A30211:385
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
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.
Now whether by the fear of God, in this place, be meant his word, or the grace of fear in his heart, may perhaps be a Scruple to some, but in my judgment the next must have respect to the latter, to wit, to the grace of fear, for without that be indeed in the heart, the word will not produce that good self-denial in us, that here you find this good man to live in the daily exercise of.
Now whether by the fear of God, in this place, be meant his word, or the grace of fear in his heart, may perhaps be a Scruple to some, but in my judgment the next must have respect to the latter, to wit, to the grace of fear, for without that be indeed in the heart, the word will not produce that good selfdenial in us, that here you find this good man to live in the daily exercise of.
The fear of God therefore, that was the cause of his Self-denial, was this grace of fear in his heart. This made him to be, as was said before, tender of the honour of God, and of the Salvation of his brother: yea so tender that rather then he would give an occasion to the weak to stumble, or be offended, he would even deny himself of that, which others never sticked to do. Paul also through the sanctifying operations of ⟨p. 117⟩this fear of God in his heart, did deny himself even of Lawful things, for the profit and Commodity of his Brother. I will not eat flesh while the World standeth, least I make my Brother to offend. That is, if his eating of it would make his Brother to offend, 1 Cor. 8.13.
Men that have not this fear of God in them, will not, cannot deny themselves, (of love to God, and the good of the weak, who are subject to stumble at indifferent things) but where this grace of fear is, there follows Self-denial; there men are tender of offending; and count, that it far better becomes their profession to be of a Self denying, condescending conversation, and temper, them to stand sturdily to their own liberty in things inexpedient who even is offended thereat.