1 John v. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the
tvitness in himself.
THE truth of our holy religion is confirmed by every kind of evidence that the heart of man can desire. Not only was it established by an appeal to prophecy, but by miracles without number. Nay more, as the religion of Moses had at the very time different rites appointed in commemoration of the principal events with which that dispensation was marked ; as the feast of the passover, to commemo- rate the destruction of the Egyptian first-born, and the preservation of Israel, — and the feast of Pente- cost, to commemorate the giving of the law, — and the feast of tabernacles, to commemorate their living in tents in the wilderness ; — so has Christianity been attested by the Holy ''Spirit" given to the Apostles, and " the water" of baptism, which was administered on that very day, and " the blood" of the cross com- memorated by the cup which is drank by all in the supper of the Lord.
But, convincing as these testimonies are, the true believer has one peculiar to himself, one abiding in his own bosom, arising from his own experience : " He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself;" the witness of Christ, and of his salvation ; of its necessity, its suitableness, its suffi- ciency. He has in himself the witness of,
I. Its necessity —
[The generality of persons see no need of such a salvation as the Gospel has provided. Many have no conception that they merit condemnation at the hands of God : or that there can be any occasion for more than a mere exercise of mercy, without any atonement offered to divine justice for their sins, or any righteousness to be imputed to them for their justifica- tion before God. But the believer has views of his own ex- ceeding sinfulness, and of his utter incapacity to reconcile himself to God, and of his need of a Saviour to effect salvation
i JOHN, v. 10. [2466.
for him. He is conscious, that no repentance of his can ever suffice to expiate his guilt, nor any good works of his prevail for the purchase of heaven: and hence he is in his own appre- hension as much lost without a Saviour, as the fallen angels are, for whom no Saviour has heen provided.]
II. Its suitableness —
[Looking into his own hosom to explore his wants, and then examining the Holy Scriptures to see what provision God has made for him, he sees that the one corresponds with the other as the wards of a lock with the key that opens it. He has no want in himself for which he does not see in Christ a suitable supply : nor does he behold in Christ any thing which he does not need. Is Christ both God and man ? Such an one does the believer see that he stands in need of; even man to take on him what man was bound to do and suffer; and God to render that work effectual for our salvation. Did the believer need an atonement for his guilt, a righteousness wherein to stand before God ? Did he need a divine power to renew his soul ? Did he need an Advocate with the Father to intercede for him ? Did he need an Head of vital influence to impart unto him all seasonable supplies of grace ? This, and ten thousand times more than this, does he find in Christ, whose fulness corresponds with his necessities, as an impres- sion with the seal ; in neither of which is there a jot or tittle either superfluous or defective. The every office of Christ, and every character is precisely that which the believer needs ; to the hungry, Christ is bread ; to the thirsty, a living fountain of water ; to the sick, a Physician ; yea and life to the dead.]