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

1.] How the Soul should get to the Promise: You see all is ready, the Way open, and Faith is fitted; there are three Rules to be observed, how the Soul may get to the Promise.

1. Throw off all Power and Ability in thy self. Nevertheless, saith the Apostle, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, Gal. 2.20. It is not I that live by any Power of my self, but CHRIST liveth in me. It was CHRIST'S quickening, reviving, and enabling, tho' he had Faith. I know, saith the Prophet, Jer. 10.23. that the Way of Man is not in himself, neither is it in Man to direct his own Steps. So do thou say, if ever thou wouldst have thy Heart fitted to go to the Promise; say, It is not here, LORD, it is not in this vain Mind, it is not in the Power of this dead Heart, or any Passage that ever I received, whereby I am able to believe in thee. I mean the Principle of Life is not here, the Root of Faith is in the Promise, and from thence it comes into the Soul. As it is with a Mariner, when the Ship is upon the Ground in the Ebb and low Water, he doth not expect to tug his Ship to the Shore by any Power of himself: So, It is not in my Wisdom that can direct me, and it is not in my Weapon that can defend; it is not this Humility that can bring my Soul down; It is not here, it is not I, LORD, that can rest, or go to a Promise; even all our Abilities are at a low Ebb: All that we are, or can do, is to empty our selves, and fit our selves, and get up the main Mast; that is, let the Soul be ready for a Promise, ⟨p. 114⟩and by Virtue of that be carried Heavenward, and Christ-ward. Take Notice of this in your own Souls, that the Heart would begin at home: If a Temptation come, the Heart of it self would overcome it; and if a Duty be to be done, the Heart of it self would perform it; and if Opposition come, the Heart of it self would resist it. O remember that a Man offers an injury against Reason, Sense, and Religion, and all. Now thy Faith begins to wrestle with him and his dealing; and Conscience checks, and thou wilt tear thy own Heart out of thine own Bosom. Brethren, this will not do it: When a Ship of an hundred Ton is upon the Ground, the Mariners may pull and tug their Hearts out, ere they make her go. Oh go then and say, It is not I that can be patient, and put up a Wrong, be quiet, expect it not from hence. Let the Heart lie still, till the Wind and Tide, and Promise come, and that will carry thee.