The poor doubting Christian drawn to Christ plainly shewing every poor sinner his estate he is in without Christ ... being very useful for every poor sinner to practice and make use of in these sinful, wicked, and backsliding times / by E.C.

THE Poor Doubting Chriſtian Drawn unto CHRIST.

THe great Deſign that the moſt Wiſe God Created Man for, was, that he (being Obedient) might be happy to all Eternity; But Man being no ſooner plac'd in that moſt Beautiful (and Fruitful) Garden of Eden, but (by the inſtigation of the Devil) he ſoon Rebell'd againſt his Creator, (in breaking the Command) and ſo Fell, and became wicked and ſinful in all his Poſterity (which was) That the Seed of the Woman ſhould break the Serpents Head; So that we being dead unto ſin, might live in Chriſt.

And the great Deſign of Chriſt comming (in he Fleſh) into the World, was to Draw poor Sinners unto him, that (thorough Faith) they might be Saved.

For whom did Criſt come into the world and for whom did he dye when he was come? Was it for the Righteous? ſuch néeded him not: It was for the poor Sinner that judges himſelf, that condemns himſelf, and he that cannot ſave himſelf. Paul ſaith, Chriſt Jeſus came into the world to ſave ſinners, of whom I am the chief, 1 Tim 1. 15: and Zech. 13. 1. There is a Fountain opened for ſin, and for uncleanneſs; that is, for all ſorts of ſins, and kind of ſinners: be their iniquities never ſo great and never ſo vile, there is a Fountain ſet open for them, come who will. There was never any ſaved or reeeived to mercy, that firſt oppoſed not the mercies of God and his grace in Chriſt.

What Scripture ever ſaid, that the greatneſs of mans ſin could hinder the greatneſs of Gods mercy? No Scripture ſaith ſo; we ſée David prayed to the contrary. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, and pardon my ſins, for they be great, Pſal 25. 11 Nay, God himſelf doth the quite contrary. Iſai. 43. 24. 25. Thou haſt made me ſerve with thy ſins, and wearied me with thine in quities, yet I am He that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for my Names ſake. When the Iews did fire God with their diſtempered manners, and burdened him with their ſinful courſes, then the Lord (for his own Name ſake) would not ſo much as remember their Iniquities againſt them.

Sins though they be never ſo hainous of themſelves, yet if the ſoul can ſée them. and the heart be burdened with them, they are ſo far from hindering the work of faith, and from making thée uncapable of mercy, that they fit thée the rather to go to Chriſt. The truth is (which I pray you take notice of,) it is not properly our unworthineſs, but our pride and haughtineſs that hinders us from comming to Chriſt; for we would fain have ſomething from our ſelves, and no • all from him but to the diſtreſſed ſoul, that ſées the vileneſs of his ſins; the Lord will not caſt thee away, if thou wilt come and ſéek him earneſtly, again, and again: The Lord ſaid to Judah, I have ſeen his ways, and will heal him, again, Thou haſt played the Harlot with many Lovers, yet turn again to me, ſaith the Lord. So then, there is no time paſt, if a Man have but a heart to returne There is no limitation of the riches of Gods frée grace, except the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt; therefore ſaith Chriſt, I ſtanding at the door and knock, Revel. 3. 20. Though he cry till he be hoarſe. and ſtand till he be weary, yet he ſtands ſtill: if any adulterous or deceitful wretch will open, Chriſt will come in, and bring in ſtore of comfort to him, and ſup with him.

Oh, all this is true, ſaith the poor ſoul, had I but a heart to mourn for my baſeneſs. Sée my ſins I do, but this is my miſery, I cannot be burdened with them; I have a heart that cannot break & mourn for diſhonoring God, and offending him ſo many ways, But I ſay.

This hurts not neither; provided that thy heart be weary of it ſelf, becauſe it cannot be weary of ſin. The Lord ſheweth mercy, becauſe he will ſhew mercy: It is not becauſe thou canſt pleaſe him, but becauſe mercy pleaſeth him. When did the Lord ſhew mercy unto Paul? but even when Paul did expreſs moſt malice againſt him? Saul, Saul, Why perſecuteſt thou me? He perſecutes Chriſt, and yet Chriſt pitties him, and ſhews him mercy: and ſo the churliſh Jaylor, when he was moſt oppoſite againſt the means of grace, the Lord even then ſhewed moſt comfortable upon him. He that (before) reſiſted the means of grace, was brought home by thoſe means that before he reſiſted.

Alas, (ſaith the poor Sinner (I never knew what it was to have the aſſurance of Gods love; I never received any evidence of Gods favour; and can I (then) think that I have Faith? they that Believe have their hearts filled with Ioy unſpeakable and glorious? the Scripture ſaith as much. But I am a Stranger to this Ioy; how then can I think that I have any work of Faith wrought in me?

I anſwer; When a poor Sinner sées his ſins, the number of them, that nature of them, the vileneſs of them, the curſedneſs of his ſoul, that he can take no reſt; he ſées no reſt in the creature, nor in himſelf. Though he pray all day, yet he cannot get the pardon of one ſin: the ſoul is out of any expectation of pardon, or power of mercy in any thing he hath or doth; Though all means, all helps, all Men and Angels ſhould joyn together, yet they cannot pardon one ſin of his. Now the LORD lifts up his voice, and ſays from Heaven, Thy ſins are pardonable. O the infiniteneſs of Gods power! though the guilt of ſin is powerful to condemn the ſoul; But when the infinite power of the Lord is conſidered, as able to over power all his ſins, this lifteth up the heart in ſome expectation that the Lord will ſhew mercy to a man; though it is a hard thing to hope, when the Soul is thus troubled.

Object. Can this heart be broke? can theſe ſins be pardoned? can this Soul be ſaved?

Anſ. God can pardon them. Never meaſure the power of God by that ſhallow conceit of thine. All things are poſſible to God, though not to men. And as it is ſaid of Abraham, He hoped above hope; he looked to the Lord that was able to do what he had promiſed: he conſidered not that he had a dead body, but that he had a living God to hope on. Iuſtice cannot be ſo ſevere to revenge thée, as mercy is gracious to do good unto thée. If thy ſins be ne'r ſo many, Gods Iuſtice ne'r ſo great; yet mercy is above all thy ſins. This may ſupport thy Soul; thy ſins are pardonable. There is no more power in God to ſhew mercy to thée, then power in ſin to deſtroy thée: The Lord Ieſus Chriſt came to ſeek, and to ſave that which was loſt: it was the ſcope of his coming.

Now ſaith the broken and humble ſinner, Did Chriſt come to ſave ſinners? my ſins are ſo many and great, can they be pardoned? Yet God ſays, Come to me all ye that are heavy laden. I am weary and unleſs the Lord intended good to me, Why did he invite me, and bid me come? Surely he means to ſhew mercy to me.

O take héed! Queſtion thy eſtate thou maiſt but to caſt away all hope, is very heinous in the eyes of the Lord, Caſt away all carnal confidence thou muſt, and yet thou muſt hope; Let Iſrael hope in the Lord; for in the Lord, &c Thou goeſt to the déep Dungeon of thy corruption and there thou ſaiſt: theſe ſins can never be pardoned. Is any thing too hard for the Lord? You wrong God exceedingly: you think it's a matter of humility, to count your ſelves ſo vile. Can God pardon ſuch a wretches ſin as mine: no, no, my ſins are greater than can be pardoned, ſaith the diſpairing Soul. Conſider how injurious this is to God, to make the power of ſin greater to condemn thée, than the power of God to ſave thee.

Sée now and conſider what deſperate danger Deſpair brings to a poor heart, and carries him beyond the reach of mercy. That's a ſwéet paſſage of Davids, Pſal. 77. 7. Will the Lord caſt me off for ever? I ſaid this was my infirmity: What, is mercy gone for ever? then is all my comfort gone: Therefore take héed of this, it takes off the edge of all our endeavours and Gods Ordinances that might do us good.

Therefore, let the ſoul in this caſe bear upon the Almightineſs of the Power of God, who ſaid to Abraham, I am God Al-ſufficient. For if thou be perſwaded of the Al-ſuffciency of God, that aſſurence cannot but ſtay thée from falling: and here remember that God can do more then thou canſt think. He is able, and doth the good, though thou knoweſt it not.

Meaſure not the riches of Gods love, and the ſwéetneſs of his ſaving grace according to your own conceits: nor do you think that becauſe you cannot preſently receive it, therefore God will not do it, for Iſaiah ſaith, Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, Iſa. 55. 7, 8, 9. that is, All you wicked ones, and you that have lived Lewdly, Return from your wicked ways and vain thoughts; and God will abundantly ſhew mercy.

Thou muſt in all things that concern thy Soul repair to the Scripture: ſo thou muſt conſider thine own uprightneſs by it, and ſée what work is in thy ſoul that is able to anſwer the Word, and to teſtifie that the work of grace is there. And here be ſure to take your ſoul at the beſt: do not always pore upon the worſt that is in it, nor upon thy failings, nor that, that can onely accuſe thée; but if thou find any thing there that may juſtly ſpeak for thée, neglect not that. It is an injuſtice for any Court to hear one ſide and not the other, The Scripture is a Text of Iuſtice, and the Lord doth not lie at catch with his Children, but takes them at the beſt: as Rom. 4. 22. it is there ſaid of Abraham that he believed the promiſe, and it was imputed to him for righteouſneſs Indéed, as in the 12. of Gen. he had ſome doubtings: but God took him at the beſt: and ſpeaks this of his faith. So Sarah is ſpoken of as a gracious Woman, and of a pattern for women, by calling her Huſband Lord; which was a ſign of reverence to her Husband; and an humble heart to the Lord, and yet we read that ſhe derided the Meſſuage of the Lord by the Angel: the Lord buries that, and onely ſpeaks of that which was to her commendation, Gen. 12. 12. and ſo took her at her beſt too: Now as the Lord dealt with theſe ſo ſhould we with our ſelves? what ſoever is found ſincere and upright in us, that ſhould we obſerve as well as that which is not ſo: So when men ſhall bring in ſo many Indictments againſt themſelves, and ſay, Oh what pride and ſtubborneſs is in my heart! Oh how weak am I, and dull, and dead, and backwardneſs to holy duties! O how careleſs of enioying Communion with God! How negligent in ſifting and trying my own heart, in watching over my ſenſes, and mourning in ſecret for my own failings! Though this were ſo, yet if men will ſée no more (and theſe too much) no marvel if they trouble their own houſe, or if Sathan by their own words Iudge them. To ſuch a one therefore I ſay, All that thou ſayeſt may be true; but art thou not troubled with theſe failings? and are they not the greateſt grief that thy ſoul hath? Yea ſaith the poor ſoul, I confeſs my heart is vexed, and my ſoul grieved for them; and I could be content to be any thing that I could be ſo.

Now labor to have thy Conſcience ſettled and ſtabliſh'd in the truth, which now thou haſt gotten to bear witneſs of the work of grace in thée. For if there be any want of the aſſurance of Gods love, For if our Conſcience condemn us not, then we have boldneſs towards God. We muſt ſtop the mouth of Conſcience; that is, be convinced and agrée, that it is a ſin to ſay, God hath not wrought this work of grace in the heart, when 'tis ſo clear he hath. For though ſenſe and féeling be as it ſometimes will be) gone, yet Conſcience remembers the day and year, when the ſinner had a clear evidence of Gods love, and therefore ſaith, Lord thou knoweſt it, and thou didſt ſay out of the Word at ſuch a time, that the heart of this poor ſoul was upright and ſincere before thée.

You muſt therefore wait vpon God, and the Spirit of God in the uſe of the means for this matter, by believing rightly to your aſſurance: For ſo the Text ſaith, To you it is given to believe; it muſt be given therefore: and Faith is the frée gift of God. It is God then that muſt do it; who yet will not do it without us, being reaſonable men and women in the power of willing. Again, the Lord affords us means; yet not ſo uſe them, and give him the ſlip. And here it is a good ſaying; let the Lord do what he will, and let us do what we ſhould. We muſt not think when wée have the means, that we can get Faith preſently: for, as Paul ſaith, The ſame power that raiſed up Jeſus from the dead, muſt make us able to believe, Eph. 1. 20. or elſe all the Angels in Heaven, and all the Miniſters on Earth, and all help that Men and Means can give us, will do us no good. Now the Means are of divers kinds: as, Hearing, and Prayer, and Sacraments, which are ye Conduits from which God communicats Faith,

Now Faith brings the Promiſes home to thée, and thou ſéeſt the ſufficiency of it, then all thou haſt to do is this, in the ſtream of ye Promiſe, be carried home to Chriſt, The Prodigal Luke 15. is ſaid to be like a loſt Sheep. Mark this, for it concerns you, The poor Shéep is wandring up and down; now in the mouth of the Lyon, and then in the Bryers, and ſometimes in the Pit: The Text ſaith, He leaveth ninty nine, to ſeek that. That is, in compariſon of what care he expreſſeth to the Loſt Shéep; He leaveth a man regenerate not carel ſly, but he will not expreſs ſo great love, as to a poor loſt man: And though thou canſt not find ye way to heaven, yet he will find it thée; lye thou upon the ſhoulders of Chriſt. When thou findeſt thy heart féeble and weak, and thy ſelf unable to beleive, then the Lord Ieſus Chriſt brings the Spirit of Grace, & that comes to ſéek, and Ieſus Chriſt layes that ſoul of thine upon his Soulders (that is upon ye richneſs & fréenſes of his Grace) Therefore let thy heart be tranſported by the Power of that Grace, & by the vertue of that Mercy that God hath made known to thée, for thy everlaſting good.

Therefore reſt thy ſelf upon this Promiſe, and ſay; Lord, in the vertue of that Grace, and in the power of that Spirit, carry me, and in the riches of that mercy of thine. Lord, convey the heart of this poor Sinner, and make me happy with thy ſelf for ever. Remember what Chriſt ſaith, Matth. 25. 34. Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prpared for you. Then no more tears, no more trouble, no more ſorrow, no more ſin; the day will come when ye ſhall have happineſs & joy, beyond all that the tongue of man can expreſs, or the heart conceive.

Though we are buffetted with many temptations, and waried with a world of corruptions, yet we ſhall be ſaved, ſaith Faith.

Remember what I ſpeak now; and labour to faſten this truth upon thy heart; that there is not only preſent good in thy ſelf, but in another, and reſerved by anther for thy comfort, and be thou content it ſhould be ſo, not only to look what thou haſt; but conſider that the greateſt part of thy glory, is in the glory of a Chriſt; and the greateſt part of thy wiſdom, is in the wiſdom of a Chriſt, and the greateſt part of thy liberty, in the liberty of a Chriſt; and thy riches, in the riches of a Chriſt: And know, what ever is in Chriſt, thou haſt it all as thine; John 3. 12. Behold what love the Father hath ſhewn to us, that we are now the Sons of God! I tell you Brethren, this is a marvelous priviledge, and if you had no more but this, you had a childs portion; but it appears not what we ſhall have, we have but a glimps now; what think you will the harveſt be? Now we have but the ſips of it, what ſhall then the full cups be, when we ſhall ſee Chriſt as he is, Thus did Moſes improve his eſtate, Heb. 11. 26. He bore all afflictions comfortably; yea, He eſteemed the rebukes of Chriſt greater riches then the treaſures of Egypt; Why? becauſe he had an eye to the Recompence, of Reward.

What Moſes did, do thou: Though thou haſt many corruptions; and many diſgraces caſt upon thée, though thou haſt little ſtrength, and art at a great loſs in point of comfort, yet there is enough in Heaven, enough in Chriſt, both of riches and comfort: Let thy ſoul then be careful to make all theſe preſent with thee for thine own good.

When the Husband man hath ſown his ground, and his fruit is ripe, and he hath reaped it, then he muſt gather in his Corn, that he may live upon it. So let us gather in the Promiſes when we ſée the beſt advantage; now let us take the gain and live by it, and that comfortably too, in the proof of Gods goodneſs therein. For this end I ſhall give you ſome directions, how to live in, and by faith.

Firſt, Thou ſéeſt what God is in the Promiſe; and thou expecteſt no more than God there. Then look upon that perticular good in the Promiſe, which thou ſtandeſt in néed of; eye that good in Chriſt, and then ſet Gods power and Faithfulneſs a work to bring that good, and his Wiſdom to continue it. That which thou ſéeſt and néedſt in the Promiſe, that the Power and Wiſdom of God may communicate to thy ſoul. This is the meaning of that place, Pſal, 37. 5. Commit thy ways unto the Lord; truſt in him, and he ſhall bring it to paſs. Root thy ſelf, and lay all thy occaſions upon the Lord: Therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Pet. 5. Hurl your care upon the Lord, for he careth for you. It is Gods proper office and work: he careth for thy ſoul, therefore lay it wholly upon him, and put over all thy care into his hands: and ſet his power and faithfulneſs a work. I ſpeak not this, that we ſhould take no care at all, but I ſay, hang all the weight and burden upon the Lord.

Secondly, By Faith go to the promiſe again for help and power to wait on God in that way, and to look towards God in the uſe of thoſe means, that he hath appointed for the attaining of that good, which his power will work for thée: God will certainly work it: and ſo thou muſt méet God in the courſe of his providence, in the improvement of the means he hath appointed for thy good: Obſerve thou this providence, and do thou what God requires: for otherwiſe we live not by Faith, but tempt God, and throw away the Promiſes and all, & deprive our ſelves of that good which God would beſtow: we not walking in that way which he hath appointed. Luke 24. 46. When our Saviour was to go to Heaven, he ſaid, Behold I ſend the promiſe of my Father among you: but tarry you in the City of Jeruſalem, until you be indued with power from above. Chriſt would indue them with the Spirit; but they muſt tarry at Jeruſalem, and wait for it: So I ſay. Wouldſt thou have Grace and the Spirit from above, and the wealth of the world, then walk in that way God hath appointed: ſtay at Jeruſalem, méet God in his providence, and then thou ſhalt receive from his power and faithfulneſs what thou néedeſt: thou wouldeſt have God bleſs thée in thine Eſtate, and yet thou wouldſt be idle and careleſs; but this will not do the déed: God would give thee a bleſſing, but thou art not prepared to take it? This is the excellency of the Promiſes of God; as they require conditions, before they beſtow mercies; ſo they make us able to be partakers of the conditions: As for example, Ezek. 36. the Lord in the former part of yt Chapter, promiſes to give them many things; but how? It muſt be by prayer, and humbling themſelves before him: he will give thée a family-bleſſing by prayer in it; and a bleſſing is private, by prayer in private; and ſtrength againſt ſin, and power againſt corruption: But I will be ſought unto for all theſe ſaith the Lord: Bleſſed is the man that walketh in his integrity, and his children after him. Therefore walk thou in the integrity of thine heart, that's the condition of a Chriſtian in general. This the Lord requires: And the Lord that requireth the conditions, will help us to perform the conditions: and the ſame Lord ſaith, I will be intreated and ſought too for all theſe. And Pſal. 10. 17. He prepareth their hearts to pray: Go thou therefore to God to help thée to pray, that he may beſtow his bleſſing upon thée, which he hath promiſed, Eze. 26, 27. He will firſt give them a new heart, then teach them to walk in his wayes. So if thou wilt walk in his ways, thou ſhalt have his bleſſings; therefore go thou (by Faith) to God for Strength and Grace, and then expects a Bleſſing from him.

Thirdly. We muſt believe that God will do it; ſo ſhall we receive in the ways of his providence, whatever he hath promiſed to give. This is the work of faith. Hannah wept ſore, and prayed to the Lord, and went away, & was no more ſorrowful 1 Sam. 1. 18. and ſhe ſaid, Lord, I believe that I ſhall either have a child, or that which is as good or better: now Hannah's buſineſs was done. But imagin the Lord delayes, and does not ſuddenly accompliſh what he intends, and thou haſt uſed means to receive, he gives not, nor ſends no ſuccour according to thy deſire.

Fourthly, Then Faith is to ſtay till it come; as thou believeſt, ſo it will be: We prevent Gods kindneſs, when we go away before he be willing to beſtow it on us. But Faith will not do ſo; he that believes does not make haſt away, but ſtays, and reſolves that it will come. The viſion is for an appointed time, Therefore wait for it. Perhaps thou art troubled with thy ſins, and haſt laboured by Faith to ſubdue them, and looks for deliverance, and yet it comes not: therefore ſtay till God ſées it fit, and it will come, Pſal. 123. 2. As the eyes of a ſervant look to the hands of his maſter, and the eyes of a maiden to her miſtreſs; ſo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, untill he have mercy upon us. It is not when I will, or according to my mind, but when the Lord pleaſes.

Fifthly, Yet perhaps the Lord ſéems ſometimes not only to delay his poore ſervants, and to withhold his favour; but he ſéems to frown, and ſay, he will not hear; and ſéems to be angry with the prayers of his ſervants, and as if he would not ſuccour or ſupply them. Thus he dealt with Jacob, Gen. 32. 26. there the Lord ſayes, Let me go, I care not what becomes of thée: But Jacob lays hold upon him, and would not let him go. So the laſt work of Faith is this: In a holy humility labour to contend with God, and by ſtrong hand overcome the Lord; for the Lord loves to be overcome thus; as it were, catch the Lord Ieſus & ſtrive with him; leave him not till thou haſt theſe comforts he hath promiſed, and thou haſt begged.

This is the glorious victory and triumph of Faith, that gives thée the day too, and yeilds himſelf conquered: As it was with Jacob, when God ſaw he could not prevail, verſe 28. Thy name ſhall no more be called Jacob, but Iſrael, becauſe thou haſt prevailed with God. God is ready to give what he hath promiſed: but he will have us try the maſtery with him; we by faith in God, overcome God: as James 2. 13: Mercy triumphs over Juſtice: You know what the Lord did to the woman of Canaon, when ſhe had ſtriven with Chriſt a great while, and would take no denial: at laſt he ſaith, O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee as thou wilt. Take what thou wilt, if thou wilt have life for thy child, and peace for thine own conſcience, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt, take it; for it is all thine. He, as it were, turns her looſe to all his treaſury. If ſhe had gone away at the firſt or ſecond denial, ſhe had found no help: but becauſe ſhe held out, ſhe had her hearts deſire. God would have us wreſtle with his Majeſty, that he may be overcome in mercy and goodneſs.

I might here have taken ſome of the moſt deſperate caſes that could be, that you might have ſéen what Faith would have done in midſt of the want of all Means, and in the greateſt extremity that would have befaln a poor Snner; but I paſs them all over. Now I beſéech you, conſider what hath béen ſaid: lay theſe things up by you; they will be an everlaſting Treaſury for you. Many people live poorly, and make a poor ſhift to go to heaven: but I would have a Chriſtian to learn to live ſo, and uſe the means; that they may get the ſap and ſwéet of the Promiſes, and ſo go ſinging, rejoycing, and triumphing up to Heaven.

To conclude, Thus we ſée the hinderances removed, and the means propounded: and that we may be moved, and perſwaded (for our ſouls ſake; for Ieſus Chriſts ſake) to ſeek after this bleſſed Grace of Faith in Chriſt, let us further conſider thus much, that if we once get this Grace, we get all other Graces with it; further, would you have the glory of God in ſight, and be more heavenly minded? then get it by the eye of Faith: look up to it in the face of Ieſus Chriſt, for there and there's only this viſion of the Glory of God to be ſéen, to your everlaſting Peace, and endleſs Comfort.

Courteous People, I deſire you (for Ieſus Chriſt's ſake) to buy this Book, and read it ſeriouſly, end meditate upon it, hopeing it will prove an everlaſting Treaſury, for your Souls good.

FINIS.