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…

First, the Word and ⟨p. 24⟩§1means of grace do work good, if it make thee more sensible of thy hardness and deadness, though happily it work not that good, and after the same manner that thou desirest, yet if it make thee see thy baseness, and hardness of heart, and dullness, in regard of that body of death which hangs upon thee; then the word works in the best manner, because it is after Gods manner, howsoever not after thine: That Physic works most kindly, that makes the party sick before it works; so it is with the Word; thou hast a proud heart, and liftest up thy self in thine own abilities, and ⟨p. 25⟩trustest in thine own strength, and thinkest that thy care and improvement of the means would work wonders; but now the Word works sweetly, when it makes thee apprehensive, that a wounded soul is the gift of God, not of man, nor of the means; and therefore the Word makes thee look to God for it, and to prize it when thou hast it; and the Word makes thee look to God to continue it; to feel deadness is life, and to feel hardness is softness; only remember this one Caution,¹ except there be some lust or distemper that thy heart hankers after, for then the ⟨p. 26⟩Word will harden thee, because thou hardenest thy self.

First, the Word and ⟨p. 24⟩§1meanes of grace doe work good, if it make thee more sensible of thy hardnesse and deadnesse, though happily it worke not that good, and after the same manner that thou desirest, yet if it make thee see thy basenesse, and hardnesse of heart, and dulnesse, in regard of that body of death which hangs upon thee; then the word workes in the best manner, because it is after Gods manner, howsoever not after thine: That Physick workes most kindly, that makes the party sick before it works; so it is with the Word; thou hast a proud heart, and liftest up thy selfe in thine owne abilities, and ⟨p. 25⟩