Trouble of the Mind and the Disease of Melancholy, Preface

Trouble of the Mind and the Disease of Melancholy · Preface

p. iTHE PREFACE: CONTAINING Several Advices to the Relations and Friends of Melancholly People.

THERE is a very great difference between ſuch as are only under trouble of Conſcience, and ſuch whoſe Bodies are greatly diſeaſed at the ſame time: A ſenſe of Sin, and great ſorrow for it, may in ſome perſons not change at all their former ſtate of health; and the mercy of God may ſo ſpeedily relieve them, that they ſuffer no viſible decays in their Conſtitution, but are ſo happy as to have a ſound Mind and Body both at once. 'Tis not with relation to ſuch that I write this Preface; but for ſuch as are under a deep, and a rooted Melancholly: And to the Friends of ſuch I think it is very neceſſary to give the following Advices.

p. iiIFirſt, Look upon your diſtreſſed Friends, as under one of the worſt Diſtempers to which this Miſerable Life is obnoxious. Melancholly ſeizes on the Brain and Spirits, and incapacitates them for Thought or Action; it confounds and diſturbs all their thoughts, and unavoidably fills them with anguiſh and vexation; of which there is no reſemblance in any other Diſtemper, unleſs it be that of a Raging Fever. I take it for granted, and I verily believe, I ſay nothing but what is true; When this ugly Humour is deeply fixed, and hath ſpread its Malignant Influence over every part, 'tis as vain a thing to ſtrive againſt it, as to ſtrive againſt a Fever, or a Pluriſie, the Gout, or the Stone, which are very grievous to Nature, but which a man by reſolution, and the force of briskneſs and courage cannot help. One would be glad to be rid of ſuch oppreſſing things, but all our ſtriving will not make them go away. And of all the Inconveniences of Melancholly, The want of ſleep, which it uſually brings along with it, is one of the worſt. It is very reviving to a man that is in pain all the day, to think that he ſhall ſleep at night; but when he has no proſpect nor hope of that for ſeveral nights together, oh, what confuſion does then ſeize p. iiiupon him! he is then like one upon a rack, whoſe anguiſh will not ſuffer him to reſt; by this means the Faculties of the Soul are weakned, and all its Operations diſturbed and clouded, and the poor Body languiſhes and pines away at the ſame time. And this Diſeaſe is more formidable than any other, becauſe it commonly laſt very long; It is a long time before it come to its height, and uſually as long ere it decline again; and all this long ſeaſon of its continuance, is full of fear and torment, of horror and amazement. It is in every reſpect ſad and overwhelming; it is a ſtate of darkneſs that has no diſcernable beams of Light. 'Tis as a Land of darkneſs, on which no Sun at all ſeems to ſhine. It does generally indeed firſt begin at the Body, and then conveys its venom to the Mind; and if any thing could be found that might keep the Blood and Spirits in their due temper and motion, this would obſtruct its further progreſs, and in a great meaſure keep the Soul clear. I pretend not to tell you what Medicines are proper to remove it, and I know of none; I leave you to adviſe with ſuch as are learned in the Profeſſion of Phyſick, and eſpecially to have recourſe to ſuch Do…tors as have themſelves felt it; for it is impoſſible fully to underſtand the nature of it any other way p. ivthan by Experience: and that Perſon is highly to be valued, whoſe endeavours God will bleſs to the removal of this obſtinate and violent Diſeaſe. And as old Mr. Greenham ſays;**In his Comfort for Afflicted Conſciences, p. 137. There is a great deal of wiſdom requiſite to conſider both the ſtate of the Body, and of the Soul. If a man, ſaith he, that is troubled in Conſcience, come to a Miniſter, it may be, he will look all to the Soul, and nothing to the Body; if he come to a Phyſician, he conſidereth the Body, and neglecteth the Soul: for my part, I would never have the Phyſician's Counſel deſpiſed, nor the Labour of the Miniſter negected; becauſe the Soul and Body dwelling together, it is convenient, that as the Soul ſhould be cured, by the Word, by Prayer, by Faſting, or by Comforting; ſo the Body muſt be brought into ſome temperature, by Phyſick, and Diet, by harmleſs Diverſions, and ſuch like ways; providing always, that it be ſo done in the fear of God, as not to think by theſe ordinary means quite to ſmother or evade our Troubles, but to uſe them as preparatives, whereby our Souls may be made more capable of the ſpiritual Methods that are to follow afterwards.

p. vIISecondly, Look upon thoſe that are under this woful Diſeaſe of Melancholly with great pity and compaſſion. And pity them the more, by conſidering that you your ſelves are in the body, and liable to the very ſame trouble; for how brisk, how ſanguine, and how chearful ſoever you be, yet you may meet with thoſe heavy Croſſes, thoſe long and painful and ſharp Afflictions which may ſink your ſpirits. Many that are far from being naturally inclined to Melancholly, have been accidentally overwhelmed with it, by the loſs of Children, by ſome ſudden and unlooked for diſappointment that ruines all their former Projects and Deſigns: O let every groan that you hear from perſons ſo afflicted, deeply affect your hearts; and never look upon them but with a compaſſionate and a concerned eye; never look upon them, but make this uſe to your ſelves. Man at his beſt Eſtate is altogether vanity. Let it wean you from the world, when you ſee that by ſuch a Diſeaſe as this, a man is quickly taken off of all his buſineſs, and unfit to manage his Affairs, or to purſue his former moſt delightful work. Melancholly is a complication of violent and ſore Diſtreſſes; tis full of miſeries; 'tis it ſelf a fierce Affliction, and bring to our Thoughts and to our bodies one Evil faſt upon another: p. viAny other Diſtemper may trouble us, but this does aſtoniſh and amaze. O look upon your Friends in this caſe with great tenderneſs, for they, alas, are wounded both in Soul and Body; and in all the world there are none for the time in ſo doleful a ſtate as they: They are uſually walking as in the midſt of Fire and Brimſtone; and moſt frequently under the very pangs of death, and the pains of Hell; in great bodily danger, and in no leſs ſpiritual Calamity: Their Burthen is very often heavier than their groaning; their ſighs are deep, their hearts are ſunk, their minds are in a ſlame, and they are fallen very low: They are thinking on what is ſad and frightful, and they cannot baniſh thoſe Idea's that are ſo terrible. If you ſaw a perſon wounded, and torn and mangled on the High-Way, the ſight of ſo deplorable an Object would fill you with compaſſion; the ſight of your Friends under this Diſeaſe which I am now ſpeaking of, ought much more to move you, for it is every moment tearing them to pieces; every moment it preys upon their Vitals, and they are continually dying, and yet cannot dye. When you viſit a Melancholly perſon, make this Reflection. This Friend of mine awhile ago rejoyced in the love of God as I do; he met with me in Holy Aſſemblies, p. viiand ſung the Praiſes of the Moſt High with as pleaſant a countenance, with as chearful an heart as I; and now he is in deſpair, and horror, and mourning; now his Viſage and his Language is changed, and he is all diſſolved in bitterneſs, and tears, and woe; Oh how vain a thing is man! how terrible is it to fall into the hands of the Living God! my poor Friend under a ſenſe of Gods diſpleaſure does never eat nor drink with pleaſure: he is covered with ſadneſs, whilſt I rejoice in the Eleſſings of Providence; I will by this Example learn to improve my own mercies, and to have a great tenderneſs for ſuch as are brought ſo very low. If, (as Mr. Peacock in his diſtreſs ſaid) you did but feel their grief for one hour, you would have great compaſſion on them; every one of their tears and ſighs has this Language, in which the Poor afflicted Job ſpoke to his hard-hearted Viſiters, chap. 19.21. Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me!

IIIThirdly, Do not uſe harſh Speeches to your Friends when they are under the diſeaſe of Melancholly. They may fret and perplex, and enrage them more, but p. viiithey will never do them the leaſt good. Some indeed will adviſe you to chide and rebuke them upon all occaſions; but I dare confidently ſay, ſuch Adviſers never felt this Diſeaſe; for if they had, they would know that by ſuch a method they do but pour oyl into the flame, and chafe and exaſperate their wounds inſtead of healing them. Mr. Dod, by reaſon of his mild, meek and merciful ſpirit, was reckoned one of the fitteſt perſons to deal with People thus afflicted. Never was any Miniſter more tender and compaſſionate, as thoſe will find that read the Account of Mr. Peacock, and Mrs. Drake, who by his means were very much revived. If you would be ſerviceable to ſuch Perſons, you muſt not vex them with harſh and rigorous diſcourſe: it cauſes many poor Souls to cheriſh and conceal their troubles to their greater torment, becauſe they meet with very harſh entertainment from thoſe to whom they have begun to explain their caſe. Our Bleſſed Lord, and Principal Phyſician, was meek and lowly, and would not break the bruiſed Reed, nor quench the ſmoaking Flax. And the firſt Viſit that the forementioned Mr. Dod made to Mr. Peacock in his Anguiſh, was to put him in mind of God's kindneſs,**See Mr. Peacock's Viſitation, p. 6. whereof he ſhewed to him four parts, 1. To take p. ixſmall things in good part, 2. To paſs by Infirmities. 3. To be eaſily entreated. 4. To be entreated for the greateſt. You muſt uſe with ſuch, a great deal of prudence and gentleneſs, not upon every occaſion to thwart and contradict them; with love you may do them much good, but in anger none at all: If you be ſevere in your ſpeeches, they'll never be perſuaded that it is in kindneſs, and ſo not regard at all what you ſay; nay, your ſharp words pierce as ſo many Daggers to their hearts, and make that inward Fever, that burns them, to be more hot and ſcorching: But of all Perſons, Miniſters are eſpecially to be blamed, who when they find poor Sinners even overwhelmed with a ſenſe of guilt, with the terrors of God, and ſlain by the Law, do ſtill ſet the Law more and more home upon them; which is indeed to throw them down lower, but not the way to raiſe them up; it is to widen and enflame, but not to remove and heal their wounds; and to ſuch that of the Prophet may be very juſtly applied, Ezek. 34.4. The diſeaſed have ye not ſtrengthned, neither have ye healed that which was ſick; neither have ye bound up that which was broken; neither have ye brought again that which was driven away; neither have ye ſought that which p. xwas loſt, but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And then the poor diſtreſſed Soul is more diſtreſſed by their harſh Language, and is apt to conclude againſt it ſelf, and to ſay, If the Miniſters of Chriſt ſpeak ſo ſeverely to me, what will Chriſt himſelf do? and this is raking in the wounds that are already very ſore and ſmarting. Such a Miniſter is as an Angel that troubles the waters more, that were before troubled; but not an Angel of peace to bring glad tidings to a weary Soul. They would not complain no more than you, if they were not in violent anguiſh and perplexity. For as Job ſays, ch. 6.5. Doth the wild Aſs bray when he hath graſs? or loweth the Ox over his fodder? And again, to the ſharp Expreſſions of his Friends, he ſays, Job 16.3, 4, 5. Miſerable Comforters are ye all! ſhall vain words have an end? I alſo could ſpeak as you do. If your ſoul were in my ſoul's ſtead, I could heap up words againſt you, and ſhake my head at you: But I would ſtrengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips ſhould aſſwage your grief. When their Souls are already full of ſorrow, a little more will make them overflow. When they are weakned with ſeveral aſſaults, a ſmall ſtroke will throw them to the ground: and a Sore p. xithat is continually rubbed and chafed, cannot be cured. But of this I have ſpoken in the following Treatiſe, p. 80.

IVFourthly, You muſt be ſo kind to your Friends under this Diſeaſe, as to believe what they ſay. Or however, that their apprehenſions are ſuch as they tell you they are; do not you think that they are at eaſe when they ſay they are in pain. It is a fooliſh courſe which ſome take with their melancholly Friends, to anſwer all their Complaints and Moans with this, That it's nothing but Fancy; nothing but Imagination and Whimſey. It is a Real Diſeaſe, a Real Miſery that they are tormented with: and if it be Fancy, yet a diſeaſed Fancy is as great a Diſeaſe as any other; it fills them with anguiſh and tribulation: But this ſo diſordered Fancy is the conſequent of a greater Evil, and one of the ſad effects that are produced by that black Humour that has vitiated all the natural ſpirits. Theſe afflicted perſons can never poſſibly believe that you pity them, or that you are heartily concerned for them, if you do not credit what they ſay; and truly it often falls out, that becauſe Melancholly perſons do not always look very ill, or have pretty good ſtomachs, and do not at firſt very much decline p. xiiin their Bodies, other perſons that know nothing of the Diſtemper, are apt to think that they make themſelves worſe than they are: whereas, alas, they are ſo grieved, that they need not, neither will they counterfeit any more grief. In all other Evils people take for granted what others ſay, and accordingly ſympathiſe with them; but in this they are apt to contradict and oppoſe ſuch as are diſtreſſed; and as long as they do ſo, cannot pity them as they ought: This makes the grief of ſuch to overwhelm and ſtrangle them within, becauſe when they diſcloſe it, they find it is to no purpoſe; and do but in this caſe as you would have others do to you; ſuppoſe when you have the Toothach, or Headach, and people, when you complain, ſhould tell you 'tis nothing but Fancy, would not you think their carriage to be full of cruelty? and would it not vex you to find that you cannot be believed?

VFifthly, Do not urge your Friends under the Diſeaſe of Melancholly, to things which they cannot do. They are as perſons whoſe bones are broken, and that are in great pain and anguiſh, and conſequently under an incapacity for action: their Diſeaſe is full of perplexed tormenting thoughts; if it were poſſible by any means p. xiiiinnocently to divert them, you would do them a great kindneſs; but by no means preſs them to any thing that requires more intenſe thinking; or that by fixing their minds, will force them to muſe and pore more; by the doing of which, they are already very miſerable: it puts them into a more anxious ferment, when you are continually fretting them with the doing of this or that, to which it may be they have no more power, than a man that hath broke his Leg, hath to run. Be not noiſy or clamorous with them; but know, that ſilence and quietneſs are moſt favourable to their deſolate Condition. You know that they are overwhelmed with ſorrows, and grief is a very unactive ſluggiſh thing; the vehemence of this, weakens the natural ſpirits, and blunts the Soul, and renders its conceptions very languiſhing, and confuſed. But perhaps you will ſay, Muſt we not urge them to hear the Word of God? I anſwer, If they are ſo far gone in the Diſeaſe, as to be in continual unintermitting anguiſh, they are not capable of hearing, becauſe of the many great pains which they moſt frequently have at the ſame time: but if their Diſtemper is not yet come to ſuch a terrible height, you may indeed preſs them to hear, but at the ſame time you muſt; uſe a great p. xivof prudence, and not perſuade them with too much peremptorineſs or vehemence; ſtrive to convince them of their duty by love, and by good words. In which caſe Jacob's pace with his Flocks, with ſuch, is the beſt and ſafeſt way, to drive them gently, eſpecially ſeeing they are big with fear and perplexity: You may win much upon them by a mild, a ſweet and affable carriage; and if you imitate the Friends of Mrs. Drake, you will not do amiſs; and therefore I will mention their practiſe as I find it in her Life.**See Mrs. Drake Revived, p. 82. The burthen with which ſhe had overloaded her ſelf was ſo great, that we never durſt add any thereunto, but fed her will all incouragements, ſhe being too apt to overcharge her ſelf, and to deſpair upon any addition of fewel unto that Fire which already was kindled in her: And ſo whereſoever ſhe went to hear, notice was ſtill given, ſo to manage the buſineſs, that the Miniſter might know that he had an Hearer thus qualified; and by this means ſhe received no diſcouragement in hearing of the Word.

VISixthly, Do not attribute the effects of meer Diſeaſe, to the Devil; thought I deny not that the Devil has an hand in the cauſing of ſeveral Diſeaſes: The Envy p. xvand rage that he is filled with, prompts him to diſturb the health and peace of men; and by God's permiſſion, no doubt, he brings a great many ſickneſſes upon them. As we know in the Caſe of Job, he filled him all over with tormenting Sores, which brought the poor man into a very great Melancholly, and wofully by that means perplexed him with ſpiritual terror and amazement. But notwithſtanding all this, it is a very overwhelming thing, to attribute every action almoſt of a Melancholly man to the Devil, when there are ſome unavoidable Expreſſions of ſorrow which are purely natural, and which he cannot help, no more than any other ſick man can forbear to groan and ſigh. Many perſons will ſay to ſuch, Why do you ſo pore and muſe, and gratify the Devil? whereas it is the very nature of the Diſeaſe to cauſe ſuck fixed Muſings; and they may as well ſay, Why are you diſeaſed? why will you not be well? Their ſo muſing proceeds from a violent preſſure on their ſpirits, which they are not able to remove; ſome think that Melancholly perſons are pleaſed with their Diſtemper; but I verily believe, as little as a man that lies on thorns or bryars, or as one that is thrown into a fiery Furnace. It is vaſtly painful to them to be in this condition; and they cannot p. xvibe ſuppoſed ſo far to hate themſelves as to be fond of pain. The Devil is indeed very buſie to work during the darkneſs of a Soul; he throws in his Bombs, and his fiery Darts; to amaze us more when we are compaſſed with the Terrors of a diſmal Night, he is bold and undaunted in his Aſſaults, and injects with a quick and ſudden malice a thouſand monſtrous and abominable thoughts of God, and which at the ſame time ſeem to be the motions of our own minds, and ſo do moſt terribly grieve and trouble us. And alas, we too too often comply with his Deſigns; we are uſually then under great unbelief, and too often we think of God, and of our ſelves, as he would have us think: But yet if you be ſpeaking in every Action of Melancholly Perſons, that it is from this Evil Spirit, you will, as it is eaſie to fix any ſort of direful Impreſſions on ſuch as are overcome with fear, perſuade them, it may be, at length, that they are poſſeſt, and that all that they do, is from him, when at the ſame time they are pained in every part; and then finding themſelves unable to get out of their diſtreſs, your Diſcourſes plunge them very low in miſery. I would not have you to bring a Railing Accuſation againſt the Devil, ſo as to attribute to him a thouſand things, wherein he has no hand at all; p. xviineither muſt you falſly accuſe your friends, by ſaying, that they gratify him, when they do not ſo: Conſider how ill you would take it, to be ſo uſed, if you were in their Caſe; or conſider, That to be without Temptation, is the greateſt Temptation.

VIISeventhly, Do not much wonder at any thing that they ſay or do. What will not people do that are in Deſpair! What will they not ſay, that think themſelves loſt for ever! What ſtrange extravagant Actions do you ſee thoſe do that are under the power of fear! And none are ſo much afraid as theſe poor people are; they are afraid of God, of Hell, and of their own ſorrows. You need not much wonder at them, when you know that even ſo great a Man as Job curſed his day, and talked of God with much more freedom and boldneſs than he ought to have done; and the Lord himſelf ſaid, that he darkned Counſel by words without knowledg. Do not think it ſtrange, if they very much complain, for their grief cauſes them to ſpeak; you know the Tongue will always be ſpeaking of the Aking Tooth. Their ſoul is ſore vexed; and tho it's true, they get no good by complaining; yet they cannot but complain, to find themſelves in ſuch a doleful Caſe: And tho they can ſay p. xviiiwith David, Pſal. 6.6. I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed ſo ſwim, I water my couch with tears; yet they cannot forbear to groan and weep more, till their very eyes be conſumed with grief. Let no Carriage of theirs provoke you to paſſion; let no ſharp words of theirs make you to talk ſharply: Sick perſons are generally very peeviſh; and it will be a very great weakneſs in you, not to bear with them, when you ſee that a long and ſore diſeaſe hath deprived them of their former good Temper. Do not you find in Scripture ſeveral inſtances of Men that have uttered woful complaints? That have ſaid, Their Hope was periſht? That the Wrath of God laid hard upon them? That againſt them his Terrors were ſet in array? That their Prayers were ſhut out? That their Iniquities were gone over their heads? That they were as ſpectacles of Reproach, and the ſcorn and wonder of other Men? Do not therefore wonder at any thing that your Friends, under great trouble, ſay.

VIIIEighthly, Do not mention to them any formidable Things, nor tell, in their hearing, any ſad Stories; becauſe they do already Meditate Terror; and by every ſad p. xixthing that they hear of, are much more terrified; their troubled Imagination is prepared to fix upon any mournful thing; and by that means, will multiply its own ſorrows. The hearing of ſad things, cauſes in them more violent Agitations, and throws them into great diſorders, having the ſame effects in them, that Storms and Thunder have in Nature, and which ſtrike a Terror into Men. You muſt know, that they are very ingenious in heightning every doleful thing; And to argue thus, If it be ſo dreadful to be ſo cruelly uſed, ſo tormented, ſo enſlaved, How dreadful then is my condition, that have God againſt me, and am like to be in Hell for ever! Studiouſly avoid all Diſcourſe of what is grievous to them; and yet you muſt not be too merry before them neither; for then they think you ſlight their Miſeries, and have no pity for them. A mixture of affableneſs and gravity will ſuit their Condition beſt; and if I might adviſe, I would deſire Parents not to put thoſe Children, who are naturally Melancholly, to be Scholars, or to any Employment that requires much Study; for that will engage them perhaps to think too much, and at laſt they will be overwhelmed with uneaſie thoughts.

p. xxIXNinthly, Do not think it altogether needleſs to talk with them; only when you … ſo, do not ſpeak as if their Troubles would be very long: It is the length of their Trouble that amazes them, when after one Week, or Month, without Sleep, or Reſt, or Hope, ſtill the next Week and Month is as painful and as terrible to them as the former was; and this many times puſhes them forward to ſeek to deſtroy themſelves, becauſe they ſee no period of their Miſeries, and their Anguiſh is both tedious and inſupportable. Some of the Platoniſts thought that a Man might diſlodge his ſoul by abſtracted contemplation, and turn it into the World of Spirits by the meer force of Thought; but this is nothing elſe but talk; for if any could ſo dye, none would more frequently do ſo than Melancholly Perſons, whoſe diſeaſe is earneſt, intenſe, undiverted thinking, and yet they cannot dye for all that: Of it ſelf, it very rarely kills any perſon. Revive them therefore, by telling them, that God can create deliverance for them in a moment; That he has often done ſo with others; That he can quickly cure their Diſeaſe, and ſhew them his Reconciled, Amiable Face, tho it has been hid from them for a long ſeaſon. You will convey to them ſome little ſupport by p. xxiſuch diſcourſe as this. Tell them, that it may be, in a little time their groans ſhall be turned into praiſes, and that God will ſatisfy them early with his Mercies, and make them glad according to the days wherein he hath afflicted them, and the years wherein they have ſeen evil. Tho they are like the burning buſh, yet they ſhall not be conſumed; and that there ſhall be more ſweetneſs in the deliverance, than there was bitterneſs in the Croſs: And that hereafter they may have cauſe to ſay with David, Pſal. 43.4. I will go unto the Altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy. And that it will make their joys more pleaſant, when they come after ſo long ſadneſs; as to a Man that hath laid all the Night long in Waking Pain, the Morning-Reſt is very ſweet: And let them remember, that the Greateſt Mourner in Iſrael, was the ſweet Singer of Iſrael. Pain, indeed, makes the Time ſeem to go on very ſlowly, an hour ſeems a day, and a day a week; but if you can, by the Bleſſing of God, give them any hope, that they may once be delivered, they will be ſenſibly refreſht, and will be enabled to Pray and Read; none of which they can do whileſt they are in deep Deſpair; but when you talk with them, you muſt, as I have ſaid before, by p. xxiino means thwart, or contradict them, but allow what they ſay; or taking for granted that what they ſay is true, then to proceed with what applications you think moſt proper to their Caſe upon ſuch a ſuppoſition; and if you think they were truely good people, and ſincere in their Converſation, before this woful diſtemper ſeized them, Let them know what you think, and that you have charitable hopes of their Salvation, however it ſhall pleaſe God to deal with them as to Temporal deliverance.

XTenthly, Tell them of others who have been in ſuch Anguiſh, and under ſuch a terrible Diſtemper, and yet have been delivered. It is very hard indeed to perſuade a perſon under great pain and anguiſh, and a ſenſe of the Wrath of God, and a fear of Hell, that ever any has heretofore been ſo perplext as he: Such generally think themſelves worſe than Cain or Judas, or any the moſt wicked People in the World, as thinking that their ſins have greater aggravations, and that conſequently they ſhall be more miſerable; but you may acquaint them with ſeveral inſtances of God's Gracious dealing with others, after they have been for many Months and p. xxiiiYears afflicted. I could ſend you to ſome now alive, that were long afflicted with Trouble of Mind, and Melancholly, as Mr. Roſewell, and Mr. Porter, both Miniſters, the latter whereof was ſix years oppreſſed with this diſtemper; and now they both rejoyce in the Light of Gods Countenance. I my ſelf was near two years in great pain of Body, and greater pain of Soul, and without any proſpect of peace, or help; and yet God hath revived me in his Soveraign Grace and Mercy; and there have been ſeveral heretofore ſorely perplex'd with great inward and outward trouble, whom God, after that, wonderfully refreſh'd. Mr. Robert Bruce, ſome time ago Miniſter at Edinburgh, was Twenty years in terrors of Conſcience, and yet delivered afterwards. You may alſo direct them to the Lives of Mrs. Brettergh, Mrs. Drake, Mr. Peacock, and Mrs. Wight, where they will ſee a very chearful day returning, after a black and ſtormy night; and that the Iſſue from their Afflictions, was more glorious than their Conflict was troubleſom; They went forth weeping, they ſowed in Tears, but they reaped an Harveſt of wonderful Joys afterwards. You have in the Book of Martyrs, written by Mr. Fox, p. xxivan inſtance of Mr. Glover, who was worn and conſumed with inward trouble for the ſpace of Five years, that he neither had any comfort in his Meat, nor any quietneſs of Sleep, nor any pleaſure of Life; he was ſo perplexed as if he had been in the deepeſt Pit of Hell; yet at laſt, this good Servant of God, after ſo ſharp temptations, and the ſtrong buffetings of Satan, was freed from all his trouble, and was thereby framed to great Mortification, and was like one already placed in Heaven, and led a Life altogether Celeſtial, abhorring in his mind all prophane things; and you have a remarkable inſtance of mighty joy in Mr. Holland a Miniſter, who having the day before he died, meditated upon the 8th of the Romans, he cried on a ſudden, Stay your Reading, What brightneſs is it that I ſee! They told him it was the Sun-ſhine: Nay, ſaith he, my Saviour's ſhine. Now, farewell World, and welcome Heaven; the day-ſtar from an high hath viſited my heart; O ſpeak it when I am gone, and let it be Preached at my Funeral, God dealeth familiarly with Man. I feel his Mercy, I ſee his Majeſty, whether in the Body, or out of the Body, God he knoweth, but I ſee things unutterable: And in the Morning p. xxvfollowing, he ſhut up his bleſſed Life, with theſe bleſſed words, O! what an happy change ſhall I make, from Night to Day, from Darkneſs to Light, from Death to Life, from Sorrow to Solace, from a factious World, to an Heavenly Being! O! my dear Friends, it pitieth me to leave you behind; yet remember what I now feel, I hope you ſhall find ere you dye, That God doth, and will deal familiarly with Men. And now thou fiery Chariot, that came down to fetch up Eliah, carry me to my happy hold; and all the bleſſed Angels who attended the ſoul of Lazarus, to bring it up to Heaven, bear me, O bear me into the boſome of my beſt Beloved: Amen, Amen. Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly. And ſo he fell aſleep. See this, and ſeveral other inſtances in Mr. Robert Bolton's Inſtructions for afflicted Conſciences, p. 87. and 235, &c.

XIEleventhly, The next kindneſs you are to ſhew to your Melancholly Friends, is heartily to pray for them. Let your eyes weep for them in ſecret, and there let your ſouls melt in fervent holy Prayers; they are not able in a compoſed or a lively manner, to recommend their own Caſe to God; you may uſe many arguments in your Prayers, p. xxvitheir forlorn ſtate, and the greatneſs of their miſeries may be a very powerful motive to your Supplications: You know that none but God himſelf can help them. For as Mr. Greenham ſays, If our aſſiſtance were as an Hoſt of Armed Soldiers, if our Friends were the Princes and Governors of the Earth, if our Poſſeſſions were as large as between the Eaſt and the Weſt, if our Meat were as Mannah from Heaven, if our Apparel were as coſtly as the Ephod of Aaron; if every day were as glorious as the day of Chriſt's Reſurrection; yet if our Minds are appalled with the Judgments of God, all theſe things would not yield us any help or conſolation**See Mr. Greenham's Comfort for an Afflicted, Conſcience, p. …27. And you muſt wreſtle with him on their behalf; you may plead with him, That his Power, and Goodneſs, will be more illuſtrious, if he ſave thoſe, whom none but he himſelf can ſave; and that his Grace will be more remarkable, if he pleaſe to create Peace for thoſe troubled Souls, in which none but he can make a Calm; and you know not but that his Light, on your requeſt, may begin to ſhine on thoſe who have bewailed his abſence with many dreadful groans: And tho your eyes be even weary with looking upwards, yet continue ſtill to wait and pray; for it ſhall not be in vain. Thus you will do them a great kindneſs, and p. xxviiperform your own Duty, tho perhaps they may be ready to ſay to you, as Mr. Peacock to his Friends, Take not the Name of God in vain, by praying for a Reprobate. And as Mr. Dod ſaid to him, when he ſaid he could not pray, Tho, ſaith he, moſt ſickneſſes hinder Prayer, and therefore the Apoſtle James ſays, If any Man be ſick, let him ſend for the Elders, &c. Yet if God ſtir up your Friends to pray for you, he will ſtir up himſelf to hear their Prayers. And do you conſider, that nothing but Prayer can do them good. It is an obſtinate diſeaſe, that nothing elſe will overcome; for it is a very ſlight Melancholly, and which is not deeply rooted, that can be drowned in Wine, or chaſed away with ſociable divertiſements. Some, indeed, tell us, When they find themſelves troubled, their way is to bid their thoughts Battel, and to oppoſe Thoughts againſt Thoughts, and with the dint of Reaſon, to ſubdue this peeviſh Humour: But ſuch muſt give me leave to ſay, That they are not under the diſeaſe of Melancholly; for that will neither hear Faith nor Reaſon, till God himſelf by his Almighty Power, work Salvation for us.

p. xxviiiXIIXII. Not only pray for them, but get other ſerious Chriſtians to pray for them alſo. When many good people join their requeſts together, the cry is more acceptable and prevalent. When thoſe in the Acts joined to remember Peter in his Chains, he was after that very ſoon delivered, and in the very time of their Prayers. All believers have through Jeſus Chriſt a great intereſt in Heaven; and the Father is willing to grant what they beg in the Name of his dear Son. I my ſelf have been greatly helped by the prayers of others, and I heartily thank all thoſe that kept any particular days wherein more ſolemnly to remember my diſtreſſed condition; bleſſed be God that has not caſt off their prayer, nor turned away his mercy from me. Every day gives us ſeveral experiences of many that have been reſcued from their diſeaſes, their temptations, and their fears, by the Prayers of others. And I might alſo add, you have very great cauſe to pray for your ſelves that God may give you ſtrength to bear ſo heavy a Croſs, as you are afflicted with, in the afflictions of your friends. Their doleful complaints, their repeated groans, and their long and ſore trials, are enough to ſink you too, if God do not give you wonderful ſupport. You have need to beg ſtrong faith, p. xxixand great patience, that you may not be unhinged with their paſſionate or haſty ſpeeches.

XIIIXIII. Put your poor Friends in mind of the Sovereign Grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt; often put them in mind, that he is merciful and gracious; that as far as the Heavens are above the Earth, ſo far are his thoughts above their thoughts; his thoughts of mercy and love, above their ſelf-condemning guilty thoughts. Teach them as much as you can to look up to God by the Great Mediator, for Grace and ſtrength, and not too much to pore on their own ſouls, where there is ſo much darkneſs and unbelief. And ſeek to divert them from puzling themſelves too much with God's ſecret and unknown Decrees, and ſtrive to help them to believe in Chriſt, which is their certain duty; ſhew them what great ſinners God has pardoned, and how he is merciful, becauſe he will be merciful; finding motives to help them, from their very miſeries, and from his own gracious nature. Thus I find they dealt with Mrs. Drake, ſhe would ſend to ſeveral Miniſters to know, concealing her name, Whether ſuch and ſuch a Creature, without Faith, Hope, Love to God or Man, hardhearted, without natural affection, who p. xxxhad rejected all means, nor could ſubmit to the ſame, yet might have any hope to go to Heaven? And they returned for Anſwer, That ſuch like and much worſe (though as bad as Manaſſeh) might by the mercy of God be received into favour, converted and ſaved; which did much allay her trouble. For, (ſaid ſhe) the Fountain of all my miſery hath been, See her Life. pag. 1…7.that I ſought for that in the Law, which I ſhould have found in the Goſpel; and for that in my ſelf, which was only to be found in Chriſt.

This is what I thought neceſſary to ſay to you; and you will find, the courſe I have mentioned, being taken with your Friends, will do them no prejudice. I do not ſpeak only with borrowed expreſſions in this matter, nor without ſome experience. The mild and the gentle way of dealing, I know very well you'l find to be the beſt, and the way of roughneſs and ſeverity will but aggravate and increaſe their miſeries. And I deſire you that are yet healthful and chearful, to improve your health; for if ever this diſtemper ſeize you, you will be able to do nothing for your Souls or Bodies. You may have time, but ſuch will be your anguiſh, that you will not be able to do any thing to purpoſe in that time. This Book has a peculiar Relation to the diſtreſſes of the mind; for as to what p. xxxiconcerns that bodily pain that I had with my inward trouble, I have largely ſhewed what it was in my Practical Diſcourſes on Sickneſs and Recovery, that were publiſhed about a year ago. And what a mercy it is to have our afflictions ſanctified, and to bear the yoak in our Youth, I have explained in my Treatiſe of Early Religion lately publiſhed, which is peculiarly deſigned for young people; and if God bleſs it to their good, it may help them to avoid thoſe woful Terrors which many others have groaned under.

I think I could in the compoſing of the following Book have uſed a little more exactneſs, had I ſet my ſelf ſtudiouſly to do ſo, and by that means it might have been more pleaſant to the Reader, but not ſo well have ſerved my deſign; for according to that old ſaying, Aeger non quaerit medicum Eloquentem ſed ſanantem. A Phyſitian that can remove, the diſeaſe, is more welcome to the ſick than one that can talk finely about it, but do him no good; and if the Cure be performed, 'tis no matter tho the potion was not extreamly ſweetned. I purpoſely avoided all pretence to a regular ſmoothneſs of ſtile, becauſe that the Ears of people in great affliction, are not ſo tender and ſo delicate as theirs are, who are p. xxxiiin heaith. I know that the Age in which we live, is very curious and critical, and that the Engliſh Language has been within a few years greatly poliſhed and improved; and Religion deſerves the best words we can find, wherewith to expreſs our thoughts. And in Eccleſ. 12.10. 'tis ſaid, The Preacher ſought out acceptable words; by which, I ſuppoſe, he means, words that were grateful, as well as profitable. I hope the Reader will mt find either Bombaſt, or ſlovenlineſs in my expreſſions; and if in them there is not, as I do not pretend there is, an accompliſhed beauty, yet that at leaſt they are not all deformity. Whatever ſome perſons may ſay, I think it my duty to expreſs my thoughts not altogether in a neglected and a careleſs manner, ſo it be with plainneſs and clearneſs, and ſuch as may tend to edification. Tho I have not in the following Book given ſuch a particular relation of my Troubles, as perhaps the Readers may expect; yet I deſire them to take notice, that where ever I ſpeak of inward diſtreſs, as by a third perſon I there ſpeak what I my ſelf have felt. It is an obſervation of the Readers of St. Cyprian, that through all his Writings almoſt every word doth breathe Martyrdom; his Expreſſions are full of ſpirit and paſſion, as if he had writ them p. xxxiiiwith his blood, and conveyed the anguiſh of his ſufferings into his Writings: If I had had the judgment and the Pen of ſo Eloquent a perſon, I might have much better deſcribed the ſadneſs of my caſe; but I am ſure nothing in the world could fully expreſs it, it was ſo very terrible, and the greatneſs of the danger does heighten the mercy of God my deliverer, to whoſe Grace and wonderful Salvation I owe my preſent peace and hope, to whom I will devote all my poor endeavours. That thoſe which I have uſed in the following Treatiſe may be ſerviceable to his Glory, your advantage, and the relief of your Melancholly Friends, and many others, as alſo to my own good, is the prayer of

Your Hearty Adviſer, TIMOTHY ROGERS. London, Sept. 10. 1691.