A72375:104
The poor doubting christian drawn to Christ· Wherein the main lets and hindrances which…The poore doubting christian drawne to Christ· Wherein the maine letts and hindrances vvhich…
The poor doubting christian drawn to Christ· Wherein the main lets and hindrances which keep men from coming to Christ are discovered. With special helps to recover Gods favour.The poore doubting christian drawne to Christ· Wherein the maine letts and hindrances vvhich keepe men from comming to Christ are discovered. With speciall helps to recover Gods favour.
London: printed by M. Flescher for R. Dawlman and L. Fawn, 1636
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Means to obtain an interest in the Promises.
Meanes to obtaine an interest in the Promises.
Now I will show you some means whereby a man may so improve his time, that at last he may obtain this blessed estate; which are four; but before I do begin with them, you must be advertised of thus much, that we may use the means, but there is no means under heaven alone will do it, yet you must wait upon God in the use of the means, for it is not the means that will work faith, but the Spirit of God in the use of the means; and therefore the Text saith, ⟨p. 120⟩To you it is given to believe, for faith is the free gift of God; it is God that must do it, and yet he will not do it without us, because we are reasonable men and women. The Lord affords us means, and therefore we are to wait upon him in the use of those means; let the Lord do what he will, and let us do what we should: we must not think when we have the means then 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, 1or else all the Angels in heaven, and all the Ministers on earth, and all the help that men ⟨p. 121⟩and means can do thee, will do thee no good: the means are divers, as hearing and prayer, which are the Conduits whereby God communicates faith; but I let those pass, and only fasten upon those which are needful for feeble Christians to bring them into this blessed state, and those are these.
Now I will shew you some meanes whereby a man may so improve his time, that at last hee may obtaine this blessed estate; which are foure; but before I do begin with them, you must be advertised of thus much, that wee may use the meanes, but there is no meanes under heaven alone will doe it, yet you must wait upon God in the use of the meanes, for it is not the meanes that will worke faith, but the Spirit of God in the use of the meanes; and therefore the Text saith,