THE Poor Doubting CHRISTIAN Drawn to CHRIST. Plainly showing every poor Sinner the miserableness of his Estate he is in, without Christ. With several sweet Motives to Draw us to Christ, Also comfortable Directions how to live by Faith, and so to attain unto Grace and Salvation. Being very useful for every poor Sinner to practice and make use of, in these sinful, wicked, and backsliding times. Isa. 55. 1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, drink of the waters of life; and he that hath no money, come, buy and eat freely. Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from before the foundation of the World, Mat. 25. 32. BY E. C. The 4th Impression.  
London, Printed for John Wright, at the Globe in Little-Brittain. 1669.   

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 placed in that most Beautiful (and Fruitful) Garden of Eden, but (by the instigation of the Devil) he soon Rebelled 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 Serpent's Head; So that we being dead unto sin, might live in Christ.  
And the great Design of Christ coming (in he Flesh) into the World, was to Draw poor Sinners unto him, that (through Faith) they might be Saved.  
For whom did Crist come into the world and for whom did he die when he was come? Was it for the Righteous? such needed 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 man's sin could hinder the greatness of God's mercy? No Scripture saith so; we see 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 jews did fire God with their distempered manners, and burdened him with their sinful courses, than the Lord (for his own Name sake) would not so much as remember their Iniquities against them.  
Sins though they be never so heinous of themselves, yet if the soul can see them. and the heart be burdened with them, they are so far from hindering the work of faith, and from making thee uncapable of mercy, that they fit thee 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 coming to Christ; for we would fain have something from ourselves, and no● all from him but to the distressed soul, that sees the vileness of his sins; the Lord will not cast thee away, if thou wilt come and seek 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 return There is no limitation of the riches of Gods free 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. See my sins I do, but this is my misery, I cannot be burdened with them; I have a heart that cannot break & mourn for dishonouring God, and offending him so many ways, But I say.  
This hurts not neither; provided that thy heart be weary of itself, because it cannot be weary of sin. The Lord showeth mercy, because he will show mercy: It is not because thou canst please him, but because mercy pleaseth him. When did the Lord show 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 pities him, and shows him mercy: and so the churlish Jailor, when he was most opposite against the means of grace, the Lord even then shown 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 God's love; I never received any evidence of God's favour; and can I (then) think that I have Faith? they that Believe have their hearts filled with joy unspeakable and glorious? the Scripture saith as much. But I am a Stranger to this joy; how then can I think that I have any work of Faith wrought in me?  
I answer; When a poor Sinner sees 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 sees 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 join 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 God's 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 show 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. justice's cannot be so severe to revenge thee, as mercy is gracious to do good unto thee. If thy sins be ne'er so many, God's justice ne'er 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 show mercy to thee, than power in sin to destroy thee: The Lord jesus 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 show mercy to me.  
O take heed! Question thy estate thou mayst 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 deep Dungeon of thy corruption and there thou sayest: 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 yourselves so vile. Can God pardon such a wretch's sin as mine: no, no, my sins are greater than can be pardoned, saith the despairing Soul. Consider how injurious this is to God, to make the power of sin greater to condemn thee, than the power of God to save thee.  
See now and consider what desperate danger Despair brings to a poor heart, and carries him beyond the reach of mercy. That's a sweet passage of david's, 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 heed 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 persuaded of the Al-suffciency of God, that assurence cannot but stay thee from falling: and here remember that God can do more than thou canst think. He is able, and doth the good, though thou knowest it not.  
Measure not the riches of God's 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 show mercy.  
Thou must in all things that concern thy Soul repair to the Scripture: so thou must consider thine own uprightness by it, and see what work is in thy soul that is able to answer the Word, and to testify that the work of grace is there. And here be sure to take your soul at the best: do not always poor upon the worst that is in it, nor upon thy failings, nor that, that can only accuse thee; but if thou find any thing there that may justly speak for thee, neglect not that. It is an injustice for any Court to hear one side and not the other, The Scripture is a Text of justice, 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 Indeed, 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 Message of the Lord by the Angel: the Lord buries that, and only 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 ourselves? 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 enjoying 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 see no more (and these too much) no marvel if they trouble their own house, or if Satan by their own words judge 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 labour to have thy Conscience settled and established in the truth, which now thou hast gotten to bear witness of the work of grace in thee. For if there be any want of the assurance of God's love, For if our Conscience condemn us not, than we have boldness towards God. We must stop the mouth of Conscience; that is, be convinced and agree, 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 feeling be as it sometimes will be) gone, yet Conscience remembers the day and year, when the sinner had a clear evidence of God's 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 thee.  
You must therefore wait upon 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 free 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 we 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 the Conduits from which God communicats Faith,  
Now Faith brings the Promises home to thee, and thou seest the sufficiency of it, than all thou hast to do is this, in the stream of the 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 Sheep is wand'ring up and down; now in the mouth of the Lion, and then in the Briers, 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 Sheep; 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 the way to heaven, yet he will find it thee; lie thou upon the shoulders of Christ. When thou findest thy heart feeble and weak, and thyself unable to believe, than the Lord jesus Christ brings the Spirit of Grace, & that comes to seek, and jesus Christ lays that soul of thine upon his Shoulders (that is upon the richness & fréenses of his Grace) Therefore let thy heart be transported by the Power of that Grace, & by the virtue of that Mercy that God hath made known to thee, for thy everlasting good.  
Therefore rest thyself upon this Promise, and say; Lord, in the virtue 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 thyself 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 buffeted 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 thyself, but in another, and reserved by another 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 shown to us, that we are now the Sons of God I tell you Brethren, this is a marvellous privilege, and if you had no more but this, you had a child's portion; but it appears not what we shall have, we have but a glimpse 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 than the treasures of Egypt; Why? because he had an eye to the Recompense, of Reward.  
What Moses did, do thou: Though thou hast many corruptions; and many disgraces cast upon thee, 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, than he must gather in his Corn, that he may live upon it. So let us gather in the Promises when we see the best advantage; now let us take the gain and live by it, and that comfortably too, in the proof of God's goodness therein. For this end I shall give you some directions, how to live in, and by faith.  
First, Thou seest what God is in the Promise; and thou expectest no more than God there. Then look upon that particular good in the Promise, which thou standest in need of; eye that good in Christ, and then set God's power and Faithfulness a work to bring that good, and his Wisdom to continue it. That which thou seest 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 thyself, 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 thee: God will certainly work it: and so thou must meet 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 ourselves 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 endued with power from above. Christ would endue 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, meet God in his providence, and then thou shalt receive from his power and faithfulness what thou needest: thou wouldst have God bless thee in thine Estate, and yet thou wouldst be idle and careless; but this will not do the deed: 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 that Chapter, promises to give them many things; but how? It must be by prayer, and humbling themselves before him: he will give thee 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 entreated and sought too for all these. And Psal. 10. 17. He prepareth their hearts to pray: Go thou therefore to God to help thee to pray, that he may bestow his blessing upon thee, which he hath promised, Eze. 26, 27. He will first give them a new heart, then teach them to walk in his ways. 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 imagine the Lord delays, 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 God's 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 haste 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 sees 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, until 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 seems sometimes not only to delay his poor servants, and to withhold his favour; but he seems to frown, and say, he will not hear; and seems to be angry with the prayers of his servants, and as if he would not secure or supply them. Thus he dealt with Jacob, Gen. 32. 26. there the Lord says, Let me go, I care not what becomes of thee: 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 jesus & 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 thee the day too, and yields 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 lose 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 seen what Faith would have done in midst of the want of all Means, and in the greatest extremity that would have befallen a poor Snner; but I pass them all over. Now I beseech you, consider what hath been 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 sweet of the Promises, and so go singing, rejoicing, and triumphing up to Heaven.  
To conclude, Thus we see the hindrances removed, and the means propounded: and that we may be moved, and persuaded (for our souls sake; for jesus Christ's 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 jesus Christ, for there and there's only this vision of the Glory of God to be seen, to your everlasting Peace, and endless Comfort.  
Courteous People, I desire you (for jesus Christ's sake) to buy this Book, and read it seriously, end meditate upon it, hoping it will prove an everlasting Treasury, for your Souls good.  
FINIS.