A86531:589
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.
Wilful Hardness: OR, The Means of Grace Abused.Willful Hardness: OR, The Means of Grace Abused.
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.
My brethren, it is in vain to dally with the Word of God, you must know it is his Word, the Sceptre of his Kingdom, that Word by which you must be judged, that Word which shall stand, though heaven and earth change and come to nothing, that which shall be made good upon all men, either to their salvation or damnation, Therefore be convinced of the majesty and authority of the Word of God. Do not think that all the business is when you come here, only to hear a man speak an hour, and so have done. No, that which ⟨p. 244⟩you hear is the Word of God, and that Word that is now revealed, it must rule you either here, to bring your souls to a subjection thereunto, or else to domineer over you, then when you cannot gainsay it.
My brethren, it is in vain to dally with the Word of God, you must know it is his Word, the Scepter of his Kingdome, that Word by which you must be judged, that Word which shall stand, though heaven and earth change and come to nothing, that which shall be made good upon all men, either to their salvation or damnation, Therefore be convinced of the majesty and authority of the Word of God. Doe not think that all the businesse is when you come here, onely to hear a man speak an houre, and so have done. No, that which ⟨p. 244⟩you hear is the Word of God, and that Word that is now revealed, it must rule you either here, to bring your soules to a subjection thereunto, or else to domineer over you, then when you cannot gainsay it.
Many are the shiftings and turnings that are in the heart of wicked men, to put off the force and virtue of the Word of God; alas, say they, these words are but wind, and they break no bones, and so men scoff at the threatenings of God. Oh take heed of this, and know (and let your hearts be a wed with it) howsoever it is true, you may gainsay the commands of the Word, yet you shall never be able to fly the curse of the Word. A Minister may speak from God to you, and labour with God for you, and all may be cast aside, but the Word it self remaineth, and will have its effect one way or other, and that which you now reject, shall have dominion over you. Alas, my brethren, the Word we preach it is not our own, it is the Word of God, of the God of Heaven, and know this, that that which will not now be obeyed in the precepts of it, will hereafter be found in the curse of it.