Godly-fear, or, The nature and necessity of fear, and its usefulness both to the driving sinners to Christ and to the provoking Christians to a godly life ... / by R.A., author of Vindiciæ pietatis.

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Title: Godly-fear, or, The nature and necessity of fear, and its usefulness both to the driving sinners to Christ and to the provoking Christians to a godly life ... / by R.A., author of Vindiciæ pietatis.
Author: R. A. (Richard Alleine), 1611-1681.
Publication: London :: Printed for Samuel Sprint and Brabazon Aylmer ...,; 1674.
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Subject terms: Fear of God.
Cite this Item: "Godly-fear, or, The nature and necessity of fear, and its usefulness both to the driving sinners to Christ and to the provoking Christians to a godly life ... / by R.A., author of Vindiciæ pietatis." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A26706.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 18, 2024.

THe Text opened, Page 1
The Doctrine Propounded. Page 3
The Doctrine Expounded in two particulars, viz.
1. What that Fear is to which Blessedness is pro∣nounced, and what there is in it. ibid.
- 1. It hath Ʋnderstanding in it. Page 6
- 2. It hath Faith. Page 9
- 3. It hath Love. Page 11
- 4. Aversation from Evil. Page 13
- 5. It hath Foresight. Page 14
- 6. It hath Forecast. Page 17
2. What that Blessedness is that is pronounced to this Fear. Page 24
The Man that feareth shall have
- Sufficiency. Page 25
- Security. Page 26
Use. Of Information, Exhortation, and Directi∣on. For the carrying on whereof,
Ʋnderstand,
I. The Opposites of this Fear; these are
- 1. Rashness. Page 32
- 2. Audacity. Page 35
- 3. Security. Page 36
Amos 6.1.3. Wo be to them that are at ease in Zion, - that put far away the Evil Day, opened at large. Page 40
...

II. The Grounds or Reasons why Men Fear not. These are, their
- 1. Ignorance. Page 47
- 2. Ʋnbelief. Page 50
- 3. Presumption. Page 53
A two-fold Presumption;
- 1. Of the goodness of Mens present state. ibid.
- 2. Of the happiness of their future state, what-ever their present state be. Page 76
III. The Grounds or Reasons why we should Fear. Page 84
These are,
- 1. Because of our Ignorance. ibid.
- 2. Because of the deceitfulness of our hearts. Page 92
- 3. Because of the weight and importance of the Work we have upon our hands. Page 109
- 4. Because of the great Treasure we carry with us, whereof we are in danger of being rob'd and spoiled. Page 127
IV. What things we should especially Fear. Page 133
These are,
- 1. Our Delilah's, or our Beloved Sins. ibid.
  - How the Beloved Sin may be known. Page 134
- 2. Our Jezebel's, or our painted Sins. Page 138
- 3. Our Isaac's, or every Beloved Creature. Page 140
- 4. The Cross or Affliction. Page 146
  - 1. How the Cross is not to be feared. Page 147
    - 1. Not out of tenderness to the Flesh. ibid.
    - 2. Not out of faintness of Spirit. Page 151
  - Some Cordials to preserve from fainting. Page 152
  - 2. In what respects the Cross is to be feared. Page 156
    - 1. Fear a surprisal by the Cross. ibid.
    - 2. Fear the Temptations of the Cross. Page 158
- 5. The Curse or Everlasting Damnation. Page 159
...

The Fear of the Curse will
- 1. Quicken our Fear of Sin. Page 164
- 2. Quench our sinful Fear of the Cross. Page 169
The Fear of the Curse press'd in particular upon Ʋnconverted Sinners. Page 171
By shewing,
- 1. What the Curse is. ibid.
- 2. That Ʋnconverted Sinners are at pre∣sent under the Curse. Page 177
- 3. That there is great hazard that they may never escape it. Page 178
V. How we should improve this Fear. Page 193
Answered in three Directions.
Direct. 1. Fear and Search. ibid.
Search,
- 1. What good thing there is in you, whether there be sincerity in your Hearts towards God. Page 196
  - 1. How by searching to work to this Fear. Page 200
  - Five Considerations to make afraid. Page 201
    - 1. There are preparations for Grace, which are not Grace. ibid.
    - 2. There are Images of Grace, which are not Grace. Page 208
    - 3. There are some properties of gracious Per∣sons, which are no certain Evidences of Grace. Page 209
    - 4. There is no one Grace, which is really so, which will put us out of doubt. Page 212
    - 5. What-ever you have short of Saving-Grace, it may go back, and you may be redu∣ced to a worse State than ever you were in before. Page 213
Objection against putting Christians in Fear answered. Page 218
...

2. How this Fear will work towards a farther search. Page 221
Three infallible Marks of Sincerity, to set∣tle the fearing Soul.
- 1. A resolved choice of God for our Portion and Happiness. Page 257
  - Five Marks to prove the sincerity of our chusing God. Page 260
- 2. An actual embracing of Christ, as he that shall bring us to God. Page 272
  - The sincerity of our close with Christ evi∣denced by our hearty consent to him. Discovered;
    - 1. By our approbation of him and his way of Salvation. Page 273
    - 2. By our acceptation of him. Page 275
    - 3. By our dedication of our selves to him. Page 276
- 3. A giving up our selves to the practice of a Godly Life; endeavouring to follow God in Holiness, without
  - 1. Allowing our selves in any known sin. Page 281
  - 2. Allowing our selves in the neglect of any known duty. Page 283
2. Search what evils there are found in you. Page 292
Direct. 2. Fear and beware, Page 297
1. Fear and hide. ibid.
- 1. What we are to hide.
  - 1. Our Sins. ibid.
  - 2. Our Souls. Page 303
- 2. Where we are to hide, viz. in Christ. Page 304
- 3. How we may hide our selves in Christ. ibid.
2. Fear and flee. Page 309
- 1. Flee out of a state of Sin. Page 310
- 2. Flee all sinful practices. Page 315
...

Direct. 3. Fear and follow after. Page 305
Applyed,
- 1. To Ʋnbelievers; to whom the general Direction is, Follow after True and Saving-Grace, in fear of falling short of it. Page 306
  - Two particular Directions. ibid.
- 2. To Believers; to them the general Direction is, Follow on towards Perfection, in fear of falling back from, or walking unworthy of that Grace wherein you stand. Page 313
Particular Directions.
- 1. Follow on the Work of Mortification in Fear, lest whatsoever Wound Sin hath received, it should re∣cover and get head again. Page 314
- 2. Nurse up the Grace that is in you, and let it have its perfect Work, in Fear of receiving the Grace of God in vain. Page 343
That you may not receive the Grace of God in vain, but may grow up to fruitfulness therein; Follow after,
- ...1. Power. Page 352
- ...2. Activity. Page 354
- ...3. Severity. Page 356
- ...4. Simplicity. Page 365
- ...5. Ingenuity. Page 370
- ...6. Spirituality. Page 372
- ...7. Pleasure. Page 376