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

Self-acquaintance makes men tender and ⟨p. 39⟩compassionate, and cureth a censorious contemptuous mind. It also silenceth passionate contentious disputes, and makes men suspicious of their own understandings, and therefore forbiddeth them intemperately to condemn dissenters. It also teacheth men to submit to the faithful directions and Conduct of their Pastors; and not to vilify, forsake and disobey them, as if they were above them in understanding, and fitter to be Guides themselves; so that in all these respects, it is Ignorance of themselves that makes men troublers of the Church, and the Knowledge of themselves would much remedy it.

Self-acquaintance makes men tender and ⟨p. 39⟩compassionate, and cureth a censorious contemptuous mind. It also silenceth passionate contentious disputes, and makes men suspicious of their own understandings, and therefore forbiddeth them intemperately to condemn dissenters. It also teacheth men to submit to the faithfull directions and Conduct of their Pastors; and not to vilifie, forsake and disobey them, as if they were above them in understanding, and fitter to be Guides themselves; so that in all these respects, it is Ignorance of themselves that makes men troublers of the Church, and the Knowledge of themselves would much remedy it.

14. And it is Ignorance of themselves also that makes men troublers of the State. A man that doth not know himself, is unfit for all society; If he be a Ruler he will forget the Common-good, and instead of Clemency and Justice will violently exercise an imperious Will. If he be a subject, he will be Censuring the actions of his Rulers, when distance and disacquaintance makes him an incompetent Judge. He will think himself •itter to Rule then they, and whatever they •o, he imagineth that he could do it better. And hence come suspicions, and murmurings