The mischiefs of self-ignorance and the benefits of self-acquaintance opened in divers sermons at…

13. It is ignorance of themselves that makes men Divide the Church of Christ, and pertinaciously keep open its bleeding wounds, and hinder Concord, and disturb its peace. How far would self-acquaintance go to the Cure of all our discords and divisions? Is it possible that the Pope should take upon him the Government of the Antipodes, even of all the world, (and that as to Spiritual Government, which requireth more personal attendance, then secular,) if he knew himself, and consequently his natural incapacity, and the terror of his account for such an Usurped charge? Self-acquaintance would depose their Inquisitions, ⟨p. 33⟩and quench their flames; and make them know what spirit they are of, that inclineth not to save mens lives, but to destroy them, Luke 9.55, 56. Did they know themselves, the Papists durst not multiply new Articles of faith, and ceremonies and depart from the ancient simplicity of the Gospel, and turn the Creed or Scripture into all the Volumes of their Councils, and say, All these decrees or determinations of the Church are necessary to salvation; and so make the way of life more difficult, if not impossible (had they indeed the Keys) by multiplying of their supposed Necessaries. Did they but know themselves aright, it were impossible they should dare to pass the sentence of damnation on the far greatest part of the Christian world, because they are not subject to their pretended Vice-Christ. Durst one of the most leprous corrupted sort of Christians in the world unchurch all the rest that will not be as bad as they, & condemn all other Christians as Heretics for Schismatics, either for their adhering to the truth or for errors and faults, far smaller then their own? Did they know themselves and their own corruptions, they durst not thus condemn themselves, by so presumptuous and blind a condemnation of ⟨p. 34⟩the best and greatest part of the Church of Christ, which is dearest to him, as purchased by his blood. If either the Protestants or the Greeks, or the Armenians, Georgians, Syrians, Egyptians, or Ethiopian Churches, be in as bad and dangerous a case as these Usurping Censurers tell the world they are, what then will become of the tyrannous, superstitious, polluted, blood-thirsty Church of Rome?