A26955:156
The mischiefs of self-ignorance and the benefits of self-acquaintance opened in divers sermons at…
The mischiefs of self-ignorance and the benefits of self-acquaintance opened in divers sermons at Dunstan's-West and published in answer to the accusations of some and the desires of others / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R. White for F. Tyton, 1662
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
when all this enmity to Reason, Piety, Charity, Humanity, all their Religious Tyranny, Hypocrisy, and Cruelty, do seem but holy zeal and laudable in themselves. To lie, dissemble, forswear, depose and murder Princes, is a smaller matter to them when the Pope dispenseth with it, and when it ⟨p. 68⟩[…] ⟨p. 69⟩[…] ⟨p. 70⟩tends to the advantage of their faction, which they call the Church, then to eat flesh on Friday or in Lent, to neglect the Mass, or Images, or Crossing, &c.
when all this enmity to Reason, Piety, Charity, Humanity, all their Religious Tyranny, Hypocrisie, and Cruelty, do seem but holy zeal and laudable in themselves. To lie, dissemble, forswear, depose and murder Princes, is a smaller matter to them when the Pope dispenseth with it, and when it ⟨p. 68⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 69⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 70⟩tends to the advantage of their faction, which they call the Church, then to eat flesh on Friday or in Lent, to neglect the Mass, or Images, or Crossing, &c.
And it makes me remember Bishop Halls Description of An Hypocrite [He turneth all gnats into Camels, and cares not to undo the world for a circumstance. Flesh on Friday is more abominable to him, then his neighbours bed: He abhors more not to uncover at the name of Jesus, then to swear by name of God, &c.] It seems, that Prelates were guilty of this in Bernards days, who saith, [Praelati nostri calicem linquunt, & Camelum deglutiunt: dumb majora permittentes, minora discutiunt. Optimi rerum aestimatores, qui magnum in minimis, & parvam aut nullam in maximis adhibent diligentiam.] i. e. [Our Prelates strain at a gnat, and swallow a Camel, while permitting greater matters, they discuss (or sift) the less: Excellent estimators of things indeed, that in the smallest matters employ great diligence; but in the greatest, little or none at all.] And the cause of all this partiality is, that Men are unacquainted with themselves. They love and cherish the same corruptions in themselves, which they should hate and reprehend in others. And