A30211:688
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.
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,
I told you before, if the King will keep a Town, the main fort therein must be sufficiently man'd: 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,
4. This grace of fear is the softest, and most tender of Gods honour of any other grace. It is that tender, sensible and trembling grace that keepeth the soul upon its continual watch. To keep a good watch is, you know, a wonderful safety to a place that is in continual danger because of the enemy. Why this is the grace that setteth the watch, and that keepeth the watchman awake, (Song. 3.7, 8.)