Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-01-18
BRANDON, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY Is, 1887

their true state and happy prospects, with
certainty, and this knowledge will mate
! rally aid them in the path Of duty: for 1t
to be self-deceived only, that doubts and
Tears are necessary to arouse conscience
and drive them to the discharge Of duties
to which their incinations would never
lead them. The inquiry is to be answer
ed by ascertaining whether, in our con-
duct, we are actuated by a higher, nobler
motive than our own happiness, whether
we prefer and are influenced by the will
Of God, for then we cannot be unreconci!ed
to him. This will be ascertained by re-
curing to the period Of our conviction OF
sin previous to our supposed conversion,
and deciding whether we then entered the
strait gate liz this inquiry, be Influenced
solely by cool reason and sound jud gment,
and not by hopes or fears, and you can ar
rive at a conclusion safe and certain
Whoever has entered this gate, has had,
substantially, the following exercise. |.
He saw his entire guilt, and desert of the
divine displeasure; became utterly hope
less Of the favor OF God and abandoned
all expectation of ever preserving his hap
piness by yielding to God, or otherwise.
2. Under the consciousness that right and
duty required it, and under the erPect0-
ton of punishment, for at least without
any hope Of securing his happiness by
thereby becoming a Christian or in any
other manner exposing wrath) he resolved
to serve the Lord: or, consented that God
should dispose of him for time and eter-
nifty according to his pleasure, knowing
he would and willing he should do right
with him, say, d or lost. Or, yielding to
the control Of God unreservedIy, that he
might do right, without, at the time,
thinking either of securing his peace, or Of
being punished. The formation of the
resolution was not done tcelingiy, though
he meant it, and therefore was sincere );
it was not succeeded by the change he
had anticipated nor did it INN dIatcIy
alter his expectation Of being punished.
This is entering the strait gate. Let the
facts be patiently recalled, and the point
be decided. 3. This resolution formed
the new heart not gladncss over fan
cied escape from hell, not JOY in hope of
heaven and the favor of Christ, but a
willingness to do right and have right
done with him, which is the heart, evin-
cling itself in desiring and Prcterring right
whenever discovered in God, or in his
fellow creatures The legitimate tenden-
cy Of this preference is to produce happi-
ness in the Lord but it can and does ex-
} list, while the soul is filled with unha ppi-
ness from a view Of sin or other causes, on
; the same principle that we can and do
t love an earthly object, while deeply al:
: ficted under some other influence. He
: will love the holiness and bcnevolence OF
e God, whenever his attention is directed tC
t them, because he pelceIves these attri-
it butes to be right and goodwill love his
! justice, because proprIety requires its ex,
ercse-wiI be pleased with his mercy
l. y, when it can be exercised upon rig
d teous principles--will feel grateful te
: Christ, not so much for the favor confer
n red on him, as for the rectitude and good
ness OF his character, as evlnced in thu
s benevoIence of his disposition, and dis
g interestedness Of his principles, leading t
8 such Astonishing selt-denial for his Faith
l. er's glory, and the exhibition of sucl
n matchess compassion to a world of foes
J. He loves God for his own sake; and be
s. cause he is infinite Y righteous or HOLY
y will prefer him to all other Objects H
l. loves the Christian because he perceive
l. IN his character rectitude Of principle, an
We desire to initiate God in purify of hear
Re and holiness of life. h hates ever
d, thing opposed to right, and on this accour
IN dislkes the conduct of the impenient
la Il for lotin e. ,
al evil AMI return to holiness, are far stror
n ger than his sympathy over their expo;
e. ure to suffering When he remember
ed his own evil ways, he hates his iniqutie
de and often Ioathes himself for his tran
he gressions. In fine, his incIinations an
us preferences will follow the guidance of
ct conscience corrected by the word of Go
an a. Having entered the strait gate, he wi
en- pursue the narrow way OF obedience, fro
ur a love to it, because it is the path of rect
rd tude, and because in it he can evince h
w. love to God and men, in all things CO..
S. scientiously doing right towards God, al
in in his Intercourse with his fellow-me
Cd, whenever he can discern the principI
nd ). He will daily evince his true chara
to ter, by voluntarily persevering in doir
of right unto holiness, from. vi 1871 f
'or love Of right, if it exist, must evince its'
vo, in leading US to do right. He will not
'ur perfect, but his conduct will clearly she
'II that perfection is his aim. Said the Lo
the Jesus Christ, He that endureth to t
lis end shall be saved,'-" Be thou faltht
0rn unto death and will give the crown
you life" If these tests can be honestly a
piled to yourself: if these feelings ar
iod, spontaneously on regarding the ob)e
calculated to elicit them, withoutlts bel
necessary for you to interpose an effort
~ 20 nv, 70 hnliove Won nj