OCCASIONALLY in seasons of collapse and disaster great discoveries are made concerning those who appeared to be commercially sound but turn out to be rotten. Then the whole machinery of financing is laid bare, and things which directors and managers

have thought to be right have been seen to be utter robbery. All looked solid and substantial until the inevitable crash came, and then no man felt that he could trust his neighbor. No doubt these schemers thought their ways "clean;' but the event discovered their dirty hands.

Spiritual failures of like kind occur in the church. Great reputations explode, high professions dissolve. Men readily cajole themselves into the belief that they are right, and are doing right. They misapply Scripture, misinterpret providence, and in general turn things upside down, but the inexorable judgment overtakes them. A weighing time comes, and their professions are exposed. Niagara is at the end of the fatal rapid of self-deception: the self-satisfied pretender descends with a plunge to sure destruction.

Let us practically consider some of the "ways" which appear to be "clean;" but are not so, when the Lord comes to weigh the spirits.

I. THE WAYS OF THE OPENLY WICKED. Many of these are "clean" in their own eyes.

• They give pretty names to sin.


• They think ill of others, making them out to be much worse than themselves, and finding in this an excuse for themselves,


• They claim to have many admirable qualities, and fine points.


• They urge that if imperfect they cannot help it.


• They also seriously resolve to amend; but never do so. Men do with themselves as financiers do with companies:


• They put down doubtful assets as certain property.


• They reckon expectations as receipts.


• They tear out pages from the account-book.


• They conceal damaging facts, and ruinous entanglements.
• They cook the accounts in all sorts of ways, and make groundless promises.

The Lord's trial will be thorough and decisive. He weighs with accurate balances and weights; and he looks not only to the open way but to the inner spirit.

• These often boast that they are better than the religious.


• They pretend that their superior intellects prevent their being believers: they must doubt because they are clever.


• They extol regard to the second table of the Law as being far more important than any service rendered to God himself.


• They will not be held accountable for their creed, or be judged for rejecting a few crabbed dogmas.

• His observance of ceremonies.


• His regular attendance at worship.


• His open profession of religion.


• His generosity to the cause, and general interest in good things.

• His greed keeps him from expensive sins, and therefore he gives himself credit for self-denial.


• He stints the cause of God and the poor.


• He oppresses his workmen in their wages.


• He makes hard bargains, drives debtors to extremes, takes undue advantage, and is a skinflint to all around him.

• In his secret life? In his private and hidden indulgences?


• In his pleasures and amusements?


• In his company and conversation?


• In his forsaken closet, forgotten Bible, lukewarm religion, etc.

• Decline in private prayer (Job 15:4).


• Sin gradually getting the upper hand (Jer. 14:10).


• Conversation scantily spiritual (Eph. 5:4)


• Scriptures little read (Hos. 8:12).


• Heart growing hard (Heb. 3:13).


• Religion almost destitute of life (Rev. 3:1).


• Pride cropping up in many directions (Deut. 8:14).

• Failed in true faith in Jesus.


• Failed in real regeneration.


• Failed in heart-work and soul-service for the Lord.


• Failed for ever. Will our hearer do this?

How beautiful all things look when winter has bleached them! What a royal bed is to be seen in yonder corner! The coverlet is whiter than any fuller on earth could white it! Here might an angel take his rest, and rise as pure as when he reclined upon it. Pshaw! It is a dunghill, and nothing more.

All the ships that came into the harbor were claimed by one person in the city. He walked the quay with a right royal air, talked largely about owning a navy, and swaggered quite sufficiently had it been so. How came he to be so wealthy? Listen, he is a madman. He has persuaded himself into this folly, but in truth he has not a tub to call his own. What absurdity! Are not many the victims of even worse self-deception? They are rich and increased in goods according to their own notion; yet they are naked, and poor, and miserable.

"This must be the right way, see how smooth it is! How many feet have trodden it!" Alas, that is precisely the mark of the broad road which leadeth to destruction.

"But see how it winds about, and what a variety of directions it takes! It is no bigot's unbending line." Just so; therein it proves itself to be the wrong road; for truth is one, and unchanging.

"But I like it so much." This also is suspicious; for what an unrenewed man is so fond of is probably an evil thing. Hearts go after that which is like themselves, and graceless men love graceless ways

"Would you have me go that narrow and rough road?" Yes, we would; for it leadeth unto life; and though few there be that find it, yet those who do so declare that it is a way of pleasantness. It is better to follow a rough road to heaven than a smooth road to hell.