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

I dare say, were it not for unacquaintedness with our brethren and our selves, we should put those in our bosoms as the beloved of the Lord, that now we load with censures and titles of reproach: and the restoring of our charity would be the restoring of our Unity. If blind men would make Laws for the banishment of all that cannot read the smallest characters, you would say, they had forgot themselves. Nay when men turn Papists or Separatists and fly from our Churches, to shun those that perhaps are better then themselves, and to get far enough from the smaller faults of others, while they carry with them far greater of their own: when people are apter to accuse the Church then themselves, and say the Church is unworthy of their Communion rather then that they are unworthy the communion of the the Church, and think no room in the house of God is clean and good enough for them, while they overlook their own uncleanness; when men endure an hundred Calumnies to be spoken of their brethren, better then a plain reprehension to themselves; as if their ⟨p. 54⟩persons only would render their actions justifiable, and the reprover culpable; Judge whether these men are well acquainted with themselves.

I dare say, were it not for unacquaintedness with our brethren and our selves, we should put those in our bosomes as the beloved of the Lord, that now we load with censures and titles of reproach: and the restoring of our charity would be the restoring of our Ʋnity. If blind men would make Lawes for the banishment of all that cannot read the smallest characters, you would say, they had forgot themselves. Nay when men turne Papists or Separatists and fly from our Churches, to shun those that perhaps are better then themselves, and to get far enough from the smaller faults of others, while they carry with them far greater of their own: when people are apter to accuse the Church then themselves, and say the Church is unworthy of their Communion rather then that they are unworthy the communion of the the Church, and think no room in the house of God is clean and good enough for them, while they overlook their owne uncleanness; when men endure an hundred Calumnies to be spoken of their brethren, better then a plain reprehension to themselves; as if their ⟨p. 54⟩persons only would render their actions justifyable, and the reprover culpable; Judge whether these men are well acquainted with themselves.