I perceive you value the subjects which you have found in the practice of your soul to be most useful: As they that know God would fain have all others to know him; so those that know themselves, do love the Glass, and would have others to make use of it: I wonder not if your experience of the benefits of self-acquaintance, provoke you to desire to have more partakers in so profitable and so sweet acknowledge. Had you not known your self, you had never known your Saviour, your God, your way and •our end, as you have done: you had never •een so well acquainted with the symptoms •nd cure of the diseases of the Soul; the •ature and exercise of grace, the way •f mortification, and the comfortable supports, refreshments and fore-tastes of heavenly believers: you had never so clearly ••en the vanity of all the pomp and fullness •f the world, nor so easily and resolutely de•ised its flatteries and baits, nor so quietly ••rn variety of afflictions; nor imitated •oses, Heb. 11.25, 26. nor received the […] Character, Psal. 15. He that is a stranger […] himself, his sin, his misery, his necessity, ⟨image 4⟩&c. is a stranger to God, and to all that might denominate him wise or happy. To have taken the true measure of our capacities, abilities, infirmities, and necessities, and thereupon to perceive what is really BEST FOR US, and most agreeable to our case, is the first part of true practical saving knowledge. Did the distracted mindless world consider, what work they have at home for their most serious thoughts and care and diligence, and of what unspeakable concernment and necessity it is, and that men carry within them the matter of their final doom, and the beginning of endless Joy or sorrows, they would be called home from their busy-idleness, their laborious-loss of precious time, and unprofitable vagaries, and would be studying their hearts, while they are doting about a multitude of impertinences, and would be pleasing God while they are purveying for the flesh; and they would see that it more concerneth them to know the day of their salvation, and now to lay up a-treasure in Heaven, that they may die in faith, and live in everlasting Joy and Glory, than i• the crowd and noise of the ambitious, covetous, voluptuous Sensualists, to run after a feather, till time is past, and mercy gone, and endless woe hath unexpectedly surprised ⟨image 4⟩them.
I perceive you value the subjects which you have found in the practice of your soul to be most useful: As they that know God would fain have all others to know him; so those that know themselves, do love the Glass, and would have others to make use of it: I wonder not if your experience of the benefits of self-acquaintance, provoke you to desire to have more partakers in so profitable and so sweet a•knowledge. Had you not known your self, you had never known your Saiviour, your God, your way and •our end, as you have done: you had never •een so well acquainted with the symptomes •nd cure of the diseases of the Soul; the •ature and exercise of grace, the way •f mortification, and the comfortable •upports, refreshments and fore-tasts of •eavenly believers: you had never so clearly ••en the vanity of all the pomp and fulness •f the world, nor so easily and resolutely de•ised its flatteries and baits, nor so quietly ••rn variety of afflictions; nor imitated •oses, Heb. 11.25, 26. nor received the 〈…〉 Character, Psal. 15. He that is a stranger 〈…〉 himself, his sin, his misery, his necessity, ⟨image 4⟩&c. is a stranger to God, and to all that might denominate him wise or happy. To have taken the true measure of our capacities, abilities, infirmities, and necessities, and thereupon to perceive what is really BEST FOR ƲS, and most agreeable to our case, is the first part of true practical saving knnowledge. Did the distracted mindless world consider, what work they have at home for their most serious thoughts and care and diligence, and of what unspeakable concernment and necessity it is, and that men carry within them the matter of their final doom, and the beginning of endless Joy or sorrows, they would be called home from their busie-idleness, their laborious-loss of precious time, and unprofitable vagaries, and would be studying their hearts, while they are doting about a multitude of impertinencies, and would be pleasing God while they are purveying for the flesh; and they would see that it more concerneth them to know the day of their salvation, and now to lay up a-treasure in Heaven, that they may die in faith, and live in everlasting Joy and Glory, than i the crowd and noise of the ambitious, covetous, voluptuous Sensualists, to run after a feather, till time is past, and mercy gone, and endless woe hath unexpectedly surprized
