There are men
who will never see what they are capable or in danger of until they
have committed some fearful wrong. Nay there are some for whom even
that is not enough; they must be found out by their fellow-men, and
scorned in the eyes of the world, before they can or will admit or
comprehend their own disgrace. And there are worse still than these.
"But a man may be oppressed by his sins, and hardly know what it is
that oppresses him. There is more of sin in our burdens than we are
ourselves aware. It needs not that we should have committed any
grievous fault. Do we recognize in ourselves that which needs to be
set right, that of which we ought to be ashamed, something which,
were we lifted above all worldly anxieties, would yet keep us
uneasy, dissatisfied, take the essential gladness out of the
sunlight, make the fair face of the earth indifferent to us, a
trustful glance a discomposing look, and death a darkness?--I say to
the man who feels thus, whatever he may have done or left undone, he
is not so far from the kingdom of heaven but that he may enter
thereinto if he will.
"And if there be here any soul withered up with dismay, torn with
horrible wonder that he should have done the deed which he yet hath
done, to him I say--Flee from the self that hath sinned and hide
thee with Christ in God.
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