A27017:1144
The Saints' Everlasting Rest
The saints everlasting rest, or, A treatise of the blessed state of the saints in their enjoyment of God in glory wherein is showed its excellency and certainty, the misery of those that lose it, the way to attain it, and assurance of it, and how to live in the continual delightful forecasts of it and now published by Richard Baxter ...The saints everlasting rest, or, A treatise of the blessed state of the saints in their enjoyment of God in glory wherein is shewed its excellency and certainty, the misery of those that lose it, the way to attain it, and assurance of it, and how to live in the continual delightful forecasts of it and now published by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed by Rob. White for Thomas Underhil and Francis Tyton, 1650
THE SAINTS Everlasting REST. PART. III. › Chapter 7 › Section 19
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.
SECT. XIX.
110. Lastly, another ordinary Nurse of Doubtings and Discomfort, is, The prevailing of Melancholy in the body; whereby the brain is continually troubled and darkened, the Fancy hindered, and Reason perverted by the distempering of its instruments, and the Soul is still clad in mourning weeds. It is no more wonder for a Conscientious man that is overcome with Melancholy to doubt, and fear, and despair, then it is for a sick man to groan, or a child to cry when he is beater. This is the case with most that I have known lie long in doubting, and distress of Spirit. With some their Melancholy being raised by Crosses or distemper of body, or some other occasion, doth afterwards bring in trouble of Conscience as its companion. *With others trouble of mind is their first trouble; which long hanging on them, at last doth bring the body also into a Melancholy habit: And then trouble increaseth Melancholy, and Melancholy again increaseth trouble, and so round. This is a most sad and pitiful state: For as the disease of the body is chronic and obstinate, and physic doth seldom succeed, where it hath far prevailed; so without the Physician, the labours of the Divine are usually in vain. You may silence them, but you cannot comfort them: You may make them confess that they have some Grace, and yet cannot bring them to the comfortable Conclusions. Or if you convince them of some work of the Spirit upon their souls, and a little at present abate their sadness, yet as soon as they are gone home, and look again upon their souls through ⟨p. 415⟩this perturbing humour, all your convincing Arguments are forgotten, and they are as far from comfort as ever they were. All the good thoughts of their estate which you can possibly help them to, are seldom above a day or two old. As a man that looks through a black or blew or red glass, doth think things which he sees to be of the same colour; and if you would persuade him to the contrary he will not believe you; but wonder that you should offer to persuade him against his eye-sight! So a Melancholy man sees all things in a sad and fearful plight, because his Reason looketh on them through this black humour, with which his brain is darkened and distempered.