sometimes effect it, or such dismal accidents. _Si non statim relevantur_,
[6700]Mercennus, _dubitant an sit Deus_, if they be not eased forthwith,
they doubt whether there be any God, they rave, curse, "and are desperately
mad because good men are oppressed, wicked men flourish, they have not as
they think to their desert," and through impatience of calamities are so
misaffected. Democritus put out his eyes, _ne malorum civium prosperos
videret successus_, because he could not abide to see wicked men prosper,
and was therefore ready to make away himself, as [6701]Agellius writes of
him. Felix Plater hath a memorable example in this kind, of a painter's
wife in Basil, that was melancholy for her son's death, and for melancholy
became desperate; she thought God would not pardon her sins, [6702]"and for
four months still raved, that she was in hell-fire, already damned." When
the humour is stirred up, every small object aggravates and incenseth it,
as the parties are addicted. [6703]The same author hath an example of a
merchant man, that for the loss of a little wheat, which he had over long
kept, was troubled in conscience, for that he had not sold it sooner, or
given it to the poor, yet a good scholar and a great divine; no persuasion
would serve to the contrary, but that for this fact he was damned: in other
matters Very judicious and discreet. Solitariness, much fasting, divine
meditation, and contemplations of God's judgments, most part accompany this
melancholy, and are main causes, as [6704]Navarrus holds; to converse with
such kinds of persons so troubled, is sufficient occasion of trouble to
some men. _Nonnulli ob longas inedias, studia et meditationes coelestes, de
rebus sacris et religione semper agitant_, &c. Many, (saith P. Forestus)
through long fasting, serious meditations of heavenly things, fall into
such fits; and as Lemnius adds, _lib. 4. cap. 21_, [6705]"If they be
solitary given, superstitious, precise, or very devout: seldom shall you
find a merchant, a soldier, an innkeeper, a bawd, a host, a usurer, so
troubled in mind, they have cheverel consciences that will stretch, they
are seldom moved in this kind or molested: young men and middle age are
more wild and less apprehensive; but old folks, most part, such as are
timorous and 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 medi