The poor doubting Christian drawn to Christ. Wherein the main hindrances, which keep men…

Now when all is read, those Defects are corrected, and the Cause goes well, which had not been so, if that Bond or Deed, or other Instrument had been read to Halves, not thoroughly. So when Men shall bring in so many and main Indictments against themselves, and say, Oh what Pride and Stubbornness is in my Heart! Oh how weak am I, and dull, and dead, and backward to holy Duties; Oh 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 daily Failings! Tho' 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 an 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? Yes, 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 not be so. Now hear on this Side, and take the best. For as it is with a Man's Hand and the Staff, so it is here. I compare the Promise to a Staff: You know the back of a Man's Hand cannot ⟨p. 61⟩take hold of the Staff; but the Palm of his Hand can. So turn thou the right Side of thy Soul to the Promise, and then thou mayest take by it: But we take not by it, because we turn the back-side of our Hearts to the Promise: For then, the Soul saith, Oh my Stubbornness is great, and mine Inabilities grievous, and Corruptions many. But this is the wrong Side; which will ever hinder thee from taking hold of the Promise. But turn to the right Side, and then say, My Soul hates these, and my Soul is right-weary of them. Oh this is the right Side; turn to that, and thou art well. This for the first Rule.

Now when all is read, those Defects are corrected, and the Cause goes well, which had not been so, if that Bond or Deed, or other Instrument had been read to Halves, not thoroughly. So when Men shall bring in so many and main Indictments against themselves, and say, Oh what Pride and Stubbornness is in my Heart! Oh how weak am I, and dull, and dead, and backward to holy Duties; Oh 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 daily Failings! Tho' 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 an 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? Yes, 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 not be so. Now hear on this Side, and take the best. For as it is with a Man's Hand and the Staff, so it is here. I compare the Promise to a Staff: You know the back of a Man's Hand cannot