A30211:694
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.
There are, as I have said already, several degrees of this grace of fear, and our wisdom is, to grow in IT, as in all other the graces of the Spirit. The reasons why, I have showed you, and also the way to grow therein, but the least measure thereof will do as I said, that is, keep the soul from final apostasy. There are, as I have showed you, those that greatly fear the Lord, that fear exceedingly, and that fear him above many of their brethren: but the small, in this grace, are saved, ⟨p. 226⟩as well as these that are great therein, He will save them that fear him small and great.
There are, as I have said already, several degrees of this grace of fear, and our wisdom is, to grow in IT, as in all other the graces of the Spirit. The reasons why, I have shewed you, and also the way to grow therein, but the least measure thereof will do as I said, that is, keep the soul from final apostacy. There are, as I have shewed you, those that greatly fear the Lord, that fear exceedingly, and that fear him above many of their brethren: but the small, in this grace, are saved, ⟨p. 226⟩as well as these that are great therein, He will save them that fear him small and great.
This fear of the Lord is the pulse of the soul, and as some pulses beat stronger, some weaker, so is this grace of fear in the soul. They that beat best are a sign of best life, but they that beat worst show that life is present: As long as the pulse beats, we count not that the man is dead, though weak; and this fear, where it is, preserves to everlasting life. Pulses there are also that are intermitting, to wit, such as have their times for a little, a little time to stop, and beat again: 'True these are dangerous pulses, but yet too, a sign of life. This fear of God also is sometimes like this intermitting pulse: there are times when it forbears to work, and then it works again; David had an intermitting pulse, Peter had an intermitting pulse, as also many other of the Saints of God. I call that an intermitting pulse with reference to the fear we speak of, when there is some obstruction by the workings of corruptions in the soul, I say some obstruction from, and hindrance of the continual motion of this fear of God, yet none of these (though they are various, and some of them sings of weakness,) are signs of death but life. I will put my fear in their heart, and they shall not depart from me.