A30211:117
A treatise of the fear of God showing what it is, and how distinguished…A treatise of the fear of God shewing what it is, and how distinguished…
A treatise of the fear of God showing what it is, and how distinguished from that what is not so : also whence it comes, who has it, what are the effects, and what the privileges of those that have it in their hearts / by John Bunyan.A treatise of the fear of God shewing what it is, and how distinguished from that what is not so : also whence it comes, who has it, what are the effects, and what the priviledges of those that have it in their hearts / by John Bunyan.
London: printed for N. Ponder, 1679
Of several sorts of fear of God in the heart of the Children of men.
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.
Many also at this day are possessed with this ungodly fear: And you may know them by this. They cannot abide conviction for sin, and if at any time the word of the law, by the preaching of the word comes near them they will not abide that preacher, nor such kind of sermons any more. They are, as they deem, best at ease, when furthest off of God, and of the power of his word. The word preached brings God nearer to them than they desire he should come, because whenever God comes near their sins, by him, are manifest, and so is the judgment too that to them is due. Now these not having faith in the mercy of God through Christ, nor that grace that tendeth to bring them to him, they cannot but think of God amiss, ⟨p. 40⟩and their so thinking of him makes them say unto him, depart from us, For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Wherefore their wrong thoughts of God, beget in them this ungodly fear; and again, this ungodly fear doth maintain in them the continuance of these wrong and unworthy thoughts of God, and therefore, through that devilish service wherewith they strengthen one another, the sinner without a miracle of grace prevents him, is drowned in destruction and perdition.
Many also at this day are possessed with this ungodly fear: And you may know them by this. They cannot abide conviction for sin, and if at any time the word of the law, by the preaching of the word comes near them they will not abide that preacher, nor such kind of sermons any more. They are, as they deem, best at ease, when furthest off of God, and of the power of his word. The word preached brings God nearer to them than they desire he should come, because whenever God comes near their sins, by him, are manifest, and so is the judgment too that to them is due. Now these not having faith in the mercy of God through Christ, nor that grace that tendeth to bring them to him, they cannot but think of God amiss, ⟨p. 40⟩and their so thinking of him makes them say unto him, depart from us, For we desire not the knowledge of thy waies. Wherefore their wrong thoughts of God, beget in them this ungodly fear; and again, this ungodly fear doth maintain in them the continuance of these wrong and unworthy thoughts of God, and therefore, through that devilish service wherewith they strengthen one another, the sinner without a miracle of grace prevents him, is drowned in destrustion and perdition.