And if he feels
only for his own people, and for them only when they become and as long
as they remain his own people, then his insincerity and imposture is only
the more abominable in the sight of God. (4) Archbishop Whately, with
that strong English common sense and that cultivated clear-headedness
that almost make him a writer of genius, points out a view of sincerity
that it behoves ministers especially to cultivate in themselves. He
tells us not only to act always according to our convictions, but also to
see that our convictions are true and unbiassed convictions. It is a
very superficial sincerity even when we actually believe what we profess
to believe. But that is a far deeper and a far nobler sincerity which
watches with a strict and severe jealousy over the formation of our
beliefs and convictions. Ministers must, first for themselves and then
for their people, live far deeper down than other men. They must be at
home among the roots, not of actions only, but much more of convictions.
We may act honestly enough out of our present convictions and principles,
while, all the time, our convictions and our principles are vitiated at
bottom by the selfish ground they ultimately stand in.
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