N04231:98
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.
First, Thou dishonourest God, and the Work of his Grace, by denying that which God hath done for thee: Also, and speakest unreverently against him; besides thou art a Murderer, for that thou woundest thine own Soul. Further, thou robbest thy self of much Comfort, and so art a Thief; and thou barest false Witness against thy self, yea, against Christ, and the Spirit of Christ, and the Work of Grace already wrought in thee. Also thou joinest with the Devil against the Lord Jesus Christ. Are these no Sins?
But you will say, I speak as I think. Yet that hinders not, but that thou bearest false Witness. As we see, if a Man affirm such an one is a Drunkard, and knows it not, this Man bears false Witness, because tho' the Man be indeed a Drunkard, yet it is more than he knows. So thou sayest thou hast nothing, when thou dost but only fear it, and suspect it, and dost not feel it. I speak this the rather, because of the sinful Distemper that creeps in upon the Hearts of many broken-hearted Christians; and so as that out of a self-willed Road of carnal Reason, and a vile Haunt that they have gotten, their Hearts are persuaded ⟨p. 44⟩that they do well to do so, and that they can never be well except they do so.
But you will say, I speak as I think. Yet that hinders not, but that thou bearest false Witness. As we see, if a Man affirm such an one is a Drunkard, and knows it not, this Man bears false Witness, because tho' the Man be indeed a Drunkard, yet it is more than he knows. So thou say'st thou hast nothing, when thou dost but only fear it, and suspect it, and dost not feel it. I speak this the rather, because of the sinful Distemper that creeps in upon the Hearts of many broken-hearted Christians; and so as that out of a self-will'd Road of carnal Reason, and a vile Haunt that they have gotten, their Hearts are perswaded ⟨p. 44⟩that they do well to do so, and that they can never be well except they do so.