of the unlearned christian, by the deists and unbelievers of our age, by
disputing against the authority of the scripture, by ridiculing the
strange narratives and sublime doctrines of the bible, by setting the
seeming contradictions in a blasphemous light, and then demanding, “How
can you prove, or how can you believe, that this book is the word of
God, or that the religion it teaches is divine?” In such an hour of
contest, how happy is the christian that can say, “Though I am not able
to solve all the difficulties in the bible, nor maintain the sacred
authority of it against the cavils of wit and learning; yet I am well
assured that the doctrines of this book are sacred, and the authority of
them divine: For when I heard and received them, they changed my nature,
they subdued my sinful appetites, they made a new creature of me, and
raised me from death to life; they made me love God above all things,
and gave me the lively and well-grounded hope of his love: Therefore I
cannot doubt but that the chief principles of this book are heavenly and
divine, though I cannot so well prove that the very words and syllables
of it are so too; for it is the sense of scripture, and not the mere
letters of it, on which I build my hope.” I might say yet further,
3. This inward witness gives great support in hours of darkness and
temptations of the devil, when such sudden thoughts shall be thrown into
the mind even of a learned christian: “What if the scripture should not
be divine? What if this gospel and the other epistle should not be
written by inspiration? What if these should be merely the words of men,
and not the very word of God?” The believer, who feels a renewed nature,
and a divine life working within him, can boldly repel these fiery darts
of Satan, with such a reply as this: “Though I cannot at present
recollect all the arguments that prove Matthew, Mark, and Luke, to be
divine historians, or Peter and Paul to be inspired writers; yet the
substance and chief sense of their gospels, and their epistles must
needs be divine, and God is the author of it, for it has begun the
spiritual and eternal life in my soul; and this is my witness (or rather
the witness of the Spirit of God within me) that Christ _is the Son of
God, the Saviour of sinners_, and the religion that I profess and
practice is safe and divine.”
And though there are many and sufficient arguments drawn from criticism,
history, and human learning, to prove the sacred authority of the bible,
and such as may give abundant evidence to an honest enquirer, and full
satisfaction that it is the word of God; yet this is the chief evidence
that the greatest part of christians can ever attain of the divine
original of the holy scripture itself, as well as the truth of the
doctrines contained in it, _viz._ That they have found such a holy and
heavenly change passed upon them by reading or hearing the propositions,
the histories, 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 not agreeable to his mind, with such glorious
instances of his own power and grace. Though it must be still confessed,
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 chapter of the New Testament.
I have dwelt the 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 profession 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 truth of the gospel; for it
belongs to every true 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 made high advances in the faith,
and is grown up to the stature of man in _Christ_. Though it must 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 of 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 inward
witness to the truth of christianity, 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 the gospel having made them
partakers of the divine nature_, they are sure those promises must be
divine, 2 Pet. i. 4. and 1 Cor. i. 22, 23. _Not many wise, not many
mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the poor, and the
weak, and foolish things of this world, to confound the wise and the
mighty_: Nor yet hath he chosen, 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 argue for the doctrine of _Christ_,
yet they find _Christ dwelling within them the hope of glory_; Col. i.
27. They find the characters of _Christ_ copied out in their hearts, and
the life of _Christ_ in some measure, transcribed in their lives. They
find something of sacred influence from the gospel of Christ, which no
other doctrines can pretend to; therefore though they cannot give a
rational account, which shall answer all the cavils of men; why they
believe christianity, through the weakness of their knowledge, yet their
faith in Christ is strong; for they are sure the doctrine is divine,
because of the sweet and sanctifying influence it has upon them. How
condescending is God to poor sinners, to give such a religion to be
saved by, that everyone who receives it shall have an infallible witness
in himself of the truth of it, without the learning of the schools, and
the knowledge of tongues! Their chief argument for it is, they have
divine holiness, and divine peace.
VIII. This inward witness of the truth of christianity, is, or should
be, always growing and improving. The testimony increases as the divine
love increases; the greater the degree of holiness we arrive at, the
more are we confirmed in the truth of christianity the testimony grows
stronger, 2 Cor. iii. 18. You find that text approves of what I have now
argued. When the apostle had been distinguishing between the religion of
the law, and that of the gospel; that the one was covered with a veil,
but under the other this veil was taken away: We, says he, under the
gospel, _with open face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory. We who behold the
face of Christ Jesus_ in his gospel, we who here see a God reconciled in
and by the death of his Son, we who see the holiness of Christ here
described, copied, and exemplified, _we are changed into the same
image_. The image of Christ is transcribed upon our natures, we go on
from one degree of it to another; we are changed _from glory to glory_,
from one degree of glorious holiness to another: thereby the gospel
appears to have a fairer, a brighter, and a stronger evidence.
Thence it comes to pass, that when christians have grown to a good
degree of strength in faith, and great measures of holiness in this
world, all the temptations that they meet with to turn them aside from
the doctrines of Christ, _are esteemed but as straw and stubble_; they
cannot move nor stir them from the faith that is in Jesus, because the
evidence hath grown strong with years: and as they have attended long
upon the ministration of this gospel, they have found more and more of
this eternal life wrought in their hearts; they have got nearer to
heaven, they have pressed on continually towards perfection, they have
found sweet assurance of the pardon of sin in their conscience, and
diviner sensations of the love of God communicated to them, and their
own love both to God and man increasing; they have found their hearts
more averse to all iniquity, they have felt themselves rising higher and
higher above this world, as they have come nearer to the end of their
days; and a holy contempt of this world has grown bolder: They take
greater delight in God, and more gustful satisfaction in his worship,
and in his company: Their zeal for his honour is warmer and stronger;
they are perpetually employing themselves in contrivances for the glory
of God among men. Thus in every part of this spiritual life the
testimony increases, the evidence grows brighter, as eternal life
advances in them.
In the last place: As it is a growing witness, so it is such an one as
never can be utterly lost; and that character of it is derived from the
very name, for it is _eternal life_. Where it is once wrought in the
soul, it shall be everlasting, it shall never die. _The seed of God
abides in those that are born of God_; 1 John iii. 9. _for they are born
not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, even the word of God,
which lives and abides forever_; 1 Pet. i. 23. His gospel, which is an
_everlasting gospel_, continues that heavenly work in the soul, which
that gospel did first begin. It may be darkened indeed, it may be hidden
for a season; sometimes the violent temptations of the evil one, may, as
it were stop the mouth of this divine witness; and sometimes, defiling
lusts rising upon the face of the soul, may darken these evidences, but
can never entirely blot them out. Eternal life must abide for ever,
according to the name and nature of it. Though the evidence for a season
may be obscure, and may seem to be silent through the power of iniquity,
and the strength of temptation; yet this life will resume its activity,
and discover itself, because its nature is eternal. It is Christ Jesus
living in the soul by the power of his own Spirit; Christ Jesus, who is
the eternal principle of life, and his Spirit, which is the eternal
Spirit: and where he hath begun to dwell, he shall forever inhabit. This
evidence shall continue to all eternity, and shall give many a sweet
reflection to the saints in heaven. “I feel now (says every saint there)
that this was a true gospel I trusted in, in the days of my flesh; and
this religion was divine, for it hath raised me to these mansions of
blessedness. I feel now it was a doctrine came down from heaven, and
that Christ Jesus was not an imposter, but _the Son of God_ indeed, for
he has brought me to his Father’s house by this doctrine; he has seated
me upon his own throne, even as he is seated upon the throne of his
Father: he hath made me an overcomer by believing this doctrine, even as
he himself has overcome.” Eternal life itself, in the perfection of it
in the future world, shall be a standing and everlasting evidence of the
truth of the gospel.
I will now endeavour to draw some few inferences or remarks from the
discourse, and then conclude.
1. The first remark is very obvious, how glorious is the gospel of our
Lord! How preferable to all other religions! Those which men have
invented, are not to come into competition with it; let none of them be
named. Even that religion which God himself invented, the religion of
the Jews, had not such honourable characters belonging to it, as this of
our Saviour hath. Many expressions that are used in the epistles of St.
Paul, to shew the superiority of the gospel above the law, are such as
give it an infinite advantage and preference: As in point of glory, so
in point of evidence too. One was _the letter_; the other is _the
spirit_; one was _the ministration of condemnation_, the other of
salvation; one _the ministration of death_, the other of life: and as
life, spiritual or eternal life, is represented as the peculiar effect
and prerogative of the gospel, so it carries more light of evidence with
it to confirm its heavenly original; it brings the believing soul much
nearer to heaven.
The Jewish religion instituted by Moses, although, by the accompanying
power of the Spirit of God, _it wrought effectually_, in the hearts of
those that sincerely received it, and changed their natures in a saving
manner; yet the brightness and glory of this sort of evidence, that
belonged to that religion was derived from the gospel, which was hidden
under the types of it: Nor could it be supposed to have equal brightness
or force with the gospel itself, when unveiled, and shining in open
light; as I have shewn in the second discourse.
The Jews, when they had offered all their sacrifices for the hope of
pardon of their sins, and looked as far as they could look through the
smoke and shadows, to see the Messiah at a distance, could never have
their consciences so sweetly released from fears, and the sense of
guilt, as christians under the gospel, may enjoy through the blood of
Christ: never had they so much communion with God in love, as since it
is manifested by Christ Jesus, the Son of his love, that came _from his
bosom_. Never were they raised so high above the world, nor could any of
the Jews be so high refined in their hopes and joys, and exult in the
view of heavenly glories, as a christian may be, and do, since the veil
is withdrawn, and _life and immortality are brought to light by the
gospel_: 2 Tim. i. 10. Never could they triumph overall the terrors of
death, and the horror and darkness of the grave, as St. Paul the
christian often does, and teaches his fellow-saints the same triumphal
song; 1 Cor. xv. 54, &c. I grant that a single person or two like David,
might now and then, by the spirit of rapture and prophecy, be borne far
above that dispensation itself, and might have noble views and joys; but
the whole church, under that state had but dark apprehensions of things
above this life, and beyond death; their spiritual things were so much
mingled and interwoven with a worldly dispensation, and their sanctuary
itself called _a worldly sanctuary_. So much carnality entered into the
scheme of their constitution, that they could not be raised so high
above this world, and the things of this life, as christians under the
gospel: they could never have such a sense of forgiving grace, nor so
sweet a satisfaction in drawing near to God, as christians now have; nor
were they so expressly commanded, nor could, nor did they so gloriously
practise the duties of love and forgiveness to men, as the christian
religion requires, and works in the hearts of sincere believers.
2d remark. You learn here an excellent rule for self-examination,
whether you have true faith or no. If you have, it will be accompanied
with this evidence: for this eternal life begun in the soul, does not
merely prove that christianity is a true doctrine, but it proves also
that the faith of that person is true, where this eternal life is begun.
This is mentioned in the foregoing sermon, therefore I shall pass it
over briefly. The apostle asserts this sufficiently, ver. 13. _These
things have I written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God,
that ye may know that ye have eternal life._ The duties of morality,
both of the first and second table, will be written upon the heart, and
will, in some degree, be practised in the life, where the gospel is
written in the heart, and where christianity is wrought in its power in
the soul. But, on the other hand, those who neglect the duties of the
first table, or indulge themselves in a very careless performance of
them; those who pass by the duties of the second table, and those
relative engagements which they lie under to their neighbour by the law
of God, can never have the evidence within themselves, neither of the
truth of christianity, nor of the truth of their own faith: They may be
heathens, they may be heroes, they may be philosophers, they may be any
thing but christians.
3d remark. Learn the true method of confirming your souls in the
christian faith: seek daily greater degrees of this divine life wrought
in you. This advice is also hinted by the apostle John, in the 13th
verse, _I have written these things to you_ concerning the witness of
christianity, that consists in having _eternal life_ begun in you, not
only that ye may know ye have it, but that ye may go on to _believe on
the name of the Son of God_. We have need in our day to be well seasoned
with arguments against the dangers of the times, and the temptations of
the age in which, we dwell. Christianity begins to be a stumbling-block,
and the doctrine of the gospel is called folly; it is reproached to a
very great and shameful degree, in a nation, which in public professes
christianity. When we therefore shall be attacked with arguments to
baffle our faith, and when the _wind of false doctrine_ shall grow
strong, and shall carry away many; 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.
If you cannot argue for the gospel with learning, nor from experience,
what will ye do in an hour of temptation? 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 satisfactory 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 were enabled 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 profess christianity under the greatest persecutions.
It will bear you out, it carries its own evidence with it; christianity
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 hath secured thousands; therefore, says St. Paul,
though I meet with reproaches wheresoever I go, _though bonds and
imprisonments await me_, and death itself; Acts xx. 23. _yet I am not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ_; Rom. i. 16. _for it is the power of
God to salvation, to every one that believeth_. Which is but the sense
of my text in other words. Every one that believes it in truth, hath
this evidence in _himself, even eternal life: Therefore I count not my
life dear to me, &c._ for the gospel will bear me out in my profession
of it, in my publication of it, and in my suffering for it. This is the
way we shall learn _to resist unto blood_, and seal the truth of this
gospel with our mortal lives, if we have the seal of this truth abiding
in our souls.
5th remark. As from this doctrine you have strong encouragement to
profess christianity, so you are here taught the best way to honour the
gospel, and to propagate the christian religion in the world. Make this
inward divine testimony appear to the world; let the eternal life that
is wrought in your souls by this gospel, express itself in all your
outward behaviour amongst men. Thus the primitive christians did, and it
was their work to propagate the faith of Christ this way. The gentiles
and unbelievers were _won by their conversation_; 1 Pet. iii. 1. Thus
the apostles did, who were as so many captains and officers in the army
of christians, going before the camp, and making war against all the
idolatry of the heathens. They made that eternal life which was wrought
in their souls, appear publicly, and discover itself unto men, and
hereby the gospel gained victory and triumph wheresoever it went. When
those who were ignorant of faith and its power, came into the assemblies
of christians, and found the gospel to be a doctrine of such divine
attendants, it convinced their consciences, and changed many of them
into new creatures; they fell down, and confessed that _there is a God
among the christians of a truth_. When they see _your conversation_,
when they behold your faith, and holy fear, your zeal for God, your
delight in his worship, your _gentleness_, your _meekness_, _kindness_,
and _goodness_ toward your fellow-creatures, your desire of the
salvation of men, and readiness to deny yourselves for their good; when
the heathens know and behold this, they shall be won, says the apostle,
by such a conversation as this is, to the belief of the same doctrine,
and practice of the same duties.
O what unknown millions of arguments would support and adorn the
doctrine of Christ, if every professor of it had this inward testimony
working powerfully in the soul, and breaking forth in the life! How
effectually would it silence the most impudent objectors! When they
shall put that question to you, “_What do you more than others?_” You
would make it appear in your lives, that the gospel is true and divine,
by challenging all the philosophers, and all the priests and devotees of
other religions, to shew such men and women as christians are; such
husbands and wives, such parents and children, such masters and
servants, such lovers of God and man. O how happy would it be for the
christian name and interest in the world, if those who profess the
gospel of Christ, could make a bold and universal challenge upon this
head! Or when the deists shall insult and say to a believer, What is
Jesus of Nazareth _more than another_ man, that you love and adore him
so? Or in the language of the carnal Jews, _What is thy beloved more
than another beloved_, that thou makest so much ado about him? The
discovery of Christ reigning in the soul by his renewing grace, will be
a sufficient evidence that he is the Son of God, that his character and
his person are divine, and his mission is from above; that he is the
_chiefest of ten thousand_, and _altogether lovely_.
It is worth while for us now to take a survey of ourselves, to look back
upon our lives, and ask, “What testimonies have we given to the glory of
this gospel, and to the truth of the religion of Christ? Have we not
sometimes rather been scandals to christianity? Have not our practices
been blots instead of evidences, and discouragements to the unbeliever,
instead of allurements? Have we not sometimes laid _stumbling-blocks_ in
the way of those that have had the look of an eye, and some tendency of
heart towards it?” This will be an awakening thought, and painful to
conscience in the review.
Have we not much reason to mourn that there are some among us _who walk
as enemies of the cross of Christ_? Phil. iii. 17. I would have you,
says the apostle, _be followers of me_, walk as I walk, _as you have me
for an example_. I would have you walk as those who have eternal life
begun in them, that you may be honours to the gospel. _But there are
many who walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even
weeping, they are enemies of the cross_, and dishonours to the gospel,
instead of evidences of the truth of it; their _end is destruction,
their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame_; whereas
_our conversation is in heaven, whence we expect Jesus the Saviour_; 18,
19, 20. We who are here upon earth, and have believed the gospel of
Christ, we should live as though we had part of ourselves in heaven
already, our conversation should be so holy and divine. Eternal life
begun in our hearts, should break out, and disclose itself, and shine
bright among the persons we converse with. O! how much is the
propagation of the gospel obstructed, how much the honour of our Lord
Jesus Christ obscured, and how much the good of souls prevented and
hindered by those that discover not this eternal life, this sacred
witness, in the holiness of heart and practice! _But, beloved, we hope
better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we
thus speak_; Heb. vi. 9. and yet we must speak thus, with a sacred
jealousy for the glory and evidence of this gospel, with a warm concern
for the peace and welfare of your souls, and with holy zeal for the
conversion of the unbelieving world to the faith of God our Saviour.
DIVINE HYMNS FOR SERMONS I, II, AND III.
_The Inward Witness to Christianity._
_Long Metre._
Questions and doubts be heard no more:
Let Christ and joy be all our theme;
His Spirit seals his gospel sure
To every soul that trusts his name.
Jesus, thy witness speaks within;
The mercy which thy words reveal,
Refines the heart from sense and sin,
And stamps its own celestial seal.