Owen - BS1450 130st 093 1669

Ver.4. 7 h Eviúerzce that is, &c. 16 5 the name of the Father of our Lord f ejus Chrift, Eph. 3. II., r 5. And they all agree in their Teftimonie, as becomes the r'amily and Children of God. But thete below, we may deal perf.n.rl- with; whereas wegather the Witneß ofthe ocher, only from what is left upon record concerning: them. And for the clearing of this Evidence, fundry things are to be obferved, As, I. Men living cinder the profliion of Religion, and not experi- The Evi- encing thepower, venue, and efficacy of it in their hearts are, what- dente char ever they profeft, very near to Atheifm, or at leaft exp;fed to great '. Spiri- temtations thereunto. If the rofefs they know God, but nit `ua £xe- P y Y "once. works deny him, they are abominable, and difbcdient, and unto every good work reprobate, Tit. I. 16. Let fuch men lay afide Tradition and Cu(tome , let them give up themfelves to a free and a rational conlìderation of things, and they will quickly find that all their profegion is but a miferable felf- deccivi g ; and that indeed they believe not one word of the Religion which they profefs. For of what their Religioi-i affirms to be in themfelves, they find not any thing true or real. And what Reafon have they then to believe that the things which it fpeaks of that are without them, are one jot better ? If they have noExperience of what it affirms to be within them, what confidence can they have of the Reality of what it reveals to be without them ? John tells us, that he who faithbe leves G4+d whom he bath not fen, and doth not love his Brother whom he bathPeen, is alyar. Men who do not things of an equal con- cernment unto themwherein they may be tryed, are not to be believed in what they proftfs about greater things whereof no tryal can be had. So he that believes not, who experienceth not the power of that which the Religion he profeffeth affirms to be in him, if he fayes that he doth believe otRer things which he can have noExperience of, he is a lyar. For infance, he that profeffeth the Gofpel, avows that the death of Chrift doth crucifiefin, that faithpurifieth the heart, that the Holy Ghofi quickens and enables the foul unto duty; that God is good and gracious unto all that corne unto him ; that there is precious Communion to be obtained with him by Chrift ; Y 3 that

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