A30211:472
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.
3. By small, may sometimes be meant those that are small in grace or gifts; these are said to be the least in the Church, that is under this Consideration and so are by it, least esteemed. Thus also is that of Christ to be understood. In as much as ye did it not to one of the ⟨p. 154⟩least of these, ye did it not to me, 1 Cor. 6.4. Matth. 25.45.
Art thou in thine own thoughts, or in the thoughts of others, of these last small ones? small in grace, small in gifts, small in esteem upon this account, yet if thou fearest God, if thou fearest God indeed, thou art certainly blessed with the best of Saints. The least Star stands as fixed, as the biggest of them all, in Heaven. He shall bless them that fear him, small and great. He shall bless them, that is, with the same blessing of eternal life. For the different degrees of grace in Saints, doth not make the blessing, as to its nature, differ. 'Tis the same Heaven, the same Life, the same Glory, and the same Eternity of Felicity that they are, in the text, promised to be blessed with. That is observable which I mentioned before, where Christ at the day of Judgment particularly mentioneth, and owneth, the least: In as much as ye did it not to one of the least. The least then, was there, in his Kingdom and in his Glory as well as the biggest of all.
Art thou in thine own thoughts, or in the thoughts of others, of these last small ones? small in grace, small in gifts, small in esteem upon this account, yet if thou fearest God, if thou fearest God indeed, thou art certainly blessed with the best of Saints. The least Star stands as fixed, as the bigest of them all, in Heaven. He shall bless them that fear him, small and great. He shall bless them, that is, with the same blessing of eternal life. For the different degrees of grace in Saints, doth not make the blessing, as to its nature, differ. 'Tis the same Heaven, the same Life, the same Glory, and the same Eternity of Felicity that they are, in the text, promised to be blessed with. That is observable which I mentioned before, where Christ at the day of Judgment particularly mentioneth, and owneth, the least: In as much as ye did it not to one of the least. The least then, was there, in his Kingdom and in his Glory as well as the biggest of all.