Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 2.pdf/157

 Let us then consider this divine question—"What is the chaff to the wheat?" What are the light and frivolous pleasures, and false persuasions of mere worldly-mindedness, when compared to the real-and solid blessings which spring from celestial love?

HE desire expressed by the Psalmist to be cleansed from secret faults, is very important; for secret faults do not come before the eyes of men; they are hidden in the mind, and lie stored up in the secret workings and motives of the heart: hence the desire of being cleansed from them cannot arise from any worldly or external motive, but must arise from a nobler feeling—from the love of goodness for its own sake. Human judgment in all cases is very defective, it cannot see further than the outside of guilt; it cannot enter into the heart, and there explore all the interior recesses of wickedness, where crime has its first beginnings, or root. This discrimination belongs exclusively to the Lord, who alone "searcheth the heart and trieth the reins," and can see those secret faults which are the rude disturbers of our peace, and the enemies of our best interests.

To pray to be cleansed from secret faults, it will be necessary to know them; for unless we know what they are, we can offer no true prayer for their removal. To know these secret faults, we must have the courage