A30211:309
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 the grace of fear, more immediately intended in the text.
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.
5. I take this grace of fear, to be that which softeneth and mollifieth the heart, and that makes it stand in AWE both of the mercies and Judgments of God. This is that that retaineth in the heart that due dread, and reverence of the heavenly majesty that is meet, should be, both in, and kept in the heart of poor sinners. Wherefore when David described THIS fear, in the exercise of it, he calls it an AWE of God. Stand in AWE, saith he, and Sin not; and again, mine heart standeth in AWE of thy Word; and again, Let all the Earth FEAR the Lord; whats ⟨p. 91⟩that? or how is that? why? Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in AWE of him, Psal. 4.4. Psal. 119.161. Psal. 33.8.
This is that therefore, that is, as I said before, so excellent a thing in the eyes of God, to wit, a grace of the spirit, the fear of God, his treasure, the salt of the covenant, that which makes men excel all others: for it is that which maketh the sinner to stand in AWE of God, which posture is the most comely thing in us, throughout all ages. But,
Secondly, and more particularly.