A30211:535
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.
Many men also are forced to fear God, as underlings are forced to fear those that are by force above them.
If thou only thus fearest God, 'tis but a false fear; it flows not from love to God: this fear brings not willing subjection, which indeed brings the effect of right fear: but being ⟨p. 175⟩over mastered, like an hypocrite, thou subjectest thy self, (Psal. 18.44.) by feigned obedience being forced, I say, by mere dread to do it, Psal. 66.3.
If thou only thus fearest God, 'tis but a false fear; it flows not from love to God: this fear brings not willing subjection, which indeed brings the effect of right fear: but being ⟨p. 175⟩over mastred, like an hypocrite, thou subjectest thy self, (Psal. 18.44.) by feigned obedience being forced, I say, by meer dread to do it, Psal. 66.3.
It is said of David. That the same of him went out into all Lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all Nations, 1 Chron. 14.17. But what did they now love David? did they now choose him to be their King? no verily; they, many of them rather hated him, and when they could, made resistance against him. They did, even as thou dost: feared, but did not love: feared, but did not choose his government that ruled over them.