A30211:621
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.
What! not fear in the day of evil? what! not when the iniquities of thy heels compasseth ⟨p. 202⟩thee about? no, not then, says he; that is, not with that fear, that would bring him again into bondage to the law; for he had received the spirit of Adoption before. Indeed, if ever a Christian has ground to give way to slavish fear, it is at these two times, to wit in the day of evil and when the iniquity of his heels compasseth him about: But you see, David would not then, no not then give way thereto, nor did he see reason why he should. Wherefore should I, said he? I, wherefore indeed, since now thou art become a Son of God through Christ, and hast received the spirit of his son into thy heart crying father father.
What! not fear in the day of evil? what! not when the iniquities of thy heels compasseth ⟨p. 202⟩thee about? no, not then, saies hee; that is, not with that fear, that would bring him again into bondage to the law; for he had received the spirit of Adoption before. Indeed, if ever a Christian has ground to give way to slavish fear, it is at these two times, to wit in the day of evil and when the iniquitie of his heels compasseth him about: But you see, David would not then, no not then give way thereto, nor did hee see reason why he should. Wherefore should I, said he? I, wherefore indeed, since now thou art become a Son of God through Christ, and hast received the spirit of his son into thy heart crying father father.
Fourthly, wouldest thou grow in this grace of Godly fear? then grow in the knowledge of the new covenant, for that is indeed the girdle of our reins and the strength of our souls. Hear what Zechariah saith, God, says he, hath raised up to us an horn of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he spake by the mouth of all the Holy Prophets which have been since the world began. But what was it? what was it that he spake? Why, That he would grant us that we being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, (without this slavish bondage fear) in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. But upon what is this princely fearless service of God grounded? Why upon