A30211:400
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.
Did I say that hearty, fervent, and constant prayer flowed from this fear of God? I will add, that if the whole duty and the continuation of it, be not managed with this fear of God, it profiteth nothing at all. It is said of our Lord Jesus Christ himself, He was heard in that he feared. He prayed then because he feared, because he feared God, and therefore was his prayer accepted of him even because he feared. He was heard in that he feared, Heb. 5.7.
This Godly fear is so essential to right prayer, and right prayer is such an inseparable effect and fruit of this fear, that thou must have both or none, he that prayeth not, feareth not God, yet he that prayeth not fervently, and frequently feareth him not; and so he that feareth him not cannot pray; for if prayer be the effect of this fear of God, then without this fear, prayer, fervent prayer ceaseth. How can they pray or make conscience of the duty that fear not God? O prayerless man, thou fearest not God! Thou wouldest not live so like a Swine or a Dog in the world as thou dost if thou fearedst the Lord.
This Godly fear is so essential to right prayer, and right prayer is such an inseperable effect and fruit of this fear, that thou must have both or none, he that prayeth not, feareth not God, yet he that prayeth not fervently, and frequently feareth him not; and so he that feareth him not cannot pray; for if prayer be the effect of this fear of God, then without this fear, prayer, fervent prayer ceaseth. How can they pray or make conscience of the duty that fear not God? O prayerless man, thou fearest not God! Thou wouldest not live so like a Swine or a Dog in the world as thou dost if thou fearedst the Lord.
Ninthly. There floweth from this fear of God, a readiness, or willingness, at Gods Call, to give up our best enjoyments to his dispose. This is evident in Abraham, who at Gods call, without delay, rose early in the morning to offer up his only and well-beloved Isaac a burnt offering in the place where God should appoint him.