A Christian Directory Volume I Part 64

_Direct._ II. To this end you must know in their several degrees, what subjects are in themselves most excellent to be meditated on. As the first and highest is the most blessed G.o.d himself, and the glorious person of our Redeemer, and the New Jerusalem or heaven of glory, where he is revealed to his saints. And then, the blessed society which there enjoyeth him, and the holy vision, love, and joy, by which he is enjoyed. And next is the wonderful work of man's redemption, and the covenant of grace, and the sanctifying operations of the Holy Ghost, and all the graces that make up G.o.d's image on the soul. And then is the state and privileges of the church, which is the body of Christ, for whom all this is done and prepared. And next is the work of the gospel, by which this church is gathered, edified, and saved.

And then, the matter of our own salvation, and our state of grace, and way to life. And then, the salvation of others. And then, the common, public good, in temporal respects. And then, our personal, bodily welfare. And next, the bodily welfare of our neighbours. And lastly, those things that do but remotely tend to these. This is the order of desirableness and worth, which will tell you what should have estimative precedency in your thoughts and prayers.

_Direct._ III. You must also know what subject is then most seasonable for your thoughts, and refuse even an unseasonable good. For good may be used by unseasonableness to do hurt. It may be thrust in by the tempter, on purpose to divert you from some greater good, or to mar some other duty in hand; so he will oft put in some good meditation to turn you from a better, or in the midst of sermon or prayer: or if he see you out of temper to perform a duty of meditation, or that you have no leisure, without neglecting your more proper work, he will then drive you on, that by the issue he may discourage and hurt you, and make the duty unprofitable and grievous to you, and make you more averse to it afterwards. Untimely duty may be no duty, but a sin, which is covered with the material good. As the Pharisees'

sabbath-rest was, when mercy called them to violate it.

_Direct._ IV. Examine well, and determine of the end and use of your meditations, before you set upon them, and then labour to fit them to that special end. The end is first in the intention, and from the love of it the means are chosen and used. If it be knowledge that you are to increase, it is evidence of truth, with the matter to be known, in a convincing, scientifical way, that you must meditate on. If it be divine belief that is to be increased or exercised, it is divine revelations, both matter, and evidence of credibility, which you have to meditate on. If you would excite the fear of G.o.d, you have his greatness, and terribleness, his justice, and threatenings to meditate on. If you would excite the love of G.o.d, you have his goodness, mercy, Christ, and promises to meditate on. If you would prepare for death and judgment, you have your hearts to try, your lives to repent of, your graces to discover, and revive, and exercise, and your soul's diseases to feel, and the remedies to apply: so whenever you mean to make any thing of a set meditation, determine first of the end, and by it of the means.

_Direct._ V. Clear up the truth of things to your minds as you can, before you take much pains to work them on your affections, lest you find after that you did but misinform yourselves, and bestow all your labour in vain, to make deluding images on your minds, and bring your affections to bow before them. As many have done by espousing errors, who have laid out their zeal upon them many years together, and made them the reason of hatred, and contention, and bitter censurings of opposing brethren; and have made parties, and divisions, and disturbances in the church for them, and after so many years' zealous sinning, have found them to be but like Michal's image, a man of straw instead of David; and that they made all this filthy pudder but in a dream.

_Direct._ VI. Next labour to perceive the weight of every thing you think on, be it good or evil: and to that end be sure, that G.o.d and eternity be taken in, in every meditation, and all things judged of as they stand related to G.o.d, and to your eternal state; which only can give you the true estimate and sense of good and evil: there will still the life, and soul, and power be wanting in your most excellent meditations, further than G.o.d is in them, and they are divine. When you meditate on any Scripture truth, think of it as a beam from the Eternal Light, indited by the Holy Ghost, to lead men by obedience to felicity. Behold it with reverence, as a letter or message sent from heaven, and as a thing of grand importance to your souls. When you meditate of any grace, think on it as a part of the image of G.o.d, implanted and actuated by the Holy Ghost, to advance the soul into communion with G.o.d, and prepare it for him. When you meditate on any duty, remember who commandeth it, and whom you are chiefly to respect in your obedience; and what will be the end of obeying or disobeying.

When you meditate on any sin, remember that it is the defacing or privation of G.o.d's image, and the rebel that riseth up against him in all his attributes, to depose him from the government of the soul and of the world; and foresee the end to which it tendeth. Take in G.o.d, if you would feel life and power in all that you meditate on.

_Direct._ VII. Let your ordinary meditations be on the great and necessary things; and think less frequently on the less necessary matters. Meditation is but a means to a further end: it is to work some good upon the soul: use therefore those subjects which are most powerful and fit to work it. Great truths will do great works upon the heart. They are usually the surest and most past controversy and doubt. There is more weight, and substance, and power in one article of the creed, or one pet.i.tion of the Lord's prayer, or one commandment of the decalogue, to benefit the soul, than in abundance of the controverted opinions which men have troubled themselves and others with in all ages; as one purse of gold will buy more than a great quant.i.ty of farthings. Meditating on great and weighty truths, makes great and weighty christians. And meditating inordinately on light and controverted opinions, makes light, opinionative, contentious professors. Little things may have their time and place, but it must be but little time and the last place; except when G.o.d maketh any little thing to be the matter of our lawful calling and employment (as all the common matters of the world are little); and then they may have a larger proportion of our time, though still they must have the lowest place in our estimation and in our hearts.

_Direct._ VIII. Whenever you are called to meditate on any smaller truth or thing, see that you take it not as separated from the greater, but still behold it as connexed to them, and planted and growing in them, and receiving their life and beauty from them; so that you may still preserve the life and interest of the greatest matters in your hearts, and may not mortify the least, and turn it into a deceit or idol. We are to climb upwards, and not to descend downwards: and therefore we begin at the body of the tree, and so pa.s.s up to the few and greatest boughs; and thence to the smaller numerous branches, which as they are hard to be discerned, numbered, and remembered, so are they not all strong enough to bear us; but are fitted rather to be looked on, than trodden and rested on. But if you take them not as growing from the greater boughs, but cut them off, they lose their life, and beauty, and fruitfulness. If all the controversies in the church had been managed with due honour and preservation of holiness, charity, unity, peace, and greater truths; and if all the circ.u.mstantials in religion had been ordered with a salvo, and due regard, and just subserviency to the power and spirituality of holy wors.h.i.+p, the christian world would have had more life, and strength, and fruitfulness, and less imagery, unholy, ludicrous compliment, and hypocrisy.

_Direct._ IX. Let the end and order of your meditations be first for the settling of your judgments, and next for the resolving and settling of your wills, and thirdly, for the reforming and bettering of your lives; and, but in the fourth place, after all these, for the raising of your holy pa.s.sions or lively feeling; which must have but its proper room and place. But indeed where some of these are done already, they may be supposed, and we may proceed to that which is yet to do. As if you know what is sin and duty, but do it not, your meditation must be, not to make you know what you knew not, but first to consider well of what you know, and set the powerful truth before you; and then labour hereby to bring your wills to a fixed resolution of obedience. But if it be a truth whose princ.i.p.al use is on the will and affections, (as to draw up the heart to the love of G.o.d, by the meditating on his attractive excellencies,) then the most pains must there be taken. Of which see chap. iii. direct. xi.

_Direct._ X. Turn your cogitations often into soliloquies; methodically and earnestly preaching to your own hearts, as you would do on that subject to others if it were to save their souls.[308] As this will keep you in order, from rambling and running out, and will also find you continual matter, (for method is a wonderful help both to invention, memory, and delight,) so it will bring things soonest to your affections: and earnest pleading of convincing reasons with our own hearts, is a powerful way to make the fire burn, and to kindle desire, fear, love, hatred, repentings, shame, sorrow, joy, resolution, or any good effect. Convictions, upbraidings, expostulations, reprehensions, and self-persuasions may be very powerful; when a dull way of bare thinking is but like a dull way of preaching, without any lively application, which little stirs the hearers. Learn purposely of the liveliest books you read, and of the best and liveliest preachers you hear, to preach to your hearts, and use it orderly, and you will find it a most powerful way of meditating.

_Direct._ XI. Turn your meditations often into ejaculatory prayers and addresses unto G.o.d; for that will keep you reverent, serious, and awake, and make all the more powerful, because the more divine. When you meditate on sin, turn sometimes to G.o.d, by penitent lamentation, and say, Lord, what a wretch and rebel was I to entertain such an enemy of thine in my heart! and for nothing to offend thee and violate thy laws! O pardon, O cleanse me, O strengthen me! Conquer and cast out this odious enemy of thee and me. So when you are seeking to excite or exercise any grace, send up a fervent request to G.o.d to show his love and power upon thy dead and sluggish heart, and to be the princ.i.p.al agent in a work which is so much his own. Prayer is a most holy duty, in which the sold hath so nearly to do with G.o.d, that if there be any holy seriousness in the heart, it will be thus excited: a dull and wandering mind will bear some reverence to G.o.d; and therefore interest him in all.

_Direct._ XII. Let every meditation be undertaken in a humble sense of thy own insufficiency, with a believing dependence on thy Head and Saviour, to guide and quicken thee by his Holy Spirit, and to cover the infirmities of thy holiest thoughts. Whatever good is written upon our hearts, must be "written by the Spirit of the living G.o.d:" and this "trust we must have through Christ to G.o.d-ward: not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of G.o.d," 2 Cor. iii. 3-5. How heavily will all go on, or rather how certainly shall we labour in vain, and cast off all, if Christ cast us off, and leave us to ourselves! Think not that your life and strength are radically in yourselves: go to him by renewed acts of faith, by whom you must be quickened.

_Direct._ XIII. Let not your holy thoughts be so seldom as to keep you strange to the matter of your meditations, nor so short as to be gone before you have made any thing of it. Now and then a cursory thought will not acquaint the soul with G.o.d, nor bring it to a habit and temperament of holiness. Whereas that which you think on frequently and seriously, as your business and delight, will become the nutriment and nature of your souls; as the air which we daily breathe in, and the food which we daily live upon, do to our bodies. And you will find that as use will breed skill and strength, so it will cause such acquaintance and familiarity, as will very much tend to the fruit and comfort of the work. Whereas they that only cast now and then a look at G.o.d and holiness, or are seldom and short in holy thoughts, do lose so quickly the little which they get, that it makes no great alteration on them.

_Direct._ XIV. Yet do not overdo in point of violence or length; but carry on the work sincerely according to the abilities of your minds and bodies; lest going beyond your strength, you craze your brains, and discompose your minds, and disable yourselves to do any thing at all.

Though we cannot estimatively love G.o.d too much, yet is it possible to think of him with too much pa.s.sion, or too long at once; because it may be more than the spirits and brain can bear; and if once they be overstrained, if they break not, like a lute-string screwed too high, they will be like a leg that is out of joint, that can pain you, but not bear you. While the soul rideth on so lame or dull a horse as the body is, it must not go the pace which it desireth, but which the body can bear; or else it may quickly be dismounted, or like one that rideth on a tired horse. It is not the horse that goeth at first with chafing heat and violence, which will travel best; but you must put on in the pace that you are able to hold out. You little know how lamentable and distressed a case you will be in, or how great an advantage the tempter hath, if once he do but tire you by overdoing!

_Direct._ XV. Choose not unnecessarily or ordinarily the bitterest or most unpleasant subjects for your meditation, lest you make it grow a burden to you; but dwell most on the sweet, delightful thoughts of the infinite love of G.o.d revealed by Christ, and the eternal glory purchased by him, and the wonderful helps and mercies in the way. As it is the gospel which Christ's ministers must preach to others, so it is the gospel which in your meditations you must preach most to yourselves. It is love and pleasure which you must princ.i.p.ally endeavour to excite: and you must do it by contemplating amiableness and felicity, the objects of love and pleasure. For the thoughts of terror, and wrath, and misery, are unfit to stir up these: though to the unconverted, dull, secure, presumptuous, or sensual sinner, such thoughts are very necessary to awake him, and prepare him for the thoughts of love and peace. It is the princ.i.p.al part of this art, to keep off loathing and averseness, and to keep up readiness and delight.

_Direct._ XVI. When you are in company, let out the fruit of your secret meditations, in holy, edifying discourse. Gather not for yourselves only, but that you may communicate to others. The "good scribe instructed to the kingdom of G.o.d," must "bring forth out of his treasure things new and old," Matt. xiii. 52. That is good which doth good. G.o.d is communicative; and the best men are likest to him: nay, a fluent discourse sometimes is a great instructor to ourselves, and bringeth those things into our minds with clearness, which long meditation would not have done. For one thing leadeth in another; and in a warm discourse the spirits are excited, and the understanding and memory are engaged to a close attention; so that just in the speaking, we have oftentimes such a sudden appearance of some truth, which before we took no notice of, that we find it is no small addition to our knowledge, which comes in this way. As some find that vocal prayer doth more excite them, and keep the mind from wandering, than mere mental prayer doth; so free discourse is but a vocal meditation. And what man's thoughts are not more guilty of disorder, vagaries, and interruptions, than his discourse is?

_Direct._ XVII. Obey all that G.o.d revealeth to you in your meditations, and turn them all into faithful practice; and make not thinking the end of thinking. Else you will but do as the unG.o.dly and disobedient in their prayers, who offer to G.o.d the "sacrifice of fools, and consider not that they do evil," Eccl. v. 1, 2. Away with the sin, and do the duty, on which you think.

_Direct._ XVIII. Think not that the same measure of contemplation and striving with their own affections, is necessary to all; but that an obediential, active life may be as acceptable to G.o.d, when he calleth men to it, as a more contemplative life. This leadeth me necessarily to give you some directions about the difference of these ways.

_t.i.t._ 4. _The Difference between a contemplative Life, and an obedient, active Life, with Directions concerning them._

This task will be best performed by answering those questions which here need a solution.

[Sidenote: What is a contemplative life.]

_Quest._ 1. What is a contemplative life? and what is an active, obediential life?

_Answ._ Every active christian is bound to somewhat of contemplation; and all contemplative persons are bound to obedience to G.o.d, and to so much of action as may answer their abilities and opportunities. But yet some are much more called to the one, and some to the other; and we denominate from that which is most eminent and the chief. We call that a contemplative life, when a man's state and calling alloweth and requireth him to make the exercises of his mind on things sublime and holy, and the affecting of his heart with them to be his princ.i.p.al business, which taketh up the most of his time. And we call that an active, obediential life, when a man's state and calling requireth him to spend the chief part of his time in some external labour or vocation, tending to the good of ourselves and others. As artificers, tradesmen, husbandmen, labourers, physicians, lawyers, pastors and preachers of the gospel, soldiers and magistrates, all live an active life, which should be a life of obedience to G.o.d. Though among these, some have much more time for contemplation than others. And some few there are that are exempt from both these, and are called to live a pa.s.sive, obediential life; that is, such a life in which their obedient bearing of the cross, and patient suffering, and submission to the chastising or trying will of G.o.d, is the most eminent and princ.i.p.al service they can do him, above contemplation or action.

_Quest._ II. Must every man do his best to cast off all worldly and external labours, and to retire himself to a contemplative life as the most excellent?

_Answ._ No: no man should do so without a special necessity or call; for there are general precepts on all that are able, that we live to the benefit of others, and prefer the common good, and as we have opportunity do good to all men, and love our neighbours as ourselves, and do as we would be done by, (which will put us upon much action), and that we labour before we eat.[309] And for a man unnecessarily to cast off all the service of his life, in which he may be profitable to others, is a burying or hiding his master's talents, and a neglect of charity, and a sinning greatly against the law of love. As we have bodies, so they must have their work, as well as our souls.

[Sidenote: Who are called to a contemplative life.]

_Quest._ III. Is a life of contemplation then lawful to any man? and to whom?

_Answ._ It is lawful, and a duty, and a great mercy to some, to live almost wholly, yea altogether, in contemplation and prayer, and such holy exercises. And that in these cases following: 1. In case that age hath disabled a man to be serviceable to others by an active life: and when a man hath already spent his days and strength in doing all the good he can; and being now disabled, hath special reason to improve the rest of his (decrepid) age, in more than ordinary preparations for his death, and in holy communion with G.o.d. 2. So also when we are disabled by sickness. 3. And when imprisonment restraineth us from an active life, or profiting others. 4. And when persecution forceth christians to retire into solitudes and deserts, to reserve themselves for better times and places; or when prudence telleth them, that their prayers in solitude may do more good, than at that time their martyrdom were like to do. 5. When a student is preparing himself for the ministry, or other active life, to which a contemplative life is the way. 6. When poverty, or wars, or the rage of enemies disableth a man from all public converse, and driveth him into solitude by unavoidable necessity. 7.

When the number of those that are fit for action is so sufficient, and the parts of the person are so insufficient, and so the need and use of them in an active life so small, that, all things considered, holy, impartial prudence telleth him, that the good which he could do to others, by an active life, is not like to countervail the losses which he should himself receive, and the good which his very example of a holy and heavenly life might do, and his occasional counsels, and precepts, and resolutions, to those who come to him for advice, being drawn by the estimation of his holy life: in this case, it is lawful to give up oneself to a contemplative life; for that which maketh most to his own good and to others, is past doubt lawful and a duty. "Anna departed not from the temple, but served G.o.d with fasting and prayer night and day,"

Luke ii. 36, 37.[310] Whether the meaning be, that she strictly kept the hours of prayer in the temple, and the fasting twice a week, or frequently, or whether she took up her habitation in the houses of some of the officers of the temple, devoting herself to the service of the temple; it is plain that either way she did something besides praying and fasting; even as the widows under the gospel who were also to "continue in prayer and supplication night and day," 1 Tim. v. 5, and yet were employed in the service of the church, in overseeing the younger, and teaching them to be sober, &c. t.i.t. ii. 4, which is an active life. But however Anna's practice be expounded, if this much that I have granted would please the monastics, we would not differ with them.

_Quest._ IV. How far are those in an active life to use contemplation?

[Sidenote: How far contemplation is necessary.]

_Answ._ With very great difference. 1. According to the difference of their callings in the world, and the offices in which they are ordinarily to serve G.o.d. 2. And according to the difference of their abilities and fitness for contemplation or for action. 3. According to the difference of their particular opportunities. 4. According to the difference of the necessities of others which may require their help.

5. And of their own necessities of action or contemplation. Which I shall more particularly determine in certain rules.

1. Every christian must use so much contemplation, as is necessary to the loving of G.o.d above all, and to the wors.h.i.+pping of him in spirit and in truth, and to a heavenly mind and conversation, and to his due preparation for death and judgment, and to the referring all his common works to the glory and pleasing of G.o.d, that "Holiness to the Lord" may be written upon all, and all that he hath may be sanctified, or devoted with himself to G.o.d.

2. The calling of a minister of the gospel, is so perfectly mixed of contemplation and action, (though action denominate it, as being the end and chief,) yet he must be excellent in both. If they be not excellent in contemplation, they will not be meet to stand so much nearer to G.o.d than the people do; and to sanctify him when they draw near him, and glorify him before all the people: nor will they be fit for the opening of the heavenly mysteries, and working that on the people's hearts which never was on their own. And if they be not excellent in an active life, they will betray the people's souls, and never go through that painful diligence, and preaching in season, and out of season, publicly, and from house to house, day and night with tears, which Paul commandeth them, Acts xx.; and Epist. Tim.

3. The work of a magistrate, a lawyer, a physician, and such like, is princ.i.p.ally in doing good in their several callings, which must not be neglected for contemplation. Yet so, that all these, and all others, must allow G.o.d's service and holy thoughts their due place, in the beginning, and middle, and end of all their actions. As magistrates must read and meditate, day and night, in the word of G.o.d, John i. 8, 10. So the eunuch, Cornelius, &c. Acts viii. and x.

4. Some persons in the same calling, whose callings are not so urgent on them, by any necessities of themselves or others, and who may have more vacant time, must gladly take it for the good of their souls, in the use of contemplation, and other holy duties. And others that are under greater necessities, urgencies, obligations, or cannot be spared from the service of others, (as physicians, lawyers, &c.) must be less in contemplation, and prefer the greatest good.

5. Public necessities or service may with some be so great as to dispense with all secret duty both of prayer and contemplation (except short mental e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.ns) for some days together. So in wars it oft falls out that necessity forbiddeth all set or solemn holy service for many days together (even on the Lord's day). So a physician may sometimes be tied to so close attendance on his patients, as will not allow him time for a set prayer. So sometimes a preacher may be so taken up in preaching, and exhorting, and resolving people's weighty doubts, that they shall scarce have time for secret duties, for some days together (though such happy impediments are rare). In these cases to do the lesser is a sin, when the greater is neglected.

6. Servants, who are not masters of their time, must be faithful in employing it to their masters' service, and take none for holy duty from that part which they should work in; but rather from their rest so far as they are able; intermixing meditations with their labours when they can: but redeeming such time as is allowed them, the more diligently, because their opportunities are so rare and short.

7. The Lord's day, (excepting works of necessity,) and such vacancies as hinder not other work, (as when they travel on the way, or work, or wake in the night, &c.) are every man's own time, which he is not to alienate to another's service, but to reserve and use for the service of G.o.d, and for his soul, in holy duties.

8. Some persons cannot bear much contemplation, especially melancholy and weak-headed people; and such must serve G.o.d so much the more in other duties which they are able for; and must not tire out and distract themselves, with striving to do that which they are not able to undergo. But others feel no inconvenience by it at all, as I can speak by my own experience: my weakness and decay of spirits inclining me most to a dulness of mind, I find that the most exciting serious studies and contemplations, in the greatest solitude, are so far from hurting me by any abatement of health, or hilarity, or serenity of mind, that they seem rather a help to all. Those that can thus bear long solitude and contemplation, ought to be the more exercised in it, except when greater duties must take place. But to melancholy persons it is to be avoided as a hurt.

9. To the same persons, sometimes their own necessities require contemplation most, and sometimes action; and so that which is at one time a duty, may at another time be none.

10. A mere sinful backwardness is not to be indulged. A diseased disability (such as comes from melancholy, weak-headedness, or decay of memory) must be endured, and not too much accused; when Christ excused worse in his disciples, saying, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." But a sinful backwardness in cases of absolute necessity, is not at all to be endured, but striven against with all your power, whatever it cost you: as to bring yourselves to so much serious consideration, as is necessary to your repentance and unfeigned faith, and G.o.dly conversation, this must be done whatever follow; though the devil persuade you that it will make you melancholy or mad; for without it, you are far worse than mad.

11. The most desirable life, to those that have their choice, is that which joineth together contemplation and action; so as there shall be convenient leisure for the most high and serious contemplation, and this improved to fit us for the most great and profitable action. And such is the life of a faithful minister of Christ: and therefore no sort of men on earth are more obliged to thankfulness than they.

12. Servants, and poor men, and diseased men, and others, that are called off from much contemplation, and employed in a life of obedient action, yea, or suffering, by the providence of G.o.d, and not by their own sinful choice, must understand, that their labour and patience is the way of their acceptable attendance upon G.o.d, in the expense of most part of their time. And though it is madness in those that hope G.o.d will accept of their labours, instead of true faith and repentance, and a G.o.dly life; (for these must go together, and hinder not each other;) yet, instead of such further contemplations as are not necessary to the being of a G.o.dly life, a true christian may believe that his obedient labours and sufferings shall be accepted. If you set one servant to cast up an account, and another to sweep your chimney or channels, you will not accept the former, and reject the latter, for the difference of their works; but you will rather think that he hath most merited your acceptance, who yielded without grudging to the basest service. And doubtless it is an aggravation of acceptable obedience, when we readily and willingly serve G.o.d in the lowest, meanest work. He is too fine to serve him, who saith, I will serve thee in the magistracy or ministry, but not at plough or cart, or any such drudgery.[311] And if thou be but in G.o.d's way, he can make thy very obedience a state of greater holiness and safety, than if thou hadst spent all that time in the study of holy things, as you see many unG.o.dly ministers do all their lifetime, and are never the better for it. It is not the quality of the work, but G.o.d's blessing, that makes it do you good. Nor is he most beloved of G.o.d, who hath rolled over the greatest number of good thoughts in his mind, or of good words in his mouth, no, nor he that hath stirred up the strongest pa.s.sions hereabouts; but he that loveth G.o.d and heaven best, and hateth sin most, and whose will is most confirmed for holiness of life. He that goeth about his labour in obedience to G.o.d, may have as much comfort as another that is meditating or praying. But neither labour nor prayer is matter of comfort to an unG.o.dly, carnal heart.

Yea, if decay of memory or natural ability take you off both action and contemplation, you may have as much acceptance, and solid comfort, in a patient bearing of the cross, and an obedient, cheerful submission to the holy will of G.o.d.

_t.i.t._ 5. _Directions to the Melancholy about their Thoughts._

It is so easy and ordinary a thing for some weak-headed persons, to cast themselves into melancholy, by over-straining either their thoughts or their affections, and the case of such is so exceeding lamentable, that I think it requisite to give such some particular directions by themselves.[312] And the rather because I see some persons that are unacquainted with the nature of this and other diseases, exceedingly abuse the name of G.o.d, and bring the profession of religion into scorn, by imputing all the effects and speeches of such melancholy persons to some great and notable operations of the Spirit of G.o.d, and thence draw observations of the methods and workings of G.o.d upon the soul, and of the nature of the legal workings of the spirit of bondage. (As some other such have divulged the prophecies, the possessions and dispossessing of hysterical women, as I have read, especially in the writings of the friars.) I do not call those melancholy, who are rationally sorrowful for sin, and sensible of their misery, and solicitous about their recovery and salvation, though it be with as great seriousness as the faculties can bear; as long as they have sound reason, and the imagination, fantasy, or thinking faculty is not crazed or diseased: but by melancholy I mean this diseased craziness, hurt, or error of the imagination, and consequently of the understanding, which is known by these following signs (which yet are not all in every melancholy persons).[313]

1. They are commonly exceeding fearful, causelessly or beyond what there is cause for: every thing which they hear or see is ready to increase their fears, especially if fear was the first cause, as ordinarily it is. 2. Their fantasy most erreth in aggravating their sin, or dangers, or unhappiness: every ordinary infirmity they are ready to speak of with amazement, as a heinous sin; and every possible danger they take for probable, and every probable one for certain; and every little danger for a great one; and every calamity for an utter undoing. 3. They are still addicted to excess of sadness: some weeping they know not why, and some thinking it ought to be so: and if they should smile or speak merrily, their hearts smite them for it, as if they had done amiss. 4. They place most of their religion in sorrowing and austerities to the flesh. 5. They are continual self-accusers, turning all manner of accusation against themselves, which they hear, or read, or see, or think of: quarrelling with themselves for every thing they do, as a contentious person doth with others. 6. They are still apprehending themselves forsaken of G.o.d, and are p.r.o.ne to despair: they are just like a man in a wilderness, forsaken of all his friends and comforts, forlorn and desolate: their continual thought is, I am undone, undone, undone! 7. They are still thinking that the day of grace is past, and that it is now too late to repent or to find mercy. If you tell them of the tenor of the gospel, and offers of free pardon to every penitent believer, they cry out still, Too late, too late, my day is past; not considering that every soul that truly repenteth in this life is certainly forgiven. 8. They are oft tempted to gather despairing thoughts from the doctrine of predestination, and to think that if G.o.d have reprobated them, or have not elected them, all that they can do, or that all the world can do, cannot save them; and next they strongly conceit that they are not elected, and so that they are past help or hope: not knowing that G.o.d electeth not any man separately or simply to be saved, but conjunctly to believe, repent, and to be saved; and so to the end and means together; and that all that will repent and choose Christ and a holy life, are elected to salvation, because they are elected to the means and condition of salvation, which, if they persevere, they shall enjoy. To repent is the best way to prove that I am elected to repent. 9. They never read or hear of any miserable instance, but they are thinking that this is their case. If they hear of Cain, of Pharaoh given up to hardness of heart, or do but read that some are vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, or that they have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, hearts and understand not, they think, This is all spoken of me; or, This is just my case. If they hear of any terrible example of G.o.d's judgments on any, they think it will be so with them. If any die suddenly, or a house be burnt, or any be distracted, or die in despair, they think it will be so with them. The reading of Spira's case causeth or increaseth melancholy in many; the ignorant author having described a plain melancholy, contracted by the trouble of sinning against conscience, as if it were a d.a.m.nable despair of a sound understanding. 10. And yet they think that never any one was as they are. I have had abundance in a few weeks with me, almost just in the same case, and yet every one say that never any one was as they.