The Sinfulness and Selfishness [pp. 22-41]

THE SINFULNESS OF SELFISHNESS.
"in all good conscience" through the whole. But a time at
length comes when the working selfishness is set before his conse,ience in its essential sinfulness. The two-edged sword of
truth cuts through every concealment to the very heart, and
forces to the full conviction of his guilt; then it is, when his will
sets at known defiance the will of God, and "gnashes the teeth"
upon any faithful reprover, that selfishness has come to its last
hopeless incorrigible state, and can henceforth only be dealt with
by physical restraint and the penal retributions of Omnipotence.
In so knowing what selfishness is, and whereto it grows, we are
now prepared to look directly in upon it and see its sinfulness
throu,gh all stages.
W HEREIN APPEARS TEN SINFULNESS OF SELFISHNESS?-We give
o)nly that which is universally characteristic of selfishness, and
springing from it as a native source.
It c/Ianyf,s as self-interest promnpts.-God ever does what he
sees to be due to his intrinsic perfections, and this as truly in
commianding as in creating and upholding. His essential excellence gives righteous authority to all his comrmandments, and it
cannot be worthy of him that we should be accepted by him
while in disobedience to his authority. Hence it is a universal
rule for human life to obey the expressed will of God. All that
is necessary to guide our action is in some way to know what
God would have us do. A loyal man will take that direction
with no calculation of interest in the end of happiness. He will
go after his Lord bearing the cross as certainly, and perhaps as
cheerfully, as when manna falls along his pathway. He does
not calculate the profit of present sacrifices in any consequent
happiness which he expects shall come therefrom in the future
world. Sufficient for him is it that such couduct pleases God
and will have his manifested approbation, and whether any
added good, which shall minister to his gratification, is to follow
or not, will awake no anxious solicitude. He is fulfilling the
great end of his being in standing where he has the approbation
of heaven, and he will leave it wholly to God's sovereign disposal
what, if any, mark of his regard hlie shall add to this crown of
approbation and acceptanee. " His favor is life, and his loving
kindness better than life," and the loyal spirit will part with the
worthiness which receives such approval for no possible self
1874.]
29