assent to any system of divine truth can never be an adequate test of our relation to God.]
3. They have experienced a change both in their
views and conduct —
[This comes to nearly the same point as the two preced- ing : for the circumstance of our having formerly been more erroneous in our views, or more vicious in our conduct, can never make us right, if we stop short of that change which God requires. It is true that a reformation of our life seems to manifest the operation of divine graca, and in that view to sanction a confidence that we are children of God : but Herod still continued a child of the devil, notwithstanding, in com- pliance with John's admonitions, " he did many things." The stony-ground hearers are represented as experiencing a great and joyful change ; and the thorny-ground hearers even bring forth fruit, and continue to do so to their dying hour ; yet neither the one nor the other are acknowledged by God as his children, because they " bring not forth fruit unto per- fection."]
4. But view, in opposition to all these tests, the one
which our Lord proposed to the Jews —
[That is perfect and complete ; and will decide the point beyond all possibility of mistake. Let it only be clearly ascertained that we love Christ, and our relation to God will be unquestionable : for though it may be said, that the love of Christ is not of itself a performance of all our duty; yet it must be said, on the other hand, that it is a principle which will yield universal obedience : nor is it possible to have a true love to Christ in our hearts without loving, and longing to fulfil, the whole will of God. Whilst therefore the tests which men adopt for themselves are universally defective and fallacious, this is perfectly adequate to the end proposed : for no man can be a child of God who cannot abide that test ; nor can any man be a child of Satan, if the love of Christ be found in his heart.]
Let us then proceed to,
III. Try ourselves by it —
The inquiry is simple: Do we love,
1. His person?
"To them that believe, he is precious;" "fairer than ten thousand, and altogether lovely." Is he so to us? Have " we beheld his glory, the glory 'as of the only-begotten of the Father?" Have we seen him to be "the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person ? " Have