July 16

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. - 2 Corinthians 13:5.

NEXT to brokenness of heart and contrition of spirit, gratitude for spiritual mercies more than for temporal ones may be viewed as one of the principal evidences of our being “in the faith.” The natural man may thank God for a, safe journey, a successful stroke in business, and seasonable weather; but he does not bless God for divine mercies,-he does not thank God for his unspeakable gift. The Christian’s gratitude rises much higher when contemplating spiritual mercies, and therefore says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Love to private devotion forms another evidence of our being Christians. There may be attractions to lead persons to the house of God; there may be something in the manner of a preacher; or they may go to hear the singing, or to ease their consciences, or to please their religious connections; and yet their heart may be a stranger to divine things. If we are in a large company, and there is but one disagreeable person there, the enjoyment of the others’ society would enable us to bear with him. But suppose we were to be left alone with him: how should we feel then? And suppose we were left alone with God: how do we feel then? Let us try ourselves by this standard.

Another evidence is love to the brethren:-“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” “He that loveth him that begat loveth also them that are begotten of him;” for he is a partaker of the same divine nature. He may not be of the same religious denomination with ourselves; yet we love him, as we do all who bear the image of the Saviour, of whatever name they may be. We stretch forth our hand with our divine Lord, and say, “He who doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my mother, and sister, and brother.”

Again, a readiness to know the will of God concerning us is another evidence of our Christianity, and so is also our being angry with ourselves, rather than with the preacher who may reprove us for any fault, not “counting him as an enemy because he tells us the truth.” Adhering to God in duty, though we may have little or no comfort, is another evidence in our favour, because it shows the existence of religious principle. We can then say,-

“Should worlds conspire to drive me hence,

Moveless and firm this heart should lie;

Resolved, (for that’s my last defence,)

If I must perish, there to die.”

Another evidence is a perception of the excellency and glory of divine things. This no unconverted man ever possessed; but a Christian not only perceives their reality, but discovers their beauty, so as to long for them, saying of the Saviour, “He is altogether lovely, and the fairest among ten thousand.”

Acquiescence with the divine will is another evidence in our favour. If we love the service of God, acquiesce in his will, and glory in it and in nothing else, we have the evidence of having the peace of God ruling in our hearts. It is our possession of the Spirit of Christ that is to determine our condition; for the Apostle John says, “We know we are his, because of the spirit which he hath given us.” And we read that the Spirit “seals us.” “He bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God.” What then do we know of him? Those persons are much mistaken who judge that they have the Holy Spirit because of some certain impulses they are the subjects of.

It is the Spirit alone that convinces of sin, and he is called “the Spirit of grace and supplication.” While the Christian may take courage that he will never be destroyed, yet his evidences may be removed, and in an hour of temptation he may lose what he would give worlds to regain, but never may in this life, and may at last, like an offending child, be put to bed in the dark crying. If, therefore, we would walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghost, we must be in the fear of the Lord all the day.