4$6 DOCTRINE OF THE PASSIONS. watchfully, lest you renew your provocations of heaven. Re- pentance bringshope with it, and lessens the ground of our fears. 5. Think what a dishonour it is to God, for you to set up creatures as the objects of your unreasonable fears, as though they were not in his hand, or as though God, the Creator, were not a sufficient refuge. Read Isa. li. 12, 13. 6. Think how exceeding unlikely most of your fears are to come to pass. It is not once in ten thousand times, probably, that such an event will befal you : Or not one person in ten thou- 1 sand bath ever-met with such an accident in the same circum- stances : By this means you may reduce your fear to a degree proportionable to the danger, and then most of our fears will give us but small disturbance. 7. Think how many needless fears youhave had in timepast, and tormented yourself with them ; groundless fears where there was no danger, fears of things that never 'come to pass. And think also out of how many real dangers God hath rescued you, and makehim your trust and defence for times to come. David remembered that God haddelivered him from the lion and the bear, and therefore he was not afraid of the Philistine giant; I Sam. xvii. 35-37. 8. Suppose the worstthat can come, and be prepared for it by faith in Christ, hope in God, a life of virtue and piety, a serene conscience, andacontinual readiness for death itself. Be- sides all these general directions, I (night addmany particular rules, according to the particular objects offear ; as for instance, If it be some present appearances in nature, which may be frightful at first, such as huge impending rocks, seas, cataracts, or water-falls, or some particular animals that cannot easily hurt you, or such like, endeavour to make them familiar to you, by approaching nearer and nearer to them by degrees ; and when you find you are safe, you will obtain gradual courage to meet a frog, or a spider, or even a toad or a snake without shuddering or. sweating. If the groundless fear of some absent evil possesses your spirits, get the government of your fancy, and yield not to its dictates in cases whichhave no reason on their side. Fancy and fear swell every little danger to a mountain, and turn every bush into a bear. Thereare no bounds set to the wild and unreason- able ideas of terrible things whichthis passion fillsthe mind with, if it be indulged. Subdue your imaginations, and let them not rove upon frightful objects. For this end avoid the reading or hearing of frightful stories of witches and devils, or terrible ac- cidents, or cruelties and barbarous murders, especially in younger years, or if you are inclined to timorousness and melancholy; for these things will hang about the imagination, and perplex the mind with foolish terrors.
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