A44344:1227
A comment upon Christ's last prayer in the seventeenth of John wherein is opened…
A comment upon Christ's last prayer in the seventeenth of John wherein is opened the union believers have with God and Christ, and the glorious privileges thereof ... / by that faithful and known servant of Christ, Mr. Thomas Hooker ... ; printed from the authors own papers written with his own hand, and attested to be such in an epistle by Thomas Goodwin and Philip Nigh.A comment upon Christ's last prayer in the seventeenth of John wherein is opened the union beleevers have with God and Christ, and the glorious priviledges thereof ... / by that faithful and known servant of Christ, Mr. Thomas Hooker ... ; printed from the authors own papers written with his own hand, and attested to be such in an epistle by Thomas Goodwin and Philip Nye.
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1656
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ. Upon a double Ground: and here we have a double Reason of the Point.
1. Because men come to receive more of God, and that in the most intimate and inward manner: and this is one end of the great Works of God in our Creation and Redemption, of our being men and Christians, that he might leave the impressions and manifestations of himself, and his Divine perfections upon us, whom he would have to be Monuments of those everlasting Mercies, and glorious Attributes through all Eternity. For God cannot but work for his own Glory; and because there can be no addition made to himself, who is infinite in all his Excellencies, therefore there must be only a manifestation of these, and this is the aim of all Gods Counsels. He will show forth, and make Editions of his glorious Grace and Mercy, which may be seen, and read, and acknowledged; therefore a world, therefore a man; and he a Vessel of glorious Grace: When they partake most of his glorious Mercy, and are tunned top ⟨p. 377⟩full of glory, and there is nothing else; Then the Lord attains the end of the work of his Grace. For its not Heaven, the place, nor the freedom from evil, or the presence and confluence of all pleasure, or our being there that makes us happy: But the enjoyment of God in all his perfections; and should he withdraw himself, Heaven were a Hell, and we as miserable as Devils. We then attain our supreme happiness, when we attain our end, and our good is, to have more of God. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? That Christ may be glorified in life and death.
1. Because men come to receive more of God, and that in the most intimate and inward manner: and this is one end of the great Works of God in our Creation and Redemption, of our being men and Christians, that he might leave the impressions and manifestations of himself, and his Divine perfections upon us, whom he would have to be Monuments of those everlasting Mercies, and glorious Attributes through al Eternity. For God cannot but work for his own Glory; and because there can be no addition made to himself, who is infinite in al his Excellencies, therefore there must be only a manifestation of these, and this is the aim of al Gods Counsels. He wil shew forth, and make Editions of his glorious Grace and Mercy, which may be seen, and read, and acknowledged; therefore a world, therefore a man; and he a Vessel of glorious Grace: When they partake most of his glorious Mercy, and are tunn'd top