word melancholy has some advantages, even though most people aren’t familiar with it, simply because it doesn’t have the baggage that the term depression has.

At any rate, my dad has a bunch of piles of books sitting on the dining room table at the moment, and recommended to me that I should look there for fodder for this site. What I found is something I’ve wanted for a while: a puritan view, help, and analysis of, loosely speaking, depression. This small book is a compilation of various other works, put together after his death and never reprinted. I hope that the extracts I post here are as encouraging and helpful to you as I have found the book to be already. Melancholy (“depression”) is not just a modern phenomenon – it was a problem 400 years ago as well as now – and there is both hope and help.

The book is made up of six sections, the first by Samuel Clifford & the rest by Richard Baxter.

1. To the Reader: Advice directed to those who have suffered from Melancholy in the past but no longer suffer from it, by Samuel Clifford. Excerpt 1, Excerpt 2.
2. Chap. I: The Nature of Melancholy.
3. Chap II: The Signs of Melancholy.
4. Chap III: The Causes of Melancholy.
5. Chap IV: Directions to the Melancholy.
1. Direction 1: Take notice of worldly sorrows and discontents: don’t put so much value in earthly things to that they can disquiet you: but learn to cast your cares upon God. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.
   
6. Chap V: Directions to those who are concerned in the care of Melancholy Persons.

I am including the compilers’ and editors’ recommendation as the intent with which it was written.

*****

The Signs and Causes of Melancholy, with directions suited to the case of those who are afflicted with it. Collected out of the works of Mr. Richard Baxter, for the sake of those, who are wounded in Spirit. By Samuel Clifford, minister of the Gospel London, Bible and Three Crowns, 1716.

The Epistle Recommendatory.

The subject of this treatise, and the manner in which things are laid together in it, is such as will render it of standing service to many in the world. There are few as become real Christians, but, at one time or other are exercised with something of that melancholy which is here described: and we believe there are none that have chosen to be the companions of them that fear God, who do not meet it in the cases of others, however free from it they are in themselves. Where it prevails to a high degree, ‘tis one of the most deplorable cases in the world; and even the least degree of it requires good help, and some pains to get rid of it.

Such a book as this, must be greatly valuable to those, who are either afflicted with melancholy themselves; or desirous to relieve and assist others under such a disorder. There is not anywhere yet published, that we know of, so full, and distinct, and orderly a consideration of this case, as in the following collection.

We need not say anything of the Author from whose Writings this collection is made; since we have it already as the concurrent sentiment of 34 ministers, (who have all subscribed a Recommendation of Mr. Baxters Practical Works) That the things treated on, “are most accurately handled, and at the same time with greatest plainness, suited to the capacities, and pressed home upon the consciences of readers with inimitable life and fervor.” [...]

Now may that God, who comforts those that are cast down, make this Book useful to such an End...

Samuel Wright

W. Tong, T. Reynolds, Simon Brown, John Evans,
W. Harris, T. Bradbury, B. Grosvenor.

The Christian's Daily Walk by Henry Scudder

A few weeks back, my mommy handed me a book she read recently. In thinking about this blog, the recommendation written by Richard Baxter for the book stuck me as both informative and a guiding principle for what books I read should be. Perhaps another time I will divulge what Scudder himself has to say in this book, but for now, consider this.

Recommendation
by the
Rev. Richard Baxter.

Reader, I take it for some dishonour of our age, that such a book as this should need any man's recommendation, to procure its entertainment, having been so long known and so greatly approved by the most judicious and religious ministers and people, as it hath been; even to be practical Christians, the one instead of many, for the ordering of their daily course of life, and securing their salvation and well-grounded peace. And though I know that there are some few words, especially about perseverance, of which all good Christians are not fully of one mind, (and I never undertake to justify every word, in my own books, or any others, while we all confess that we are not absolutely infallible;) yet I must say, (without disparagement to any man's labours,) that I remember not any book which is written to be the daily companion of Christians, to guide them in the practice of a holy life, which I prefer before this: I am sure, none of my own. For so sound is the doctrine of this book, and so prudent and spiritual, apt and savory the directions, and all so fully suited to our ordinary cases and conditions, that I heartily wish no family might be without it; and many volumes (good and useful) are now in religious people's hands, which I had rather were all unknown than this. And I think it of more service to the souls of men, to call men to the notice and use of such a treasure, and to bring such old and excellent writings out of oblivion and the dust, than to encourage very many who overvalue their own, and to promote the multiplication of things common and undigested, to the burying of more excellent treatises in the heap.
Reader, if thou wilt make this book (after the sacred Scripture) thy daily counsellor, and monitor, and comforter, I am assured the experience of thy own great advantage, and increase of wisdom, holiness, and peace, will commend it to thee more effectually than my words can do.
Read, love, and practise that which is here taught thee, and doubt not of thy everlasting happiness.

RICHARD BAXTER.

Jan. 16th, 1673-4.

Taken from The Christian's Daily Walk, in holy Security and Peace. Henry Scudder, Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication.