N04231:37
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.
Object. But the poor Soul saith, If I go thus hood-winked, how shall I know that I do not presume, and how shall I know that I have a true Title to the Promise?
Object. But the poor Soul saith, If I go thus hood-wink'd, how shall I know that I do not presume, and how shall I know that I have a true Title to the Promise?
Answ. I answer: There is no better Argument in the World to prove that thou hast an Interest in Christ, than this, which is thy taking of the Lord Christ as a Saviour wholly, and as an Husband only, John 1.12. As many as received him, to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name. He doth not say, To as many as had such Enlargement to Duties, and such ⟨p. 6⟩Power against Corruption; but if thou wilt take Christ upon those Terms on which he offers himself: There is no better Argument under Heaven than that, to prove that thou hast a Title to the Promise. Indeed there is a desperate Despair that often seizeth upon the Hearts of distressed Sinners.
[2.] Therefore in the second Place, as the Sinner looks upon the Excellency of Christ and of Grace, and upon his own Insufficiency withal, which makes him that he will not venture upon the Promise; so he looks too altogether upon his own Sinfulness and Worthlessness, and therefore dare not venture upon it: He views the Number of his Sins so many and vile, and the Continuance of them so long, and durable; and he seeth the Floods of Abominations coming in so amain upon his Soul, and Satan to boot, (who helps him forward in all this,) therefore he dares not make out unto Christ. But this is the Policy of the Devil, who (if he can) will make a Man to see Sin through' his own Spectacles, or not to see it at all; and then to say, There is Mercy enough in a Saviour, and therefore I may live as I list. But when the Sinner will needs see his Sin, then he will let him see nothing but Sin; and this, to the End that he may despair for ever.