religiously given.”  Pet.  Forestus observat. lib. 10. cap. 12. de morbis cerebri, hath a fearful example of a minister, that through precise fasting in Lent, and overmuch meditation, contracted this mischief, and in the end became desperate, thought he saw devils in his chamber, and that he could not be saved; he smelled nothing, as he said, but fire and brimstone, was already in hell, and would ask them, still, if they did not [6706]smell as much.  I told him he was melancholy, but he laughed me to scorn, and replied that he saw devils, talked with them in good earnest, Would spit in my face, and ask me if 1 did not smell brimstone, but at last he was by him cured.  Such another story I find in Plater observat. lib. 1. A poor fellow had done some foul offence, and for fourteen days would eat no meat, in the end became desperate, the divines about him could not ease him, [6707]but so he died.  Continual meditation of God’s judgments troubles many, Multi ob timorem futuri judicii, saith Guatinerius cap. 5. tract. 15. et suspicionem desperabundi sunt. David himself complains that God’s judgments terrified his soul, Psalm cxix. part. 16. vers. 8.  “My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments.” Quoties diem illum cogito (saith [6708]Hierome) toto corpore contremisco, I tremble as often as I think of it.  The terrible meditation of hell-fire and eternal punishment much torments a sinful silly soul.  What’s a thousand years to eternity? Ubi moeror, ubi fletus, ubi dolor sempiternus.  Mors sine morte, finis sine fine; a finger burnt by chance we may not endure, the pain is so grievous, we may not abide an hour, a night is intolerable; and what shall this unspeakable fire then be that burns for ever, innumerable infinite millions of years, in omne aevum in aeternum. O eternity!

[6709] “Aeternitas est illa vox,
          Vox illa fulminatrix,
        Tonitruis minacior,
          Fragoribusque coeli,
        Aeternitas est illa vox,
          —­meta carens et orta, &c. 
        Tormenta nulla territant,
          Quae finiuntur annis;
        Aeternitas, aeternitas
          Versat coquilque pectus. 
        Auget haec poenas indies,
          Centuplicatque flammas,” &c.

This meditation terrifies these poor distressed souls, especially if their bodies be predisposed by melancholy, they religiously given, and have tender consciences, every small object affrights them, the very inconsiderate reading of Scripture itself, and misinterpretation of some places of it; as, “Many are called, few are chosen.  Not every one that saith Lord.  Fear not little flock.  He that stands, let him take heed lest he fall.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, That night two shall be in a bed, one received, the other left.  Strait is the way that leads to heaven, and few there are that enter therein.”  The parable of the seed