Chap. 7· Seet.6 ----- ------------ J'j:,J 'jj.lO. t[a!. 41,5,12. prophane, civ,tl, typical Prie!Is, but ,-oya! Priefts? who are not Prielts only, nor I\ing• only} but botn Kmgs and Przcjh: A ~o~al prufthood, an holy r.atton, a pfcttlzarpeople, Jf we did once throughly know our pnvtledges, the grants of favour, the free acccfs the fingular acceptance we hove with God, in and through the Lord Jefus Chrill' l:ow might we keep down our feal·s, & our doubtings,& with fulleft eagerncfs embrac~ our God, our Chrill, our Promtfes? .1. Obfcrvc, and call to mind our former E.tpcricnces of Gods favour and love : J willrcme1nber (.faith David~ 1heyears of the right h,md of rhe mojf!Jtgh (i.e.) the years and times of my IJfc, whcrem1 had fweet expenenccs of Gods mercies and love: why, what of that?. he tells you, Becau[e tl101t hajfbccn my help, rher!forc ia the Jbadow oft1 1 y winss will I •·e;oyce. But of thts pomt m the !aft Chap. lJut JVhat ifafter all thcfc mcmts ufid, r:o Sttn appet!rs, OJ!r Evidences arc qaite loft, God j11fpmds all com{o·ns .? • In fech a cafe we rnull: endeavour to live above Evidences, by working the foul to clofe with, and depend upon an abfolutc promifc: To this purpofc it pleafeth the Father of Mercies, fometimcs to convince and perfwade the foul, that he will Jnpply ll'hat is !Wlntmg,heal back.;jlidir~gsfreely, lVork_both will and deedjilfly, whereby he full:ains the foul in life, and raifcth it up as it were from the grave of defpair & difmal diftrcfs. Thus David expected to receive his Ajfurance: when he cryed,WhJ art 'foott caft down,O my f un! ? ........ Hope th•u in God, for 1 Jha/1yet praife himfer the help •J his cotmtenana: And if at our firfl: converfion, when we had nothing but the offer of Free.grace to look upon , we cufl: our felves on God , why not now , when our Affimwccs wholly foil? SEG. T. 6. The E-z:ider.ccs of a weak._tmworthy fer-'Val'it ofChrift, laid do1vn according to the Rules afore-mentioned. T He life of all we have faid, is PraEfice: Hence I make bolJ to lay down the Evidences ofa poor creature, not worthy to be named,much lcfs to have his name written in the Book of Life. ----- 7 - He gives them thus : ......... wherein howfoever he fpeaks in the firll: perfon, as intending them for his own ufe; yet he dc/ires to correll: himfclfthcrein as Paul did, neverthelefs I ltve, yet not 1, b~tt Chrift hveth m mr. • On every evidence he de/ires this to be written·, and thus to be undcrirood, I live, )'et not 1. ] 1~ 17L· Tcxr ~''lll((i/:!/Tij! J'r.llni[.·J·. , Jchn 3 •. s. s 1 l'a 1. 23 2]cJm 1.11 1 (2 z. Pet 1· 3, 4 3GJl 2. 20 4 P{al r:. 9, 6, 7 5 Pful.I19·5> ~~a. 6' 2 Cor. 7· lfl 3 Tm:l 1 u:h l .4· 1·v~ te2. Tiu grACt'S to wbid.J Prrrnifes are mad~; or mJ p.1rticul.tr Euia'en.::a.l o[IIJI.:j~ gr('ces flu!iCnJ..of cxam;n'J, tb:!.f'!Yir._ Aft;:-;cts of f;ithfi;ft put forth upon Chrijl himfclf,and I· S" in rbe clofing with himimmcdiately',, as if I had no prefent or by· ~i:{t'[,~elf paftgrace to evtdence my bemgmhtm: I now bring m lxeceiving•f thcfe graces or workings of the fpirit of Chrij/ in me as 1b' Lords: handmaids to attend, and to witnefs to the truth of this Supper: adherence untoChrifl : which I call my Evidences. r . . Jl4y CopverfionJtom corruption to Chrzftianity, the time whereof ( I b!efs God) I remember. 2 . Afydefire andendeavour to rely on the Promif<s ofChrift, both for this l1fe and that to wme. 3. My Experience that I could aEf Faith, and lay hold,and rejf upon the promifes ofGod in divers cafes and conditions. 1 4... The chiefatm and bent of myheart,>vhi<hfor the main is I God-ward and Chrijl.ward. 5. My rcfpcrt to all Gods Commandments, dejiring that l coJJidgive np myfcif wholly to God to do all his wi'l. , 6. My renewed repenran<·r for my ofrm faili11gs, and fins J committed againft God. 7· }!.fy Wbichi.s fither by Argum!l!lf and ]11jaeucu f,-w: tbe rrortf. ,wJ wo,k.(f g·ace in th~ J;eart t QYh1 pref.!nce r.r.d mjbunc~, m41.,f<}ledbJ 4JJHuved1 impre§I'Jn ar.i i 1 ratft,iic 11 Mi-1J "'J f<•'·
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