REASONS Against making USE of Marks and Evidences, In order to attain the Knowledge of our Interest in CHRIST. HEREBY perceive we the love of God, because he laid He that believeth on the fan of God, bath (v paplopiax) By WILLIAM CUDWORTH. With a Recommendatory Preface by Mr. EDWARD GODWIN. LONDON: Printed by J. HART, in Popping's-Court, Fleet- MDCCXLV. 1268 +26 (3) [3] TO THE SOCIETY AT THE TABERNACLE. Artillery-Court, May 14, 1745. My dear brethren and fifters, Would fimply write to you the cause of my recommending the following tract, which I believe will be much blefs'd to many, for fure it is given by the Spirit of the Lord, for our instruction in righteousness. As I was this morning croffing the streets, our dear brother, the author of this piece, faid to me, I have wrote fomething concerning MARKS and EVIDENCES, I would have you peruse it, and if you should approve of it, write a preface to it.' I received it with a full intent not to do fo, I mean not to be concern'd in the publication of it; but being to dine with a family that dearly love our Saviour, after dinner I took it out to read it as a treatife given me to perufe. I had not read far, before the whole family feem'd extreamly delighted with it, and thought it would affuredly be abundantly bless'd. I too extreamly pleas'd with the eafe, and yet Strength of the arguments, the great light, and A 2 yet yet candour of each page, the usefulness of the Subject, and the perfuafion I found of its being made an hereafter bleffing, readily confented to publish it. And I declare I have found in it things ftated fo clearly, as make me rejoice abundantly in an opportunity of fetting it forth before a people I fo dearly love. In it you have my opinion concerning the Free Salvation, Juftification, Sanctification, or our Perfection in the one everlasting righteousness CHRIST JESUS, which as it is fo fweetly exalted in this tract, I would detain you no longer, but intreat you meekly to receive what is written for the glory of our Saviour. That he may bless you daily with deeper views of his dying love; Is the prayer of your happy, tho' finful brother, E. GODWIN. SOME SOME REASONS Against making Us E of Marks and Evidences, &c. T is a common received opinion, that the fafeft way to apply Christ to our fouls for juftification, peace, and affurance, is by a discovery of inherent qualities wrought in us, and accordingly the general method of anfwering that important queftion, how may I KNOW my part in Chrift, is by laying down certain marks and characters of the children of God, as the proper evidences whereby it may certainly be discover'd. Tho' I am far from thinking that any, who perceive the love of God to their fouls, are deftitute of thofe marks and characters generally laid down, yet to make use of them for this purpofe, I apprehend to be quite wrong, for the following reafons: I. Becaufe finners have in the gospel a fufficient ground or warrant to come to Chrift, to receive him, to believe on him as their Saviour, without the leaft mark or evidence of any righteoufnefs or goodness in themfelves. Indeed if this was truly believ'd, it would make way for all that fhall follow; but whether it is believed or no, it is a truth, for, God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten fon, that whofoever believeth in him fhould not perish, but have everlasting life, John iii. 16. By giving, here, I understand a giving him in the word of that gofpel, which is to be preached unto every creature, that fo finners, as finners,. may warrantably receive or believe in him as their faviour: for the giving here, A 3 (that |