divine graving, that no created power can counterfeit it; and when the
Spirit of God has stamped this gospel on the soul, there are so many
holy and happy lines drawn or impressed thereby; so many sacred
signatures and divine features stamped on the mind, that gives certain
evidence both of a heavenly signet, and a heavenly operator.
A christian, who has well studied the doctrines and proofs of
christianity, can give sufficient reasons for the truth of them, and for
his believing them. He finds what is sufficiently satisfactory, to
confirm his belief in the outward testimonies, in the miracles wrought
in the world, and the prophecies fulfilled: I have (says he) in my
understanding many arguments and evidences of the truth of the gospel,
and my reason is convinced that it is a divine religion. But there is a
miracle wrought in my heart that is of more efficacy than this, and is
to me a more convincing proof of the gospel of Christ; eternal life is
begun in me. I find my conscience, that was disturbed with the guilt of
sin, established in peace, upon solid hopes of pardon. I have an
interest in the love of God, and lively sensations of that love; I have
a hatred of all sin, I live above the world, and have a holy contempt of
the trifles, businesses, and cares of this life: I delight in the
company of him that dwells in heaven: I find in my soul that I love him,
and love those who are like him; I walk, as seeing him, who is
invisible; I have a zeal for his glory, and with active diligence I am
employed for the honour of his name in the world. These things I find
wrought in me by the gospel of Christ: The discoveries of the nature and
works of God, by his gospel, have filled my soul with holy wonder, and
bowed my spirit down to adore him. The revelations of his amazing
condescension and love, have raised and fired my heart to love him; the
examples of superlative piety I meet with in this gospel, have excited
my holy imitation; and the motives proposed here, are so awful and so
alluring, that all my powers of hope and fear are joined and engaged to
constrain my obedience to the excellent and divine precepts of this
religion. I feel that I am quite altered from what once I was, I am a
new creature, and the change is divine and heavenly.—There is something
within me, that bears witness, that my religion is from God.
II. It is a witness that will, in some measure, appear in the life,
wheresoever it is written in the heart: For eternal life is an active
principle, it will be discovering and exercising itself. Is it possible,
that a man should have the pardon of his sins, and sweet peace of
conscience, a sense of the love of God, who is an infinite good, a
joyful satisfaction in his heavenly favour, and manifest nothing of this
in his aspect and behaviour? That he should shew no serenity of
countenance, no sweetness of temper, no inward joy; Is it possible that
he should have an utter aversion to sin, a hatred of all iniquity in his
heart, and not make it appear in his life? That he should maintain a
holy contempt of this world, and scorn of it, in comparison of the
future glories that his eye is fixed upon, so warm a zeal for God, and
so hearty a love to men, and not manifest it to the world? Surely his
life will be above, where his heart is; and his heart will be in heaven,
where his treasures are. _Our conversation is in heaven, says the
blessed Paul, under the influence of this religion and these hopes_;
Phil. iii. 20, 21.
It is true indeed, this is a testimony that cannot be communicated to
others, in the same measure and manner that it is felt by the persons
that believe. In this respect it is like the hidden manna, which none
knows but that they taste of it; yet those that feed upon it daily, will
discover it in some outward appearances; as you read of Jonathan, in the
day when he was faint in pursuing his enemies, he tasted of the honey,
and his eyes were enlightened; 1 Sam. xiv. 27. Just so will it be with
the soul that hath tasted of the gospel of Christ, this food of eternal
life; he will discover it in his language, in his behaviour; and it is a
shame to those that profess to be believers, that in all things they
look so much like the men of this world, and do not discover it in their
lives, and witness what they have in their hearts, even the beginning of
eternal life: If we are the epistle of Christ, we shall be, in some
measure, known and read of all men; 2 Cor. iii. 2, 3. Christianity in
the soul, eternal life begun in the heart, will be like the sweet
ointment of the right-hand, that bewrays itself, and cannot be hid;
Prov. xxvii. 16. Ye christians, ye are the light of the earth, ye
believers are the salt of the world; ye must not appear like others if
you would be like yourselves; the honour of God your Saviour demands
some sensible and important difference. Ye must not be too much like the
world, if ye mean to give glory or evidence to the religion of Christ;
John xv. 19. Rom. xii. 2.
III. Though this inward evidence of the truth of christianity be of a
spiritual nature, and spring from pious experience, yet it is a very
rational evidence also, and may be made out and justified to the
strictest reason. It is no vain, fanciful, and enthusiastic business;
for while every believer feels the argument working strong in his heart
and soul, he finds also the convincing force of it upon his
understanding: While he feels his inward powers sweetly inclined to
virtue and holiness, which by nature had strong inclination to
sensuality and sin, and knows that this was wrought in him purely by the
gospel of Christ; he cannot but infer, that must be a divine principle
which has such divine effects. He knows that he was once blind and dead
in trespasses and sins, but now he is awake, and alive to God and to
righteousness: he is born again, he dwells, as it were, in a new world,
there is a mighty and surprizing change past upon him, even from death
to life; and thence he concludes, by the justest rules of reasoning,
that it must be a doctrine of divine wisdom and power, that gave him
this blessed resurrection: It is above and beyond nature, it is a
miracle of grace, and none but God could work it.
And this is what I call the inward witness of the Spirit of God to the
truth of the gospel, at least in these latter ages of christianity. The
outward and more visible testimony of the spirit consists in those
sensible miracles that were wrought, and those wondrous gifts of
healing; of tongues, &c. that were bestowed on the first christians;
Heb. ii. 4. Rom. xv. 19. But the Spirit’s inward testimony is the
constant miracle of regeneration and converting grace. This witness, in
my opinion, has been dishonoured by too many protestants, when they have
explained it merely by inward impulses, and vehement impressions upon
the mind, without the conduct of reason. This has tempted the profane
world to call our devout efforts of christian piety mere enthusiasm and
wild imagination, the flashes of a kindled blood and vapours, that are
puffed about with every wind: But when the testimony of the spirit is
explained in the manner I have described, it must approve itself to all
the sober and reasonable part of mankind.
Here let us stand still and consider, how great and divine a power was
necessary to make this mighty change on the heart of a poor, ignorant,
guilty, sinful creature, and establish him a saint in peace and purity.
It is not every one that hears this same gospel, that obtains the same
salvation, and that feels the same glorious change; and many a true
christian must confess, how long they sat under the same ministry and
instructions before their hearts were brought to love God, or renewed to
an heavenly life; Thus their experience teaches them, there was an
Almighty virtue and efficacy at last attended this gospel, which made it
more powerful in one day, or week, or month, than it had been in whole
years before. There was a quickening spirit, that accompanied the voice
of the word, and gave them life, while the word called them to arise
from the dead. And this is yet more gloriously evident, when such
changes have been wrought on sinners in an hour or two: They went to
hear the gospel, poor, lame, blind, senseless and thoughtless of God and
eternity; and they were awakened, convinced of sin and of righteousness;
they learnt their ruin and their recovery at once, through the atonement
and grace of Christ: The poor came home enriched with various graces:
the blind see wonders, and the lame return leaping and rejoicing in the
hope of glory. This gives plain proof of a divine doctrine, and a divine
attending spirit and power.
It is the blessed Spirit of God, who dictated these divine truths of the
gospel, that accompanies them with his own power to the minds and
consciences of those who hear the gospel preached, and by his own power
works this glorious change in the hearts and lives of sinners: It is
through the sanctification of the spirit, and the belief of the truth,
that sinners are called by the gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of
our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 Thess. ii. 13, 14. It is by the preaching of
this gospel, attended with this spirit, that the fornicators and
adulterers become chaste, the thieves and extortioners are made honest
and just, the covetous earth-worms become heavenly-minded, the drunkards
are turned sober, and these heirs of hell are made fit to inherit the
kingdom of God. The unclean are washed, the unholy are sanctified, and
the guilty justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of
our God: 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 11. It is the blessed Spirit the Comforter,
that speaks peace to the conscience of believers, through the atoning
blood of Christ; it is he sheds abroad the love of God in their hearts,
by believing the gospel; Rom. v. 5. and it is he that fills them with
love to God and to their neighbour; for this love is the fruit of the
Spirit; Gal. v. 22, and when the Spirit of God shines upon his own work
in the soul of man, and makes this glorious change appear to the
self-examining christian, it is a noble testimony that it gives to the
truth and divinity of the gospel of Christ.
IV. This witness to the truth of christianity is certain and infallible,
in the nature and reason of things; and where this divine life arises to
a considerable height, it gives a full assurance to the christian, that
his religion is true. Eternal life begun in the soul, according to the
description of it, cannot rise from a _false_ doctrine; it must proceed
from the God of truth, who himself is _eternal life_; 1 John v. 20. and
the original and spring of it to all his happy creatures. If it were
possible that any other doctrine or religion could work such an inward
witness in the hearts of sinners; if it were possible that any mere
human gospel could give such a life and happiness as I have described,
God would never have appointed his own divine gospel such a doubtful
witness. But I may say, God will never suffer so divine a testimony to
belong to any religion, but that which himself hath revealed; and in our
day it can belong to none but the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. If
false religions could have this witness, could work this eternal life in
sinners, we could hardly ever have sufficient rules to judge of the true
religion by. Rejoice then ye that have found this witness in your souls,
that have eternal life begun in you; seek after no other way to heaven.
Be not drawn aside from the truth, but be stedfast. Ye cannot find such
another doctrine among men; ye cannot find another religion that can
offer such testimonies as this. It is then a convincing, an infallible
witness; such a new and heavenly life wrought in the heart, is a sure
proof that the doctrine comes from God.
V. It is a strong and powerful witness, and ever ready at hand to baffle
the most learned sophisms, and the boldest temptations. It lies so near,
and is always at hand, that it is a present shield against every flying
arrow from the camp of infidelity. It is an argument drawn from sense
and vital experience, and it effectually answers all the subtle cavils
of false reasoning. Suppose a crafty philosopher should pretend to
prove, that bread is not wholesome, that water is useless to allay
thirst, or wine is mere poison; I may boldly maintain the wholesomeness,
and the happy use of bread, water, and wine; for I am daily nourished by
this bread, my thirst has been perpetually quenched by water, and I have
often found and felt this wine refresh me. The quibbles of logic,
against the sense and experience of a true christian, are but as darts
of straw and stubble against the scales of a leviathan.
When _the Greeks, who seek after learning_, say to a christian, “How can
this gospel be true and divine, which is so plain and simple in itself,
which was preached by a parcel of fishermen, and invented by a
carpenter, and his followers that published it had no more learning than
he? How is it possible such a religion should be from God, that hath so
much of unlearned simplicity in it?” But the christian can tell them,
that all the wisdom and learning of the philosopher could never do such
miracles as this gospel has done, could never work such a divine life
and temper in my heart.
When the Jews shall say, “How can this be the Messiah? For the Messiah,
the Son of God, must be a great King, the Governor of the earth, must
deliver the Jews from their slavery, must have power over all the
nations; how could this be the Messiah, that was crucified among his
countrymen, and we, with our fellow-citizens, joined together to put him
to death, and he lay like a mere mortal in his grave? How can this be
the Saviour, or can his religion be true?” The christian, that is called
of God, and has found the witness in himself, makes answer, _he that was
foolishness to the Greeks, and a scandal to the Jews, is the wisdom of
God, and the power of God to me._ I have seen my _sins nailed to the
cross_ of this Redeemer; I have found a way for the pardon of all my
iniquities, and the satisfaction of my conscience (which was before full
of anguish) in and from the cross of this Messiah; I have found holiness
wrought in my soul by the belief of this gospel; I have felt such virtue
proceeding from this Saviour, that I, who was before all over unclean
and defiled, am in some degree made holy: This gospel therefore must be
from God, and this is the Messiah, his Son.
When the deists of our age shall object and say, “How can ye believe
such a religion to be divine, that is delivered in so poor and mean a
way, as the story of Christ, and all the strange doctrines of your
gospel? How can the bible be the word of God? Not only because there are
so many obscurities and mystical speeches in it, that a learned man in
our day would be ashamed to write it? How can this gospel be the
revelation of God, that wants so much of the beauty of oratory and
strong reasoning, which the wisdom of man pretends to, and daily
performs?” But the christian answers; “The gospel, that is contained
here, must be from God: For although it has so much human weakness in
our eyes, I have felt a divine power attending it, it hath been to me
the power of God unto salvation. Let it want therefore what human
ornaments it will, if it has a divine efficacy in it, I am sure it is
from above.” Thus whatsoever temptations are proposed to baffle his
faith, and to stagger his belief of the doctrine of Christ, this one
instance of its divinity, keeps the believer steady: “I have found it of
efficacy to begin eternal life in me, therefore I know it is from God.”
But as to this sort of objections, against the truth and divinity of our
religion, arising from the doubtful or difficult evidence of the books
of scripture, we may fetch a noble answer from the experimental
testimony of which I am now speaking: And this shall be the sixth
property of this inward witness.
VI. It is such a witness to the truth of the christian religion, as does
not depend on the exact truth of letters and syllables, nor on the
critical knowledge of the copies of the bible, nor on this old
manuscript, or on the other new translation: For how great soever the
difference may be between the various ancient copies of the books of
scripture, or the elder or later translations of it, either in
protestant or popish countries; yet the substance of christianity is so
scattered through all the New Testament, and especially among the
epistles, that every manuscript and every translation has enough of the
gospel to save souls by it, and make a man a christian indeed. How full
of noise and controversy has the christian world been, especially in the
learned ages of it, in order to adjust and settle the true books of
scripture, the true verses, and the true reading? How many doubtful
words have crept into some of the written copies by the mistakes of
transcribers? And how exceeding hard, if not impossible, is it in many
cases to judge which was the true and authentic word or sentence? But
the humble and sincere christian has learned so much of the same gospel,
in which all copies agree, as has renewed his sinful nature, and wrought
a divine life in him, and therefore he is sure the substance of this
gospel must be from God. Nay, if this property of the inward witness be
duly considered a little further in the nature and attendants of it, we
shall find that every true christian has a sufficient argument and
evidence to support his faith, without being able to prove the authority
of any of the canonical writings. He may hold fast his religion, and be
assured that it is divine, though he cannot bring any learned proof that
the book that contains it is divine too; nay, though the book itself
should ever happen to be lost or destroyed: And this will appear with
open and easy conviction, by asking a few such questions as these:
Was not this same gospel preached with glorious success before the new
testament was written? Were not these same doctrines of salvation by
Jesus Christ published to the world by the ministry of the apostles, and
made effectual to convert thousands, before they set themselves to
commit these doctrines to writing? And had not every sincere believer,
every true convert, this blessed witness in himself, that christianity
was from God? Eight or ten years had past away, after the ascension of
Christ, before any part of the New Testament was written, (as learned
men conceive) and what unknown multitudes of christian converts were
born again by the preaching of the word, and raised to a divine and
heavenly life, long ere this book was half finished or known, and that
among heathens as well as Jews? And though the scriptures of the Old
Testament might prepare the minds of some of these to receive the
gospel; yet we have reason to believe, that great numbers, especially of
the Gentile world, were convinced by miracles and tongues, and some,
perhaps by mere narratives and exhortations, and became holy believers;
each of them _the epistle of Christ written in the heart_, and bearing
about within them a noble and convincing proof that this religion was
divine, and that without a written gospel, without epistles, and without
a bible.
Again, in the first ages of Christianity, for several hundred years
together, how few among the common people were able to read? How few
could get the possession of the use of a bible, when all sacred as well
as profane books must be copied by writing? How few of the populace, in
a large town or city, could obtain or could use any small part of
scripture, before the art of printing made the word of God so common?
And yet millions of them were regenerated, sanctified, and saved 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 a 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
invariable 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 controversies that
in late ages have attended the several manuscript copies, and different
readings and translations 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 different readings,
or different translations of particular scriptures. Now a wise christian
does not build his faith and hope merely upon any one or two single
texts, but upon the general 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 that
christianity is divine, and that these doctrines are from heaven, though
a text or two may be written false, or wrong translated, or though a
whole book or two may be hard to be proved authentic.
The learned well know what need there is of turning over the histories
of ancient times, of the traditions and writings of the fathers, and
authors, pious and profane; what need of critical skill in the holy
languages, and in ancient manuscripts; what a wide survey of various
circumstances of fact, time, place, style, language, &c. is necessary to
confirm one or another book or verse of the New Testament, and to answer
the doubts of the scrupulous, and the bold objections of the infidel;
what laborious reasonings are requisite to found our faith on this
bottom. Now how few of the common rank of christians, whose hearts are
inlaid with true faith in the Son of God, and real holiness, have
leisure, books, instructions, advantages, and judgment to make a
thorough search into these matters, and to determine, upon a just view
of argument, that these books were written by the sacred authors whose
names they bear, and that these authors were under an immediate
inspiration in writing them? What a glorious advantage is it then to
have such an infallible testimony to the truth of the gospel wrought and
written in the heart by renewing grace, as does not depend on this
laborious, learned, and argumentative evidence of the divine authority
of the bible, or of any particular book or verse of it?