A30211:667
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.
8. Wouldst thou grow in this grace of fear? then, Take heed of an high and captious spirit, for that is not good ground for the fear of God to grow in: a meek and quiet spirit is the best, and there the fear of God will flourish most, therefore Peter puts meekness and fear together, as being most suited in their nature and natural tendency one to another, 1 Pet. 3.14.
Meekness of spirit is like that heart that hath depth of earth in it, in which things may take root and grow; but an high and captious spirit, is like to the stony ground, where there is not depth of earth, and consequently, where this grace of fear cannot grow: therefore take heed of this kind of spirit, if thou wouldst that the fear of God should grow in thy soul.
9. Wouldst thou grow in the grace of fear? then, Take heed of an envious heart, for that is not a good heart for the fear of God to grow in. Let not thy heart envy sinners, but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long, Prov. 23.17. To envy any, is a sign of a bad spirit, and that man takes upon him, as I have already hinted, to be a controller and a judge, yea ⟨p. 217⟩and a malicious executioner too, and that of that fury that ariseth from his own lusts and revengeful spirit, upon (perhaps) the man that is more righteous then himself. But suppose he is a sinner that is the object of thine envy, why, the Text sets that envy, in direct opposition to the fear of God: Envy not sinners, but be thou in the fear of God. These two therefore, to wit, envy to sinners and fearing of God, are opposites. Thou canst not fear God, and envy sinners too. And the reason is, because he that envieth a sinner, hath forgotten himself, that he is as bad, and how can he then fear God? He that envies sinners, rejects his duty of blessing of them that curse, and praying for them that despitefully use us; and how can he that hath rejected this, fear God? He that envieth sinners, therefore, cannot be of a good spirit, nor can the fear of God grow in his heart.