A26955:307
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
THE Mischief of Self-ignorance, AND Benefit of Self-acquaintance. › Part
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.
Its easy for a man to hear of waves, and gulfs and shipwreck that never saw the Sea; and without any fear to hear of battles, that never saw the face of an enemy: and without any trouble to hear of sickness and tormenting pains, and burning, and cutting off of limbs, that never felt or saw such things. Its easy for you here in these seats, in the midst of health and peace and quietness, to hear of a departing soul, and where it shall appear, and what it shall there see, and how great a discovery Death will make: But O Sirs, when this must be your case (as you know it must be, alas, how speedily!) these matters then will seem considerable: They will be new and strange to those that have heard of them an hundred times, because they never heard of them sensibly till now. One of those souls that have been here before you, and have past that way into eternity, have other thoughts ⟨p. 203⟩of these things than you have! O how do ••ey think now, of the fearless slumber •nd stupidity of those that they have •eft behind? What think they now of those •hat wilfully fly the light, and flatter themselves in guilt and misery, and make light of all the Joys and torments of the other world? Even as the damned Rich man in Luke 16. thought of his poor Brethren, •hat remained in prosperity and presumption upon earth, and little thought what company he was in, what a sight he saw, and what he did endure!
Its easie for a man to hear of waves, and gulfs and shipwrack that never saw the Sea; and without any fear to hear of battels, that never saw the face of an enemy: and without any trouble to hear of sickness and tormenting pains, and burning, and cutting off of limbs, that never felt or saw such things. Its easie for you here in these seats, in the midst of health and peace and quietness, to hear of a departing soul, and where it shall appear, and what it shall there see, and how great a discovery Death will make: But O Sirs, when this must be your case (as you know it must be, alas, how speedily!) these matters then will seem considerable: They will be new and strange to those that have heard of them an hundred times, because they never heard of them sensibly till now. One of those souls that have been here before you, and have past that way into eternity, have other thoughts