Hooker - BT780 H7 1637

d 3a The SoufeseffcäMa1caIinA toChríff. leeving, theLordbad him to come, and hee had groundenough to come, and flrengthoffaith to come,but when he fawthewaves great & trouble Come, he began to doubt, whereas he thould have improved the'promife,andnot havedoubted ofit: fo wedoubr,and fit afraid,&quarell with the pro - mife,& improvenot thegrace that God beflowes: it is with the foule in this cafe, as it is with agun or peece,that is tufty andnot well fcoured, ornot well flockt ; he that goes toufe thegun, in flead of hitting the marke, it recoils and hurts him, be® caufethat either it was not well ffcckt, or elfe it was ruffle ; fo it is with a poore faithful' foule, though the heart dothbeleeve,and hisheart is of aright flamp, and is able to lay holdon the pro- mife, if that faith grow tuftywith our doubting, and is unflable or unfettled, it recoils lgaine up- on us, and wee fit downe difmaied,whereas we might have gone to Chrift, and received mercy from him : and therefore our Saviour faithof the wife Virgins, Matth. 25. 7. They trimmed their lamp., andwhen the Bridegroeme came, they entred withhim into thechamber; fo it fhould be with our foules : it is not enough for a gracious heart to have true faith and true olle, but Wthere growes any fnuffe of doubting that dims the light of cur links, throw it away, and quarrel' not, and t::en we (hall be fitted to feethe way,and to enter into eternall happineffe by the power thereof: and Ibefeech you toobferve this, the veryque- fl:ioning and guarding againfl the worke of faith, it many times asmuchdifinables a man, to pat

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