A39696:298
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 7: 7. 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.
3. A natural death in Christ may be as safe to our selves, but a violent death for Christ, will be more beneficial to others; by the former we shall come to heaven our selves, but by the latter we may bring many souls thither. The blood of the Martyrs is truly called the seed of the Church. Many waxed confident by Pauls bonds, his sufferings fell out to the furtherance of the Gospel, and so may ours: In this case a Christian, like Samson, doth greater service against Satan and his cause, by his death, than by his life.
3. A natural death in Christ may be as safe to our selves, but a violent death for Christ, will be more beneficial to others; by the former we shall come to heaven our selves, but by the latter we may bring many souls thither. The bloud of the Martyrs is truly called the seed of the Church. Many waxed confident by Pauls bonds, his sufferings fell out to the furtherance of the Gospel, and so may ours: In this case a Christian, like Samson, doth greater service against Satan and his cause, by his death, than by his life.
If we only die a natural death in our beds we die in possession of the truths of Christ our selves; but if we die Martyrs for Christ, we secure that precious inheritance to the generations to come, and those that are yet unborn shall bless God, not only for his truths, but for our courage, zeal, and constancy by which it was preserved for them, and transmitted to them.
By all this you see that death to a Believer is great gain, it's great gain if he only die in Christ, it's all that, and a great deal more added, if he also die for Christ: And he that is assured of such advantages by death either way, must needs feel his fears of death shrink away before such assurances; yea,1 he will rather have life in patience, and death in desire? he will not only submit quietly but rejoice exceedingly to be used by God in such honourable employment. Assurance will call a bloody death a safe passage to Canaan through the Red Sea. It will call Satan that instigates these his instruments, and all that are employed in such bloody work by him, so many Balaams brought to curse, but they do indeed bless the people of God,