Ver+ in spiritual Experience, 167 things that are without them, are ofno other nature, and fo re- jed them ajltogether. You will fay then, What (hall a man do who cannot find or obta:ca an experience in himje/f of what is affirmed in the Word ? he cannot find the deathof Chrift crucifying fin in him , and he cannot find the Holy Ghott fanaifying his nature, or ob- tain joy in believing. What (hall he then do ? Shall he not believe, or profefs thofe things to be fo , becaufe he cannot obtaine a bleffed Experience of them ? I anfwer, Our Saviour hath perfectly given dire6ion in this cafe, John 7, i7. If any manwill do his will he fhall know of the dctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I fJeal¿, of my Pelf. Continue in following after the things revealed in the Doctrine of the Gofpel, and you (hall have a fatisfa&tory experience that they are true, and that they are ofGod ; ceafe not to a6 faith on them and you (hall find their effeâs ; fir then all r 'e know, ifwe follow on to know the Lord, Hofeah 6. 3. Experience will enfue upon per- manency in faith and obedience. Yea, the firft AE} of fincere be- lieving, will be accompanied with fuch a tafte, will give the foul fò much experience aF to produce a firm adherence unto the things believed. And this is the way to prove, what is that good and acceptable andperfea Will of God, which is re- vealed unto us, Rom. 12.2. 2. Where there is an inward fpiritual Experience of the power, reality and efficacy of any fupernatural truth ; It gives great fa- tisfaUion, ftability andAffurance unto the foul. It puts the foul out of danger, or fufpicion of being deceived ; and gives it to have the Teflimony of God in it felf. So the Apotile tells us, He that believethon the Son of God loath the witneß in him - felf, i John 5. . He had difcourfed of the manifold teftimony. that is given in Heaven by all the holy Perfns of the Trinity, and on earth by Grace and Ordinances, unto the forgivenefof fin, and eternal life to be obtained by Jefus Chrill. And this Record is true, firm, and Liable,. an abidingfoundation for fouls to re(} upon, that will never deceive them. But yet all this while it is without us ; It is that which we have no Experience of in our (elves : Only we reti upon it, becaufe of theAutho rity and faithfulnets of them that give it. But now he that ac`ualiy
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