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first epistle the same Apostle declares that which he and his 
fellow testimony-hearers had seen and heard, in order that his 
audience might have fellowship with them. He says,* “ We 
have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be 
the Saviour of the world ;” and he carefully contrasts the 
importance of this testimony with that of the testimony of 
man, which we are continually in the habit of receiving. The 
Apostle Paul coincides, in almost similar language, in' the 
declaration f “ that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the 
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath 
raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” He goes on 
to inquire, “ How then shall they call on Him on whom they 
have not believed, and how shall they believe in Him of whom 
they have not heard, and how shall they hear without a 
preacher?” It is of primary importance that those who 
occupy the place of testimony-bearers should themselves 
believe. He says further : t( And how shall they preach except 
they be sent ? ” 
59. We arrive then at this conclusion, that the message of the 
gospel must be either accepted or rejected as a concrete whole. 
That it is sufficiently authenticated we are elsewhere taught,* 
and in such a manner that those who believe the message are 
under the obligation of being “ ready always to give an answer 
to every man that asketh them a reason § of the hope that is in 
them, with meekness and fear,” each individual believer of the 
.message becoming thus an additional witness ( yapryc ) and 
if necessary a martyr to the truth which he receives ; but I do 
not find any permission for discussion of the message itself, in 
whole or in part, with those who do not receive it. It claims' 
to be authoritative and dogmatic, and submission and not 
criticism is called for on the part of those who hear. 
60. This may seem to some slavery and bondage, but to those 
who receive the message it brings liberty aud peace. I very 
thankfully acknowledge myself to be of the number of those 
who receive the testimony ; and, feeling the need of the pardon 
and life which it brings, rejoice therein as fully suited to our 
nature in all its most deeply felt necessities as to reconciliation 
with the One from whom the message comes. 
61. Not to enlarge further nor to venture on questions of 
theology, I maintain that the position of the believer is the 
only humble and right one; and that Christian evidence, though 
in many respects different from that of scientific fact, rests on 
* 1 John i. f Rom. x. 
+ 1 Cor. xv. ; Acts xvii. 31 ; &c. &c. § 1 Pet. iii. 15. 
