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…

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.

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 signe of best life, but they that beat worst shew 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 signe 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.