20 INWARD WITNESS TO CHRISTIANITY. with acceptance; since by hisflesh and incarnation, he has made a way for us to come into the presence of God with satisfaction and pleasure, therefore let us draw near and worshiphim. The influ- ence of this argument has been found by christians, by every christian ; for there is not one thathath believed in Christ, buthas had thiswitness in himself. There is a sweet serenity and calm- nessof spirit belongs to the souls of those inwhom faith is lively andstrong, even when they stand beforeGod, though he be a God of terrorand vengeance to sinners : for they know Jesus is their atonement,their introducer, their peace; and therefore they love to draw near to him as a God reconciled, they rejoice in him as their highest happiness. Other professions of men, when they abandoned sensual pleasures, and the vanities of this world, yet taught them thattheir 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 him in this respect; and they supposed their wisemen tobe equal with God, deriving all their'blessednessfrom within themselves. But chris- tianity leads thesoul out ofitself to God, as it gives a clearerand larger knowledge of God himself, in his felicitating perfections, than theheathens could ever attain; it assures us, that being near 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 JesusChrist : therefore the believer rejoicesin all opportunities of drawing near to God, for it is the beginning of his heaven, and his delight in it is an inward and powerfulwitness to the truthof his religion. IV. Zeal andactivity for the service of God, is another part of heaven, another part of eternal life, and the holiness of it. Wehave abundant reason to believe that heaven is not a state of mere enjoyment, unactive and idle ; but a state of service and activity for that God whose we are, and from whom we have receivedinfinite favours. The angels in heaven are swift messen- gers to perform the will of their God; Ps. viii. 20, 21. The spiritsof just menmadeperfect are like angels. Theydo thewill of Godas apattern forus onearth ; for we are taught to pray, that his will may bedone on earth as it is in heaven. What particular servicesthey areemployed in of God, we know not ; butthat they are for ever zealous in those services which God employs them in, we doubt not, we cannot disbelieve. And this active zeal in the service of God, and pursuit of his glory, is the very temper and practice of the true christian; and that not only in some more important enterprizes, butin thecommon actions of life : Whether
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