A30211:310
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.
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.
1. This grace is called, The beginning of knowledge, Prov. 1.7. because by the first gracious discovery of God to the soul, this grace is begot; and, again because the first time that the soul doth apprehend God in Christ to be good unto it, this grace is animated, by which the soul is put into an holy AWE of God, which causeth it with reverence and due attention to hearken to him, and tremble before him. It is also by virtue of this fear that the soul doth enquire yet more after the blessed knowledge of God. This is the more evident, because, where this fear of God is wanting, or where the discovery of God, is not attended with it, the heart still abides rebellious, obstinate, and unwilling to know more, that it might ⟨p. 92⟩comply therewith: nay, for want of it, such sinners say rather; As for God, let him depart from us, and for the Almighty, we desire not the knowledge of HIS ways.
1. This grace is called, The beginning of knowledge, Prov. 1.7. because by the first gracious discovery of God to the soul, this grace is begot; and, again because the first time that the soul doth apprehend God in Christ to be good unto it, this grace is animated, by which the soul is put into an holy AWE of God, which causeth it with reverence and due attention to hearken to him, and tremble before him. It is also by vertue of this fear that the soul doth enquire yet more after the blessed knowledge of God. This is the more evident, because, where this fear of God is wanting, or where the discovery of God, is not attended with it, the heart still abides rebellious, obstinate, and unwilling to know more, that it might