Defensive Armor Against Four of Satans Most Fiery Darts, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Directions for them who are already fallen under this Temptation. Melancholy to be evacuated by Natural Means. 2. The Motive is to be conſidered, which uſually is a freedome from ſome preſent or imminent Evil. Two things to be conſidered: 1. Whether it will free us, to deſtroy our ſelves? 2. Whether there be not a more ſafe and certain way to be free?
I Have thus far onelyonly prepared you againſt a wreſtling with this Temptation and given you preventing Phyſick, (which indeed they ſay is beſt) and it is better indeed to keep ſuch an Enemy as Satan is, Armed with this Dart, at a diſtance; then to truſt to our own Strength in the hour of Combate: But poſſibly as to ſome poor Souls this counſel may come too late, the Enemy may be upon them: What ſhall be done in this Caſe? I ſhall conclude my Diſcourſe, referring to this Temptation with ſome Advice of this Nature.
1. And here my firſt Direction muſt be of the ſame Nature as before: The Evacuating of thoſe Peccant Natural Humours of which the Devil takes advantage; and this at the firſt. Phyſicians will tell you, That there is a Melancholick Deliration: Melancholy may ſo far prevail, as to put a Man or Woman out of the Conduct and Guidance of his Reaſon; and who knoweth what a Man in thoſe Circumſtances may do: and although it be true that Acts done in Diſtractions are not Humane Acts, and poſſibly ſhall not be imputed to us, yet let me tell you that theſe are ſad iſſues of our Lives, and oftentimes Men and Women are ſo rational by Times, and in ſome Acts, that it is a very hard judgment to be made by ſtanders by, whether ſuch Miſerable Creatures, doing ſuch an Act, do it under the Conduct of their Reaſon (for the avoiding of a great Miſery as they ſuppoſe, which they feel or fear) yea or no. This therefore is the firſt thing to be done in this Caſe, for the Removal of thoſe Riſes and Advantages which the Devil takes from this Temperature of Body. When this is done,
2. The next thing to be attended, Is a juſt Enquiry into the Motive which the Devil urgeth to us to induce us to ſuch an Act, that ordinarily is the removing of our ſelves from the ſenſe of ſome great Evil, which either is upon us, or like ſome black cloud, hangeth over our heads, and we apprehend is not avoidable: for although we read of ſome amongſt the Heathens, that had got ſome imperfect Notions of the Immortality of the Soul, and an happy Eſtate, into which it ſhould enter after Death; out of haſt to be there, put an end to their Lives: yet there are no Chriſtians, but are better inſtructed, and know that although the Souls of Men and Women be indeed Immortal, and that there is a Bleſſed Eternity into which the Souls of ſome Men and Women ſhall enter; yet there is alſo a Miſerable Eternity, into which the Souls of others ſhall go. And for the Bleſſed Eternity into which ſome ſhall enter, the way to it is directed by Gods Word, and not by our own Fancy; and that it is no way to do it to die in a ſinful Act, which leaveth hardly any room for Repentance, and ſpeaketh the greateſt Unbelief imaginable. So that, I ſay, the general Motive prevailing with any to the leaſt hearkening to this Temptation, is the removal of our ſelves from the fear or preſent ſenſe of ſome evils, which either preſs or threaten us. This being found out, certainly there can be nothing imagined more effectual to deliver us from the dint of this Temptation, then ſeriouſly to conſider with our ſelves. 1. Whether the deſtroying our ſelves will effect that end, indeed delivering the Soul from ſuch Evils? 2. Whether, ſuppoſing that it would, deliverance might not be hoped for another way; far more certain and more advantagious? As to the Firſt, A Man or Woman muſt be more certain of his or her happy ſtate after this Life, then it is poſſible a Soul ſhould be that doth entertain ſuch thoughts, or he can never be aſſured, that the doing of ſuch an Act ſhould deliver him from the Miſery under which he groaneth. It is indeed very poſſible that a Soul ſhould be under the aſſurance of Eternal Life (whatever the Papiſts ſay) but it is impoſſible that a Soul ſhould be under this Aſſurance at the ſame time, having it in his Heart, and reſolving to do that Act, as to which the Scripture hath ſaid, That he that doth it, ſhall not inherit Everlaſting Life, or hath not Eternal Life. Now admit the Soul not to enter into Life, he certainly goes into the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimſtone; where the Worm never dies, the Fire never goeth out. For a Man or Woman to leap out of the Miſeries of this Life into the Pit of Hell, to deliver himſelf from any degree of Miſery, either felt or feared, is ſo wild and irrational an Undertaking, as no Soul under the guidance of Reaſon can do it, but one that believeth no Hell; ſo that it is an Act agreeing onelyonly to an Unbeliever, or a Mad-man, an Atheiſt, or a Man Diſtracted. 2. But Secondly, Admit now that a Man or Woman, deſtroying him or her ſelf, would bring him or her a deliverance from Miſery in the Grave; Job ſaith, The wicked ceaſe from troubling, the weary be at reſt. The Priſoners reſt and hear not the Voice of the Oppreſſor, the Servant is free from his Maſter. So then, if Mens Souls expired with their Bodies, Death would deliver them; it freeth the Beaſt of the Field, and all ſenſitive Creatures; admit it would ſo free a Man or Woman, which it will not, yet certainly it is by no means elegible, unleſs we can be freed no other way, and to no better advantage. Suppoſe a Man or Woman, under a painful fit of the Gout, or under an extremity of Pain in ſome particular Member or Joynt, ſo as the cutting off an Hand or a Leg, or a Joynt, will certainly cure him, yet who almoſt (if it be but as to the pulling out of a Tooth) will purchaſe his freedom from pain at that rate, till he or ſhe ſeeth that no other way will do. Thou art under a great degree of Miſery, great bodily Pains or Torments, or in danger of ſome great Shame, Miſery, or Reproach: Thou haſt a Temptation to free thy ſelf from the preſſure of it, by deſtroying thy ſelf, and (which is the beſt thou canſt fancy if thou beeſt an Atheiſt) annihilating thy Being. But is there no other way than this for thy Relief? Is there not a waiting upon God, an exerciſing of hope and confidence in him? Is he not able to ſupport and to bear thee up under theſe preſſures? To make thy burthen light unto thee, and to take it off thy Shoulders when he ſhall think good? Hath he not promiſed that he will not lay upon us more than he will inable us to bear, that he will be with us in the Fires, and in the Waters, that the Waters ſhall not drown us, nor the Flames kindle upon us? If I can be delivered from an Evil, of which I am afraid, or which I feel a more certain and eaſie way, than that which I am preſſed to uſe, which is both incertain and of greater diſadvantage; doth not all imaginable Reaſon dictate to me the uſe of it? And certainly to a Soul poſſeſſed of the truth of what God hath revealed in his Word, and under the conduct of Reaſon, nothing need be added to repel ſo unnatural a Temptation as this is; whereas therefore ſome are ſhy that perſons under the prevailing of Melancholy, ſhould read Books of …rrible Arguments, or hear Sermons of the Wrath of God againſt Sinners, of Hell and Judgement. I do not think any Books opening the Scriptures, or any portions of Scriptures, fitter to be read, or any Sermons fitter to be heard, by perſons under theſe circumſtances, then ſuch Books, ſuch Sermons, ſuch Portions of Holy Writ, as moſt expreſs the Wrath of God againſt Sinners, moſt livelily expreſs the miſerable eſtate of Souls in another World under the Wrath of God: Together with ſuch as contain or explain the Promiſes of God, for Support, and Strength, and Help under, and Deliverance from, the greateſt Preſſures of Affliction and Miſery. By the reading and hearing of the one (the Grace of God concurring) which is always requiſite to make the Soul believe what it reads and hears, a Soul ſhall be deterred from ſuch an undertaking from the rational conſideration, That there is no way for it to get out of its Miſery; and by the other, it ſhall be perſwaded that there is a far nearer and more certain way of Relief for it, if it can but exerciſe a little Patience from the good hand of God, who is able to relieve it, and who hath promiſed, and is faithful. Which two points are of very great import for a Soul to be perſwaded of, that it may ſtand againſt this fiery Dart, and of that Nature, that it is impoſſible that any Soul in the full poſſeſſion and belief of them, ſhould ever liſten to this Temptation, ſo long as it pleaſeth God to keep it in the exerciſe of its Reaſon. Let therefore every Soul under this Temptation, make it its buſineſs to give it ſelf the fulleſt poſſeſſion of theſe Truths; for it is the Unbelief or faint Belief, of theſe things, that gives the leaſt advantage to the roaring Lion, thus ſeeking about to devour Souls. The more rooted a Soul is in the Doctrine of Eternity, both that which relateth to damned Souls, and that which relateth to ſuch as ſhall be ſaved, the more remote and difficult it will be, as to liſtning to any Temptation of this nature.