A30211:687
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. This fear, as I may say, even above every other grace, is Gods well-wisher; and hence it is called, as I also have showed you, HIS fear. As he also says in the Text mentioned above, I will put MY fear in their heart. These words HIS and MY, they are intimate, and familiar expressions, bespeaking, not only great favour to man, but a very great trust put in him: As who should say, this fear is my special friend, it will subject, and bow the soul and the several faculties thereof to my pleasure, it is my great favourite and subdueth sinners to my pleasure: you shall rarely find faith, or repentance, or parts, go under such familiar characters as this blessed fear of the Lord doth. Of all the counsellors, and mighties, that David had, Hushi only was called the Kings Friend, (2 Sam. 15.37. Ch. 16.16.) So of all the graces of the spirit, this of the fear of God, goes mostly, if not always by the title of my fear, Gods fear, his fear, &c.
3. This fear, as I may say, even above every other grace, is Gods well-wisher; and hence it is called, as I also have shewed you, HIS fear. As he also saies in the Text mentioned above, I will put MY fear in their heart. These words HIS and MY, they are intimate, and familiar expressions, bespeaking, not only great favor to man, but a very great trust put in him: As who should say, this fear is my special friend, it will subject, and bow the soul and the several faculties thereof to my pleasure, it is my great favorite and subdueth sinners to my pleasure: you shall rarely find faith, or repentance, or parts, go under such familiar characters as this blessed fear of the Lord doth. Of all the counsellors, and mighties, that David had, Hushi only was called the Kings Friend, (2 Sam. 15.37. Ch. 16.16.) So of all the graces of the spirit, this of the fear of God, goes mostly, if not alwaies by the title of my fear, Gods fear, his fear, &c.
I told you before, if the King will keep a Town, the main fort therein must be sufficiently manned: and now I will add, that if he have not to govern those men, some trusty and special friend, such as Hushi was to David, he may find it lost when it should stand him in greatest stead. If a soul should be possessed with all things possible, yet if this fear of God be wanting, all other things will give place in time of rebellion, and the soul shall be found in, and under the conduct of Hell when it should stand up for God and his truth in the World. This fear of God, it is Gods special friend, and therefore it has given unto it the chief seat of the heart, the will, that the whole man may now be, and also be kept hereafter, in the subjection and obedience of the Gospel. For,