You ask, _How shall one decide?_
I will tell you this also. Suppose you agree with a nurseryman to
furnish you with a tree of a particular kind. He brings you one. You
inquire, "Is this the kind of tree I engaged?" He replies, "Yes." But
you say, "How do I know? It looks indeed like the tree in question, and
you say it is; but there are other trees which strongly resemble it." He
rejoins, "I myself grafted it, and I almost know." "Ah! yes, _almost_;
but are you certain?" "No," he replies, "I am not absolutely certain,
and no one can be sure at this moment." "But what shall I do?" you ask.
"I want that particular tree." "Well," says he, "I will suggest one
infallible test. Set it out on your grounds. It will soon bear _fruit_,
and that will be a sure and satisfactory test." "Is there no other way?"
you ask--"no shorter, better way?" "None," he replies. "This is the only
sure evidence which man can have."
Let us apply these remarks. As there is but one infallible test as to a
tree, so there is but one in respect to a man claiming to be a
Christian. "What _fruit_ does he bear?" "By their fruits," says our
Savior, "ye shall know them." Only a good tree brings forth good fruit.
Here, then, we have a plain, simple, and, I may add, infallible rule for
testing ourselves. What kind of fruit are we bearing? What fruit must we
bear? "The fruits of the Spirit," says the Bible, "are love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith," &c.
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