N04231:19
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.
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.
These are so many Passages recited from his Life, written by Dr. Cotton Mather; who also calls him, the Light of the Western Churches and Pillar of CONNECTICUT COLONY; and declares, that yet he has underdone in this Part of his Composure: And Dr. Increase ⟨p. 13⟩Mather, writing of Mr. Hooker, says; So good and so great a Man; than whom CONNECTICUT never did, and perhaps never will see a greater Person; and that Dr. Ames used to say. He never knew his Equal.
As to the following Treatise,—It evidently breaths his most pious Spirit, and shows his intimate Acquaintance with Heart-Religion. It is delivered in the plainest and most familiar Language, void of all Ornament, as if he were speaking privately to some distressed Soul; which was his usual Manner in his practical Discourses, as being more adapted to reach the Heart, than please the Imagination. And this admirable Condescension in a Man of such vast Abilities, is a clear Discovery of the real Greatness of his holy Soul.
As to the following Treatise,—It evidently breaths his most pious Spirit, and shows his intimate Acquaintance with Heart-Religion. It is delivered in the plainest and most familiar Language, void of all Ornament, as if he were speaking privately to some distressed Soul; which was his usual Manner in his practical Discourses, as being more adapted to reach the Heart, than please the Imagination. And this admirable Condescention in a Man of such vast Abilities, is a clear Discovery of the real Greatness of his holy Soul.
It seems to be but Part of others on the same Text, delivered to a popular Auditory, taken in short Hand by one of his Hearers in England, and published there, after his coming over hither, without his Knowledge, as many if not most of his practical Discourses were; as also with divers Mistakes committed by Transcribers & Printers, which I have endeavoured to correct. And for the Reader's clearer Understanding the particular Purport of the several Parts; I have presumed to divide the Treatise into Chapters, and set the Heads in the former Margin for their Titles, in this, which I guess to be about the seventh Edition.