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CHAP. 6.
SECT. I. Of the nature of Evidences.
THe Scriptures set out the ways of discovering things spi∣ritual, by sight and by taste: By taste, Experience is meant; and by sight, faith, and assurance of faith is intended: Peter speaks of tasting that the Lord is gracious;* 1.1 and Moses by faith saw him which is invisible: David joyns both together, O taste and see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. We have done with tasting, the next is seeing, which I call Assurance, or Evidence: Would we know what these Evidences are? I look at them as inherent and habitual observa∣tions of the Spirits actings in the Soul; of which the beloved Apostle speaks so often, Hereby we know that we know him,* 1.2 if we keep his Commandments.—We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the Brethren:* 1.3 — By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his Commandments:—These things have I written unto you that be∣lieve on the name of the Son of God,* 1.4 that ye may know that ye have eternal life; and the Apostle Paul, Now we have received, not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
SECT 2. Of the gathering of Evidences.
NOw for Evidences (as Experiences) it is our duty
- 1. To gather them.
- 2. To improve them.
1. For the gathering of them, observe we
- 1. A right season.
- 2. The right way.
1. Seasons must be observed; for when thick mists surround us, and black clouds cover us, we cannot so well judge either