A39696:241
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 6 › Section 1 › Subsection 3: 3. Rule.
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. Hereby our thoughts would be better acquainted ⟨p. 78⟩with these evils, and the more they are acquainted, the less they will start and fright at them: We should not think it strange concerning the fiery trial, as it is 1 Pet. 4. 12. It is with our thoughts, as it is with young colts, and so they start at every new thing they meet, but we cure them of it, by bringing them home to that they start at, and making them smell to it; better acquaintance cures this startling humour at them. The newness of evil, saith a late grave and Learned Divine, is the cause of fear,1 when the mind it self hath had no preceding encounter with it, whereby to judge of its strength, nor example of another mans prosperous issue, to confirm its hopes in the like success: For, as I noted before out of the Philosophers, experience is instead of armour, and is a kind of fortitude, enabling both to judge, and to bear troubles; for there are some things which are [Greek or Hebrew],2 scarecrows and visors which children fear, only out of ignorance; as soon as they are known they cease to be terrible.
1. Hereby our thoughts would be better acquainted ⟨p. 78⟩with these evils, and the more they are acquainted, the less they will start and fright at them: We should not think it strange concerning the fiery trial, as it is 1 Pet. 4. 12. It is with our thoughts, as it is with young colts, and so they start at every new thing they meet, but we cure them of it, by bringing them home to that they start at, and making them smell to it; better acquaintance cures this startling humour at them. The newness of evil, saith a late grave and Learned Divine, is the cause of fear,1 when the mind it self hath had no preceding encounter with it, whereby to judge of its strength, nor example of another mans prosperous issue, to confirm its hopes in the like success: For, as I noted before out of the Philosophers, experience is instead of armour, and is a kind of fortitude, enabling both to judge, and to bear troubles; for there are some things which are ,