His judiciousness did not only appear in distinguishing among the experiences of _others_, but also among the various exercises of _his own mind_; particularly in discerning what within himself was to be laid to the score of _melancholy_; in which he exceeded all melancholy persons that ever I was acquainted with. This was doubtless owing to a peculiar strength in his _judgment_; for it is a rare thing indeed, that persons under the influence of melancholy are sensible of their own disease, and convinced that such things are to be ascribed to it, as are its genuine operations and fruits. Brainerd did not obtain that degree of skill at once, but gradually; as the reader may discern by the following account of his life. In the _former_ part of his religious course, he imputed much of that kind of gloominess of mind to spiritual _desertion_, which in the latter part of his life he was abundantly sensible was owing to the disease of _melancholy_; accordingly he often expressly speaks of it in his diary, as arising from this cause. He often in conversation spoke of the difference between melancholy and godly sorrow; between true humiliation and spiritual desertion; and the great danger of mistaking the one for the other, and the very hurtful nature of melancholy; discoursing with great judgment upon it, and doubtless much more judiciously for what he knew by his own experience. Another imperfection in Brainerd, which may be observed in the following account of his life, was his being _excessive in his labors_; not taking due care to proportion his fatigues to his strength. Indeed, the seeming calls of Providence were very often such as made it extremely difficult for him to avoid laboring beyond his strength; yea, his circumstances, and the business of his mission among the Indians, were such, that great fatigues and hardships were altogether inevitable. However, he was finally convinced that he had erred in this matter, and that he ought to have taken more thorough care, and been more resolute to withstand temptations to such degrees of labor as injured his health; and accordingly he warned his brother, who succeeded him in his mission, to be careful to avoid this error.