Minds of Christians then, it is still a good Witness to us now. If they, from what they faw, might reasonably be convinced that the Christian Religion was the Way to Heaven; we, from what we read of those Things, and the Certainty we have of the Truth of them (in all the Ways that a Thing done long ago may be made certain to us), we say, we have the fame Reason to be convinced that Christianity is the Way to Heaven still.

If it be faid, that Evidence of Senfe is of greater Force than Evidence of Report, let it come from what Hands it will; I answer, I grant it to be fo: But yet what we want of the Spirit's Witness, by reason of our not being present when those Things were done, is abundantly made up by the Spirit's Witness in our Days, to the Truth of Chrift's Promises, which they, who lived then, had not the Benefit of. As for instance, the Fulfilling of our Saviour's Promises, Time after Time; the strange Success and speedy Propagation of Christ's Religion throughout the World; the miraculous Prefervation of it in the World; the Destruction of the Devil's Empire, where-ever the Christian Faith got Footing; with a great many other Things, not now seasonable to be insisted on; so that, taking these Things together, the Fulness of the Evidence we have for the Truth of the Matters of Fact, wrought by the Spirit in the ancient Times, for the Confir

B 4

Confirmation of Christ's Doctrine, and the new Arguments that the fame Spirit hath given us fince; we, at this Day, have as much Reason to say with St. Paul, as any in those Days had, The Spirit it felf beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the Children of God: That we Chriftians, in Contradistinction to Men of all other Religions, are the very People of God, and Heirs of eternal Life, if we do not forfeit our Title to it by a loose and wicked Life.

Two or three practical Inferences I defire to draw from this Point, before I proceed any further.

1. It ought to be Matter of unspeakable Comfort and Rejoicing to us, that we have fuch an infallible Witness as the Spirit of God, to bear Testimony to our Minds, that we are in a right and sure Way to eternal Happiness: that we wander not in the dark, uncertain what Course to steer, and uncertain what will become of us hereafter: (as they, who are without Christ, muft needs be) but have all the Afsurance that honeft Men need, or wife Men can reasonably defire; that by believing and practifing our Religion we shall undoubtedly arrive at Immortality. O what a lively Sense ought we to have of this inestimable Bleffing! How deeply ought we to be affected with it! How heartily ought we to praise God for it! We should never in our Devotions

leave this unmentioned. We should perpetually acknowledge in the most grateful Manner, the infinite Obligations that God hath put upon us, in difpofing us into so happy a Country as this of ours is, where we have the Privileges of a Christian Education, and enjoy so plentifully the certain Means of obtaining eternal Glory.

2. The Spirit's bearing Witness to our Minds thus effectually, that we are the Children of God, should be an Argument to us above all others, that we should never depart from our Christian Profeffion; but that we should hold it to our Lives End, without wavering; nay and be zealous for it: For where can we have eternal Life but in the Faith of Jesus Christ? And to what People in the World hath the Holy Spirit fet his Seal that they are God's People, but to the Society of the Christian Church? This Confideration should inspire us all with an invincible Resolution to maintain our Faith against all Opposition: It should fortify our Minds against all the Scoffs and Railleries we can meet with from prophane, Atheistical Men in the Profession of it. It should comfort and relieve us under all the Difficulties, or hard Circumstances that we can be exposed to upon the account thereof. And lastly, it should animate us with such a Constancy, in adhering to this Faith, that we should rather chuse

chuse to quit our Lives, than to depart from it.

3. We are always to remember, that when the Spirit gave his Witness to the Chriftians that they were the Children of God, it was to the Chriftians, as professing the true Faith of Christ: to the Christians, as profeffing that Faith which was deliver'd by our Lord Jesus, and preach'd by his Apostles to the World, and afterwards by the fame Apostles, or Apoftolical Men, put into Writing, and conveyed down to us in the Scriptures of the New Testament: And therefore it infinitely concerns us to hold stedfastly that Faith which Christ thus deliver'd, and the Apostles preach'd, and the Scriptures contain, (as God be thank'd that, and no other, is the Faith which our Church holds forth) and by no Means to add to it, or detract from it. So long as we believe and profess Chriftianity, as it was taught in the Apoftolical Times, so long we are fure the Spirit beareth Witness to us, that we are the Children of God. But if we take up, or receive any other Faith, from whatsoever Quarter, or under whatfoever specious Name it comes recommended; any Faith that is contradictory to, or inconfiftent with that of the first Ages; any Faith that may be called another Faith Jude v. 3. from that which is Scriptural, and was once delivered to the Saints; then we can no longer longer warrant that the Spirit of God shall bear Witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God.

4. But lastly, tho' it be here faid of all Christians in general, that the Spirit bears Witness to them that they are the Children of God, yet it is to be remember'd that no Benefit will hereby accrue to any particular Person that professeth Chriftianity, if he does not lead his Life according to the Precepts of it. And therefore it mightily concerns us all, to adorn our Profession by a holy Life: To take Care left that a Promise Heb. 4. 1. being made unto us of entring into God's Reft, we should fall short thereof, through a careless, sensual ungodly Life. It is true that all Men are by Baptifm made the Children of God, and Heirs of everlasting Life: But yet, no Man shall actually inherit that everlasting Life, but he, who through the Rom. 8. Spirit mortifies the Deeds of the Body, and 13. lives righteously, foberly and godly in this Tit. 2. 12. World. If it be said, how can this be, that any of those to whom the Spirit witnesseth that they are the Children of God, should prove the Children of the Devil? The Answer is easy; that whatever they may prove in the Event, yet by their Christianity they are the Children of God, and have a Right and Title to the Inheritance of Christians: But if they depart from the Rules of their Religion, they forfeit that Right, and they cancel