Self Examination
What must we examine into? It will be easy to determine what must be the matter of our inquiry, viz. the state of our souls, or things relating to our experience as Christians, in which the glory of God, and the peace and welfare of our souls are concerned. Particularly, when we set apart some time for this duty, we should chiefly be concerned to inquire into one or both of these things: 1. Whether we are real Christians or not? And, 2. Whether we are growing or declining Christians? 1. We should inquire whether we are real Christians or not. This is a point of the greatest importance. If we are Christians indeed, all things shall go well with us, both in life, and at death, in time and eternity. But if we have only the name, however we may live in earthly pleasure, it will be awful dying. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him," John 3:36. How many have been, and are ...