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

2. The Lord Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost; it was the Scope of his coming. Now saith the broken and humble Sinner, I am lost. Did Christ come to save Sinners? Then Christ must fail of his End, or I of my Comfort. God says, Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden: I am weary: Unless the Lord intended good to me, why did he invite me, and bid me come? Surely he means to show Mercy to me.

2. The Lord Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost; it was the Scope of his coming. Now saith the broken and humble Sinner, I am lost. Did Christ come to save Sinners? Then Christ must fail of his End, or I of my Comfort. God says, Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden: I am weary: Unless the Lord intended good to me, why did he invite me, and bid me come? Surely he means to shew Mercy to me.

(1.) Oh take heed of Despair. Question thy Estate thou mayest, thou must; but to cast away all Hope is very heinous in the Eyes of the Lord. Cast away all carnal Confidence thou must, and yet thou must hope. Let Israel hope in the Lord, for in the Lord, &c.

1. The Lord takes this very ill at our Hands. Thou goest to the deep Dungeon of thy Corruption, and there thou sayest these Sins can never be pardoned: I am still proud, and more stubborn: This Distress God seeth not, ⟨p. 30⟩God succoureth not, his Hand cannot reach, his Mercy cannot save. Now mark what the Prophet saith to such a perplexed Soul, Isaiah 40.27. Why sayest thou thy Way is hid from the Lord? The Lord saith, Why sayest thou so? The young Man shall faint and be weary; but they that wait on the Lord shall renew their Strength. Is any Thing too hard for the Lord? You wrong God exceedingly: You think its Matter of Humility, to count your self so vile. Can God pardon such a Wretches Sin as mine? Mark that Place of the Psalmist; they spake against the Lord, Can the Lord prepare a Table in the Wilderness? They spake not against themselves, but against the LORD. So we speak against God, and charge God himself. It is true, says the Soul, Manasseh was pardoned, Paul was converted, God's Saints have been received to Mercy; But can my Sin be pardoned? Can my Soul be quickened? No, no, my Sins are greater than can be pardoned, saith the despairing Soul. Consider how injurious this is to God, to make the Power of Sin greater to condemn thee, than the Power of God to save thee: To make the Power of Satan stronger to ruinate thee than the Power of God to relieve thee, and succour thee. And what can you say more? And what can you do more against the Lord? Is not this to make God an Underling to Satan, and to Sin? This is just as to say, The Almightiness of