14 INWARD WITNESS TO CHRISTIANITY. [SERrI. ï1 come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall he able to separate us f from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus ourLord, Rom. viii. 38, &c. When a rational mind is awakened to see the emptiness of all creatures, and their insufficiency to make him happy, and finds nothing but the eternal love of God capable to make a creature trulyblessed ; howmiserably must that soul be tormented, that knows not whether God will love him or no, nor how this love may be at- tained; nor, when once attained, how long this love will continue? But he finds an answer to all these painful questions in the gospel of Christ : For the Father loves the Son infinitely, and loves all those that believe on him for his sake; they are for ever accepted in him who is first and for ever accepted ; and they are beloved in himwho is first and for ever beloved; Lph. i. 6. III. The happiness of eternal life consists in the plea- sure that arises from the regular operation of all our powers and passions. This was a great part of the hap- piness of the innocent man; his reason was the guide to all his meaner faculties, and his appetites, and his affec- tions, in a sweet harmony followed the conduct of his reason : And as his understanding and judgment put forth their regular dictates, so the meaner powers paid a ,constant obedience, and pursued their proper objects. There was no irregular anger to set his bloodon fire; no intemperate and corrupt wishes to vitiate his nature; to pollute his pleasures, and disturb his peace ; none of those tumults and hurricanes in his soul, which we so often feel in our fallen state, and lament them much of- tener than we can suppress them. And as the fancy and appetites of innocent Adam submitted to his reason, so, doubtless, if his Maker were pleased to reveal any sublimer truth to him, which his reason could not com- prehend, then reason itself submitted to that revelation, believed the wordof a speaking God, and resigned the throne to faith. His natural powers had no uneasy con- test, there was no civil war nor rebellion amongst then/ to interrupt his happiness. And thus it shall be again, but in a more glorious manner, when we are raised from all the ruins of our fallen state, and eternal life is made complete in heaven.
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