A86531:216
The saints dignity and duty· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardness. /…The saints dignitie and dutie· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardnesse. /…
The saints dignity and duty· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardness. / Delivered in several sermons: by that reverend divine, Thomas Hooker, late preacher in New-England.The saints dignitie and dutie· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardnesse. / Delivered in severall sermons: by that reverend divine, Thomas Hooker, late preacher in New-England.
London: printed by G.D. for Francis Eglesfield, 1651
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Yet notwithstanding, as I said, if people will sincerely deal with their fellow brethren, and with their Minister, and when God calleth upon them to try themselves, if they will turn their inside outward, if they will nakedly lay open the state of their own hearts, so clearly as they can discern, I doubt not, but the Minister of God from the word of God may speak assured peace, and give them certain evidences of the truth of grace. Were not these things thus, it were not possible we should ever come to assurance: it were in vain that the Lord hath given us so many signs and tokens, if by observing and trying, we might not come to discern the estate of our hearts. Therefore for such of you as in truth find from time to time, by these and the like evidences, the truth of grace in you, know you, that there is ground of comfort for your souls.
Yet notwithstanding, as I said, if people will sincerely deal with their fellow brethren, and with their Minister, and when God calleth upon them to try themselves, if they will turne their inside outward, if they will nakedly lay open the state of their own hearts, so clearly as they can discerne, I doubt not, but the Minister of God from the word of God may speak assured peace, and give them certaine evidences of the truth of grace. Were not these things thus, it were not possible we should ever come to assurance: it were in vain that the Lord hath given us so many signes and tokens, if by observing and trying, we might not come to discerne the estate of our hearts. Therefore for such of you as in truth find from time to time, by these and the like evidences, the truth of grace in you, know you, that there is ground of comfort for your soules.
And as this is ground of comfort to you that have these things; so it is ground of terror to those that want them. I know you are almost all frequenters of the Word, speakers well of the practise of religion, happily you have some reformation in you, happily you have some Ministers that speak peace to you, happily there is no disturbance in your consciences, happily there is some kind of joy and rejoicing in you in hearing the Word, &c. But my brethren, whatever there is that can be in you, if this be not in you, if there be not a death of sin, and a life of righteousness, be it known unto you, that Christ is not in you, neither are you in the state of grace: You may go on and please your selves with dreams of a happy estate, because of such and such appearances of grace; yet this I assure you, if the death of sin be not in you, and the life of righteousness, Christ is not in you, nor never will be for you.