RULES FOR OETA2NSNG FORGI NESS. 273 have not," saith he to the Pharisees, who were full of unbelief, " the word of God abiding in you." Take not, then, the office and prerogative of Christ out of his hand, by making a judgment from your own reasonings and conclusions as to your state. You will find that he often determines quite conirary to what men judge of themselves, and to what others judge of them. Some he judges to be in an evil condition, who are very confident that it is well with them, and who please themselves in the thought that others also think they are safe; and he judges the state of some to be 'good, who are diffident of themselves, and, it may be, despised by others. We may single out an example or two in each kind. Laodicea's judgment of her spiritual state we have, Rev. 3 : 17, " I am rich, and increased withgoods, and have need of nothing." A fair state it seems, a blessed condition! She wants nothing that may contribute to her rest, peace, and reputation; she is orthodox, and numerous, and flourishing; makes -a fair profession, and all is well within. So she belie-ves, so she reports of her- self; wherein there is a secret reflection also upon others whom she despises. Let them shift as they, list, I am as I say. But was it so with her indeed l was that her true condition, of which she was so confident as to profess it unto all 1 Let Jesus Christ be heard in this cause, let him come and judge : Thus saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness." Coming to give sentence in a case of this importance, he gives himself this title, that we may know his word is to be acquiesced in. Every man, saith he, is a liar; their testimony is of no value, let them pronounce what they 12*
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