A39696:135
Two treatises the first of fear, from Isa. 8, v. 12, 13, and part…
Two treatises the first of fear, from Isa. 8, v. 12, 13, and part of the 14 : the second, The righteous man's refuge in the evil day, from Isaiah 26, verse 20 / by John Flavell.
London: printed by H.H. for Robert Boulter, 1682
A PRACTICAL TREATISE OF Fear, &c. › Chapter 4 › Section 1 › Subsection 3: 3. Cause.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. Unbelief weakens and stumbles the assenting act of Faith, and thereby cuts off from the soul in a great measure its principal relief against dangers and troubles. It is the use and office of Faith to realize to the Soul the invisible things of the world to come, and thereby encourage it against the fears and dangers of the present world: Thus Moses forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King, for he endured, as seeing him that is invisible, Heb. 11. 27. If this assenting act of Faith be weakened or staggered in the soul, if once invisibles seem uncertainties, and visibles the only realities, no wonder we are so scared and frighted when these visible and sensible comforts are exposed and endangered, as they often are, and will be in this mutable world. That man must needs be afraid to stand his ground, that is not throughly persuaded the ground he stands on is firm and good; 'tis not to be wondered that men should tremble, who seem to feel the ground shake and reel under them.
1. Unbelief weakens and stumbles the assenting act of Faith, and thereby cuts off from the soul in a great measure its principal relief against dangers and troubles. It is the use and office of Faith to reallize to the Soul the invisible things of the world to come, and thereby encourage it against the fears and dangers of the present world: Thus Moses forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King, for he endured, as seeing him that is invisible, Heb. 11. 27. If this assentting act of Faith be weakned or staggered in the soul, if once invisibles seem uncertainties, and visibles the only realities, no wonder we are so scared and frighted when these visible and sensible comforts are exposed and endangered, as they often are, and will be in this mutable world. That man must needs be afraid to stand his ground, that is not throughly perswaded the ground he stands on is firm and good; 'tis not to be wondred that men should tremble, who seem to feel the ground shake and reel under them.
2. Unbelief shuts up the refuges of the Soul in the Divine promises, and by leaving it without those refuges,