A44344:853
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.
If Christ will cease to be a Son, and to be this well-beloved of his Father, with whom he is well pleased; then will he cease to love thee, to accept of thee, and to be well pleased with thee in him. The one is impossible, the other is incredible: and therefore stifle those distempered pangs, they are so deeply injurious to the Lord, and distasteful to his Majesty, that he cannot bear them, but will undoubtedly correct. Such a way-ward, jealous pang ye shall perceive in the Church of the Jews in the day of Discouragement, when God calls Heaven and Earth to rejoice in the Consolation of his People; Sing O Heavens, and be joyful of Earth, break forth into singing, O Mountains; for God hath comforted ⟨p. 173⟩his People, and will have mercy on his afflicted, Isa. 49.13. but they were silent in this Quaere, and sate down in sullen discouragement, verse 14. But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a Woman forget her sucking Child, that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her Womb? yea, they may, but yet will not I forget thee, verse 15. and therefore the Lord professeth, he takes it unkindly, Isa. 40.27. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel? amp;c. This is the daily talk of all dismayed, and gloomy, discouraged Spirits; it's all they speak, and have in their Meetings; Jacob says, and Israel speaks, this is common. My way in hid from the Lord, and my Judgment is passed over of my God. Thus ye say, but what says God? Why speakest thou? &c. q. d. I cannot abide those words. God cannot brook such groundless suspicions of his Favour, which is more sure than the Foundations of the Earth. As it is with men, who are real and cordial in their kindness, and sincere hearted in the expression of their Love; so that they never gave the least appearance of any instability, and feebleness in their Promises, and Performances, as either their engagements, or others desires or necessities should require: if yet their Friends, and intimate Familiars, should out of their jealousy, either cast out such words in their presence, or give it in their expressions to others to understand, That however they have ever been free in the manifestation of their Favour, and they have ever found them faithful, that they cannot challenge them in the least; yet they fear in the issue, when it comes to a dead lift, they will leave in the lurch: