dared to scatter their censorious decisions at random, according to
the prevalence of humor, caprice, or prejudice; often to the wounding
of the faithful; and rending of the body of Christ.

This occasions temporary mischief; but the day is coming when all
those disorders will be rectified. The censurer, and the censured,
will stand at the same bar, and be tried by the same Judge. Every
wrong judgment will then be reversed, and every injurious suspicion be
removed. For,

II. Every _man's character will be known when the Lord comes--who will
bring to light the hidden sufferings of darkness, and will make
manifest the counsels of the hearts_.

Many things necessary to determine the moral characters of men are
hidden from mortal eyes. We are ignorant of _the counsels_ of the
hearts--do not know their purposes and views. Without this knowledge,
right judgment cannot be formed.

Our knowledge of ourselves is imperfect. For self knowledge we have
advantages which we have not for the knowledge of others. We can turn
inward, and contemplate the motives which govern, and the views which
actuate us. But pride, passion, prejudice, or the corrupt bias,
operating in ways unperceived, often blinds the mental eye, and
renders us strangers at home. "Whoso trusteth his own heart is a
fool.--The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked, who can know it?" It requires great attention to form a just
judgment of ourselves--yea, to attain that self knowledge which is
necessary for us. With regard to the knowledge of others, the
difficulty is still greater. We can neither see the heart, nor know