By Thomas Hooker
Besides these, there are other kinds of hindrances which do not indeed deprive a man of title and interest to eternal happiness, but make the way tedious and uncomfortable, so that he cannot come to Christ so readily as he desires and longs to do: the ground whereof is this; when men, out of carnal reason, contrive another way to come to Christ than ever he ordained or revealed; when we set up our standards by God’s standard, or our threshold by his, (Ezekiel 43:8) and out of our own imagination, make another state of believing than ever Christ required or ordained.
No marvel that we come short of him: for thus we put rubs, and bars in our way: we manacle our hands, and fetter our feet, and then say that we cannot take, nor go. Thus it is with you poor Christians, and the fault is your own.
Mercy Triumphs! 