The Power of the Promise

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Thomas Hooker

Thomas Hooker

To expect faith without a promise is as if a man should expect a crop of corn without seed; for the promise is the immortal seed of God’s Word whereby the Spirit breeds this faith in the hearts of all who are His. So said Christ in John 5:25; “The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live.” It is spoken of raising of a dead man from the grave of sin. First, there is the voice of Christ to the soul before there can be an echo again of that soul to Christ. And so the power of the promise must first come to the soul, and before we can return an echo back to the Lord, The Lord must say, “Come to Me,” before the soul can say, “I come Lord.” Therefore, when you see much deadness and unfitness of heart in you towards the promise, do not then leave, and give up and say, “Thus I am, and so it is with me.” But go to the promise and say, “Whatever frailties I find in myself, yet I will look to the Lord and to His promise. For if I want faith, the promise must settle me; and I must not bring faith to the promise, but receive faith from it to believe. And therefore, I will wait upon God till He is pleased to work it.”
–Thomas Hooker–—The Poor Doubting Christian drawn to Christ Page 69.

 

 

Thomas Hooker (1586-1647)

Rev. Thomas Hooker was born in Leicestershire, England on July 7, 158. He was educated at Queen’s College, Cambridge, and later at Emmanuel College, “the nursery of the Puritans,” as it was called. He received both the B.A. and M.A. degrees. He ministered in Chelmsford, Essex for a time, where he was very popular with the other ministers, and distinguished himself for comforting afflicted and doubting souls. Fleeing Archbishop William Laud’s persecution of those with Puritan leanings, Hooker went first to Holland, where he preached in Amsterdam for two years, and then sailed for New England in 1633. He settled first in Boston, and then removed to Hartford, from which place he was actively and conspicuously involved in all the major political and theological issues and debates of his day, including the antinomian controversy with Anne Hutchinson. He died in July 1647; his death was mourned as a public calamity

 

 

Walk By Faith Not By Sight

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Seal up your senses and chain up your reason. Walk by faith and not by sight. Close up the eye of the soul to worldly things. Fix your eye upon heavenly delights. You do not need to go out of the world or into a hermit’s seclusion from society, but even in the midst of the glittering objects that would draw your gaze, see them as if you did not see them; that is without being deeply affected by them. Moses when he was in Pharoah’s court, fixed his eye upon him who is invisible. A sound believer goes through the world like a man whose mind is in deep thought, or like one who has an errand of great importance. He walks down the street looking at nothing, hearing nothing and considering nothing but that with which his mind is taken up. Our conversation, our treasure is in heaven. Oh, that all our thoughts were there in such a way that no earthly object might detain or distract us, except in what is necessary for our calling, and that our main bent and intention might be the daily nourishing of our faith!
–Samuel Ward “Faith”

How Much Thankfulness Do We Have to God?

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[blog owner's note] It will show itself in how we enjoy the good things in life that we do not deserve but God has given them us in mercy. And in how much we love our fellow man–thankfulness to God effects is a servants heart to serve man no matter the cost, because the cost that Jesus paid can never be compared to anything it may cost us. Real thankfulness does not show itself in a few “Praise God” or thankful exclamations,  it is the old story of words being easy. Real thankfulness is demonstrated in deed and it is a necessary consequence of true thankfulness. What does Jesus or Scripture say about this? Matthew 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me..  True thankfulness will show by more than a few praises of the lips.

God hath done all this for me, and he hath dealt bountifully with me; but what good do o theirs reap by me; either my Prince or Country, the church or state? What good do I in the town where I live? ..Even Seneca could say,, I had rather be sick than idle, and do no good. But it is the greatest affliction to a gracious heart to be wholly unuseful; he had rather not be, than be idle and unprofitable. Every man therefore shall do well to put this query often to his own heart. Of what use are my parts and gifts of body, mind or estate? Yea, is my very example sufficient to others? How do I promote the good of my neighbour by my alms, prayers counsels, labours? It is not sufficient to say, I do no body harm. With which plea, some are well enough satisfied: But remember what question Christ asked his auditors; not What are you; or What know you more than others? but What do you? .. Our charity should be as a running spring at our own doors, that will not only supply our wants, but run through our neighbours pastures, and water the field of a stranger; yea, sometimes cross the high-way and run into a common ditch. Whilst we have opportunity we should do good to all, but especially to the household of faith. Yea, if our enemy hunger, give him food; if he thirst give him drink; for in so doing we shall heap coals of fire upon his head.

Our Saviors counsel was to sell what we have, rather than neglect this duty of doing good. Let him that stole,, steal no more (saith the apostle) but rather let him labour with his hand, the thing that is good. But for what end? that he may have to supply his own wants only? No, but rather that he may have to give to him that needeth: So that there is no man under heaven, ,from the highest Prince to the lowest peasant, that may plead an immunity for this duty of giving. He that giveth to the poor shall not lack. He that soweth liberally, shall reap liberally.

As a wicked fool hath no foe like himself; so a wise Christian hath no friend like himself; who will be a gainer by every loss, and a saver by every comfort. Let every man therefore ask his own heart upon a serious survey this much: Am I bettered by all this health and wealth, and good days; this Gospel of peace, and this peace of the Gospel that I have enjoyed so long? they will leave you better or worse than they find you. But by all these good days, rich mercies, or sharp afflictions, do I grow into more acquaintance with God, the world and mine own heart; with God, ,and his holiness; with the world and its vanity; with my own heart and its deceitfulness; that I may trust him more, and the world and my heart less?
–John Beadle

The Promises Are the Wells of Salvation

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Whatever the failures of your outward condition are, Jesus Christ always keeps the wells of salvation open for you; they are always full, and you may come and have your fill. Earthly springs oftentimes run low, but promise streams are always high. Earthly cisterns are often empty and dry, but the promises, which are the wells of salvation, are always full. The leaves and the blossoms of your outward condition are often blasted by the wind and withered by the frost, and they drop off; but the promises always keep their beauty; they always retain their fullness.
Christian, there is a fullness in the promises that you can never draw out; if you should spend all your days upon a promise, you could never empty it. The saints who have gone before us have been spending one age after another upon the promises, and still they are full. And those promises are full with a running over measure now, whatever your condition is in this world. If you are a believer, there is some promise of grace that suits your condition; whatever your temptation or trial is, there is some promise that offers relief. Whatever your necessity is, there is some promise standing ready with mercy and grace. Robert Asty-rejoicing in the Lord in all cases and conditions—Pages 57-58

More Get Good by Afflictions Than Without Them

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“…and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.” [Prov 1:32)

Freedom from afflictions seems most desirable both to nature and grace. We naturally love our ease, and would have nothing befall us that is grievous to the flesh and blood; and gracious persons pray and strive to prevent and remove afflictions. But yet the experience of all, good and bad, in all ages of the world proclaims this upon the housetops, that more have got good by afflictions than by being without them…
There is more danger in freedom than from affliction than we are willing to suspect; and it is more difficult to love, and fear, and trust God, when we have the world, than when we want it. Without serious godliness, it is impossible to withstand the insinuating and pleasing temptation of flattering prosperity; and unless faith is active, we cannot deal with it.
Why, then! is an afflicted condition to be preferred? Some that have had experience of both, say that they have been afraid to be without their afflictions. Some sick persons have been afraid of health, though they desired it, lest what they got in their sickness they should lose in their health.
But yet the continuance of afflictions breaks the spirit, and hinders that cheerful serving and praising God, which is, or should be, the life of a Christian. Though many are made better by afflictions, yet none are allowed to pray for afflictions, but against them, and use all good means to avoid or remove them. It is one thing that makes heaven desirable—to be done with all our afflictions.
—Samuel Annesley, “Puritan Sermons, Vol. 3. pp. 22.)

The Arrows of Affliction Can Come On Us Without Warning

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Though importunity be to God most pleasing always, yet to us it is then most necessary when the cheerful face of God is turned into frowns, and when there is a justly conceived fear of the continuance of his anger: and have I not just cause to fear it, having the arrows of his anger sticking so fast in me? If he had meant to make me but a butt, at which to shoot his arrows, he would quickly, I suppose, have taken them up again; but now that he leaves them sticking in me, what can I think, but that he means to make me his quiver; and then I may look long enough before he come to pluck them out. They are arrows, indeed, that are feathered with swiftness, and headed with sharpness; and to give them a force in flying, they are shot, I may say, out of his crossbow, I am sure his bow of crosses; for no arrows can fly so fast, none pierce so deep, as the crosses and afflictions with which he hath surprised me: I may truly say surprised me, seeing when I thought myself most safe, and said, “I shall never be moved, “even then, these arrows of his anger lighted upon me, and stick so fast in my flesh, that no arm but his that shot them, is ever able to draw them forth. Oh, then, as thou hast stretched forth thine arm of anger, O God, to shoot these arrows at me, so stretch forth thine arm of mercy to draw them forth, that I may rather sing hymns than dirges unto thee; and that thou mayest show thy power, as well in pardoning as thou hast done in condemning.
— Sir Richard Baker.

Wanting is Different to Needing

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Psalm 23:1

You must distinguish ‘twixt absence, and ‘twixt indigence. Absence is when something is not present; indigence or want, is when a needful good is not present. If a man were to walk, and had not a staff, here were something absent. If a man were to walk, and had but one leg, here were something whereof he were indigent. It is confessed that there are many good things which are absent from a good person, but no good thing which he wants or is indigent of. If the good be absent and I need it not, this is no want; he that walks without his cloak, walks well enough, for he needs it not. As long as I can walk carefully and cheerfully in my general or particular calling, though I have not such a load of accessories as other men have, yet I want nothing, for my little is enough and serves the turn. . . . Our corruptions are still craving, and they are always inordinate, they can find more wants than God needs to supply. As they say of fools, they can propose more questions than twenty wise men need to answer. They in James 4:3, did ask, but received not; and he gives two reasons for it:—1. This asking was but a lusting: “ye lust and have not” (verse 4): another, they did ask to consume it upon their lusts (verse 3). God will see that his people shall not want; but withal, he will never engage himself to the satisfying of their corruptions, though he doth to the supply of their conditions. It is one thing what the sick man wants, another what his disease wants. Your ignorance, your discontents, your pride, your unthankful hearts, may make you to believe that you dwell in a barren land, far from mercies (as melancholy makes a person to imagine that he is drowning, or killing, etc.); whereas if God did open your eyes as he did Hagar’s, you might see fountains and streams, mercies and blessings sufficient; though not many, yet enough, though not so rich, yet proper, and every way convenient for your good and comfort; and thus you have the genuine sense, so far as I can judge of David’s assertion, “I shall not want.”
—-Obadiah Sedgwick

Natural Affections Will Not Withstand the Evil Day

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Natural affections raised high in a profession of religion will withstand temptations for a fit, but wait till the stream runs lower, and you will see. What a fit of affection had the Israelites when their eyes had seen that miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea! What songs of rejoicing had they! what resolves never to distrust him again! Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. Satan doth not presently urge them to murmuring and unbelief, though that was his design, but he staid till the fit was over, and then he could soon tempt them to forget his works.
—–Richard Gilpin in “A Treatise of Satan’s Temptations,”

Grace vs Education

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Take the meanest saints that ever breathed on the earth, and the  greatest scholar, for outward part and learning…. the meanest ignorant soul, that is almost a natural fool, that soul knows and understands more of grace and mercy in Christ than all the wisest and learndest scholars.
—-Thomas Hooker

A plain unlearned man that lives well by that light which he has is better and wiser and edifies others towards a happy and godly life than a clergy man trained at the universities.
—John Milton

Building Upon Prayer

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A godly man prays as a builder builds. Now a builder first layeth a foundation, and because he cannot finish in one day, he comes the second day, and finds the frame standing that he made the first day, and then he adds a second day’s work; and then he comes a third day and finds his two former day’s work standing; then he proceeds to a third day’s work, and makes walls to it, and so he goes on till his building be finished. So prayer is the building of the soul till it reach up to heaven; therefore a godly heart prays, and reacheth higher and higher in prayer, till at last his prayers reach up to God.
—-William Fenner.