{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/103/1030593.htm","path":"chr/ecf/103/1030593.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/103/1030593.htm","text":"39. I fear, I say, greatly for thee, lest, when thou boastest that thou wilt follow the Lamb wheresoever He shall have gone, thou be unable by reason of swelling pride to follow Him through strait ways. It is good for thee, O virgin soul, that thus, as thou art a virgin, thus altogether keeping in thy heart that thou hast been born again, keeping in thy flesh that thou hast been born, thou yet conceive of the fear of the Lord, and give birth to the spirit of salvation. 2142 \u201cFear,\u201d indeed, \u201cthere is not in charity, but perfect charity,\u201d as it is written, \u201ccasteth out fear:\u201d 2143 but fear of men, not of God: fear of temporal evils, not of the Divine Judgment at the last. \u201cBe not thou high-minded, but fear.\u201d 2144 Love thou the goodness of God; fear thou His severity: neither suffers thee to be proud. For by loving you fear, lest you grievously offend One Who is loved and loves. For what more grievous offense, than that by pride thou displease Him, Who for thy sake hath been displeasing to the proud? And where ought there to be more that \u201cchaste fear abiding for ever and ever,\u201d 2145 than in thee, who hast no thought of the things of this world, how to please a wedded partner; but of the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord? 2146 That other fear is not in charity, but this chaste fear quitteth not charity. If you love not, fear lest you perish; if you love, fear lest you displease. That fear charity casteth out, with this it runneth within. The Apostle Paul also says, \u201cFor we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but we have received the spirit of adoption of sons, wherein we cry, Abba, Father.\u201d 2147 I believe that he speaks of that fear, which had been given in the Old Testament, lest the temporal goods should be lost, which God had promised unto those not yet sons under grace, but as yet slaves under the law. There is also the fear of eternal fire, to serve God in order to avoid which is assuredly not yet of perfect charity. For the desire of the reward is one thing, the fear of punishment another. They are different sayings, \u201cWhither shall I go away from Thy Spirit, and from Thy face whither shall I flee?\u201d 2148 and, \u201cOne thing I have sought of the Lord, this I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord through all the days of my life, that I may consider the delight of the Lord, that I be protected in His temple:\u201d 2149 and, \u201cTurn not away Thy face from me:\u201d 2150 and, \u201cMy soul longeth and fainteth unto the courts of the Lord.\u201d 2151 Those sayings let him have had, who dared not to lift up his eyes to heaven; and she who was watering with tears His feet, in order to obtain pardon for her grievous sins; but these do thou have, who art careful about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. With those sayings there companies fear which hath torment, which p. 432 perfect charity casteth forth; but with these sayings there companies chaste fear of the Lord, that abideth for ever and ever. And to both kinds it must be said, \u201cBe not thou high-minded, but fear;\u201d 2152 that man neither of defense of his sins, nor of presumption of righteousness set himself up. For Paul also himself, who saith, \u201cFor ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;\u201d 2153 yet, fear being a companion of charity, saith, \u201cWith fear and much trembling was I towards you:\u201d 2154 and that saying, which I have mentioned, that the engrafted wild olive tree be not proud against the broken branches of the olive tree, himself made use of, saying, \u201cBe not thou high-minded, but fear;\u201d himself admonishing all the members of Christ in general, saith, \u201cWith fear and trembling work out your own salvation; for it is God Who worketh in you both to will and to do, according to His good pleasure;\u201d 2155 that it seem not to pertain unto the Old Testament what is written, \u201cServe the Lord in fear, and rejoice unto Him with trembling.\u201d 2156\nIsa. 26.18Is. xxvi. 18. See LXX.\n431:2143\n1 John 4.181 John iv. 18. [See R.V.]\n431:2144 431:2145 431:2146 431:2147 431:2148 431:2149 431:2150 431:2151 432:2152 432:2153 432:2154 432:2155\nPhil. 2:12, 13Phil. 2:12, 13. [See R.V.]\n432:2156","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. III: Moral Treatises...","type":"page"}