WRM. Ill INWARD WITNESS Tp CHRISTIANITY. 25 himself. There is a sweet serenity and calmness of spirit belongs to the souls of those in whom faith is lively and strong, even when they stand before God, though he be a. God. of terror . and vengeance to sinners ; for they know Jesus is their atonement, their introducer, their peace ; and therefore they love todraw near to him as a God reconciled, they rejoice in him as their highest leap- piness. _ Other. professions of men, .when they,hbandoned sen- sual pleasures, and the vanities of this world, yet taught them that their happiness must flow from themselves, and. made their own .virtues their heaven, without any regard to God. These philosophers were self-sufficient, full of themselves; and they were so far from making their rivers of pleasure to flow from the right-hand of God, that they even:denied their.dependance upon respect; and they supposed their wise men to be equal with God, deriving . all their blessedness from within themselves. But christianity leads the soul out of itself. to God, as it gives a clearer-and larger know- ledge., of God himself, in his felicitating perfections, than the heathens could ever attain; it assures us, that beingnear to God is our-heaven, and the sight of him is our happiness, as well as provides a new and living way of access to him,. through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ : therefore the believer rejoices in all op- portunities of drawing near' to God, for it is the begin- ning .o.fhis. heaven, and his delight in it is an inward,and powerful witness to the truth of his religion. . IV. Zeal and activity for. the service of God, is an- ether. part .of.heaven, another part of eternal life, and the holiness ofit. We have abundant reason to believe that heaven is not a state of mere enjoyment, unactive and idle; buta state of service and activity for that Goa whosewe are, and fromwhom we have received infinite favours. The angels in heaven are swift messengers to perform the will of . their God, Ps. ciii. 20;: 21.. The spirits. of just men made perfect are like angels. They do the. will of God as a.- pattern for us onearth;, forwe are taught to pray; that his will may be done on earth . as it is heaven. What particular. services they,are em- ployed in of God,. we know. not; but that they are for
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