Owen - BS1450 130st 093 1669

164 Experience ofthe Saints, &c. Pt-al. i 30. than direr ed unto. But the i=3?W1j1p here, are the c7?bhp I» .r? nu? Pfal. 16.2. The Saints that are in the Earth whole experiences Job is directed to enquire into and afier: David makes it a great encouragement unto waiting upon God, as a God healingprayers, that others had done fo and found fuccefs, Pfal. '3 4. 6. This poor man cried unto the Lord, and the Lord heard hint, andPavedhim out of his troubles. If he did fo, and had that bltfïed Illue, why fhould not we do fo alto ? The experiences olone, are often propofid for the confirmation and cfiablithment of others : fo the fameDavid, Come faith he, and hear allye thatfear God, and I will declare what he bath done for my ful. He contents not himfelfto mind them of the Word, Promifes, and Providence of God, which he dothmolt fre- quently ; but he will give them the encouragement and fup- portment alto of his own Experience. So Paul tells us, that he was comforted ofGod in all his tribulation, that he might be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith he himfelf was comforted ofGod,2 Cor.i,4. That is,that he might be able to communicate unto them his own experience ofGods dealing with him, and the fatisfatJion ánd Affurancei that he found therein. So alto he propofeth the example of Gods dealing with him in the pardon of his fins, as a great motive unto others to' believe, i Tim. 1.13, t 4, 15, i 6. And this mutual communication of fatisfying experiences in the things ofGod, or of our fpiritual fenfe and evidence of the Power, Efficacy and Reality ofGospel Truths, being rightly managed, is of fingular ufe to all forts ofBelievers. So the faireGreat Apolfle acquaints us in his own Example , Rom. I. I r, 12. 1 long tofee you, that I may impart unto you foorre ffiiritual gift, to the endyoumay be effabliAed ; that is, that Imay be comforted to- getherwithyou by the mutual faithboth of you and me : He longed not only to beinfiruding of them in the pursuit of the work of the Minifry committed unto him, but to confer alto with them about their mutual faith, and what Experiences of the peace of God in Believing, they had attained. We have in our cafe called in the Teflimony of the Saints inHeaven, with whom thefe on earth do make up one fami- ly, even that onefamily in Heaven andEarth which is culled after the

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