3. The extreme fear of Death and Judgment, dejects and discourages the Soul from the use of means to prevent eternal misery, and induces a most woeful Bondage. Fear anticipates and exasperates future Evils: for as knowledge excites fear, so fear increases knowledge, by the unceasing working of the thoughts upon terrible Objects. The fearful mind aggravates the foreseen Evil, and distils the Poison from all the circumstances and consequences ⟨p. 40⟩of it. And when the Evil is apprehended as insuperable and indeclinable, all endeavours to escape are cut off.1 What a Philosopher observes of an Earthquake, compared with other destructive Evils, is true in this case. There may be a safe retreat from Fire, from Inundations, from Storms, from War, from Pestilence, but an Earthquake astonishes with so violent a perturbation,2 that stops our flight from the imminent danger. So the vehement impressions of fear from the approaches of death, and the severe executions upon the Sinner after it, distracts the mind, and disables from flying from the Wrath to come. These Fears are more heavy by the suggestions of Satan, who represents God so terrible in his Majesty, inexorable in his Justice, and ⟨p. 41⟩dreadful to Death, that all hopes of obtaining his favour are lost. As the Egyptian Darkness was not merely from the absence of the Sun, but from feculent Vapours condensing the Air, that it might be felt. So these dark and fearful expectations of the Divine Wrath, are not only from the withdrawing the Light of God's Countenance, but from the Prince of Darkness that foul Spirit. And as we read of the Egyptians, that no Man arose from his place for three days, as if they had been buried in that darkness, and deprived of all active power and motion: so the despairing Soul sits down mourning at the Gates of Death, totally disabled from prosecuting the Things that belong to its peace. 'Tis Hope inspires and warms us with alacrity, encourages our Endeavours, Despair ⟨p. 42⟩is without edge and industry. The Soul suffers the hardest Bondage, and the condition is inexpressibly sad under the tyranny of this Fear. O how enthralled, how desolately miserable! for despair doth meritoriously and effectually ruin the Soul. For whereas there is no Attribute more Divine, no clearer Notion of the Deity than Love and Mercy; this Passion disparages his Mercy, as if Sin were more omnipotent, than his Power to pardon;
3. The extream fear of Death and Judgment, dejects and discourages the Soul from the use of means to prevent eternal misery, and induces a most woful Bondage. Fear anticipates and exasperates future Evils: for as knowledg excites fear, so fear encreases knowledg, by the uncessant working of the thoughts upon terrible Objects. The fearful mind aggravates the foreseen Evil, and distils the Poison from all the circumstances and consequences ⟨p. 40⟩of it. And when the Evil is apprehended as insuperable and indeclinable, all endeavours to escape are cut off.1 What a Philosopher observes of an Earthquake, compared with other destructive Evils, is true in this case. There may be a safe retreat from Fire, from Inundations, from Storms, from War, from Pestilence, but an Earthquake astonishes with so violent a perturbation,2 that stops our flight from the imminent danger. So the vehement impressions of fear from the approaches of death, and the severe executions upon the Sinner after it, distracts the mind, and disables from flying from the Wrath to come. These Fears are more heavy by the suggestions of Satan, who represents God so terrible in his Majesty, inexorable in his Justice, and ⟨p. 41⟩dreadful to Death, that all hopes of obtaining his favour are lost. As the Egyptian Darkness was not meerly from the absence of the Sun, but from feculent Vapours condensing the Air, that it might be felt. So these dark and fearful expectations of the Divine Wrath, are not only from the withdrawing the Light of God's Countenance, but from the Prince of Darkness that foul Spirit. And as we read of the Egyptians, that no Man arose from his place for three days, as if they had been buried in that darkness, and deprived of all active power and motion: so the despairing Soul sits down mourning at the Gates of Death, totally disabled from prosecuting the Things that belong to its peace. 'Tis Hope inspires and warms us with alacrity, encourages our Endeavours, Despair ⟨p. 42⟩is without edg and industry. The Soul suffers the hardest Bondage, and the condition is inexpressibly sad under the tyranny of this Fear. O how enthralled, how desolately miserable! for despair doth meritoriously and effectually ruin the Soul. For whereas there is no Attribute more Divine, no clearer Notion of the Deity than Love and Mercy; this Passion disparages his Mercy, as if Sin were more omnipotent, than his Power to pardon;
- 1Senec. Nullum malum sine eifugio.
- 2Timor fugam perdidit.
