N04231:111
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.
Answ. But I answer: Because you cannot, you think God cannot or will not: Yes, saith the Lord, I can abundantly pardon: For my Thoughts are not your Thoughts, nor my Ways as your Ways. A poor Creature thinks his Sins are unpardonable, and that he shall never get Assurance of God's Favour, or Hope of his Love. But you are Men, saith the Lord, and have finite Thoughts; but I am a GOD, and in Mercies infinite, when you think I will have no Mercy.
Object. But were ever any such received to Mercy as I, saith the drooping Soul? And therefore why should I be the only Man?
Answ. To this I say: When Christ had wrought many strange Miracles, the People said there were never any such Things done in Israel. And therefore it is plain not to be doubted, that God can do Things that never like were done: Job 9.10. He doth great Things past finding out, and Wonders without Number, saith Job: And therefore judge not either God's Power or Love by thy Scantling.
The best Christians are most suspicious of themselves, and none fuller of Doubts and Fears, than those that have least Cause to fear or doubt that their Estates are broken and bad. Therefore Satan makes it his chief Work to grieve and terrify such. Besides their own distrustful Hearts are always ready to join Issue with his false Reports against them, raising false Surmises against themselves, and putting Mercy from them; as if they were hired by the Devil to take his Part in pleading against their own sure Salvation. Therefore it is worth the Time to hear what David saith,