Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-12-28

rather than Xposethemse!ves. But WHY
should this pride be INDUCED, the mind
consequently remain uninstructed, and the
soul be lostl have witnessed the hope,
full regeneration of a large number Of i'm
penitent professors Of religion, in TIE
course of work Of grace in church de-
cidediy orthodox, and ascert2i:cd thu, ev
cry one entered the church at the so,icita-
tion Of friends, and under sincere belief
that they were dischareing duty. They
had no evil intention in the act they de-
sired not to d, ccive themselves or others !:
and to such the odious term hypoc1Le in
It's modern acceptation, is abusive; and if
we ever hope to reach them, such use of
it must be entirely abandoned. Some
have said that they suppressed an expo
sure of their feelings because it mjght in
jure the cause Of Christ before the world;
but experience has proved that directly
opposite effect will be produced Where
such exposures have been attended with
evident conversion, careless sinners have
been aroused to a deeper conviction Of
| the reality Of regeneration. and ofthe nc
cessity of securing the benefits Of religion;
the individuals themselves have enjoyed
| the increased confidence of the conmuui-
| ty, and many WI O were unconscious of
| their seItdecertion, have been alarmed
and led to repentance. Strange, indeed
that God should be diShonorcd by a prop
er avowa] Of The truth; or that he should
prefer an impure church to the conversion
of his deceived creatures Still, unneccs-
sary exposures should be avoided
). Some sustain their sinking hopes
against the cautions of conscience, hv test
ing themselves with the supposed feelings
of other professors, and encouraging them
selves by their failings. 6. Others are
50 perfectly de]udcd Under the idea of
having secured the favor of God, that
I hardly doubt of their own good estate
enters the mind, until their hopes and hap
hjness are dispeled together by the fires
ofthe second death.
We will now examine the question
whether or not you are impenitent. TheIe
are two sources Of evidence upon this
point. The first consists in the nature OF
our deportment-but this is far from al-
fordIng an infallibe proof that we are
Christians. Our department affords the
only test by which the world can Judge
OF us, because our secret motives are not
open to public inspection; on which &C
count our Saviour declared, by their
fruits shall We know them''-the absence
of fruits is decisive against them, while
| the nature of their fruit forms the basis of
| The worlds Jud gment Tie motive stamps
the character of the action and that &C
ton may be apparently praiseworthy,
which, II the motive were known, would
be hated by all. Your motives can be
fully known by yourself, and to test the
true character Of your life, they must be
aScertaincd. If you are influenced by
considerations other than love of right
eousne2s, love to benevoIence and to God,
though your department be correct be-
You'd the reach of censure, though you
are within the pale Of the visible church,
though you confer all your goods upon
! the poor, and even in your zeal give your
body to be burned you remain a mere
moraist, an impenitent sinner. That
you may honestly examine your motives,
vii! suggest few tests, previous 10 no.
thing the second source of EVIDENCE
/. our natural temperament NAV lead
to many actions, which grace would impel
another TO perform, such as relieving the
destitute, or engaging with great ardor in
prosecuting your plans e. Desire OF ap-
pIause, secret and deep rooted, leads some
{ 10 discharge certain duties, to which love
directs others; as, in giving literally to
Wits, 1ln oh b. J1,I
acting before the world, and fond Of re-
counting their good deeds, while remiss
in almost every private duty of the Chris
tan. 3. Mere policy in extending the
circle Of their friends, increasing their in
fluence, subscribing their pecunlary inter-
ests, or in rearing a fabric Of seff-rig ht-
eousness on which to rest hope cf heav-
en-, induces many to adopt that civility of
department, and kindness OF demeanor in
social intercourse, and induce to the en-
durancc Of injuries and patience under
evils, which in the Christian are the re-
! suits Of benevolence 4. Strong desire OF
future happiness leads manyt to meet pres
ent trials and some notifications with
tcotnposure, and urges them to discharge
many duties for which they have no rel
ish 10 which the Christian is impelled
by benevolence and love to the duties
themselves. Fear of disgrace, or Of
church discipline, or of losing the good
estimation of others, frequently drives the
deceived professor to the heartlesS per-
fornance of duties he would be glad to
avoid, and even to offer open insult to
God, and to the commission of sins almost
b!asphemous. S. The apprehension Of
losing evidences Of their supposed Chris
tlan character, forces many to do those acts
of duty to which love alIures the Chris
tian, and which to The former are apt to
become insupportable. Especially In the