their actions to any inferior standard, delude their own souls, and " treasure up wrath against the day of wrath," the careful Christian attains a just knowledge of his own state, and accu- mulates " a weight of glory," which " the Lord, the righteous Judge," shall confer upon him in exact proportion to the services he has rendered to his Godg. Here we are called to bear the burthens of others ; and frequently to groan under burthens that are unrighteously cast upon us : but in the day of judgment, both the one and the other of these will be removed from us, and we shall " bear that only which is pro- perly our own:" " we shall reap precisely what we have sown: if we have sown to the flesh, we shall of the flesh reap corrup- tion ; and, if we have sown to the Spirit, we shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting'1."]
Address —
1. Those who form too favourable an opinion of their state —
[Do not imagine that we wish unnecessarily to disturb your peace. We would to God that " your peace might flow clown like a river !" All that we are anxious to do, is, to keep you from resting in undue security, and " saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace." When we entreat you to stop and try yourselves, and to prove your own work, what do we but consult your truest happiness both in time and in eternity ? We desire to bring every one of you to a state of holy joy, even to " a joy which no man can take from you," " a rejoicing in yourself alone, and not in another." Let me then say to you, as the Apostle does, " Let not any man think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but think soberly ! :" and again, " Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selvesV It is in this way only that you can attain self-knowledge, or be delivered from self- deception. Think what you will of yourselves, " you are nothing," nor ever can be any thing, but poor, weak, guilty creatures, indebted to the free grace of God alone for all your hope and all your salvation. Even St. Paul, whilst declaring that " he was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles," confessed that " he was nothing1." Let the same mind be in you, and you will find the salvation of the Gospel sweetly suited to your souls.]
2. Those who form too unfavourable an opinion of their state —
k 1 Cor. iii. 8. Heb. xi. 26. <■ ver. 7, 8.
1 Rom. xii. 3. k 2 Cor. xiii. 5. ' 2 Cor. xii. 1 I,