A44344:858
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.
Obj. True, I cannot say but he loves me; but if yet my Graces be so weak, and my distempers so strong, what is that?
Ans. What is that! It's of more worth than all thy Graces thou canst either attain or desire; if thou didst know how to value things according to the worth. O! if I had such a measure of Grace, the enlargedness of heart, and abilities to perform Service in a Spiritual ⟨p. 175⟩manner, as such and such, then I might be comforted, and might be persuaded the Lord loved me to purpose. As though the Child that is now young and small, should conceive his Father did not carry the strength of Fatherly affection towards him, because his Coat was not so long, or his Doublet, Jerkin, or Apparel was not so large as his Elder Brothers; when indeed it is not because he wants Love to provide them, but he is not able to wear them. So it is here, Thou art happily but a Babe in Christ, not of time and standing in Christianity, canst not tell how to wield and exercise such eminency of Abilities for the present. Let if suffice, he is thy Father, and loves thee, as he doth the most able and excellent Christian upon Earth; Doth not that please your Palates? What would ye have which would please, if ye can be pleased? I will say more: He loves thee a• he doth the Lord Jesus, the Son of his Love: I hope now ye are contented. What! love me so! ye will say: poor, silly, weak, ignorant, worthless Creature, it's a likely matter indeed. Yea, thee: Hast thou but a grain of Faith, but as a grain of Mustard-seed, even the least of all others? the poorest, weakest, filliest, unworthy Worm; be thy place, thy parts never so mean, he loves thee as his Son. Go thy way, never quarrel, question any more; never murmur, repine any longer, this is enough on Conscience, nay, it's too much, I could not have thought it, I durst not have desired it, I could not have believed •t, but that thou hast said it, that thou shouldst love me, who loath my self, and know my self worthy to be abhorred. Therefore rest thy weary heart here in thy weaknesses; do not think to bring such measures of Grace to deserve this Love. Nay, lay hold upon this Love, it will increase the eminency of all Graces, and that in the most glorious manner in thy Soul,