A26892:2387
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Part 1 › Chapter 6 › Tit. 5. Directions to the Melancholy about their Thoughts.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Many of them are restlessly vexed with fears of want and poverty, and misery to their families; and of imprisonment or banishment; and lest some-body will kill them; and every one that they see whisper, they think is plotting to take away their lives. 32. Some of them lay a law upon themselves that they will not speak, and so live long in resolute silence. 33. All of them are intractable, and stiff in their own conceits, and hardly persuaded out of them, be they never so irrational. 34. Few of them are the better for any Reason, conviction or Counsel that is given them: If it seem to satisfy and quiet and rejoice them at the present, to morrow they are as bad again: it being the nature of their disease, to think as they do think; and their thoughts are not cured while the disease is uncured. 35. Yet in all this distemper, few of them will believe that they are melancholy; but abhor to hear men tell them so, and say it is but the rational sense of their unhappiness, and the forsakings and heavy wrath of God. And therefore they are hardly persuaded to take any Physic or use any means for the cure of their bodies, saying that they are well, and being confident that it is only their souls that are distressed.
Many of them are restlesly vexed with fears of want and poverty, and misery to their families; and of imprisonment or banishment; and lest some-body will kill them; and every one that they see whisper, they think is plotting to take away their lives. 32. Some of them lay a law upon themselves that they will not speak, and so live long in resolute silence. 33. All of them are intractable, and stiffe in their own conceits, and hardly perswaded out of them, be they never so irrational. 34. Few of them are the better for any Reason, conviction or Counsel that is given them: If it seem to satisfie and quiet and rejoyce them at the present, to morrow they are as bad again: it being the nature of their disease, to think as they do think; and their thoughts are not cured while the disease is uncured. 35. Yet in all this distemper, few of them will believe that they are melancholy; but abhor to hear men tell them so, and say it is but the rational sense of their unhappiness, and the forsakings and heavy wrath of God. And therefore they are hardly perswaded to take any Physick or use any means for the cure of their bodies, saying that they are well, and being confident that it is only their souls that are distressed.