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

Now the Matter of our Faith, is the whole Word of GOD. As it is with the Bee in gathering Honey: As the Spider gathers Poison out of every Flower; so the Bee gathers Honey out of the same Flower, and out of the sweetest Flower she sucks the most Honey. Oh the Word of GOD, how full of sweet Flowers is it! There is the sharpest Terrors, and the fearfullest Plagues too: A gracious Heart will gather Sweetness out of both of these. But above all, the Sweet of the Promises of the Gospel, the sap and sweet therein, and the Blood of the LORD JESUS CHRIST that is communicated thereby: Oh the faithful Soul sucks most there. Now that we may provide Matter for our Faith, observe these Rules, which are commonly observed in all Provisions.

First, That they provide and lay in, in season, timely, as soon as they can: This is the Practice of him that would husband his Estate wisely; his care is to buy at the best hand: So I would have a good Christian to store up all the Promises of GOD, in all the good Word of GOD seasonably: I mean when all thy Parts and Abilities are strong, and Nature is able to sight it out; and while the fair day of GOD'S Favour lasteth; and while the Word and Sacraments are dispensed; this is the best time to lay in spiritual Provisions, that we may not want them, when we have use of them. It is a marvellous strange and preposterous course ⟨p. 101⟩when a Man is weak, his Eyes dim, and his Heart and Strength faileth, and even ready to give up the Ghost; then to lay in Grace and Provision of Mercy; and then for him who hath hated the Ministers, and loathed the Means of Grace, and abused the Patience and Long-suffering of God; Oh then to have a Minister come to him, and have a Promise in the day of Persecution; then for a Man to bethink himself of the Promises and Comforts of the Gospel; when a Man should spend on the Promises, then to be getting of them; this is ill husbandry. The better way is this, to be buying and getting in at every turn: And this is the reason why our SAVIOUR saith, Luke 19.42. O if thou hadst known, in this thy Day, the Things that belong unto thy Peace! While the Word, and thy Life, and the Sabbaths, and the Ordinances last; this is thy Day; we know not how soon the LORD may take all from us. Oh the Estate of the poor Palatinates! if it be true we hear of them, they have lost all the Means of Grace, and they have Idolatry now amongst them, and their Enemies force them to go to Mass against their Consciences; and they cannot see a good Minister, nor a good Christian, but they weep to consider the times they once had. Therefore let us labour to be wise in the Lord, now while the Fair is; and consider how GOD deals with his Children: