A30211:121
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.
Thirdly, There is a fear of God, which, although it hath not in it that power as to make men flee from Gods presence, yet it ⟨p. 42⟩[…] ⟨p. 43⟩[…] ⟨p. 42⟩is ungodly, because, even while they are in the outward way of Gods ordinances, their hearts are by it, quite discouraged from attempting to exercise themselves in the power of religion.
Thirdly, There is a fear of God, which, although it hath not in it that power as to make men flee from Gods presence, yet it ⟨p. 42⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 43⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 42⟩is ungodly, because, even while they are in the outward way of Gods ordinances, their hearts are by it, quite discouraged from attempting to exercise themselves in the power of religion.
Of this sort are they which dare not cast off the hearing, reading, and discourse of the word as others: no, nor the assembly of Gods children for the exercise of other religious duties, for their conscience is convinced this is the way and worship of God. But yet their heart (as I said) by this ungodly fear, is kept from a powerful gracious falling in with God. This fear takes away their heart from all holy and godly prayer in private, and from all holy and godly Zeal for his name in public, and there be many professors whose hearts are possessed with this ungodly fear of God; and they are intended by the slothful one. He was a servant, a servant among the servants of God, and had gifts and abilities given him, therewith to serve Christ, as well as his fellows, yea, and was commanded too, as well as the rest, to occupy till his Master came. But what does he? why he takes his talent, the gift that he was to lay out for his Masters profit, and puts it in a napkin, digs a hole in the earth, and hides his Lords money, and lies at a lazy manner at to-elbow all his