Thus […] for the rules to be followed, for ⟨image 13⟩th• getting of assurance, I would now add some Motives to persuade the Reader to seek after it, but I fear I should be too tedious, only let me tell thee, That assurance is a thing of incomparable worth, a thing which no man knoweth, but he that hath is, a thing that no man prizeth so much, as he that wants it; in a word, it is a thing of such incomparabl• worth, that a man cannot buy it at too dear a rate: Could a man but know its goodness, and taste its sweetness, he would think no labour too much to attain it, no sin too sweet to part with for it, no sufferings too much to preserve it, no care and industry too much to increase it; for it is (indeed) next grace, the most precious and delectable love token, that we can possible receive from Jesus Christ the Bridegroom of our souls, in his bodily absen•e. And if this will not persuade thee, Reader, to seek after it, I leave thee to him to persuade, who persuaded Japheth to dwell in the tents of Shem; what God hath bin pleased to impart unto •e on this Subject, I have committed to writing, more than this, I dare not do, for going out of my sphere, and less then this, I could not do, least I should be blamed of my Heavenly Father, for hiding my Talent in a napkin, and burying divine love in a dunghill; if ever this little draught of Evidence, which I penned for my own use, and hope to leave to my Children for theirs, should by any providence come abroad to public view, my desire and hope is. That this little draught of Evidence may (through Gods Blessing) be helpful to some of Christs Lambs, to some poor souls, which thirst after assurance on Scriptures-grounds, and in•ite others of profounder judgments, and greater abilities, to search ⟨image 13⟩th• Scriptures, by them to make discovery of the way to get this precious and invaluable Jewell of sound assurance. If thou findest any thing of God in the ensuing Evidence, or gettest any good by […] bless God for it, give him the glory of it: This is the desire of
Thus 〈…〉 for the rules to be followed, for ⟨image 13⟩th• getting of assurance, I would now add some Motives to perswade the Reader to seek after it, but I feare I should be too tedious, only let me tell thee, That assurance is a thing of incomparable worth, a thing which no man knoweth, but he that hath is, a thing that no man prizeth so much, as he that wants it; in a word, it is a thing of such incomparabl• worth, that a man cannot buy it at too deare a rate: Could a man but know its goodnesse, and taste its sweetnesse, he would think no labour too much to attain it, no sinne too sweet to part with for it, no sufferings too much to preserve it, no care and industry too much to increase it; for it is (indeed) next grace, the most precious and delectable love token, that we can possible receive from Iesus Christ the Bridegroom of our souls, in his bodily absen•e. And if this will not perswade thee, Reader, to seek after it, I leave thee to him to perswade, who perswaded Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem; what God hath bin pleased to impart unto •e on this Subject, I have commited to writing, more than this, I dare not do, for going out of my sphere, and lesse then this, I could not do, least I should be blamed of my H•avenly Father, for hiding my Talent in a napkin, and burying divine love in a dunghill; if ever this little draught of Evidence, which I penned for my own use, and hope to leave to my Children for theirs, should by any providence come abroad to publique view, my desire and hope is. That this little draught of Evidence may (through Gods Blessing) be helpfull to some of Christs Lambs, to some poor souls, which thirst after assurance on Scriptures-grounds, and in•ite others of profounder judgments, and greater abilities, to search ⟨image 13⟩th• Scriptures, by them to make discovery of the way to get this precious and invaluable Iewell of sound assurance. If thou findest any thing of God in the ensuing Evidence, or gettest any good by 〈…〉 bless God for it, give him the glory of it: This is the desire of
