The Works of that Learned and Judicious Divine, Mr. Richard Hooker, with an Account of His Life and Death

SERM. VII.

798

Our Duty in regard of God's Promises.

But of the duties here prescribed of asking, seeking, knocking, thus much may suffice. The promises follow which God hath made.

2. "Ask and receive, seek and find, knock and it shall be opened unto you." Promises are made of good things to come; and such, while they are in expectation, have a kind of painfulness with them; but when the time of performance and of present fruition cometh, it bringeth joy.

Abraham did somewhat rejoice in that which he saw would come, although knowing that many ages and generations must first pass their exultation far greater, who beheld with their eyes, and embraced in their arms, Him which had been before the hope of the whole world. We have found that Messias, have seen the salvation: "Behold here the Lamb of God which "taketh away the sins of the world*." These are speeches of men not comforted with the hope of that they desire, but rapt with admiration at the view of enjoyed bliss.

As oft therefore as our case is the same with the prophet David's; or that experience of God's abundant mercy towards us doth wrest from our mouths the same acknowledgments which it did from his, "I called on the name of the Lord, and " he hath rescued his servant: I was in misery, and he saved "me: Thou, Lord, hast delivered my soul from death, mine "eyes from tears, and my feet from falling+:" I have asked and received, sought and found, knocked and it hath been opened unto me: can there less be expected at our hands, than to take the cup of salvation, and bless, magnify, and extol the mercies heaped upon the heads of the sons of men? Are we in the case of them, who as yet do only ask and have not received? It is but attendance a small time, we shall rejoice then; but how? we shall find, but where? it shall be opened, but with what hand? To all which demands I must answer.

Use the words of our Saviour Christ; "Quid hoc ad te‡?" what are these things unto us? Is it for us to be made acquainted with the way he hath to bring his counsel and purposes about? God will not have great things brought to pass, either altogether without means, or by those means altogether which are to our seeming probable and likely. Not without means, lest under colour of repose in God we should nourish * John i. 29. † Psalm cxvi. 4-8. ‡ John xxi. 22.

God's Care to hinder us from depending on ourselves. 799

at any time in ourselves idleness: not by the mere ability of SERM. VIL means gathered together through our own providence, lest prevailing by helps which the common course of nature yieldeth, we should offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving for whatsoever prey we take to the nets which our fingers did weave*; than which there cannot be to Him more intolerable injury offered. "Vere et absque dubio," saith St. Bernard, "hoc quisque est pessimus, quo optimus, si hoc ipsum quo est optimus adscribat sibi;" the more blest, the more curst, if we make his graces our own glory, without imputation of all to him; whatsoever we have we steal, and the multiplication of God's favours doth but aggravate the crime of our sacrilege. He knowing how prone we are to unthankfulness in this kind, tempereth accordingly the means, whereby it is his pleasure to do us good. This is the reason why God would neither have Gideon to conquer without any army, nor yet to be furnished with too great an host. This is the cause why, as none of the promises of God do fail, so the most are in such sort brought to pass, that, if we after consider the circuit, wherein the steps of his providence have gone, the due consideration thereof cannot choose but draw from us the selfsame words of astonishment, which the blessed Apostle hath: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom of God! how un"searchable are his counsels, and his ways past finding out+!" Let it therefore content us always to have his word for an absolute warrant; we shall receive and find in the end; it shall at length be opened unto you: however, or by what means, leave it to God.

3. Now our Lord groundeth every man's particular assurance touching this point upon the general rule and axiom of his providence, which hath ordained these effects to flow and issue out of these causes; gifts of suits, finding out of seeking, help out of knocking; a principle so generally true, that on his part it never faileth.

For why it is the glory of God to give; his very nature delighteth in it; his mercies in the current, through which they would pass, may be dried up, but at the head they never fail. Men are soon weary both of granting and of hearing suits, because our own insufficiency maketh us still afraid, lest *Habak. i. 16. † Rom. xi. 33.

SERM. VII. by benefiting of others we impoverish ourselves. We read of large and great proffers, which princes in their fond and vainglorious moods have poured forth: as that of Herod and the like of Ahasuerus in the Book of Esther. "Ask what thou "wilt, though it reach to the half of my kingdom, I will give "it thee" which very words of profusion do argue, that the ocean of no estate in this world doth so flow, but it may be emptied. He that promiseth half of his kingdom, foreseeth how that being gone, the remainder is but a moiety of that which was. What we give we leave; but what God bestoweth benefiteth us, and from him it taketh nothing: wherefore in his propositions there are no such fearful restraints; his terms are general in regard of making, "Whatsoever ye ask the "Father in my name†;" and general also in respect of persons, "whosoever asketh, whosoever seeketh." It is true, St. James saith, "Ye ask, and yet ye receive not, because you "ask amiss;" ye crave to the end ye might have to spend upon your lusts. The rich man sought heaven, but it was then that he felt hell. The virgins knocked in vain, because they overslipped their opportunity; and when the time was to knock, they slept: but "Quærite Dominum dum inveniri potest §," perform these duties in their due time and due sort. Let there, on our part, be no stop, and the bounty of God we know is such, that he granteth over and above our desires. Saul sought an ass, and found a kingdom. Solomon named wisdom, and God gave Solomon wealth also, by way of surpassing. "Thou hast prevented thy servant with blessings||," saith the prophet David. "He asked life, and thou gavest "him long life, even for ever and ever." God a giver; “He "giveth liberally, and upbraideth none in any wise¶:" and therefore he better knoweth than we the best times, and the best means, and the best things, wherein the good of our souls consisteth.

*Mark vi. 23; Esther vii. 2.
§ Isa. lv. 6.

James iv. 3.

† John xvi. 23. || Psalm xxi. 3, 4.

¶ James i. 5.

THE END.

INDEX.

The large numerals refer to the book, the smaller to the chapters, and the
Arabic figures to the section, of the Ecclesiastical Polity. Other abbreviations
used are the following: Ded., Hooker's Dedication to Whitgift; Suppl.,
Travers' Supplication to the Council: Answ., Hooker's Answer to Travers;
Pref., Hooker's Preface to the Eccl. Polity.

AARON, his attire, II. iv. 4. much

dwelt on in Scripture, VII. xx. 3. his
ministrations, V. lxxxviii. 1.

Abel, testified his piety by the value of
his offering, VII. xxii. 3.

Abijah, his speech to Jeroboam, applied
to the case of protestants and Roman-
ists, III. i. 10; Serm. V. 15.
Abraham, in what sense his faith was
perfect, Serm. I.

Absolution, the sacramental virtue as-
cribed to it by the papists, VI. iv. 3.
never denied to the sick upon confes-
sion, iv. 15. difference between that of
inspired and uninspired ministers, vi. I.
wherein we differ from the papists in
our notions of it, vi. 2. what authority
they have for their notions, ibid. how
far the power of ministers in granting
it extends, vi. 3. whether it be sacra-
mental or merely declaratory, vi. 4.
penitents must rely on its assurance
of pardon, vi. 5. merely declaratory of
what God has done, vi. 8. how it came
to be considered sacramental by the
papists, vi. 9. where a desire of it only
exists, merely declaratory, vi. 13. the
interpretation we put on our Saviour's
words thereunto relating, vi. 12.
Abulensis, VI. vi. 13.
Acesius, VI. vi. 6.
Achan, VI. iv. 4.

Achitophel, an example of proud wis-
dom, Ded. 6.

Acolythes, mentioned by St. Cyprian,
VII. xx. 4.
Actions, angelical, three kinds of, I.
iv. I. sometimes their own end, some-
times in the nature of means, vii. 1.
altogether free, vii. 2. two principal
fountains of them, ibid. what kind, in
men guided by reason, are voluntary,
vii. 3. not all, uncommanded by God,
are sinful, II. iv. 4. indifferency in
them, how removed, iv. 6. of men, en-

dued with reason, generally good or
evil, viii. 1. none properly termed so,
unless voluntary, ibid. why this does
not hinder the former assertion, ibid.
dangerous and unsound to think good
or evil actions pertain only to weightier
affairs, ibid. some actions, although
not exacted by nature, or Scripture,
yet amply rewarded by God, viii. 4.
those which are public and weighty
have some visible solemnity, III. xi.
18. divine, how to be regarded by us,
IV. i. 3.

Acts i. 20. proves an episcopacy over
pastors, VII. xi. 3.

Acts xv. 28. explained, III. x. 2. proves
the inspiration of the canons of the
council of Jerusalem, VIII. vi. 7. is a
specimen of positive law, divine, yet
mutable, Serm. III. 717.

Acts xv. 21. the meaning of it, V. xix. 1.
Acts, must perfect habits, V. lxxi. 2.
Acts of martyrs, why formerly read in
churches, V. xx. 9.

Acts of repentance, three in number,
and what they are, VI. iv. 13.
Adam, in Paradise, how instructed, II.
i. 4; his solemn worship, V. xi. 1. his
mystical relation to our Lord, V. lvi. 6.
how he is in us, ibid. 9. shrunk from
confession, VI. iv. 4.
Adam and Eve, types of Christ and the
Church, V. lvi. 7. punished, though
pardoned, Serm. III. 737.
Admonitions to the Parliament, Pref.
ii. 10.

Admonitioners, their design in object-
ing against the ceremonies of our
Church, III. vii. 4. the reason they
allege for not conforming to the order
thereof, ibid.
Adrian, IV. xi. 4.

Advantages, great, not lost but by great
error, V. xlii. 3.

Adversity, the prayer to be evermore

delivered from it vindicated, V. xlviii.
2-13. especially from the example of
Christ, xlviii. 5-11. and from that of
St. Paul's prayer for the church of
Corinth, xlviii. 12. when men may be
said to be in adversity, xlviii. 13. the
different circumstances in it, ibid.
Advertisement of Archbishop Parker a-
gainst disputatious preaching, Answ.17.
Aerius, his opinion about fasting, V.
lxxii. 12. cause of his enmity to bi-
shops, VII. ix. 1. account of his opin-
ions, ibid. whether they amounted to
heresy, ix. 2. his weak arguments, ix.
3. his schism, ix. 4. his case parallel
to that of the Puritans, ibid.
Aëtius, V. xlii. 9.

Affections, not altogether in our power,
I. vii. 3.

African bishops, their mistake as to the
administration of baptism, and whence
arising, III. i. 9.

Ægidius de Columna, VIII. vii. 5.
Aged men, most to be trusted in matter
of counsel, V. vii. 1, 2.

Agents, voluntary, I. iii. 2. rule of them,
viii. 4. God not a necessary, but volun-
tary agent, iii. 2. natural agents, their
constancy, iii. 3. exceptions to it, and
the cause of them, ibid. bound together
by a certain law, iii. 5. difference with
regard to them, vi. 2. not rewardable,
nor punishable, and why, ix. I. receive
their impressions from the eternal law
of God, xvi. 3.
Agrippa, III. viii. 12.

Agrippinus, V. lxii. 5.

Alcidamas, V. xxii. 12.

Alexander Hales, VI. vi. 13.

Alphonsus X, found fault with creation,
Jackson, Ded. vol. ii. p. 749.
Alvie, Hooker's predecessor in the Tem-
ple, Life, 19.

Amalek, reasoning on its destruction,
V. xvii. 5.

Ambrose, I. xi. 5. V. xxxix. 2. lx. 5. lxiii.
3. lxxii. 8, 9. VI. iv. 5. he taught pub-
lic, not private confession, iv. 6. iv. 7.
iv. 13. his opinion of a death-bed re-
pentance, iv. 15. employed in civil
transactions, VII. xv. 6. against clerks
seeking such employments, xv. 14. his
sentiment as to church power in kings,
VIII. ii. 17. denies kings' right over
churches, viii. 8. his resistance to Va-
lentinian, ibid. excommunication of
Theodosius, not formal but virtual,
ix. 5.

Anabaptists, account of them, Pref. viii.
their affected austerity, viii. 6. their
dealing with the Scriptures, viii. 7.
with the sacraments, ibid. their argu-
ments against infant baptism, ibid.
their insubordination, viii. 8. tolerated
at Luther's request, viii. 9. their abuse
of the Old Testament, viii. 11. their
final profligacy, viii. 12. their erroneous
opinion reproved, III. ix. 3. on what
grounds they rebaptize, V. lxii. 11.
their objections to the baptism of chil-
dren, lxiv. 1. their principle of govern-
ment sanctioned by Cartwright, VIII.
vi. 14. their abuse of the typical nature
of the law, vi. 7: they urge St. Matth.
XX. 25. against civil government, xvi.
2. and also Rom. viii. 14. Fragm. p.
583. and St. Luke xxii. 25. Serm. III.

702.

Alexander Severus, his praise of Church Ananias, II. iv. 4.
ordinations, VII. xiv. 6.

Alexander of Alexandria, attacked by
Arius, VII. v. 5.

Alexander III. his success against Hen-
ry II., VIII. viii. 5.

Alexander Pheræus, case regarding him,
Serm. III. 719.

Alexandria, dedication of a church there,
V.xii. 1. catalogue of bishops there, VII.
v. 5. peculiar custom there in election
of bishops, v.6. the state of that Church
occasioned the Nicene recognition of
patriarchs, viii. 10. VI. iv. 9.
Alienation of church goods, forbidden
in the Old Testament under a curse,
VII. xxiv. 20.

Allen, Cardinal, his fallacious reasoning
against the supremacy, VIII. i. 3. mo-
dification afterwards admitted by him,
i. 4; vi. 14. his strong expressions
against parliamentary church legisla-
tion, vi. 10.

Almsdeeds, what they are, VI. v. 6.

Ananias and Sapphira, their sin was
sacrilege, VII. xxiv. 17.

̓Ανάστασις, how it differs from 'Εξα-
váσraσis, V. lxviii. 17.

Andradius, leaves the peccability of the
blessed Virgin an open question, Answ.
13. his doctrine on the merits of
Christ, 14.

Angels, their obedience to the law given
them, I. iv. 1. desire to do good to men,
ibid. this understood by heathens, ibid.
their union amongst themselves, and
fellowship with men, iv. 2. fall of,
whence arising, iv. 3. fallen, how ho-
noured by heathens, I. iv. 3. their
knowledge, how different from that of
men, vi. 1. their rule, viii. 4. a corre-
spondence between the law of their
operations and the actions of men, xvi.
4. how shewn not to be equal in dig-
nity to Christ, II. vi. 1. a name given
to bishops, VII. v. 2. xi. 3. the letters
to them in Revelations prove inequality

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