and prolonged life, constituted a witness for Moses, and a witness which he had in himself.

The records of modern Missions furnish a remarkable exemplification of this important subject. A poor Negro woman had lived long in darkness and sin. At length it pleased God, by the ministry of his word, to enlighten her mind, and awaken her conscience. She was deeply convinced of sin. The remembrance of her transgressions became grievous unto her, and the burden of them intolerable. She prayed that God would have mercy on her; and she prayed not in vain. She was directed to the Lord Jesus Christ, as able and willing to save; and she received, with her whole heart, the "faithful saying," that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," even the chief of them; and, being justified by faith, she felt that she had peace with God. Referring to this sacred and delightful change, she said,-expressing herself in her own artless, but significant, language,-" And just what the great word say, that the blessed Massa Jesus do." had the witness in herself.

She

Here, then, is the perpetual, standing authentication of the divine mission of our Lord Jesus Christ; and, therefore, the authentication of all which that mission includes. Here is the continually-abiding proof of that wonderful declaration, and of all that it comprises: "The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." All that believe in him do actually "receive the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls;" and because they do so, and thus know that God is a just God and a Saviour," and that beside him there is no Saviour," he says to them, "I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore, ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God."

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Every true believer proves-that is, proves by an actual, personal experience" what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God:" (Rom. xii. 2 :) and this spiritual ex

perience is the standing testimony to Christ and Christianity. What, then, is its value?

1. It must, of course, be allowed, that its proper force is confined to him who has received it. But to him it is a witness of no common order and power. He is perfectly conscious of the possession of spiritual life; and feels that those spiritual functions, for which, as he was created in the image of God, the higher faculties of his nature were intended, are now truly performed; and that those descriptions of their exercise which he finds in the sacred volume, the supreme authority and standard by which he tries all things, are now actually realized in his own experience. He reads, "O taste and see that the Lord is good." "Lift up upon me the light of thy countenance." "Thou hast put gladness in my heart." "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth into your heart the Spirit of his Son, crying, Abba, Father." "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God." "We all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of God, are changed into the same image, from glory into glory." "We rejoice in hope of the glory of God." "In whom' (Christ) ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation; in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance." "Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." "Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him." "For through him we both have access by one Spirit

unto the Father." "How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God!" "Having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God." The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." "The kingdom of God is within you." "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." All this, and more than this, does he read. He perceives that one and the same view of spiritual religion, though brighter and larger in the New Testament, is furnished by the whole Scripture. The sacred volume assumes that man is capable of the spiritual life, refers to exercises of which none are capable but those who are spiritually alive, and speaks of the restoration of this life as the great object of redemption. He reads of the various exercises for which the spiritual faculty must be possessed of the spiritual life; and of these exercises he finds himself capable. He is fully, deeply conscious of the spiritual enjoy ments indicated in the passages already quoted. He is conscious that the truths of Scripture, in their reference to the great work of redemption, appear in a light unknown before. Before, he rather knew words than things; now, he perceives the things to which the words refer. He has this access to God in prayer; this child-like con

fidence; this conscience purged from dead works by the blood of sprinkling; this love to God, to the law of God, and to all holiness; he possesses this power over sin; he has within him this lively hope: and, thus conscious, he does indeed reckon himself to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The kingdom of God is set up in his heart. He has this "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost;" and knows that his whole spirit, soul, and body are reduced to the allegiance he had once disowned or forgotten. The kingdom of God is set up in his heart; for he feels that the blessings which he enjoys, most affectionately and blessedly, but yet powerfully, constrain him to submit himself unto God, to give himself up to his service, that he may walk before him in righteousness and holiness all the days of his life.

Now, that which he thus enjoys, he well knows that he could neither work in himself, nor procure for himself in any way separate from the one described and enjoined by the Gospel. Nor can he either meet with any one possessing this power, or read of any one who ever did possess it. The Gospel promised to him the present salvation of his soul; but its solemn language was, "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." He has sought according to the direction; he has found according to the promise: but he can discover no instance whatever of a similar work, unless sought for in a similar

manner.

But, while in this particular respect he stands alone, in another he finds himself associated with a vast and ever-increasing multitude, who all bear the same testimony. The language of the Psalmist, uttered centuries upon centuries ago, amidst the obscurity and imperfection of an inferior and introductory dispensation, although necessarily general, is substantially the same as that which is used by the whole company of the

"alive from the dead through Jesus Christ." "Come and hear," said he, "all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: but verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me." It is only to the truly pious that this invitation is addressed; for not only would they alone be able to relish what was thus spoken, but to understand it. In nothing more than this, the real nature of spiritual religion, is it seen that "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God." However cultivated and strengthened the intellectual faculties may be, yet where there is "the death in trespasses and sins," there is not the power of spiritual perception; and the very words descriptive of the life of God in the soul convey, to such a mind, no distinct knowledge. But where this sacred life is, the whole subject is known; and, from the words just quoted, it is plain, that this conscious and purifying enjoyment of the divine mercy has in all ages constituted that which is truly called religion, religion in its personal references. "He is not a Jew," says St. Paul, "which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter: whose praise is not of men, but of God." And this, which is essential religion, of course undergoes no change in principle under a dispensation which is emphatically" the ministration of the Spirit;" ;" "the kingdom of God," therefore, "is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." And, of this inward religion, he who "hath the Son" feels himself to be a partaker. He can enter into the meaning of language used by saints who have, ages upon ages ago, fallen asleep; and he finds in himself the same

principles, feelings, and dispositions which their language indicates. Around him, and in various parts of the world, the same testimony is given. He meets with many, he hears of more, who have the Son; and they, too, have life,—have it as he has it. However great may be the differences,-differences of mental character, of age, of intellectual culture, of social position, of climate and country, if they can understand each other's speech, then can they understand each other's feelings. The consciousness of one, whatever formal modifications there may be from the operation of exterior influences, is yet, in its essential characters, the consciousness of all. The individual, therefore, has both the evidence of his own distinct, carefully-weighed experience, and the corroboration which it receives from the universality of its existence. All who have the Son have life. That life no one could ever confer upon himself. They alone have it who have the Son. In each case, therefore, there is a personal experience of the truth of Christianity. Had the system been a cunningly-devised fable, these effects could not have followed, these promises could not have been fulfilled. Their fulfilment-their uniform, unbroken fulfilment, through such a series of ages-proves them to have heen given by God; and that proof the individual believer possesses his own personal experience.

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2. But, what is the value of this testimony to others? For answering the question, the way should be prepared by the recollection of the state of the case. Here are the Scriptures, with all the evidences in their favour. Here are the statements of various divine interpositions, extending over a long series of ages; and, so far as they were miraculous, (using the word in its ordinary sense,) only closing with the apostolical age. Here are the written records, standing in perfect and visible separation from all merely human compositions; and if their divinity may not as yet be assumed, here are records standing in perfect and visible separation from all

human compositions, and containing what professes to be a revelation of the actual government of God, in reference to its three great divisions of law, providence, and grace. To these records, and to the truth of the historical facts which they contain, the visible church of Christ, by its existence and institutions, bears continual testimony. But, among the statements which relate to what is styled "the kingdom of God," are some which assume the existence of certain evils in man; and which, on the perform ance of prescribed conditions, promise their removal. Is, then, that promise verified? Has any one ever sought its accomplishment? The answer has been already given. The accomplishment has been sought; and, whenever properly sought, it has been fully realized: realized, as has been already described, under almost every conceivable variety of circumstance. All that have the Son have life; and thus they have the witness in themselves; and to this they bear the most explicit testimony. The rich, the poor, the old, the young, the honourable, the unknown, the learned, the illiterate, in all ages, and in all countries, speak the same language. They declare that they do actually "prove"-that is, experience "what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." Now, are these multitudes to be believed? If they are, the case is decided. Although the age of miracles has passed away, yet the age of divine interposition has not passed away. The Gospel is still "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." And to this, even at the beginning, did the Apostles appeal. To the Hebrews, called to endure "a great fight of afflictions," being "made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions," as well as becoming "companions of them that were so used," St. Paul says, "For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods." Why? Because they had seen that "God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul." No doubt,

these had brought them to acknowledge the truth of the system, and to begin to act upon it. But now that they had acted on, and put its declarations to the test, they had become possessed of an experience to which the Apostle could appeal, and whose power their conduct declared: "Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselces that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." They had not SEEN this "better and enduring substance." They were still in the body. But they knew that through the Gospel they had passed from death unto life; they had believed in Christ, and had received the Spirit of adoption, bearing witness with their spirit that they were the children of God; and thus, therefore, they reasoned, "If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Thus did they know in themselves that in heaven they had a better and an enduring substance; and, therefore, did they take joyfully the spoiling of their goods. So, likewise, did the Apostle write to the gifted but ostentatious Corinthians. He found it necessary, indeed, to say to them, "The signs of an Apostle were wrought among you;" but he had said before, "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart ;" and, "If I be not an Apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord." To this, the work of God in the heart, the Apostles appealed, even when the power of miracles was intrusted to them; and now that that power is withdrawn, and that miracles, as attesting signs of the truth of Christianity, exist no longer, these saving gifts of the Holy Ghost still remain; and every man may have, in his own heart and life, an experimental testimony to the

changeless divinity of the Gospel. "Him," said St. Peter, "hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins." And then, first, "We are his witnesses of these things." We saw him living; we saw him dead. We saw him, and conversed with him, risen from the dead. We beheld him taken up from us into heaven. "We are his witnesses of these things." But he said more : he added, "And so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." The gift of the Holy Ghost, to them that obeyed the Gospel, was a witness that God had raised up Christ, and exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins. Now, when Christ gave that promise, that he would send the Holy Spirit, which made the coming of the Spirit a witness to Christ, he said, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever." And this is immediately connected with the promise of the inward and spiritual manifestation of Christ to all who love him and keep his words. Here, then, are two classes of witnesses to the exaltation of Christ: the Apostles, who have gone the way of all flesh, and whose testimony is continued in their writings; and all they who, having obeyed the Gospel, have received the promised Comforter. That they have so received him, humbly, and to the glory of God, they bear their decided testimony and the testimony of one, is the testimony of all.

Such testimony as this cannot be rejected, while the laws which are usually considered as governing the reception of testimony are admitted. That many, who "profess and call themselves Christians," do not experience this inward life of God, is very true; but the Gospel does not promise its blessings to those who are only Christians by their union with the visible church. Great are the advantages (and great, also, it should be added, the obligations and responsibilities) connected with that

union. To personal salvation they point, and to personal salvation they are intended to conduct; but with that personal salvation they are not immediately connected. Even under the law, eminently a religion of ceremonies and rites,-yet even then, it was a most solemn truth, (and the words contain much more significance than is by many attributed to them,) that he was not a Jew who was one outwardly, nor was that circumcision which was outward in the flesh. Still more emphatically, therefore, may it now be said, "For he is not a Christian which is one outwardly; neither is that baptism which is outward in the flesh." They only shall hear the voice of pardon from the mercy-seat, and rejoice in the light of his countenance who sitteth between the cherubim, who accept the gracious invitation, and obey the command to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. They who only worship in the outer courts of the temple, put themselves not in the circumstances requisite for obtaining the experience; that is done by them only who pass, by a humble and penitent faith, into the innermost sanctuary. And these do actually obtain it, and to this they bear their united testimony, -a testimony which, for number, extent, and continuance, has no parallel in the history of man. And if what they say is true, then is the religion true.

Attempts are often made to invalidate this argumentation by a use of the term "enthusiasm," more resembling the old tales of magical adjuration, than the logical investigations of an intelligent creature. Cases are produced in which there has been an awakening of the conscience to full activity and power. The holiness of the law of God is seen; and it is felt,-deeply, most painfully felt,-that, of that holy law, the righteous precepts have been violated, that guilt is incurred, that pardon is absolutely necessary, and that it is promised to all who seek for it in Christ, who came that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly.” This pardon, and its consequent