The Works of Jeremiah Burroughs 8, Part · Chapter 52
CHAP. LII.
Six Differences between Melancholly and Trouble of Conſcience. Diff. 1. Melancholly may be in thoſe that are moſt groſly ignorant; but trouble of conſcience cometh with ſome enlightening work. Diff. 2. Melancholly prevails on men by degrees, but trouble of Conſcience many times comes ſuddenly, as lightning. Diff. 3. Melancholly trouble is exceeding confuſed, but troubles of Conſcience are more diſtinct. Diff. 4. The more melancholly any hath, the leſs able are they to bear outward affliction; but the more trouble of Conſcience, the more able to bear outward afflictions. Diff. 5. Melancholly puts a dulneſs upon the ſpirits of men, but trouble of Conſcience for ſin puts a mighty activity upon mens ſpirits. Diff. 6. Trouble of Conſcience cannot be cured the waies melancholly may.
FIrſt, Melancholly, it is many times in men and women where there is moſt groſs Ignorance of God, and of Sin, and of the things of their Eternal Eſtate; it may conſiſt with groſs ignorance: Many melancholly people are moſt ignorant and ſottiſh, and know nothing of the Principles of Religion: but troubles of Conſcience can never come without ſome new Light of God darted in, and ſetled upon the hearts of men and women; it comes alwaies with ſome inlightning work of the Spirit. Melancholly is many times with a great deal of darkneſs within; the mind is dark where melancholly prevails, and many times groſs ignorance; but never any true trouble of Conſcience, but God comes in with ſome light. And therefore if any man or woman be troubled, and ſay it is for ſin, I put this to you; What hath God diſcovered to you now, more than before? What Truths of God hath God ſetled upon their hearts more than before? If they can give no further account of no other light let into them, than before, or further Truth let in upon their hearts than before; then indeed it may be ſuſpected not to be trouble for ſin; as many melancholly people have the name of being troubled for ſin, and they have fears of Hell, becauſe of dark thoughts: But 'tis not the true work of the Spirit upon the Soul, except it be with convincement of ſome new Light, or ſettling ſome Truth more upon the Soul than before.
Secondly, Melanchollineſs comes by degrees upon men and women; alterations of the Body are not ſudden things, the temper of men and womens Bodies cannot ſuddenly be altered to any extremity, but gradually, from one degree to another: but trouble of Conſcience comes many times as a flaſh of Lightning from Heaven. Many men and women have come to the Congregation with ſcornful ſpirits, prophane, wicked, and ungodly; never knew what ſin meant, nor trouble for ſin meant, and God hath met with them in the Word, and faſtned ſome Sentence upon their hearts ſo, that they fall down under the power of it: that comes juſt as an Arrow ſtruck into their Liver, and they could never get out of it, & have gone away with horrors of ſoul; and therfore this hath not been melanchollineſs Certainly the humors of the Body, never ſo ſuddenly alters the Spirits of men: but when God comes to work, when the Spirit of God, and Bondage comes to work, it needs no matter before, no preparative matter, for the work of the Word is ſuch, as it works immediately, without any preparation: Therfore many men that underſtood as little of trouble of Conſcience as ever any did in their lives, and yet God lets ſome Truth reach them, fitted to their hearts and diſpoſitions; that he finds his own ſin come to be diſcovered, and the man is ſmitten: as he in 1 Cor. 14. 25. the ignorant man that comes into the Church, and hears there the Saints propheſie, He is convinced, and falls down, and ſaith, verily God is among them, of a truth God is in them: it is a remarkable Text: what ever he thought before; it may be he heard ſtrange Stories of the Church of Chriſt, of prophane Meetings, That Gods People, when they met together, they blew out the Candles, and committed Uncleanneſs, and Wickedneſs. As there be notorious lies reported abroad of ſuch Sects in the world; for certainly there is no ſuch Sect in the world; but ſuch reports are raiſed, meerly to make the Meettings of Gods Saints odious in the eſteem of others. As the Jeſuite ſaid, Do you but Calnmniate ſtrongly, ſomewhat will ſtick, though nothing be true: Well, what ever thoughts they had of the Aſſemblies of the people of God (for it is like the Heathens had ſtrange thoughts) but when he came in, and heard what was done, he is Convinced, and Judged, and the ſecrets of his heart came to be diſcovered; the text ſaith, The man falls down and Worſhips God, and reports God is among them. So many people hear great Relations of ſuch Men, and ſuch Preachers, and Sermons, and they go to hear what they can ſay, and what they do; and may be go with an intention to ſcorn; as I have known ſome, come and ſit cloſe to a Pilar, and with an intention to jeer, and ſcorn, but before they have been gone, God hath darted ſome truth into their Conſcience, and they have been ſtruck with the word, and gone away with terrors in their Conſcience, this cannot be melancholly. As Paul, when God converted him, God comes and meets him, with light from heaven, and ſtrikes him from his horſe, and he ſtands trembling, and cries out, Lord! What wilt thou have me to do? There is a great deal of difference between this and melancholly.
A Third Difference is this, Melancholly is exceeding Confuſed, they are exceeding Confuſed in their thoughts, and the trouble of their Spirit: And many times they have troubles, and ſinkings, but they can give no account of it at all; yea, their troubles be beyond their ground, the grounds that they be troubled about, are very confuſed, that they underſtand them not themſelves; but troubles of Conſcience are a great deal more diſtinct, and there the ſoul ſeeth ground for the trouble beyond the trouble. As in Melancholly, the trouble is beyond the ground of trouble; ſo in affliction of Conſcience, the ground is beyond all trouble; I am troubled indeed▪ but I ſee cauſe to be troubled more; and this is a great part of many mens trouble, That they can be troubled no more.
A Fourth Difference is this, The more melancholly there is in any man or woman, the leſs able are they to bear any outward affliction that befals them: but the more trouble of Conſcience, the more able ſhall they be to bear afflictions that befals them. Thoſe who feel the trouble of Sin heavie, do account all other afflictions light: but melancholly people do feel all Afflictions heavie, they cannot bear the leaſt croſs, their hearts are ready to ſink upon any thing, and the more melancholly increaſeth, the more weak are their ſpirits, and the leſs able to bear any croſs. But now, trouble of Conſcience, the more ſin, and the heavier the butthen of ſin lies upon the Soul, the more ſlight thoughts hath the ſoul of outward croſſes. Alas, it may be he hears of ſome that have ſome grievous diſeaſes in their bodies; Oh ſaith he that is troubled in conſcience, Oh if it were no worſe with me than ſo, it were but a flea bite, but it is another manner of matter: if God would change my trouble, I could eaſily bear that. As Francis Spira hath this expreſſion, Oh! (ſaith he) were I but releaſed, and ſet free, as before, from trouble of ſpirit, my thinks I could ſcorn all the threatnings of cruel Tyrants, and with undaunted reſolution bear all torments: So that the height of this trouble makes the other leſs. It was a good Speech of a reverend Divine of our times, when he heard any impatient under afflictions; he uſed to ſay thus, Surely the Reaſon why Affliction is heavie upon you, is becauſe Sin is light. Thoſe that be impatient under Afflictions, it is a…ſign Sin is light, becauſe Afflictions are heavie; troubles of Conſcience would make all Afflictions light, Melancholly wil not.
Fifthly, A principal Difference above all that hath been named is this, Melancholly doth mightily dull the ſpirit of any man or woman whereſoever it prevails it makes them heavie, and dull, and unapt: But now, trouble of Conſcience for Sin, it puts a mighty quickneſs in men, it puts an activity, another manner of activity and ſtirring in the ſpirit than ever was before. You ſhall have many men and women ſit dully under a Miniſter many years, under the word, and never act; but when God comes to ſtir, and awaken Conſcience for Sin, their Spirits be active and ſtirring then, in another manner than they were before. Whereas poor people, overwhelm'd with melancholly, they ſit moping, and heavie, and dull, and lumpiſh, and no activity of ſpirit at all; but trouble of Conſcience for ſin, is as fire in his bones. As Jeremiah ſaid, He would ſpeak no more in the Name of the Lord; but the word of God was as fire in his bones, and made him active and ſtirring, ſo trouble in Conſcience makes them active and ſtirring; now they can pray, they could not pray before; now they be active, and working; As Acts 9. When God troubled Paul, the text ſaith, Behold, Paul Prayes: Go ſaith the Lord to Annanias to Saul, Behold he prayes: as if Paul never prayed in all his life before. Certainly you that cannot pray, that never prayed, but read a prayer, or prayers your mothers taught you; you cannot Pray: but if ever God troubles your Conſciences for ſin, then you will Pray, as if you were in heaven, Oh mighty Prayers then, Oh for Chriſt, Oh Pardon of Sin, and Peace; then there is another manner of acting, and ſtirring of his ſpirit, in Prayer; than ever was before. But melanchollineſs, will not do it; but makes a man heavie, and dull, in the very act of Prayer. There is a notable example of the actings of Spirit in troubles that come from Sin, whereas the other makes them dull: 'tis that in the Book of Ezra, Chap. 9. verſ. 3. and 5. Verſe 3. And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and pluckt off the hair of my head, and of my beard, and ſate down aſtonied. This you will ſay made him dull; mark what follows: Verſe. 5. And at the evening ſacrifice I aroſe up from my heavineſs, and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and I ſpread forth my hands unto the Lord my God, and ſaid, Oh Lord my God, I am aſhamed and bluſh to lift up my faee to thee my God, for our iniquities are increaſed over our heads, and our treſpaſſes are grown up to the heavens, &c. There mark the Prayer Ezra makes at the evening Sacrificed when the time was come that he ſhould ſtir and ſeek God, then his Spirit was mighty active, and ſtirring, though he were aſtoniſhed before. If it had been melancholly, his heart would have ſate ſtill then; ſo that trouble of Conſcience puts life into the Soul in Prayer. And ſo it makes the ſoul active in meditation and contemplation; melancholly people be dull, and heavie, and know not how to meditate, nor what to meditate on. Thoſe troubled in Conſcience, Oh what quick thoughts have they about God, & Chriſt, and eternity, and the law, and ſin; and their ſouls work about ſuch objects, that they can have no help unto from their bodies and ſenſes, and yet their ſpirits are raiſed higher than before, in their workings… And ſo when they come to hear the Word, Oh how active be their ſpirits; in catching of the word, and at every truth. I appeal to you that are troubled, what difference there is between your ſpirits now, and what they were before you were troubled for ſin, before you came to the Congregation, to ſee and be ſeen, and wondered what men meant to be ſo earneſt; and now, you mark every tru…h, and catch hold of every ſentence, and mark the mind of God, and underſtand what is ſaid: before you came and heard, and never underſtood what was meant by ſuch and ſuch things; you ſaw the Miniſter earneſt, but you could not conceive what the man meant in his earneſtneſs, but now you ſee what he means in his earneſtneſs, and underſtand what weight is in thoſe truths, you hear revealed: this is ſom… what like, when the ſpirit is thus …ed, and acted in Prayer, and Pearing. And in Conference, when you were in Conference with good men, before, Conference about good things was dry, and a dull thing, and you ſavored not the things confered on, but preſently were aſleep: but now, if you come where there is Conference of God and his Word, and Chriſt, and the like, your mind cloſeth with this. If you were only melancholly, this would make you more dull and heavie, but this makes you more lively and active, therefore there is a great deal of difference.
Laſtly, Trouble of Conſcience cannot be cured as Melancholly is. Melancholly many times is worn out with time, and Phyſick cures that, and outward comforts and contentments cures that, but trouble of Conſcience is a wound of a higher nature. As Francis Spira ſaid, when they brought Phyſitians, and thought it trouble of body; Alas poor men, they think to cure me by Phyſick: Ah it is another manner of malladie, and muſt have another manner of medicine than Plaiſters and Drugs to cure a fainting Soul and Spirit for Sin. Conſcience muſt have Goſpel Antidotes; therefore you that thought you had trouble of Conſcience for Sin, and you are now eaſed, or perhaps not ſo much troubled now as before; look back what cured you, how comes it to paſs you be leſs troubled than before? hath time worn it away? ſuch a Sermon, and ſuch apprehenſions of ſuch a truth, darted into you mightily, and troubled you; you had ſuch troubles, but what hath cured you? many times one can give no account but this, Sure time hath worn it away; if ſo, then it was not a right trouble. So it may be you took Phyſick, your body was troubled before, now it is lively, and more blood in your veins, more ſpirit now, and may be now your affliction is taken away, and this hath …ured you: if there be no other trouble than this, certainly you know not what trouble of conſcience means, at leaſt not in a ſaving way; either it was not trouble of conſcience at all, or elſe it is not cured aright, but as the thorn that lies rotting and rankling in the fleſh; a thorn when it firſt gets in, puts one to a great deal of pain; perhaps if it be let alone, the pain will be over for the preſent; but it lies rankling, and will put you to pain afterward, if it be not cured: So of trouble of Conſcience for Sin, and if nothing have cured it, but theſe things, it is like the thorn in the fleſh, and will trouble you afterward. There is another manner of Cure, for it is the greateſt thing God can do to comfort a troubled Conſcience, it muſt be the bloud of Chriſt applied by the holy Ghoſt; it muſt be a plaiſter made of the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt, and applied by the holy Ghoſt to Cure this. And therefore I beſeech you conſider what hath been ſaid about this Argument; and as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Bleſſed is the man that wiſely conſidereth of the poor, ſo I ſay bleſſed is the man and woman, that wiſely conſidereth of theſe troubles; in this, dont caſt it upon your children, & friends, Oh they be froward, or mad-men, or melancholly, Oh do not ſay ſo. You that are acquainted with ſtorms and tempeſts, you think them dreadful, it may be ſome of your friends have lately known what dreadful ſtorms there have been; now if any of them ſhould make relation of it, and another ſhould ſa…, this is but a conceit, and a fancy, and no reallity but a dream; would you think theſe men ſpake like wiſe men? Certainly, if any ſtorm you have met withal at Sea hath terror in it, know, ſtroms in Conſcience hath a thouſand times more than ſtorms at Sea: Therfore when you ſee any troubled in Conſcience for ſin, fear and tremble, let your Conſcience ſhake at it, and make uſe of their trouble. I remember a ſtory of one Vergerius that came to comfort Francis Spira, and he came to comfort him as other men did; but he ſaw ſuch dreadfulneſs upon Francis Spira, that it ſtruck terror in his Soul, that he left his Biſhopprick, and went to Baſil, and became a famous Proteſtant. Thus when we hear of troubles of Conſcience, ſlight it not, but let the fear of God be upon you; go and renounce Sin. Oh if ſome of our friends did know what ſlighting of a troubled Conſcience were, it would make them do as he did; though he had a rich Biſhopprick, he renounced all. And thus we have done with this Firſt Uſe.