SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMPORT. 245 and he will help them to discern howmuch of their trouble comes frommelancholy. Where this is the cause, usually the party is fearful of almost every thing; a word, or a sudden thought, will disquiet them. Sometimes they are sad, and scarce know why; all comforts are of no continuance with them; but as soon as you have done comforting them, and they be never so well satisfied, yet the trouble returns in a'few days or hours, as soon as the dark and troubled spirits return to their former force ; they are still ad- dicted to musing and solitariness, and thoughts will run in their minds, that they cannot lay them by; ifit go any thing far, they are almost always assaulted. with temptations to blasphemy, to doubt whether there be a God, or a Christ, or the Scripturesbe true ; or whether there be a heaven or a hell ; and oft tempted to speak sdme blasphemous words against God; and this with such importunity, that they can hardly forbear; and ofttimes they are tempted to make away themselves. When it goes so far, they are next the loss of the use of reason, if it benot prevented. Now, to those that find that melancholy is the cause of their troubles, I would give this advice. 1. Expect not that rational, spiritual remedies should suffice for this cure ; for you may as well expect that a good sermon, or comfortable words, should cure the falling sickness, or palsy, or a broken head, as to be a sufficient cure to your melancholy fears ; for this is as real a bodily disease as the other ; only because it works on the spirits and fantasy, on which words of advice do also work, therefore such words, and scripture and reason, may somewhat resist it, and may palliate or allay some of the effects at.the present; but as soon as time bath worn off the force and effects of these reasons, the distemper pres- ently returns. For the humorhath the advantage; (1.) Ofcontinual presence. (2.) Of a more necessary, natural, and sensible way of working. As ifa man be in an easy lethargy, you may awake him so long as you are calling on him aloud ; but as soon as you cease, he is asleep again. Such is the case of the melancholy in their own sorrows ; for it is as natural for melancholy to cause fears and disquietnessof mind, as for phlegm in a lethargy to cause sleep. Do not, therefore, lay the blame on your books, friends, counsels, instructions, (no, nor all on- your soul,) if these troubles be not cured by words ; but labor to discern truly how much of your trouble comes this way, and then fix in your mind in all your inquiries, reading, and hearing, that it is the other part of your trouble which is truly rational, and not this part of it which is from melan- choly, that 'these means were ordained to remove (though God may also bless them extraordinarily to do both.) Only Constant, importunate prayer is a fit and special means for the curing of all.
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