An Exhortation to Peace and Unity

“the promise on which the soul is trusting is everlasting. It does not depend on the assumption that I will obey, but on the unchangeable purpose of God and the power of Christ’s obedience, whose blood made the promise effective. David said, “The LORD is my salvation” and that, “he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure.” Therefore the promise is everlasting and established upon a solid foundation. It is good forever and is for the good of those who are connected with it (Psalm 27:1; 2 Samuel 23:5).””

— John Bunyan

“Now, if indeed thou wouldest reverence the Word of the Lord, and make it thy rule and director in all things, believe that the Word is the fear of the Lord, the Word that standeth fast for ever; without and against which God will do nothing, either in saving or damning of the souls of sinners.””

— John Bunyan

“It is to be called a fearful Word, because of the truth and faithfulness of it. The Scriptures cannot be broken. Here they are called the Scriptures of truth, the true sayings of God, and also the fear of the Lord, for that every jot and tittle thereof is for ever settled in heaven, and stand more steadfast than doth the world”

— John Bunyan

“word in its several, especially of the chiefest, acceptations. First, then by this word fear we are to understand even God himself, who is the object of our fear. Second, by this word fear we are to understand the Word of God, the rule and director of our fear.””

— John Bunyan

“For in the multitude of dreams, there are also divers vanities, but fear thou God"; that is, take heed unto his Word (Eccl 5:7; Isa 8:20). Here the fearing of God is opposed to our overmuch heeding dreams: and there is implied, that it is for want of the fear of God that men so much heed those things.””

— John Bunyan

“fear keeps a man even in his words and judgment of things. It may be compared to the ballast of the ship, and to the poise of the balance of the scales; it keeps all even, and also makes us steer our course right with respect to the things that pertain to God and man.””

— John Bunyan

“Sin and the commandments of God are enemies. If a person delights in the commandments, he hates sin because it is opposed to them. To the degree that he loves the commandments, to the same degree he will hate what opposes them. This holy fear of God takes the heart and affections away from sin and attaches them to the holy commandments. Therefore such a person is correctly regarded as blessed by God. A true profession of faith is recognized by the heart wanting to keep its distance from sin and not wanting to have anything to do with it. This love of and delight in, the holy commandments flows from this fear. It keeps the sinner from those falls and dangers to which other professing Christians so often yield. He greatly delights in the Lord’s commandments.””

— John Bunyan

“Satan is always for being too soon or too late. If he would have men believe they are children, he would have them believe it while they are slaves, slaves to him and their lusts. If he would have them believe they are slaves, it is when they are sons, and have received the spirit of adoption, and the testimony, by that, of their sonship before.””

— John Bunyan

“The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:27). It is a fountain or spring which continually supplies the soul. It provides many things to think about to keep the soul on its guard; things like how awful sin is, the attributes of God, death and eternal life. This is holy contemplation, this is holy meditation. It is a fountain of life. Every aspect of this fear of God has a true and natural tendency toward spiritual joy and eternal happiness. For that reason the wise man says in another place, “The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm,” that is, he will be untouched by evil (Proverbs 19:23).””

— John Bunyan