It is very important that we should all learn to distrust our own natural judgment of right and wrong, and that of the world, and to come before God to be judged. "If our heart condemn us," says S. John, "God is greater than our heart,"[1] His Law more strict. And our Lord Himself, speaking to the Pharisees, says: "Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; hut God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men, is abomination in the sight of God."[2] Practices and tempers, which the world may altogether justify and call harmless, may be so far from harmless, that they may even be actual abomination in the sight of God. The judgment of the world on right and wrong is always changing, and is very untrustworthy. Accordingly S. Paul says distinctly, in one place, "I know nothing by myself,"—or, as the original words properly mean, "I am not conscious of any sin in myself,"—"yet am I not hereby justified; but He that judgeth me is the Lord."[3] Every one who has lived an earnest, Christian life, knows how he has grown in the knowledge of God and goodness. Is it not true that, when you become acquainted with holy and good men, they teach you to see things in a higher and purer light, to feel many things to be wrong, of which once you thought little?
I know that many do not feel anything of this kind. There are many who will never submit themselves as learners to others; who have too much of the spirit of those who said, "We are they that ought to speak; who is Lord over us?"[4] who seldom even put themselves deliberately "at the feet of Jesus," and ask Him to teach them,—to "open their eyes that they may see the wondrous things of His Law;"[5] or come to Him privately, as the disciples did, to ask Him to "declare unto them" the real meaning of His words.
But I trust there are many of us, who do come into the House of God as learners, wishing to be led to
