Chap 7. Se&. r. ~~~~~~~~~!!tii~i~ ~ ~...:2.-...!!:.. ::X: -=-~..Jt. ::x- ..3t. ::::£.X C HAP. VII. SECT: i, Of the Nature of Evid.ences. DHe Scriptures iet out the wayes of difcovering things fpiritual, by fight and by talk, By taffe, Experience is meant ; and by light, Flith, and a}furanceoffaith u intended : Peter fpeaks of taj}ing that the Lord i; J 1 ;';·, ,'~/ graciou; ; and M ofcs byf aith f aw hiw which is invijible: D avid joynes 1'/•l. 34 ~ both together, 0 taffe and fee that the Lord isgood: Blejfed is the man that tmjleth in him. \Ve have done with taftin<!!;, the next is f eeing, which I call Ajfurance , or Evidence: Would we know what thefe Evidmces are? !look at them as inherent and habitual vbfcrvations ofthe Spirits aEfings in the Soul ; or as gracio11! a{/:s within us, declaring our intereftstopardon and fife, andyet fo I Jobn 2:3 "' they manif eft this onl,v by the lig ht ofthe Spint ; of which the beloved ApofHe fpeaks fo often, H ereby we k_now that we kziow him, if we ksep his Commandments, --We k.,now that we ht~ve pajfedfrom death unto life, becaufe we love the Brethren: --- By this.we ;~~n 3-J4· ltnow that ye lov ethe children of God, when ye love God and~ep his Commandmenu.-- .;,d 5 ', ~'3 'Thefe things havt I written unto yott that belitvc on the name ofthe Sonne ofGod, th"tye "'"Y k,nvw thaty ehave eternal lif e; and the ApolHe Paut, Now we ht<ve receivednot the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit whi,h is of God , that we might k_now the things that are I Cor-2 ni freely given to liS ofGod, · SECT. 2. Of thegathering ofE vidences. . { r. To gather them. .N Owfor E vidences, itisourduty 2. To keep them. . 3· Toimprovethem. I. Forthe gathering of them obferve we { I. Arig~t feafon. · · ' ) 2. The nght way. I. Seafons mufr be obferved; for when thick mifrs furround us, and black clouds ' cover us., we ea~not fo well judge either of our felves , or of our own 'toncernments . Ff 4 1. 77 , 2 , Dawd m de~ertton refufeth to be comforted; he fpilt all the cordials and phyfick that Jonao '· 8 , was brought htm , he was not only VOid ofcomfort , but refttfeth it : What r b, i11g me •At [ucl!alime promifes ( Will a Soul then fay) you may as well carry them to one in Hell ; Whm l are 1/>e proper dutJ thefe the ev•dences of God~ love ? I fee nofuch thing, here's nothing but fcruplcs,anddoubts, of • godiJ m•n, andflaws : 0 how apt IS fuch a one atfuch a •time to forfaks his own mercy , to take [. !{'~""' h·m· Satan~ part, ~o plead againfl: his ~\\In tit!': , his own'intereft, in the belt things he can t~e :::;rr,:P~; have mtercfl: m : Now therefore,1f we w1ll draw a Book of EvideNces, 1t IS good to ob- 7oU f•id, , fe.rve ttmes , and fuch precious opportunities of comforts and refrc1hings as GO'd (rhou: h lu (:jtl vouchfafeth unto us. meyer will£ , z, The right way mull: be obferved, and that conlilts- ~;f/f ~!m•) I. The precious promifcs of Chrifr. exigences coli-' ~ z. The inward graces unto which thofe promifes' ate' ed uponhi, · i · . made. foul ro ''•fl ill n eymg 3. Th.:: truth ofthofe graces_written in our hearts. . . ~~;:~"d;ai , 4- The tefl:1mony of the Spmt, IVttnejfing With oJtrfPmtr it,., norime th<ft we are the ~h.tdrcn of God. f or EvirlenmJ Z .x. We
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