(2) Our own way is a way of j^^. " See if there ia any j^ay of grievousness i^me." The. path of self -fulfilment is hard ^anxd bitter. If the roses in the broad road of sensual pleasure, sordid gain, and worldly pride are red, there is no wonder ; enough blood
PSALM cxxxix. 23, 24 167
has been shed to make them so. In the forests of South America, where gorgeous orchids dazzle the eyes and gay blossoms carpet the earth, are also creepers furnished with formidable thorns known as "the devil's fishing-hooks"; and as these trail in- sidiously on the ground, their presence is revealed only by the wounded foot that treads upon them. How closely this pictures the wayward, sensual, worldly life !
(3) Our own way is a way of degtruntym^ It joes no.ti lead to a goal ,QlJa,sting_felicity, tiut. desijfiiidsantaji^;kneasjind^espair. ""Ther-e is aj,vaj_which seeffiSth rigjjt .luyiaa^a^jiJaut^Jlifi^eiiA thereoLaJ^the^way^joi'^ath." That is the path and doom of self-fulfilment. We do not know why Solomon, in another place, exactly repeats this warning, unless, perhaps, because it is so immensely significant, and yet so likely to be overlooked. So, then, we must pray that^od will ""V-^V"dnn iif=^ f.n nnvRf^Wa^ • / that we may not be permitted to work out the lurking naughtiness of our heart.
\ Let a man persevere in prayer and watchfulness to the day of his death, yet he will never get to the bottom of his heart. Though he know more and more of himself as he becomes more conscientious and earnest, still the full manifestation of the secrets there lodged is reserved for another world. And at the last day who can tell the affright and horror of a man who lived to himself on earth, indulging his own evil will, following his own chance notions of truth and falsehood, shunning the cross and the reproach of Christ, when his eyes are at length opened before the throne of God, and all his innumerable sins, his habitual neglect of God, his abuse of his talents, his misapplication and waste of time, and the original unexplored sinfulness of his nature, are brought clearly and fully to his view ? Nay, even to the true servants of Christ the prospect is awful. " The righteous," we are told, " will scarcely be saved." Then will the good man undergo the full sight of his sins, which on earth he was labouring to obtain, and partly succeeded in obtaining, though life was not long enough to learn and subdue them all. Doubtless we must all endure that fierce and terrifying vision of our real selves, that last fiery trial of the soul before its acceptance, a spiritual agony and second death to all who are not then supported by the strength of Him who died to bring them safe through it, and in whom on earth they have believed.^
^ J. H. Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons, i. 48.
i68 THE SEARCHER OF HEARTS
^«ajE^ " T<pM mP.ioibRJiKay p.vp,rlafi|^'4- The greatest test of a man's life is with regard to leadership. Who shall lead ? Shall it be the world, or self, or God ? There is no advance until that is settled ; yet not to have settled it is to have decided in favour of self and sin : " He that is not with me is against me." It is a vital question, and presses for an instant response. This petition obviously includes surrender and submission, and it is to be a constant, continuous thing. It therefore rightly completes the circle of the permanent, universal elements in religion. " JieLWAy everlasijng,'' ^which_J£L.8QjieaiiliiMLy- iBJieipe©fced.-ija. Isaiah_2i£5y. as " the vf^Y . of holinqgs." " an -IjjjgIui:a^"4ipon_ which no .unclean thing shall walk. If^xj^ " t.h^ wayfaring men^ though fools, ^hall not S?rjfeje£§lai_- . • and <;.h(^j;|pRnmp.d' o| thP. T.nrf| ^hal] rgfaim J^r^^
QomeJoZiQfi^.mtb. songs and everlasting joy upon tht^i^- hp^^g." has_bifi^L_^ade clear in., Jesus ChrisL. and He will 'lead us in triumph^ along _thi§. wajMbo wards J,he everlasting^on. _ JL^t^us _, ^^elcom^_the leadexallip.. of Him vdioTiarconie_to ''pr^sent-4ig faultless befojre the presence of l^is g],ory vyi[)b eyf-eqfjjng jpy "
f There is a story told of a good old preacher in Wales, in those early days when preachers used to go about Wales from one end of the country to the other. The custom among Christians who realized their privileges and responsibilities was, when a man had preached the Gospel on one side of a mountain, and had to preach it the following night on the other side, that some kind friend accompanied him a large part of the way, if not the whole way, and thus showed him the path to take. But there were some who begrudged this kindly service. The preacher of whom I speak came on one occasion into contact with one of these. He was a wealthy farmer in the district. The preacher stayed the night at this man's house. On the following morning, when the preacher was about to start, the farmer took out a bit of a slate and traced on it the way over the mountain to the other side, and said, " Now follow this. Here the road divides, and there a path turns to the right," etc. etc. The good old man tried to follow it, and, after making very many mistakes on the wild mountain, succeeded at length in reaching his destination. Some time after that he visited the same people a second time, and preaching from one of those tender references of Paul to those who were so ready to minister to him, significantly said, " Ah, these were a people who, when Paul preached to them, and he had to cross a mountain