m not speaking of. I am not
speaking of cases when persons change their condition, their place in
society, their pursuit, and the like; I am supposing them to remain
pretty much the same as before in outward circumstances; but I say that
many a man is conscious to himself of having undergone inwardly great
changes of view as to what truth is and what happiness. Nor, again, am
I speaking of changes so great, that a man reverses his former opinions
and conduct. He may be able to see that there is a connexion between
the two; that his former has led to his latter; and yet he may feel
that after all they differ in kind; that he has got into a new world of
thought, and measures things and persons by a different rule.

Nothing, indeed, is more wonderful and strange than the different views
which different persons take of the same subject. Take any single
fact, event, or existing thing which meets us in the world; what
various remarks will be made on it by different persons! For instance,
consider the different lights in which any single action, of a striking
nature, is viewed by different persons; or consider the view of wealth
or a wealthy man, taken by this or that class in the community; what
different feelings does it excite--envy, or respect, or ridicule, or
angry opposition, or indifference, or fear and compassion; here are
states of mind in which different parties may regard it. These are
broad differences; others are quite as real, though more subtle.
Religion, for instance, may be reverenced by the soldier, the man of
literature, the trader, the statesman, and the theologian; yet how very
distinct their modes of reverencing it, and how separate the standard
which each sets up in his mind! Well, all these various modes of
viewing things cannot one and all be the best mode, even were they all
good modes; but this even is not the case. Some are contrary to
others; some are bad. But even of those that are on the whole good,
some are but in part good, some are imperfect, some have much bad mixed
with them; and only one is best. Only one is the truth and the perfect
truth; and which that is, none know but those who are in possession of
it, if even they. But God knows which it is; and towards that one and
only Truth He is leading us forward. He is leading forward His
redeemed, He is training His elect, one and all, to the one perfect
knowledge and obedience of Christ; not, however, without their
co-operation, bu