A30211:145
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.
2. He is called, in this his working, the ⟨p. 52⟩spirit of bondage, because he here also holds us, to wit, in this sight and sense of our bondage-state, so long as is meet we should be so held, which to some of the Saints is a longer, and to some a shorter time. Paul was held in it three days, and three nights, but the Jailer and the three thousand, so far as can be gathered, not above an hour, but some in these later times, are so held for days, and months if not years.
2. He is called, in this his working, the ⟨p. 52⟩spirit of bondage, because he here also holds us, to wit, in this sight and sense of our bondage-state, so long as is meet we should be so held, which to some of the Saints is a longer, and to some a shorter time. Paul was held in it three daies, and three nights, but the Jaylor and the three thousand, so far as can be gathered, not above an hour, but some in these later times, are so held for daies, and months if not years.
But I say, let the time be longer or shorter, it is the Spirit of God that holdeth him under this yoke, and it is good that a man should be HIS time holden under it. As is that saying of the lamentation. It is good that a man bear the yoke in his youth. That is, at his first awakening (Lamen. 3.27.) So long as seems good to this holy Spirit to work in this manner by the Law.
But I say, let the time be longer or shorter, it is the Spirit of God that holdeth him under this yoak, and it is good that a man should be HIS time helden under it. As is that saying of the lamentation. It is good that a man bear the yoak in his youth. That is, at his first awakning (Lamen. 3.27.) So long as seems good to this holy Spirit to work in this manner by the Law.