Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v6

Chap.18. expofition open the 73ooFZ, of j o s. Verf. I 1. Fait, There is a terrour riling from the evill which heaftually feeles; whiles he is pained, he is afraid, and is jealous that his prefent fufferings are but the earneft of thofe which are to come, orbut the foretaits of a fuller cupof forrow. Secondly There is a terrour from the evill which he really forefees; though at prefent he feeles nothing, yet he forefees much ; and while he is at cafe, he doubts and fufpefts he fhall not. Thirdly, There is a terrour where there is no reali evill ei- ther felt or forefeene, but onely imagined. The figments of the brain troubleas much as vifible or fencible troubles; no feare is more terrible then that which is a feare of nothing ; Evills. which are not, nor ever (hall be , render our lives as burdenfome,, as thofe which are. Offuch terrour the Pfalmift fpeakes (Pfal. 5,3.5. ) There were they ingreatfeare, ( where wasthat ? in force place ofgreat danger fare, or in valley of the Aadow of death the.Pfalmift tells us ; There were they ingreatfeare wherenofeare was. But can a wicked man be in any place where no feare is ? I anfwer, where ever he is there is a feare that he might feare, but he is often there, where there is no filch feare as he feareth ;, his ufuali feare is no feare, or the thing which he feares is meere- ly a fancy , a fhadow of feare; that vvhich he fearer he vvould not feare, did he but knovv vvhat he feared ;, There were they in greatfeare whereno fearewas They )(allfly (faith the Scripture) at the noyfe ofthe fiiak.ingofaleafe ; that is, they (hall feare vvhere no feare is. There's no hurt in the falling of a leafe, much leffe- in the fhaking of it ;. and therefore no reali feare, or nothing to be feared. Put thofe three together, and it malt needs be that the life of a wicked man under finand guilt is fubjeft tocontinual) terrour;. vvhat vvith the trouble he leeks, and vvhat vvith the troublehe really forefees, andbath juft caufe to leave, and vvhat: vvith thofe troubles that he fancies,. fearing where no feare ú , he mutt needs- have a life full of terrour, or, as the Text fpeakes , Terreur fhall make him afraid on everyfide. Againe Confider the miferable Rate of this vvicked man is not defcrib'd by outvvard evills , vvhich vex the flefh, and are grievous to fence, as poverty,, ficknes,.paine but by terrour,, which 63

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