Answ. First, That which is by faith it is not in a violent, rash, and heady way, in the hurrying and confusion of a mans spirit; in his Flight he doth not run as one scared by common fire, or by the enemies coming upon them; no, but his Fleeing to avoid danger being from faith, it is in a quiet settledness of spirit, and for that take these two scriptures. The first, is that which before was named in Psal. 3.5. I laid me down and slept. He did not Flee as a man agasted, but he was in the way that God opened to him, and his spirit was very quiet, he laid him down and slept. And again that which is observed by one in 1 Kings, 19.8. Concerning Elijah, Fleeing, he arose and went, he did not run eagerly, but he went on in the strength of that meat in the way that God would have him: the phrase denotes a quietness and sedateness of spirit: so those that Flee by faith do it with much quietness of spirit, being contented with the hand of God, and not with bitterness and vexation of spirit, as many will do, because conscience will urge them they must Flee or suffer, and they dare not go against the dictate of Conscience, but will Flee, but they will do it with abundance of bitterness of spirit: A man thinks with himself There was a time I lived, and had all outward accommodations, a house and estate, and trading, and means coming in, and all my friends about me, what a comfortable condition is this, and now I must break off all, and go into a strange land, among strange people, and I know not what shall become of me: this is far from that contentedness of spirit, that should be in leaving all for the cause of God: whereas Christians should not only go on in a way of contentedness, but with joyfulness, because Fleeing is suffering.
Answ. First, That which is by faith it is not in a violent, rash, and heady way, in the hurrying and confusion of a mans spirit; in his Flight he doth not run as one scared by common fire, or by the enemies coming upon them; no, but his Fleeing to avoid danger being from faith, it is in a quiet setledness of spirit, and for that take these two scriptures. The first, is that which before was named in Psal. 3.5. I laid me down and slept. He did not Flee as a man agasted, but he was in the way that God opened to him, and his spirit was very quiet, he laid him down and slept. And again that which is observed by one in 1 Kings, 19.8. Concerning Elijah, Fleeing, he arose and went, he did not run eagerly, but he went on in the strength of that meate in the way that God would have him: the phrase denotes a quietness and sedateness of spirit: so those that Flee by faith do it with much quietness of spirit, being contented with the hand of God, and not with bitterness and vexation of spirit, as many wil do, because conscience wil urge them they must Flee or suffer, and they dare not go against the dictate of Conscience, but will Flee, but they wil do it with abundance of bitterness of spirit: A man thinks with himself There was a time I lived, and had al outward accommodations, a house and estate, and trading, and meanes coming in, and all my freinds about me, what a comfortable condition is this, and now I must break off all, and go into a strange land, among strange people, and I know not what shall become of me: this is far from that contentedness of spirit, that should be in leaving al for the cause of God: whereas Christians should not only go on in a way of contentedness, but with joyfulness, because Fleeing is suffering.
