Chapter 39.—The Spirit of Fear a Great Gift of God.

The apostle also says to Timothy, “For God hath not given to us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”258    2 Tim. i. 7. Now in respect of this passage of the apostle, we must be on our guard against supposing that we have not received the spirit of the fear of God, which is undoubtedly a great gift of God, and concerning which the prophet Isaiah says, “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon thee, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and piety, the spirit of the fear of the Lord.”259    Isa. xi. 2. It is not the fear with which Peter denied Christ that we have received the spirit of, but that fear concerning which Christ Himself says, “Fear Him who hath power to destroy both soul and body in hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him.”260    Luke xii. 5. This, indeed, He said, lest we should deny Him from the same fear which shook Peter; for such cowardice he plainly wished to be removed from us when He, in the preceding passage, said, “Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.”261    Luke xii. 4. It is not of this fear that we have received the spirit, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. And of this spirit the same Apostle Paul discourses to the Romans: “We glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.”262    Rom. v. 3, 4, 5. Not by ourselves, therefore, but by the Holy Ghost which is given to us, does it come to pass that, through that very love, which he shows us to be the gift of God, tribulation does not do away with patience, but rather produces it. Again, he says to the Ephesians, “Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith.”263    Eph. vi. 23. Great blessings these! Let him tell us, however, whence they come. “From God the Father,” says he immediately afterwards, “and the Lord Jesus Christ.”264    John i. 5. These great blessings, therefore, are nothing else than God’s gifts to us.

39. Et ad Timotheum dicit: Non enim dedit nobis Deus spiritum timoris, sed virtutis et charitatis et continentiae (II Tim. I, 7). In quo sane Apostoli testimonio cavere debemus, ne nos arbitremur non accepisse spiritum timoris Dei, quod sine dubio magnum est Dei donum, de quo dicit propheta Isaias: Requiescet super eum spiritus sapientiae et intellectus, spiritus consilii et fortitudinis, spiritus scientiae et pietatis, spiritus timoris Domini (Isai. XI, 2, 3). Non quo timore Petrus Christum negavit, sed illius timoris spiritum accepimus, de quo dicit ipse Christus: Eum timete, qui habet potestatem 0905et animam et corpus perdere in gehennam: ita dico vobis, hunc timete. Hoc autem dixit, ne illo timore negaremus eum, quo turbatus est Petrus. Hunc enim auferri voluit a nobis, cum prius dixit: Nolite timere eos qui corpus occidunt, et postea non habent quid faciant (Luc. XII, 5, 4). Hujus timoris non accepimus spiritum, sed virtutis et charitatis et continentiae. De quo spiritu idem ipse ad Romanos ait: Gloriamur in tribulationibus; scientes quoniam tribulatio patientiam operatur, patientia probationem, probatio spem, spes autem non confundit: quia charitas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum, qui datus est nobis (Rom. V, 3-5). Non itaque per nos, sed per Spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis, ipsa charitate fit, quam Dei donum esse manifestat, ut tribulatio non auferat, sed potius operetur patientiam. Ad Ephesios etiam, pax, inquit, fratribus et charitas cum fide. Magna bona: sed dicat unde? a Deo, inquit, Patre et Domino Jesu Christo (Ephes. VI, 23). Ergo haec magna bona, non sunt nisi Dei dona.