N04231:62
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.
[3.] But the next Complaint, in the next Place, is, Want of Sense and Feeling, such as a Christian must have, and finds not. Therefore the distressed Soul saith, Alas! I never knew what it was to have the Assurance of God's Love, I never received any Evidence of God's Favour; and can I (then) think that I have Faith? They that believe, have their Hearts filled with Joy unspeakable and glorious; the Word saith as much: But I am a Stranger to this Joy; how then can I think that I have any Work of Faith wrought in me?
Answ. I answer; This doth not hinder, either that thou hast not Faith, or that thou mayest not come to God in Christ by believing. Only remember these three Particulars;
Answ. I answer; This doth not hinder, either that thou hast not Faith, or that thou may'st not come to God in Christ by believing. Only remember these three Particulars;
First; Thou must not think to have this Joy and Refreshing before thou goest to the Promise: Thou must look for it when thou hast chewed and fed upon it: Or wouldest thou have the Lord give thee the whole Bargain at once, and before the Match be made? This Joy is a Fruit that proceeds from Faith after much wrestling; and doth not presently flow from Faith, not so soon as ever a Christian begins to believe, but after a Time, and then the Heart is joyous; but never filled with Joy before believing. Afterwards, and when a Man hath had the sweet Dew of the Promises dropping upon him; but many a Day after, let him look for this Joy.