A30211:561
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.
1. Let Gods distinguishing love to you, be a motive to you to fear him greatly. He hath put his fear in thy heart, and hath not given that blessing to thy neighbour; perhaps not to thy Husband, thy Wife, thy Child, or thy Parent: Oh what an obligation should this consideration lay upon thy heart, greatly to fear the Lord? Remember also, (as I have showed in the first part of this book) that this fear of the Lord is his Treasure, a choice Jewel, given only to favourites, and to those that are greatly beloved.
1. Let Gods distinguishing love to you, be a motive to you to fear him greatly. He hath put his fear in thy heart, and hath not given that blessing to thy neighbour; perhaps not to thy Husband, thy Wife, thy Child, or thy Parent: Oh what an obligation should this consideration lay upon thy heart, greatly to fear the Lord? Remember also, (as I have shewed in the first part of this book) that this fear of the Lord is his Treasure, a choice Jewel, given only to favorites, and to those that are greatly beloved.
Great gifts naturally tend to oblige, and will do so, I trust, with thee, when thou shalt ingeniously consider it. It is a sign of a very bad nature when the contrary shows it self; Could God have done more for thee then to have put his fear in his heart? This is better, then to have given thee a place, even in Heaven without it. Yea had he given thee all faith, all knowledge, and the tongue of Men and Angels, and a place in Heaven to boot, They had all been short of this gift, of the fear of God in thy heart. Therefore love it, nourish it, exercise it, use all means to cause ⟨p. 183⟩it to increase and grow in thy heart, that it may appear it is set by, at thy hand poor sinner.
Great gifts naturally tend to oblige, and will do so, I trust, with thee, when thou shalt ingeniously consider it. It is a signe of a very bad nature when the contrary shews it self; Could God have done more for thee then to have put his fear in his heart? This is better, then to have given thee a place, even in Heaven without it. Yea had he given thee all faith, all knowledge, and the tongue of Men and Angels, and a place in Heaven to boot, They had all been short of this gift, of the fear of God in thy heart. Therefore love it, nourish it, exercise it, use all meanes to cause