38 INWARD WITNESS TO CInaISTIANITY. the promises, the precepts, and the threatenings of this book And thence they are wont to infer, that the God of truth would not attend a book, which was riot agreeable to his mind, with such glorious instances of his own power and grace. Though it must be stillconfessed, that this argument is much stronger, and the evidence brighter for the general truth of Christianity, than it can possibly be for the sacred authority of any one verse or ehapter of the New Testament. I have dweltthe longer on this sixth property of the inward witness, because I think it of great importance in our age, which has taken so many steps towards heathenism and infidelity : for this argument or evidence will defend a christian in the profes- sion of the true religion, though he may not have skill enough to defend his bible. [This sermon may be divided here, if it be too long.] VII. This is an universal witness to the truthof the gospel; for it belongs to everytrue Christian. The weak, as well as the strong, enjoy this inward evidence in some measure and degree, This is an argument of some force and conviction to him, who is but young in grace and knowledge, as well as to him that has madehigh advances in the faith, and is grown up to the stature of man in Christ. Though itmust be acknowledged that where faith and love, holiness and peace are weak, the evidence of this testimony is weak also ; yet it may sometimes stand firm and strong, and shine bright in those christians, whose intellectual powers are but mean and low. Some persons pf great holiness, may have but little natural parts, poor understandings, a mean education, and can scarce give any clear rational account of the things of this world, or of that which is to come ; and these enjoy a great degree of this inwardwitness to the truth of Chris_ tianity, that a divine life is begun in them, and that the gospel has effectually:wrought in them a new nature; those great and precious promises of thegospel having made thempartakers o the divinenature, they'are sure thosepromisesmust be divine, 2 Pet. i. 4. and 1 Cor. i. 22, 23. Not many wise, not many mighty, not manynoble are called; but Godhath chosen.thepoor, and the weak, and foolish things of this world, to confound the wise and the 'mighty: Noryet bath hechosen, or called one of them, without giving them a sufficient witness to the truth of that gospel, by and to which they are called. Though they cannot arguefor the doctrine of Christ, yet they find Christ dwelling within them the hope ofglory ; .Col. i. 27. They find the characters of Christ copied out in their hearts, and the life of Christ insome measure, transcribed in their lives. They find something of sacred influ- ence from the gospel of Christ, which no other doctrines can pretend to'; theréfore though they cannot give a rational account,
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