Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds
Proverbs 27:23
Every wise merchant will occasionally hold a stock-taking, when
he will cast up his accounts, examine what he has on hand, and
ascertain decisively whether his trade is prosperous or declining.
Every man who is wise in the kingdom of heaven, will cry, "Search me,
O God, and try me"; and he will frequently set apart special seasons
for self-examination, to discover whether things are right between
God and his soul. The God whom we worship is a great heart-searcher;
and of old His servants knew Him as "the Lord which searcheth the
heart and trieth the reins of the children of men." Let me stir you
up in His name to make diligent search and solemn trial of your
state, lest you come short of the promised rest. That which every
wise man does, that which God Himself does with us all, I exhort you
to do with yourself this evening. Let the oldest saint look well to
the fundamentals of his piety, for grey heads may cover black hearts:
and let not the young professor despise the word of warning, for the
greenness of youth may be joined to the rottenness of hypocrisy.
Every now and then a cedar falls into our midst. The enemy still
continues to sow tares among the wheat. It is not my aim to introduce
doubts and fears into your mind; nay, verily, but I shall hope the
rather that the rough wind of self-examination may help to drive them
away. It is not security, but carnal security, which we would kill;
not confidence, but fleshly confidence, which we would overthrow; not
peace, but false peace, which we would destroy. By the precious blood
of Christ, which was not shed to make you a hypocrite, but that
sincere souls might show forth His praise, I beseech you, search and
look, lest at the last it be said of you, "Mene, Mene, Tekel: thou
art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting."
