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INWARD WITNESS TO
CHRISTIANITY.
[SEEM.
III..
by
the
ministration
of
this gospel.
The
sum,
and
sense,
and
substance
of
this divine doctrine,
communicated to
the
nations
in
various
forms
of
speech, and
in
different
phrases, made
à divine impression on
their
minds, being
attended
by
the power
of
the
blessed
Spirit
;
and
while
it
stamped
its own
sacred
image on
their
souls,
it
transformed their natures into
holy
and
,heavenly,
and
created
so
many
new witnesses
to the
truth of
the
gospel,
for
it
begun
eternal
life in
them.
Consider
then, christians,
and
be convinced,
that
the
gospel has
a
more noble inward witness belonging to
it, than
is
derived from ink
and*
paper,
from
precise
letters
and syllables: And though
God, in
his
great
wisdom
and
goodness,
saw
it
necessary
that
the New
'Testament should
be
written,
to
preserve these
holy
doctrines uncorrupted through
all
ages;
and,
though he
was
pleased to
appoint
the
written
word to be
the inva-
riable and authentic rule
of
our faith and practice, and
make,
it
a
glorious
instrument
of
instructing ministers
and people
to
salvation in
all these
later
times
:
Yet
Christianity has
a
secret
witness
in
the
hearts
of
believers,
that
does
not
depend
on
their
knowledge and
proof of
the authority of
the scriptures,
nor of
any
of
the con
-
troversies
that
in
late
ages have
attended
the several
manuscript
copies,
and different
readings
and
transla-
tions
of
the bible.
Now
this
is
of
admirable
use
and importance
in the
christian
life,
upon several accounts
:
As,
1.
If
we
consider
how
few
poor unlearned christians
there
are,
who
are capable of taking
in the
arguments
which
are
necessary to prove
the
divine
authority of
the
sacred
writings
;
and
few,
even among
the learned,
can
well
adjust
and
determine
many
of
the
dit;érentreadings,
or
different translations
of particular
scriptures. Now
a
wisechristian does
not
build
his
faith
and hope merely
upon
any one
or
two single texts,
but
upon
the gene-
ral
scope,
sum,
and substance
of
the
gospel,
the
great
doctrines
of
the satisfaction for
sin,
by the
blood
of
Christ, and
the renewal
of our
corrupt
natures
by
the
Holy
Spirit,
the
necessity
of
faith
in
Christ,
repentance
of
sin,
and sincere
holiness, in
order
to salvation
and
heavenly glory; and
by
these
he
feels
a spiritual
life
of
peace
and
piety begun
in
him:
And
here
lies
his
evidence