24 INWARD WITNESS TO CHRISTIANITY. years ; and as there have been multitudes of witnesses to the truth of it, multitudes of souls in the first, and all the succeeding ages, who have felt eternal life wrought in themby the power of thegospel, so there is noother religion ever since canproduce and shew such divine testimony ; for there is salvation in no other name; Acts iv. 12. The -only reflection I shall make, is this : We may derive hence a solid and infallible rule for self-examination, whether we are christians or no. Havewe in ourselves this divine witness of our christianity ? Have weeternallife wrought in our ownhearts ? Have we desired peace of conscience and any hope of pardoning graceby trusting in the Son ofGod ? Havewe found any satis- faction ofsoul in drawing near to God by Jesus the Mediator ? Dowe finda sincere love to God kindled in our souls by thehope ofhis special favour ? Isthereany`thing of theholiness or hap- piness of the heavenly state begun within us ? Have we an aver- sion to all sin in some degree answerable to what thesaints and angelshave inheaven ? Havewe a holycontempt of this world ? Havewe overcome the world asthose who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and have put their trust in him ? Do we live above it, as those that are within sight of eternal `blessedness ? Are we come to mount Sion, the city of the living God, to the innumerable company of angels, and the church of the first- born, &c. in this respect ? Dowe look down uponthe tempting vanities of this life with a sacred disdain, something like those that dwell on high in the full possession of life eternal ? Isthere any similitude between,our life and theirs, between our hearts and theirs ? Do wedelight in the worship of God ? Ishis pre- sence our joy ? Is his enjoymentthe object ofour desires ? Are we zealous for his service ? Are our aims set for his glory ? Are we active in the discharge ofthe duties that he hath ap- pointed to us, and the several provinces of service that he has ordained usto be,,engagedin, in this world ? Do we do the will of our heavenlyFather onearth, in somemeasure as it is done in heaven ? How stand our hearts affected toward our fellow- creatures ? Dowe love our neighbour, by dealing with him as we desire he should deal with us ? Can we forgive enemies ? Do we rejoice in the welfare of others without envy, and take delight in the holiness and peace of our fellow-crea- tures, and give the poor and mean followers of Christ, a large sharein cur hearts and kindestaffections ? If this be the character and temper of our spirits, and this the conduct of our lives, then -eternal life isbegun inus ; then we may say to our, own souls, This is the record that Godbath given concerninghis Son, that there is eternal life in him ; 1 John v, 11. and we are sure we build our hopeson a. solid foundation, for this life is already begun in ourhearts, and the Spirit of God, whohas begun thiswork, w ill . carry it on, and make it perfect in the days of eternity. Armen.
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