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The Activity of Faith
Thomas Hooker
Born July, 1586 -- Died July 7, 1647 March 8, 2001 David L. Brown, Ph.D. Links to Topics:
THE ACTIVITY OF FAITH
What Causes Fruit In The Lives of Christians? "And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who
also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised."
Romans 4:12 I proceed now to show who those are, that may, and do indeed, receive
benefit as Abraham did. The text saith, "They that walk in the steps of that faith of
Abraham:" that man that not only enjoyeth the privileges of the Church, but yieldeth the
obedience of faith, according to the Word of God revealed, and walketh in obedience, that man
alone shall be blest with faithful Abraham. Two points may be here raised, but I shall hardly handle them both;
therefore I will pass over the first only with a touch, and that lieth closely couched in the
text. That faith causeth fruitfulness in the hearts and lives of those in whom it
is. Mark what I say: a faithful man is a fruitful man; faith enableth a man to be doing.
Ask the question; by what power was it whereby Abraham was enabled to yield obedience to the
Lord? The text answereth you, "They that walk in the footsteps" not of Abraham, but
"in the footsteps of the faith of Abraham." A man would have thought the text
should have run thus: They that walk in the footsteps of Abraham. That is true, too, but the
apostle had another end; therefore he saith, "They that walk in the footsteps of the
faith of Abraham," implying that it was the grace of faith that God bestowed on
Abraham, that quickened and enabled him to perform every duty that God required of him, and
called him to the performance of. So that I say, the question being: Whence came it that
Abraham was so fruitful a Christian, what enabled him to do and to suffer what he did? Surely it was faith that was the cause that produced such effects, that
helped him to perform such actions. The point then you see is evident, faith it is that
causeth fruit. Hence it is, that of almost all the actions that a Christian hath to do,
faith is still said to be the worker. If a man pray as he should, it is "the prayer of
faith." (James 5:15) If a man obey as he should, it is the obedience of faith. If a man
war in the Church militant, it is "the fight of faith." (1 Timothy
6:12) If a man
live as a Christian and holy man, he "liveth by faith." (Romans 1:17; Galatians
3:11)
Nay, shall I say yet more? If he died as he ought, "he dieth by faith." "These
all died in faith." (Hebrews 11:13) What is that? The power of faith that directed and ordered them in the cause
of their death, furnished them with grounds and principles of assurance of the love of God,
made them carry themselves patiently in death. I can say no more, but with the apostle,
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith." (2 Corinthians
13:5) Why doth not
the apostle say, Examine whether faith be in you, but, "whether ye be in the faith."
His meaning is, that as a man is said to be in drink, or to be in love, or to be in passion,
that is, under the command of drink, or love, or passion; so the whole man must be under the
command of faith (as you shall see more afterward). If he prays, faith must indite (direct) his
prayer; if he obey, faith must work; if he live, it is faith that must quicken him; and if he
die, it is faith that must order him in death. And wheresoever faith is, it will do wonders in
the soul of that man where it is; it can not be idle; it will have footsteps, it sets the whole
man on work; it moveth feet, and hands, and eyes, and all parts of the body. Mark how the
apostle disputeth: "We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I
believed, and therefore have I spoken, we also believe, and therefore speak." (2
Corinthians 4:13) The faith of the apostle, which he had in his heart, set his tongue agoing.
If a man have faith within, it will break forth at his mouth. This shall suffice for the proof
of the point; I thought to have pressed it further, but if I should, I see the time would
prevent me. The use, therefore, in a word, is this: if this be so, then it falleth foul,
and is a heavy bill of indictment against many that live in the bosom of the Church. Go thy
ways home, and read but this text, and consider seriously but this one thing in it: That
whosoever is the son of Abraham, hath faith, and whosoever hath faith is a walker, is a
marker; by the footsteps of faith you may see where faith hath been. Will not this, then, I
say, fall marvelous heavy upon many souls that live in the bosom of the Church, who are
confident, and put it out of all question, that they are true believers, and make no doubt but
what they have faith? But look to it, wheresoever faith is, it is fruitful. If thou art
fruitless, say what thou wilt, thou hast no faith at all. Alas, these idle drones, these idle
Christians, the Church is too full of them; Men are continually hearing, and yet remain
fruitless and unprofitable; whereas if there were more faith in the world, we should have more
work done in the world; faith would set feet, and hands, and eyes, and all on work. Men go
under the name of professors, but alas! they are but pictures; they stir not a whit; mark,
where you found them in the beginning of the year, there you shall find them in the end of the
year, as profane, as worldly, as loose in their conversations, as formal in duty as ever. And
is this faith? Oh! faith would work other matters, and provoke a soul to other passages than
these. But you will say, may not a man have faith, and not that fruit you
speak of? May not a man have a good heart to Godward, although he can not find that ability in
matter of fruitfulness? My brethren, be not deceived; such an opinion is a mere delusion of Satan;
wherever faith is it bringeth Christ into the soul; mark that, Whosoever believeth,
"Christ dwelleth in his heart by faith." (Ephesians 3:17) And if "Christ be in
you," saith the apostle, "the body is dead, because of sin, but the spirit is life,
because of righteousness." (Romans 8:10). If Christ be in you, that is, whosoever
believeth in the Lord Jesus, Christ dwells in such a man by faith; now if Christ be in the
soul, the body can not be dead; but a man is alive, and quick, and active to holy duties,
ready, and willing, and cheerful in the performance of whatsoever God requireth. Christ is not
a dead Savior, nor the Spirit a dead Spirit: the second Adam is made a quickening spirit (1
Corinthians 15:45). And wherever the Spirit is, it works effects suitable to itself. The Spirit
is a spirit of purity, a spirit of zeal, and where it is it maketh pure and zealous. When a man
will say he hath faith, and in the mean time can be content to be idle and unfruitful in the
work of the Lord, can be content to be a dead Christian, let him know that his case is
marvelously fearful: for if faith were in him indeed it would appear; ye can not keep your good
hearts to yourselves; wherever fire is it will burn, and wherever faith is it can not be kept
secret. The heart will be enlarged, the soul quickened, and there will be a change in the whole
life and conversation, if ever faith takes place in a man. I will say no more of this, but
proceed to the second point arising out of the affirmative part. You will say, what fruit is it then? Or how shall a man know what is the
true fruit of faith, indeed, whereby he may discern his own estate? I answer, the text will
tell you: "He that walketh in the footsteps of that faith of Abraham." (Romans
4:12)
By footsteps are meant the works the actions, the holy endeavors of Abraham; and where those
footsteps are there is the faith of Abraham. So that the point of instruction hence is thus
much (which indeed is the main drift of the apostle). That, Every faithful man may, yea doth, imitate the actions of faithful
Abraham. Mark what I say; I say again, this is to be the son of Abraham, not because
we are begotten of him by natural generation, for so the Jews are the sons of Abraham; but
Abraham is our father because he is the pattern for the proceeding of our faith. "Thy
father was an Amorite," (Ezekiel 16:3) saith the Scripture: that is, thou followest the
steps of the Amorites in thy conversation. So is Abraham called the "father of the
faithful," because he is the copy of their course, whom they must follow in those services
that God calleth for. So the point is clear, every faithful man may, yea doth, and must imitate
the actions of faithful Abraham. It is Christs own plea, and lie presseth it as an
undeniable truth upon the hearts of the Scribes and Pharisees, that bragged very highly of
their privileges and prerogatives, and said, "Abraham is our father." "No (saith
Christ), if ye were Abrahams children ye would do the works of Abraham." (John
8:39) To
be like Abraham in constitution, to be one of his blood, is not that which makes a man a son of
Abraham, but to be like him in holiness of affection, to have a heart framed and a life
disposed answerably to his. The apostle in like manner presseth this point when he would
provoke the Hebrews, to whom he wrote, to follow the examples of the saints: "Whose faith
(says he) follow, considering the end of their conversation." (Hebrews
13:7) So the
apostle Peter presseth the example of Sarah upon all good women: "Whose daughters ye are (saith
he) as long as ye do well." (1 Peter 3:6). For the opening of the point, and that ye may more clearly understand it, a
question here would be resolved, what were "the footsteps of the faith of Abraham"?
Which way went he? This is a question, I say, worthy the scanning, and therefore (leaving the
further confirmation of the point, as already evident enough) I will come to it that you may
know what to settle your hearts upon. I answer, therefore, there are six footsteps of the faith of Abraham, which
are the main things wherein every faithful man must do as Abraham did, in the work of faithI
mean in his ordinary course; for if there be any thing extraordinary no man is bound to imitate
him therein; but in the works of faith, I say, which belongeth to all men, every man must
imitate Abraham in these six steps, and then he is in the next door to happiness, the very next
neighbor, as I say, to heaven. The first advance, which Abraham made in the ways of grace and
happiness, you shall observe to be a yielding to the call of God. Mark what God said to
Abraham: "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father s
house, unto a land that I will show thee; and Abraham departed," saith the text, "as
the Lord had spoken unto him." Even when he was an idolater, he is content to lay aside
all and let the command of God bear the sway; neither friends, nor kindred, nor gods can keep
him back, but he presently stoopeth to the call of God. So it is, my brethren, with every
faithful man. This is his first step: he is content to be under the rule and power of Gods
command. Let the Lord call for him, require any service of him, his soul presently yieldeth,
and is content to be framed and fashioned to Gods call, and returneth an obedient answer
thereto; he is content to come out of his sins, and out of himself, and to receive the
impressions of the Spirit. This is that which God. requireth, not only of Abraham, but of all
believers: "Whosoever will be my disciple," saith Christ, must "forsake father,
and mother, and children, and houses, and lands;" (Matthew 19:29) yea, and he must
"deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24). This is the
first step in Christianity, to lay down our own honors, to trample upon our own respects, to
submit our necks to the block, as it were, and whatever God commands, to be content that His
good pleasure should take place with us. Then Abraham, as doth every faithful soul, set forward, in this wise: He
showed that whenever faith cometh powerfully into the heart, the soul is not content barely to
yield to the command of God, but it breatheth after His mercy, longeth for His grace, prizeth
Christ and salvation above all things in the world, is satisfied and contented with nothing but
with the Lord Christ, and although it partake of many things below, and enjoy abundance of
outward comforts, yet it is not quieted till it rest and pitch itself upon the Lord, and find
and feel that evidence and assurance of His love, which He hath promised unto and will bestow
on those who love Him. As for all things here below, he hath but a slight, and mean, and base
esteem of them. This you shall see apparent in Abraham. "Fear not, Abraham (saith God), I
am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." (Genesis 15:1) What could a man
desire more? One would think that the Lord makes a promise here large enough to Abraham,
"I will be thy buckler, and exceeding great reward." Is not Abraham contented with
this? No; Mark how he pleadeth with God: "Lord God (saith he), what wilt thou give me,
seeing I go childless?" (Genesis 15:2) His eye is upon the promise that God had
made to him of a son, of whom the Savior of the world should come. "O Lord, what wilt thou
give me?" as if he had said, What wilt Thou do for me? Alas! Nothing will do my soul good
unless I have a son, and in him a Savior. What will become of me so long as I go childless, and
so Saviorless, as I may so speak? You see how Abraham s mouth was out of taste with all
other things, how he could relish nothing, enjoy nothing in comparison of the promise, though
he had otherwise what he would, or could desire. Thus must it be with every faithful man. That
soul never had, nor never shall have Christ, that doth not prize Him above all things in the
world. The next step of Abraham s faith was this, he casteth himself and
flingeth his soul, as I may say, upon the all-sufficient power and mercy of God for the
attainment of what he desireth; he rolleth and tumbleth himself, as it were, upon the
all-sufficiency of God. This you shall find in Romans 4:18, where the apostle, speaks of
Abraham, who "against hope, believed in hope"; that is, when there was no hope in the
world, yet he believed in God, even above hope, and so made it possible. It was an object of
his hope, that it might be in regard of God, howsoever there was no possibility in regard of
man. So the text saith, "he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a
hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah s womb, but was strong in faith."
He cast himself wholly upon the precious promise and mercy of God. But he took another step in true justifying faith. He proved to us
the believer is informed touching the excellency of the Lord Jesus, and that fullness that is
to be had in Him, though he can not find the sweetness of His mercy, though he can not or dare
not apprehend and apply it to himself, though he find nothing in himself, yet he is still
resolved to rest upon the Lord, and to stay himself on the God of his salvation, and to wait
for His mercy till he find Him gracious to his poor soul. Excellent and famous is the example
of the woman of Canaan. When Christ, as it were, beat her off, and took up arms against her,
was not pleased to reveal Himself graciously to her for the present; "I am not sent (saith
He) but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; and it is not meet to take the children s
bread, and to cast it to the dogs;" (Matthew 15:24-26). Mark how she replied, "Truth,
Lord, I confess all that; yet notwithstanding, the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their
master table." (Matthew 15:27) Oh, the excellency, and strength, and work of her faith!
She comes to Christ for by mercy, He repelleth her, reproacheth her, tells her she is a dog;
she confesseth her baseness, and is not discouraged for all that, but still resteth upon the
goodness and mercy of Christ, and is mightily resolved to have mercy whatsoever befalleth her.
Truth, Lord, I confess I am as bad as Thou canst term me, yet I confess, too, that there is no
comfort but from Thee, and though I am a dog, yet I would have crumbs. Still she laboreth to
catch after mercy, and to lean and to bear herself upon the favor of Christ for the bestowing
thereof upon her. So it must be with every faithful Christian in this particular; he must
roll himself upon the power, and faithfulness, and truth of God, and wait for His mercy (I
will join them both together for brevity s sake, though the latter be In: a fourth step and
degree of faith); I say he must not only depend upon God, but he must of wait upon the Holy One
of Israel. But a further step of Abrahams faith appeared in this: he counted
nothing too dear for the Lord; he was content to break through all impediments, to pass through
all difficulties, whatsoever God would have, He had of him. This is the next step that Abraham
went; and this you shall find when God put him upon trial. The text saith there "that God
did tempt Abraham," (Genesis 22:1) and did try what He would do for Him, and He bade him,
"Go, take thy son, thine only son, Isaac, whom thou lovest," (Genesis
22:2) and slay
him; and straight Abraham went and laid his son upon an altar, and took a knife, to cut the
throat of his sonso that Abraham did not spare his son Isaac, he did not spare for any cost,
he did not dodge with God in this case; if God would have anything, He should have it,
whatsoever it were, though it were his own life, for no question Isaac was dearer to him than
his own life. And this was not his case alone, but the faithful people of God have ever walked
the same course. The apostle Paul was of the same spirit; I know not (saith he) the things that
shall befall me, save that "the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and
afflictions abide me: but none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of
the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:23-24) O blest
Spirit! Here is the work of faith. Alas! When we come to part with anything for the cause of
God, how hardly comes it from us! "But I (saith he) pass not, no, nor is my life dear unto
me." (v.24) Here, I say, is the work of faith, indeed, when a man is content to do
anything for God, and to say if imprisonment, loss of estate, liberty, life, come, I pass not,
it moveth me nothing, so I may finish my course with comfort. Hence it was that the saints God
in those primitive times "took joyfully the spoiling of their goods." (Hebrews
10:34) Me thinks I see the saints there reaching after Christ with the arms of faith, and
how, when anything lay in their way, they were content to lose all, to part with all, to have
Christ. Therefore saith Saint Paul, "I am ready not be bound only, but also to die at
Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 21:13) Mark, rather than he would
leave his Savior, he wou1d leave his life, and though men would have hindered him, yet was
resolved to have Christ, howsoever, though he lost his life for Him. Oh, me have my Savior, and
take my life! The last step of all is this: when the soul thus resolved not to
dodge with God, but part with anything for Him, then in the last place there followeth a
readiness of heart address mans self to the performance of whatsoever duty God requireth at
his hands; I say this is the last step, when, without consulting with flesh and blood, without
hammering upon it, as it were, without awkwardness of heart, there followeth a readiness obey
God; the soul is at hand. When Abraham was called, "Behold (saith he) here I am." (Genesis
22:11) And so Samuel, "Speak, Lord, for your servant heareth," (1 Samuel 3:9)
and so Ananias. "Behold, I am here, Lord." (Acts 9:10) The faithful soul is not to seek, as an evil servant that is gone a roving
after his companions, that is out of the way when his master would use him, but is like a
trusty servant that waiteth upon his master, and is ever at hand to do His pleasure. So you
shall see it was with Abraham, when the Lord commanded him to go out of his country, "he
obeyed, and went out, not knowing whither he went" (Hebrews 11:8); he went cheerfully and
readily, though he knew not whither; as who would say, if the Lord calls, I will not question,
if He command I will perform, whatever it be. So it must be with every faithful soulwe
must blind the eye of carnal reason, resolve to obey, though heaven and earth seem to meet
together in a contradiction, care not what man or what devil saith in this case, but what
God will have done, do it; this is the courage and obedience of faith. See how Saint Paul, in
the place before named, flung his ancient friends from him, when they came to cross him in the
work of his ministry. They all came about him, and because they thought they should see his
face no more, they besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What, mean
ye to weep, and to break my heart?" (Acts 21:13) as who should say, It is a grief
and a vexation to my soul, that ye would burden me, that I cannot go with readiness to perform
the service that God requireth at my hands. The like Christian courage was in Luther when his
friends dissuaded him to go to Worms: "If all the tiles in Worms were so many devils (said
he) yet would I go thither in the name of my Lord Jesus." This is the last step. Review: Now gather up a little what I have delivered. He that is
resolved to stoop to the call of God; to prize the promises, and breathe after them; to rest
upon the Lord, and to wait His time for bestowing mercy upon him; to break through all
impediments and difficulties, and to count nothing too dear for God; to be content to perform
ready and cheerful obedience; he that walketh thus, and treadeth in these steps, peace be upon
him; heaven is hard by; he is as sure of salvation as the angels are; it is as certain as the
Lord liveth that he shall be saved with faithful Abraham, for he walketh in the steps of
Abraham, and therefore he is sure to be where he is. The case, you see, is clear, and the point
evident, that every faithful man may and must, imitate faithful Abraham. It may be here imagined, that we draw men up to too high a pitch; and
certainly, if this be the sense of the words, and the meaning of the Holy Ghost in this place,
what will become of many that live in the bosom of the Church? Will you therefore see the point
confirmed by reason? The ground of this doctrine stands thus: every faithful man hath the same
faith, for nature and for work, that Abraham had; therefore, look what nature his faith was of,
and what power it had; of the same nature and power every true believers faith is. Briefly
thus: the promises of God are the ground upon which all true faith resteth; the Spirit of God
it is that worketh this faith in all believers; the power of the Spirit is that that putteth
forth itself in the hearts and lives of all the faithful; gather these together: if all true
believers have the same promises for the ground of their faith; have one and the same spirit to
work it; have one and the same power to draw out the abilities of faith, then certainly they
can not but have the very self-same actions, having the very self-same ground of their actions. Every particular believer (as the apostle Peter saith) "hath obtained
the like precious faith." (2 Peter 1:1) Mark, that there is a great deal of copper
faith in the worldmuch counterfeit believing; but the saints do all partake of "the
like precious faith." As when a man hath but a sixpence in silver, or a crown in gold,
those small pieces, for the nature, are as good as the greatest of the same metal; so it is
with the faith of Gods elect. And look as it is in grafting; if there be many scions of the
same kind grafted into one stock, they all partake alike of the virtue of the stock; just so it
is here. The Lord Jesus Christ is the stock, as it were, into which all the faithful are
grafted by the spirit of God and faith; therefore, whatsoever fruit one beareth another beareth
also: howsoever, there may be degrees of works, yet they are of the same nature. As a little
apple is the same in taste with a great one of the same tree, even so every faithful man hath
the same holiness of heart and life, because he hath the same principle of holiness. The fruit
indeed that one Christian bringeth may be but poor and small in comparison with others, yet it
is the same in kind; the course of his life is not with so much power and fullness of grace, it
may be, as anothers, yet there is the same true grace, and the same practice, in the kind of
it, for truth, however in degree it differ. Let us now come to see what benefit we may make to
ourselves of this point, thus proved and confirmed; and, certainly, the use of this doctrine is
of great consequence. In the first place, it is a just ground of examination. For if it be true
(as can not be denied, the reasons being so strong, and arguments so plain) that every son of
Abraham followeth the steps of Abraham, then here you may clearly perceive who it is that hath
saying faith indeed, who they be that are true saints and the sons of Abraham. By the light of
this truth, by the rule of this doctrine, if you would square your courses, and look into your
conversations, you cannot but discern whether you have faith or no. That man whose faith
showeth itself and putteth itself forth in its several conditions, agreeably to the faith of
Abraham, that man that followeth the footsteps of the faith of Abraham, let him be esteemed a
faithful man, let him be reckoned for a true believer. You that are gentlemen and tradesmen, I appeal to your souls whether the
Lord and His cause is not the loser this way? Doth not prayer pay for it? Doth not the Word pay
for it? Are not the Ordinances always losers when anything of your own cometh in competition?
Is it not evident, then, that you are not under the command of the Word? How do you tremble at
the wrath and threatenings of a mortal man? And yet, when you hear the Lord thunder judgments
out of His Word, who is humbled? When He calls for fasting, and weeping, and mourning, who
regards it? Abraham, my brethren, did not thus: these were none of his steps; no, no: he went a
hundred miles off this course. The Lord no sooner said to him, "Forsake thy country and
thy kindred, and thy fathers house," but he forsook all, neither friend nor father
prevailed to detain him from obedience, but he stooped willingly to God s command. There are a sort that come short of being the sons of Abraham, and they are
the close-hearted hypocrites. These are a generation that are of a more refined kind than the
last, but howsoever they carry the matter very covertly, yea, and are exceeding cunning; yet
the truth will make them known. Many a hypocrite may come thus far, to be content to part with
anything, and outwardly to suffer for the cause of God, to part with divers pleasures and
lusts, and to perform many holy services. But here is the difference between Abraham and these
men: Abraham forsook his goods and all, but your close-hearted hypocrites have always some god
or other that they do homage totheir ease, or their wealth, or some secret lust, some-thing
or other they have set up as an idol within themand so long as they may have and enjoy that,
they will part with anything else. But thou must know that, if thou be one of Abraham s
children, thou must come away from thy godsthe god of pride, of self-love, of vaingloryand
leave worshiping of these, and be content to be alone by God and His truth. This shall suffice
for the first use; I cannot proceed further in the pressing thereof, because I would shut up
all with the time. The second use is a word of instruction, and it shall be but a word or two;
that if all the saints of God must walk in the same way of life and salvation that Abraham did,
then there is no byway to bring a man to happiness. Look, what way Abraham went, you must go;
there are no more ways: the same course that he took must be a copy for you to follow, a rule,
as it were, for you to square your whole conversation by. There is no way but one to come to
life and happiness. I speak it the rather to dash that idle device of many carnal men, that
think the Lord hath a new invention to bring them to life, and that they need not go the
ordinary way, but God hath made a shorter cut for them. Great men and gentlemen think God will
spare them. What, must they be humbled, and fast, and pray? That is for poor men, and mean men.
Their places and estates will not suffer it; therefore surely God hath given a dispensation to
them. And the poor men, they think it is for gentlemen that have more leisure and time: Alas!
They live by their labor, and they must take pains for what they have, and therefore they
cannot do what is required. But be not deceived; if there be any way beside that which Abraham
went, then will I deny myself. But the case is clear, the Lord saith it, the Word saith it; the
same way, the same footsteps that Abraham took, we must take, if ever we will come where
Abraham is. You must not balk in this kind, whoever you are; God respecteth no mans person.
If you would arrive at the same haven, you must sail through the same sea. You must walk the
same way of grace, if you would come to the same kingdom of glory. It is a conceit that
harboreth in the hearts of many men, nay, of most men in general, especially your great wise
men and your great rich men, that have better places and estates in the world than
ordinary. What, think they, may not a man be saved without all this ado? What needs all this?
Is there not another way besides this? Surely, my brethren, you must teach our Savior Christ
and the apostle Paul another way. I am sure they never knew another; and he that dreameth of
another way must be content to go beside. There is no such matter as the devil would persuade
you; it is but his delusion to keep you under infidelity, and so shut you up to destruction
under false and vain conceits. The truth is, here is the way, and the only way, and you must
walk here if ever you come to life and happiness. Therefore, be not deceived, suffer not your
eyes to be blinded; but know, what Abraham did, you must do the same, if not in action, yet in
affection. If God say, for-sake all, thou must do it, at least in affection. Thou must still
wait upon His power and providence; yield obedience to Him in all things; be content to submit
thyself to His will. This is the way you must walk in, if you ever come to heaven. The last use shall be a use of comfort to all the saints and people of God,
whose consciences can witness that they have labored to walk in the uprightness of their heart
as Abraham did. I have two or three words to speak to these. Be persuaded out of the Word of God, that your course is good, and go on
with comfort, and the God of heaven be with you; and be sure of it, that you that walk with
Abraham shall be at rest with Abraham; and it shall never repent you of all the pains that you
have taken. Haply it may seem painful and tedious to you; yet, what Abigail said to David, let
me say to you: "Oh," saith she, "let not my lord do this: when the Lord shall
have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall
have appointed thee ruler over Israel, this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offense of heart,
that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself." (1 Samuel
25:30-31) My brethren, let me say to you, you will find trouble and inconveniences and
hard measure at the hands of the wicked in this world. Many Nabals and Cains will set
themselves against you; but go on, and bear it patiently. Know it is a troublesome way, but a
true way; it is grievous but yet good; and the end will be happy. It will never repent you,
when the Lord hath performed all the good that He hath spoken concerning you. Oh! To see a man drawing his breath low and short, after he hath spent many
hours and days in prayer to the Lord, grappling with his corruptions, and striving to pull down
his base lusts, after he hath waited upon the Lord in a constant course of obedience. Take but
such a man, and ask him, now his conscience is opened, whether the ways of holiness and
sincerity be not irksome to him, whether he be not grieved with himself for undergoing so much
needless trouble (as the world thinks it); and his soul will then clear this matter. It is true
he hath a tedious course of it, but now his death will be blest. He hath striven for a crown,
and now beholds a crown. Now he is beyond the waves. All the contempts, and imprisonments, and
outrages of wicked men are now too short to reach him. He is so far from repenting, that he
rejoiceth and triumpheth in reflecting back upon all the pains, and care, and labor of love,
whereby he hath loved the Lord Jesus, in submitting his heart unto Him. Take me another man, that hath lived here in pomp and jollity, hath had many
livings, great preferments, much honor, abundance of pleasure, yet hath been ever careless of
God and of His Word, profane in his course, loose in his conversation, and ask him upon his
death-bed, how it standeth with him. Oh! Woe the time, that ever he spent it as he hath done.
Now the soul begins to hate the man, and the very sight of him that hath been the instrument
with it in the committing of sin. Now nothing but gall and wormwood remaineth. Now the
sweetness of the adulterers lust is gone, and nothing but the sting of conscience remaineth.
Now the covetous man must part with his goods, and the gall of asps must stick behind. Now the
soul sinks within, and the heart is overwhelmed with sorrow. Take but these two men, I say, and
judge by their ends, whether it will ever repent you that you have done well, that you have
walked in the steps of the faith of Abraham. My brethren, howsoever you have had many miseries, yet the Lord hath many
mercies for you. God dealeth with His servants, as a father doth with his son, after he hath
sent him on a journey to do some business; and the weather falleth foul, and the way proveth
dangerous, and many a storm, and great difficulties are to be gone through. Oh, how the heart
of that father pitieth his son! How doth he resolve to requite him, if he ever live to come
home again! What preparation doth he make to entertain, and welcome him; and how doth he study
to do good unto him! My brethren, so it is here; I beseech you, think of it, you that are the
saints and people of God. You must find in your way many troubles and griefs (and we ought to
find them), but be not discouraged. The more misery, the greater mercy. God the Father seeth
His servants: and if they suffer and endure for a good conscience, as His eye seeth them, so
His soul pitieth them. His heart bleeds within Him for them; that is, He hath a tender
compassion of them, and He saith within Himself, Well, I will requite them if ever they come
into My kingdom; all their patience, and care, and conscience in walking My ways, I will
requite; and they shall receive a double reward from Me, even a crown of eternal glory. Think
of these things that are not seen; they are eternal. The things that are seen are temporal, and
they will deceive us. Let our hearts be carried after the other, and rest in them forever! Thomas Hooker was probably born on July 7, 1586, at Marfield, in the parish
of Tilton, County of Leicester, England. He was educated at Emmanuel College in Cambridge,
England, which at the time was the intellectual center of Puritanism. He received his B.A. in
1608 and M.A. in 1611. He remained at the college, teaching for a few years. He believed he was
called to the ministry and began his preaching 1620, in a small Esher parish Church in Surrey.
In about 1626 he became lecturer to the church of Saint Mary at Chelmsford, Essex, delivering
sermons on market days and Sunday afternoons evangelical addresses, which were notable for
their moral fervor. At first, his sermons did not attract much notice, though they powerfully
advocated reformed doctrine. All that changed in 1629. Archbishop Laud took measures to
suppress church lectureships. Hooker was called to appear before Laud, the Archbishop of London
and threatened with serious reprisal if he continued to advocate his puritanical teachings.
Hooker was posted bond, was released and retired to Little Baddow, which is four miles from
Chelmsford. Despite being threatened, he continued to preach. The result was that he was
cited to appear before the Court of High Commission in 1630. He refused to appear, knowing he
would be imprisoned, lose his land and perhaps be put to death. He forfeited his bond and fled
to Holland, which had a history of toleration to religious dissenters. In 1632 a group of Puritans calling themselves "Mr. Hookers
Company" immigrated to Massachusetts in expectation of Hooker joining them. In 1633 he
emigrated to the Colony of Massachusetts Bay in America, and became pastor at Newtowne (now
Cambridge), Massachusetts. It appears that Hooker was a leader in the formation of a group of
dissenters that were discontent with affairs in the Massachusetts government. There
disagreements between his own church and John Cottons congregation. Mr. Hooker publicly
spoke out against the limitations of suffrage of church members. As a result of his preaching,
many "freemen grew to be very jealous of their liberties." In 1636 Thomas Hooker lead a large group of his followers to the Connecticut
Valley and settled at Hartford. In a sermon before the Connecticut General Court of 1638, he
declared that "the choice of public magistrates belongs unto the people by Gods own
allowance" and that "they who have the power to appoint officers and
magistrates, it is in their power, also, to set the bounds and limitations of the power and
place unto which they call them." This theory was ahead of its time! Hook said,
"the privilege of election, which belongs to the people must be exercised according to the
blessed will and law of God." Hooker was the inspirer if not the author of the Fundamental Laws or Orders
of Connecticut published in 1639. He had wide political and religious influence in organizing
"The United Colonies of New England" in 1643. This was the first effort to form any
kind of federal government on this continent. Thomas Hooker was a prolific writer and an active preacher. He pastored of
the Hartford Church until his death on July 7, 1647. |