A discourse concerning trouble of mind and the disease of melancholly in three parts : written for the use of such as are, or have been exercised by the same / by Timothy Rogers ... ; to which are annexed, some letters from several divines, relating to the same subject.

CHAP. I.

Of the several sorts of Life that we en∣joy by God's favour; and in what condi∣tions of our present Pilgrimage it doth more especially revive us.

1. IN God's favour is our Natural life: We are the work of his hands, and his kindness and bounty does continually maintain what he at first created; his Providence secures us from innumerable dan∣gers; he gives us meat and drink, and health and strength; but his displeasure does quickly deprive us of all these. 'Tis said of all the

creatures, Psal. 104.28, 29. What thou givest them, they gather; thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; thou takest away their breath, they dye and return to the dust. 'Tis this great God to whom we owe our peace and plenty, our li∣berties, and all the comforts we enjoy; he saves our Bodies from Plague and long sickness, and pining, wasting sorrows; all the delight we have in our Friends, in our Families, or in our Relations, flows from his goodness, and his meer mercy; and 'tis he that saves our Houses from Fire, our Estates from Robbers; and our Country from desolating Wars. Ps. 30.7. Lord, by thy favour, thou hast made my mountain to stand strong. Man being the noblest creature, and the most dignified in all this lower World, God has appointed the lower creatures to Mini∣ster to his use, and his delight. The Air, as one observes, is his Aviary; the Sea and Rivers his Fishponds; the Vallies his Granary, the Mountains his Magazine: The first affords Man creatures for nourishment, the other Metals for perfection. The Animals were created for the support of the Life of Man; the Herbs, the Dews and Rains, for the same purpose; there is not the most despicable thing in the whole creation, but is endowed with a nature to contribute something for our welfare, either as food to nourish us when we are healthful, or as Medicine to cure us when we are distem∣pered; or as a Garment to cloath us when we are naked, and arm us against the cold of the season; or as a refreshment when we are weary;

or as a delight when we are sad; all serve for necessity or ornament, either to spread our Ta∣ble, beautify our Dwellings, furnish our Closets, or store our VVardrobes. The whole earth is full of his Riches, Psal. 104.24.

2. Spiritual Life is in his favour; 'Tis he that draws the first lineaments of the new creature, and his hand that brings it to perfection; he first infuses a vital principle into the soul that is dead in sin, and that maintains it afterwards against all the powerful motions of sin, and against all the stratagems and tentations of the Devil; from his own Grace he did elect his people to Salvation, and gives them in time his word and his spirit to quicken them, together with all those other blessings of Adoption, and Justification, and Sanctification, which are the product and the fruit of his Electing Love: The first quickning, and those exercises of Life afterwards which his chosen do perform; the first motion, and the renewed strength which they receive, to enable them to walk in his ways, is his own gift; 'tis his pardon that bestows upon his Servants a new Life, when they were dead in Law, and could see nothing to ensue but a terrible execution. 'Tis his favour that contrived the way of our escape from death through the Blood of Christ, and that was plea∣sed to accept of the sufferings of that Holy per∣son in our stead: That Faith is of his own ope∣ration, which unites us to his Son, the foun∣tain of Life, and conveys quickening influen∣ces to us. Joh. 5.24. He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting

life, and shall not enter into condemnation; but is passed from death to life. This Faith is of his be∣stowing, which enables us to be moderate in our prosperity, and to bear the Cross when we are afflicted. All those acts that are the fruit of the New Birth, as well as the New birth it self, are the work of his own hands; for he gives both to will and to do, he teaches us to fight against our spiritual enemies, and his power being employed for us, causes us to get the Victory. When we are bewildred, his Word is our guide to direct us; and when we are fainting, we have many great and precious Promises to revive our spirits; when we are in darkness, and when we are in danger, he is both our Sun and Shield; his Wind blows upon our Gardens, and causes the Spices to flow forth; he excites and quickens our Graces, when they begin to languish; and when we are lukewarm and cold, he makes us to be lively and fervent in the performance of our holy Duties; for (as one says) what the Soul is to the Body, to move it to natural things, to breathe, to eat, to walk, and the like, the same is the Spirit of God in our Souls, to move us to spiritual acti∣ons, as the fear of God, love to him, and trust in him, and all the works of Righteousness, Charity, Humility, Patience and Sobriety, that are the motions of the new creature; so that we may say of this Spirit, that he is the Soul of our Souls; and take away this Spirit, and the Soul resembles a dead Body, it has no zeal for God, no compunction, no tenderness. When we are disconsolate, one kind look from God

makes us to be of good chear. When our hearts are benumb'd, and our Eyes are dry, he melts them into tears with his Love: When we are unfruitful, he sends his Dew upon our branches, that makes us to flourish in his Courts, and to look fresh and green; and when we are under Spiritual decays, he causes us to thrive; when we backslide, he heals our backslidings; he brings us, through the great Mediator, into a nearness to, and acquaintance with himself: For as far as we are distant from him, so far are we removed from true and real Life. When we wander, he recals us; he sends us fresh influences, and establishes our goings, when our motions are like those of a wounded body, very faint and tottering.

3. Eternal Life is in his favour. Hence it is said, That Eternal life is the gift of God, Rom. 6.23. Psal. 16.11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence it fulness of joy, at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. It is there that they are said to see God; for the sight of his face, is that which makes it to be such a glorious and delight∣ful place. His Wrath is that which kindles Hell; the withholding of his Favour makes it to be such a dark and gloomy Dungeon; and the clear manifestation of it does make all the Glories of the Coelestial Paradise. And therefore Jacob when he had a Vision of God's Favour to him, said, This place is no other than the gate of Heaven.* 1.1 Frame not to your selves a gross and a material Hap∣piness; 'tis all in the Love and Favour of God. To see him, fills all the Souls above with ineffa∣ble delight; to be deprived of this blessed pri∣vilege,

fills all the Souls in misery, with Mourn∣ing and Lamentation. To his Saints, God will be all in all: his Communications will be en∣tire and full there.* 1.2 † As the Creatures are of divers orders, every one receives its portion of Divine Favour, different from that of others. He communicates himself otherwise to the Heavens, than to the Earth; otherwise to an An∣gel than to a Man. The Earth hath an Image of his firmness; the Sun hath an image of his beauty; the Heaven an image of his immensity; and so in others; but there is no Creature that has assembled in it self, all the beams of the Communications of God. It shall be other∣wise in Paradise; God shall be all things in the Saints, and they shall be filled with his Favour. And as he further says,

God is not so all in all, in the Faithful here; the troubles of our Con∣science, the weakness of our Faith, the lan∣guors of our Devotion, the shadows of our Knowledge; our Sins, our Miseries, our Sickness, and our Death, are the fruits of the Fall; and of the Malice of the Devil: But in that Felicity there shall be nothing of US in us; nothing of the Impression of the Devil: All shall be of God; our Shadows shall be swallowed up by his Light, and our Weakness by his power: It is a state of Glory, and Glory is a mixture of all the Blessings of God, in a degree Sovereignly perfect.

That Country that is above, is indeed the Land of the Living, they Live, and shall never Dye. But this Earth is a Region and a place of Death. For beside that which is Natural, the most part of men

are dead in Sin; and truly even those that are alive, have but a weak and a fainting Life. There it is that that the Saints shall be admi∣rers of the Grace and Favour of God: That after various difficulties, and innumerable temptations, and overwhelming fears, did at last bring them to that happy Place. For the poor trembling Saint, that thought himself cast off, and forsaken of God, to find himself in his Arms, in his Presence, in his Heaven, how great will his joy and praise be! How will he ascribe all his life there, to the meer Favour and Grace of God, that shall set him at liberty, when by his many Sins he had deserved to be bound in Eternal Chains! That shall cause him to sing Hallelujahs, when others weep and wail for ever! How will he admire that Grace that has placed him in Hea∣ven, when so many others are in Hell! And the more admire, when he shall consider, that this distinction of States was freely made; That that Crown which will adorn his Head, was freely given! How will every look on God, fill his Soul with a wondring Joy, because he freely gave his Son! How will every view of Christ encrease his wonder! When he shall consider, that he freely undertook the kind work of his Redemption; that he freely shed his Blood, and paid the debt which the Sin∣ner himself could never pay; and that he freely gave the Spirit, and offered that Salvation upon easy terms, without money and without price, which cost him very dear! All the Saints above will continually adore the Riches of his Grace, that admitted them to Glory, when they deserved to

be shut out as well as others! That they were deformed, till he put his comeliness upon them! That they were liable to Death, till he justified them; and polluted in their Natures till he renewed them; and dying till he made them to live! That they learned nothing, but what he taught them, had nothing, but what he gave them; did nothing, but what he enabled them to do. So that all must be won∣derful in their Eyes, from the beginning of God's design for their Salvation, to the con∣clusion of it. And when it is all finished, they must with loud Praises sing, Grace, Grace. By Grace ye are saved, through faith; and that not of your selves, it is the Gift of God, Eph. 2.8.

First, No common Mercy yields any Comfort, without the Favour and Love of God. His loving-kindness is better than life, Psal. 63.3. If a man have all that he can wish, every thing that is splen∣did and delightful, every thing that may please his Eye, or gratify his Appetite, if he have not this with the Love of God, he is a Misera∣ble man: For this will mingle Wormwood and Gall with all his Entertainments; to think the God is his Enemy; that these common Bles∣sings may conclude in Hell; and that by all that he Eats, and all that he Drinks, he may be but Fatting for the day of Slaughter: Whilst he is allowing himself in all the Carnal gratifications, by a little consideration, he may discern a Two-edged Sword that hangs over his head, and see a Gulph below that is ready to swallow him, and devour all his hopes and joys; and that all his comforts depend upon the slender

thread of Life; and that here is but a shall partition between him and Everlasting Burn∣ings: How does this fill him with Amazement and Consternation! With Fear and Horror! And whilst he is most Jovial, he may see a dread∣ful Hand writing on the Wall, that may make his Knees of smite one against another, and over∣throw all his mirth and pleasure. Alas! What does it signify to a man, if all the World smile upon him, if he be under the Wrath and the Frowns of God? They cannot shelter him from the coming storm, nor screen him from the Consuming Fire. What a small satisfaction is it to a Condemned Malefactor, that the parta∣kers of his Wickedness applaud and caress him, when his Execution draws near, and the day of his Death will put an end to all his Hopes? What Peace can a Sinner have, who has the Lord of Hosts against him? How can he lye down with Comfort, when he knows not but he may awake in Flames? With what ease can he look upon any thing he enjoys, when he knows not but the next moment he himself may be destroyed and lost for evermore? And that his next remove, may be to the Grave, and to a place full of Torment? What Comfort can he find from loud laughters, from cheerful Company, from vain Sports, when it may be the next moment he may be in a place where there is weeping and wail∣ling, and gnashing of teeth? Without the Favour of God, and that is in the World, all its Promises, all its Pleasures, all its Friendships, all its Entertainments, are meer

Vanity and Vexation of Spirit: If a man fare deliciously every day, if he drink of the most sparkling VVine, if he procure all the Spices of the East, and all the Riches of the VVest; those will not keep his heart from Sorrows nor these secure him from the Wrath to come. These things are very grateful whilst he is embodied, whilst he can Hear, and Smell, and Tast. But what shall a man that is a stranger to God do, when he is turned into a Spirit? VVhat shall an Immortal Soul do, when all these Corporal goods are past away? VVhere will be his pro∣vision? VVhat will be his entertainment, when he is lodged in the Eternal world? VVhen he shall no more hear the Musick, that once charmd and gratified his Sense; when he shall no more see those Beauties that he once admired and doted on? How must his Soul that pursued nothing but a Temporal and a Carnal Happiness, in that State of Separation, be filled with Uneasiness and Regret, with Anguish and Despair, to see it self stript of all its ancient Comforts; and to have nothing remaining that is Comfortable! To be full of flaming desires, and to have nothing where∣with to quench the raging Flame! All that is present, without the Favour of God, is but like Grass upon the House tops; it flatters us with a false opinion of its high station, it looks fair and green, but the mower has not wherewith to fill his hand, it quickly fades and withers away; but with God is the Fountain of Life, Psal. 36.9. a Fountain that supplies us with vital streams, and ceases not to refresh, till it mingle with

the River of delight, that makes glad the City of God, Psal. 46.4. The glories of this World are soon covered with night and darkness; but he is a Sun that ever shines, and from whence issues nothing but cheering and reviving Light. Hence, a little that a righteous man hath, it better than the Revenue of many Wicked, Prov. 15.16. Bet∣ter is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure, and trouble therewith. His little is given him with a Blessing, and their multitude of things attended with a Curse: His Temporal Mercies are the forerunners of Eternal; he tasts a sweetness in what he has, because he is sure that it flows from the Love of God. He can eat his bread with joy, and drink his wine with a chearful heart; because his works are accepted, Eccles. 9.7.

2. The Favour of God is Life in all temporal Wants and Afflictions: No Affliction can be born, if a man do not see his Fatherly Goodness orders and directs the most sharp and bitter Cup. How can a man hold out in trouble, when he knows not but it may be to him the beginning of Sorrows? With what grief must he weep, that knows not that his tears shall ever be wi∣ped away? How deeply must he sigh, that looks upon his stroke to be the stroke of an Enemy, and the chastisement of a Cruel one? Jer. 30.14, 15. But now the Favour of God reconciles the Soul to his most severe and mysterious Dis∣pensations; and teaches it to be silent under his hand; and to believe, that though he is angry now, yet he will not be so for ever. When a poor Soul looks round about, and sees vexation and trouble over all the World; this Favour of

God encourages him to look above, where he finds a calm, and rest. When the men in whom he most confided, prove deceitful, and when from those from whom he expected the greatest kindness, he meets with the greatest disappoint∣ments, then he can have recourse to that God that will never change: when he is left alone, and forsaken, the Divine Presence gives him Honey in the Wilderness, and turns his Dun∣geon into a Paradise; what he wants in the Creatures, is plentifully supplied in his blessed and glorious Creator: And though he be poor in the World, yet he is rich in faith; Jam. 2.5. Though he have nothing on Earth that he can call his own, yet what a sweet support is it to think, that God is his: what need he care, though he be cast off by all the World, when God receives him? What need he care if they condemn him, when th•• Sovereign Judge of all does acquit him and bids him be of good chear, for his sins are forgiven? He need not fear all their daring Threats, their Insolence and Pride, when he can look up with Stephen, and see Jesus at the right hand of God to plead his Cause. Though he lose his Friends, and his Earthly Comforts, yet he has an Almighty Friend that he can ne∣ver lose. Every Correction is grateful to a Soul thus priviledg'd; for how unpleasant soever it be for the present, he knows it shall promote his final good; Rom. 8.28. He knows that his heavenly Father tutors him by so sharp a disci∣pline for his own glorious Kingdom; and relies upon his faithful Promise to bring him thither: he knows, when he is most pained, he is under

the Conduct of a tender, and a skilful Physi∣cian; that though he search his Sore, will not fail to advance and compleat his Cure; and therefore does encourage himself to trust in him, whom he shall praise as the health of his counte∣nance, and his God: He knows, that when he is thrown down by Sickness, the Everlasting Arms will be underneath; and that he shall be strengthned with strength in his Soul, when his Body begins to decay: but now without the fa∣vour of God, every little Cross proves a bur∣then too heavy for us to bear. When a man thinks with himself thus; These pains that I feel, are the wounds of an Enemy; when a man sees nothing but what is dismal, dark and troublesome, and has do prospect of a dawning or approaching Light, how sad and how over∣whelmed must he needs be? how small a thing will sink us, when the Comforter that should re∣lieve our Souls, is departed? Lam. 1.16.

3. This F•••••••••• of God is Life to us in the Trou∣bles of our Conscience; and there are no Troubles in the World like to these; Psal. 88.3, 4. In all other Troubles, our Friends by their kind Discourses, and their pitiful Expressions, may mitigate our Sorrow; but how can they speak peace, when God has declared a War against us! Job 34.29. When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? When he in his just dis∣pleasure raises a Storm, who can make the Wa∣rers smooth again? When the Sun is once set, can all the power of Nature make it to rise a∣gain. Other Troubles make the Body droop,

but these make the Soul it self to languish, and to pine away: What but the Favour of God can revive us, when our Hearts, under the sense of Sin and Guilt, begin to dye within us! When our Sins are set in order before us, who can free us from the formidable sight? Who but he can teach our hands to fight, and to get the Victory? When we are awakened with the sense of Wrath, with the fear of Hell, and of Destruction, who can close our eyes again? When we are under these inward Wounds, who can pour in Oyl, who can bind them up, or heal them, but he alone? When our Con∣sciences accuse us for our former and our later Sins, who then can plead our Cause? who can be on our side, when God himself has over∣thrown us? When the spiritual and holy Law slays us, who can give us Life? When the Word pronounces a dreadful Sentence against us, who is able to reverse it? Who in Heaven or Earth can be our Helper, if we find not help he God? Who will give us any comfort, when through the terrors of our Souls we are looking for the Wrath to come? Who will give us rest, when we lie down, and rise again, with a sense of the Fury, and the Displeasure of the Lord? Deut. 28.66, 67. VVhen a Soul is continually vent∣ing its presaging Fears, and saying. Now I am troubled, but I shall shortly be in much greater trouble: now I am with my Friends, but it may be shortly I shall be with Devils: now I am on Earth, but it may be shortly I shall be in Hell: now the Favour of God brings life to the dying Soul: one beam of his favour causes the

disconsolate Mourner to lay aside his mourning Garments, and to rejoice. After long Terrors, how sweet is the Voice of God that brings the news of a pardon? how welcome are the Ti∣dings of a Pardon to a Malefactor at the very place of Execution; and when God has brought us out of the deep VVaters, and the miry Pit, our very Bones begin to rejoice: it spreads a chearfulness over every part, to think that one whom we had so highly offended, will yet be reconciled again; it raises us even to transport and wonder; what, will he be gracious and merciful to such as we are! Is it not pleasant af∣ter a long war, to be at peace; after hard la∣bour, to rest; after a long Journey, to arrive at our home? so it will be to see the Face of God after a long darkness to shine upon us again. As a devout Lady once said;

I have found him whom I sought; the Love of my Soul, and the Joy of mine Heart; My Lord, and my God: Now my Joys return, I now behold the Face of God, and feel his Comforts in the service and worship of him; and therefore every hour seems five till the hour of Prayer comes; till by Contemplations and Medita∣tions I bring my God to my Soul. I could wish every one of the days for the solemn worship of God, to be a Joshua's day, the longest is too short for me; and my wonted hours of Devotion and Meditation are too nar∣row a confinement for them: and when I am refresht with the Comforts of God, my heart dilates it self further by looking on the Joys of Heaven; for if there be such joy, during the

Seed time,* 1.3 now infinite is the soy Har∣vest.

VVhat can be more great, more delici∣ous, and more comfortable, than to find that the Sun of Righteousness will shine upon us with his healing beams; assuring us of his Grace here, and of his Glory in the VVorld to come? To see that Hell, and that Curse of the Law in which we thought our selves involved, to be under our feet! to see the Yoke of Sin broken, and the power of Death abolisht! to see the Heavenly Sanctuary open, and Christ our Salva∣tion on the Throne, reaching out to us his hand, and guarding us to that happiness which he hath purchased with his Blood! Oh! how cold, and how miserable are all the Delights of the VVorld to such a delightful sight as this? and how happy are the People whose God is the Lord! No Pleasures, no Creature-comforts, no merry Songs can give quiet to a troubled Soul without the Favour, and the Love of God: till he come, all other methods do but make the Clouds more black, and encrease our Sor∣rows.

4. His Favour is Life in the vehement Assaults and Temptations of the Devil. VVhen the strong man armed comes against us, when he darts his fiery darts, what can hurt us, if he compass us about with his loving-kindness as with a shield? Psal. 5.12. He can disarm the Tempter, and restrain his Malice, and tread him under our feet. If God be not with us, if he do not give us sufficient Grace; so subtle, so powerful, so politick an Enemy will be too hard for us: how surely are we foild, and get the worse, when

we pretend, to grapple with him in our own strength. How many falls, and how many bruises by those falls have we got, by rely∣ing too much on our own skill? How often have we had the help of God, when we have humbly ask'd it! And how sure are we to get the Victory, if Christ pray for us that our faith do not fail! Luk. 22.31. VVhere can we go for shelter, but unto God our Maker! when this Lyon of the Forest does begin to roar, how will he terrify and vex us, till he that permits him for a while to trouble us, be pleased to chain him up again!

5. Gods Favour is Life, even in Death it self. He cures all the disorders of the Soul: He weans it from the Body, and makes the passage to ano∣ther World sweet and easie: He can take away the frightful, ghastly aspect of Death, and be∣stow upon it a pleasant and amiable look: and hence it is, that sick People are often heard to say; Oh! If I had but the Favour, and the Love of God, I could he freely willing to dye even in this moment! If I had but his Love, I could bear all these pains, and quietly submit, though I have restless nights, and weary days; for then I should be sure of Eternal Rest. It is our estrangedness from God that makes us live in bondage all our days; and when our time to dye is come, makes us so ve∣ry loth to depart. This sense of God's displea∣sure makes a Death-bed to be a Bed of sorrow; and makes Death to be indeed the King of Ter∣rors: and who can but tremble, when he finds himself leaving this World, and knows not what will be his portion in the next? That finds

himself going to the Judgment-feat, but knows not whether he shall be acquitted or condemned there! how many times do the very thoughts of Death cut us in our Sickness to the very Soul, because our spirits are clouded, and our evi∣dence for Salvation is departed even before we depart, so that we stand trembling on the bor∣ders of Eternity, and would fain stay on Earth, though we cannot? VVhat but the favour of God will help us? When our heart, and our flesh fails, He will be the strength of our heart, and our portion for ever, Ps. 73.26. VVhat but this will at∣tend us through the shady Vale? How can we part with our Friends, if God be not our Friend? How can we leave this Earthly Tabernacle, if we have not an House not made with Hands? How shall we look upon so vast a Change, as that of Time into Eternity, if we are not to change this Mortal for a better Life? But one smile of the Face of God in that great and con∣cluding-work, will keep us that we shall not be afraid to dye: one fore-taste of Heaven will make us with undaunted hearts to bid this sinful VVorld adieu; we shall then like Moses, undress our selves, and dye: we shall with the same chearfulness go down to the Grave, which Ja∣cob went with into Egypt; because our Mediator and our elder Brother lives, and has made good provision for us. VVe shall not be amazed to lie down in the dust, when once we have the hope of a blessed and a glorious Resurre∣ction; and the day of our death will be a com∣fortable day, if our blessed Lord be then pleased to tell us, that on the same day we shall be with him in Paradise.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 29.17.
• * 1.2

  Lettres de Monsieur Claude p. 10.
• * 1.3

  See Life of the Countess of Falk∣land, p: 22.