A86531:394
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.
Thus you see what the pleas of carnal men are. To all which I say but one thing: Let them ask their own hearts but this one question: Is this to hear the voice of Christ, or not? If it be not (as most certain it is not) then the case is clear: He that doth not hear the voice of Christ, is none of Christs. It is our Saviours own conclusion, John 8.47. He that is of God, heareth Gods words; ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. That is, Whosoever they be that will hear any counsel but the counsel of God, that will be content to be ruled by any thing rather then by his word, God will not own them hereafter, they are none of his, that is, they have no work of grace in them; for so the Apostle expounds it, 2 Cor. 5.18. All things are of God, that is, God is the worker and framer of saving grace in the soul of his servants. He therefore that will not stoop and be obedient ⟨p. 143⟩to the voice of Christ, hath no saving grace as yet wrought in his heart, and consequently is not of God. This me thinks should awaken the souls of all such poor carnal creatures, as love their pleasures, and profits, and preferments more then God: I beseech you think of it, and know it for a certain, that while you hear these counsellors, you hear not God; and so long as you hear not God, he hath no part in you, neither will he hereafter, if you so continue, show mercy unto you.
Thus you see what the pleas of carnall men are. To all which I say but one thing: Let them ask their own hearts but this one question: Is this to hear the voice of Christ, or not? If it be not (as most certain it is not) then the case is clear: He that doth not hear the voice of Christ, is none of Christs. It is our Saviours own conclusion, John 8.47. Hee that is of God, heareth Gods words; yee therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. That is, Whosoever they be that will hear any counsell but the counsell of God, that will bee content to be ruled by any thing rather then by his word, God will not own them hereafter, they are none of his, that is, they have no work of grace in them; for so the Apostle expounds it,