"Hast Thou Heard, Known, and Believed This Record?"

This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son: he that hath the Son hath life.—1 John 5:11-12.

Guilt fills the wretched pair with dread, and cuts off all hope in God, all claim upon him. Hence our first parents "fled from the presence of the Lord, and hid themselves." Sovereign love interposed, and the poor, guilty, trembling partners in woe were called before their highly-offended, justly provoked Lord. Was it to behold him clothed with vengeance? To hear the sentence of their eternal doom to destruction? To see hell opened to receive them? No; be astonished, O heavens! Rejoice, ye apostate children of hell-deserving parents! They were to hear a RECORD of what was transacted in the eternal court and counsel of heaven, published on earth. This, instead of wrath, brought mercy; instead of woe, blessing; instead of eternal death, everlasting life; instead of a hell of misery, a heaven of happiness to their trembling hearts.

Fallen man came not to meet God, to sue for pardon, and entreat grace, but fled his presence. But the Lord follows sinful man with love in his heart; not to propose terms of accommodation or conditions of peace, but to proclaim the joyful news of eternal life as the free gift of free favor, unmerited grace, unconditional mercy, in and by the seed of the woman, Jesus Christ. Glorious RECORD of eternal love! Blessed testimony of life! Joyful tidings of grace! Hast thou heard, known, and believed this RECORD? "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name." Behold and admire the wisdom, as well as the love of thy God. In this rejoice always; be humble continually. Life, eternal life, is given us. This life is in God's beloved Son, therefore can never be lost and forfeited. "Our life is hid with Christ in God." O, if Jesus dwells in our hearts by faith, we have God's beloved Son, we have eternal life. The report of this is joyful to our ears. The enjoyment of this enters our hearts, creates our present heaven, and fills us with joyful hopes of future glory. We have the strongest confidence, the fullest assurance to animate our souls, "Because I live, saith the head, ye (my members) shall live also."—John 14:19. God hath GIVEN us eternal life. He is faithful, he will not revoke his own precious free gift. Jesus hath overcome every enemy and opposer that might prevent our enjoyment of eternal life. The Holy Spirit hath effected such an union to Jesus, as can never be broken. "We are joined unto the Lord, and are one spirit."—1 Corinthians 6:17.

- excerpt from William Mason's A Spiritual Treasury for the Children of God, Volume 1, November 19