N04231:107
The poor doubting Christian drawn to Christ. Wherein the main hindrances, which keep men…
The poor doubting Christian drawn to Christ. Wherein the main hindrances, which keep men from coming to Christ, are discovered. : With special helps to recover God's favour. / By Thomas Hooker. ; With an abstract of the author's life. ; [Four lines from Isaiah]
Boston: printed by Green for D. Henchman, 1743
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE Poor doubting Christian Drawn to CHRIST. › Chapter 2 › How to see Sin aright.
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.
1. First; Let the Soul in this Case bear upon the Almightiness of the Power of God, who said to Abraham, I am God all-sufficient, Gen. 17.1. For if thou be persuaded of the All-sufficiency of God, that Assurance cannot but stay thee (slipping) from falling. And here remember that God can do more than thou canst think. He is able, and doth thee good, tho' thou know it not. And further, consider that the Soul cannot doubt of God's Will, but with that very Doubt makes some Question of his Power. This for the first Rule.
1. First; Let the Soul in this Case bear upon the Almightiness of the Power of God, who said to Abraham, I am God all-sufficient, Gen. 17.1. For if thou be perswaded of the All-sufficiency of God, that Assurance cannot but stay thee (slipping) from falling. And here remember that God can do more than thou canst think. He is able, and doth thee good, tho' thou know it not. And further, consider that the Soul cannot doubt of God's Will, but with that very Doubt makes some Question of his Power. This for the first Rule.
2. For the Second. And secondly, it bids check to thine own Heart for meddling with God's Secrets, and for prying so into his Closet of hidden Counsels. For no Man should go beyond his Bounds; and it appertains not to thee to look into this Ark of Matters sealed up. Deut. 29.29. Secret Things belong to God, but revealed Things belong to us. And who hath known the Mind of God? saith Paul, 1 Cor. 2.16. Mark this, you that will be climbing up the Ladder of God's eternal Predestination, and going up into the Skies to know what God's secret Mind is. Keep your Stations wisely; for neither the Devil, nor all the Devils in Hell, ever knew the Mind of the Lord. When Jonah cried against ⟨p. 50⟩