SERM. III. INWARD WITNESS TO CHRISTIANITY. 51 christianity. Whenwe therefore shall be attacked with arguments to baffle our faith, and when the wind of false doctrine shall grow strong, and shall carry awaymany; how shall we be able to stand our ground, and hold fast our faith in Christ, if we have not this inward witness, the beginnings of eternal life? Therefore it is that so many christians waver and are led away, sometimes to this new doctrine, sometimes to another, because they feel so little of the efficacy and power of the gospel in their hearts, so very little of holiness and eternal life within them. Ifyou cannot argue for the gospel with Iearning, nor from experience, what will ye do in an hour of tempta- tion? For the most part, christians are too little bred up to those methods of knowledge, whereby they might be capable of giving large, and rational, and satisfac- tory answers to those that may set themselves to oppose the truth and progress of the gospel. What will you do in the darkness of such a temptation, when those that are learned and ingenious shall attack your faith,. and say, " Why do you believe in Jesus?" If you have. this answer ready at hand, " I have found the efficacy and power of the gospel on my heart;" this will be sufficient to answer all their cavils. It was one way whereby christianity was confirmed in the hearts of the martyrs of old, and whereby they wereenabled to bear up against all oppositions, because they found such a divine efficacy attending the gospel, such a new and heavenly life wrought in them, as enabled them to go through great hardships for the sake of Christ. But this leads me to, 4. The fourth remark, viz. If there be this inward evidence belonging to the gospel, and those that truly believe, then you have a strong encouragement to pro- fess christianity under the greatest persecutions. It will bearyou out, it carries its own evidence with it; christi- anity in the heart will give courage against temptation. Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, says the apostle Peter, for in such a fiery trial the gospel bath secured thousands; therefore, says St. Paul, though I meet with reproaches wheresoever I go, though bonds and imprisonments await me, and death itself, 4cts xx. 3. yet I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, Roan. i 16. for it is the power of God to salvation, to every
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