Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-04-02
Plain and Searching Thoughtg.

Reader, this is an unspeakably important
chapter for you to ponder. You must take
up the candle of the Lord as [ have said,
and go down into the depths of the soul to
search its hidden recesses. Nor, should you
trust to your own inspection and scrutiny
Like David, you should earnestly pray to
God to search you. Psalm cxxxix. %, "a,
He knew how prone we are to self love and
self-deception; how sin lies hidden in the folds
of the hearts deceit, and therefore he beg
ged the trial of the scrutiny of eyes more
piercing and less partial than his own. So
must you. We are all liable to Judge too
favorably of our own case. d. do consider
the fatal, the dreadful, the eternal, consequent
ces of mistake on the subject. 0, the idea
of imaginingwe are going on to heaven, when,
step by step, we are advancing to hell Is
this possible? 1t is; and this should raise
still higher our anxiety Is it common p
1t is. And this should carry our solicitude
to the highest pitch. What said Christ p
Read with awe and trembling, Matt. 7: q,
SO. Read | say, this passage in which the
Lord with his own hand rings the tocsin and
sounds the alarm through the whole of the
Church. Ought you not to examine? Is
not there need of it? Is it not all but mad
ness to 90 on without it? Mistake! What,
in such matter as salvation? Mistake -
What in matter in which an error will re-
quire, as | have often said, an eternity to
deplore it?
Are you quite sure this is not your case?
Take up the subject then, and put the follow
ing questions to your soul:
Am right, and have good evidence that
am truly converted to Coda real Chris
tan?
IF am true Christian, am Lreally an
advancing one, or am | mistaking declining
state for an advancing one?
Am histaking heightened term of pro-
fession for genuine Improvement?
Am putting an increase of knowledge,
and ability to talk about religion, in place of
an increase of holiness?
Does it satisfy me to grow in knowledge
and lamentation of my corruptions, without
Notifying them?
Am contounding sectarianism with true
plety attachment 10 some preacner, Win
love for the truth and zeal for some favorite
theory with regard for the gospel?
Is my modification of sin confined to some
one corruption, which interest, ease OF repu-
tation may require me to surrender or is it
directed against all sin?
Is my religion mere excitement of the
emotions, and my growth only greater ex-
citability; or is my will more and more de-
termined for God, my conscience more tender
and my life more holy
Inquire, beseech YOU into these things.
Be determined by Gods grace, to know the
real state of the case, and to be under no mis-
take. BE this your prayer: O God of truth,
thou that searchest the hearts and triest the
reins Of the children of men, thou knowest [
would not for ten thousand worlds be deceived
about my spiritual state. Do thou, who
knowest Inc altogether, make known to me
what | really am in thy sight Painful as it
would be to find out that had been decciving
myself this were infinitely better than for me
to 60 on in error till the mistake is past being
rectifed. want to know my real state
Even if am a Christian, and yet mistakine
: declension for progress, wish to know this
a also. Let my spiritual insight be clear, my
self-acquaintance be accurate. Suffer me or
e no account to deceive myself, even as regards
8 my progress Or decline.