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

Judge now whether Minsters must deal plainly or deceitfully with you: and whether ⟨p. 253⟩it be the searching healing truth that they must bring you, or a smooth tale that hath no salt or savour in it: And would you have us break these Laws of God, for nothing but to deceive you, and tell you a •ie, and make the ungodly believe that he is godly: or to hide the truth that is necessary to your salvation? Is the Knowledge of your selves so intolerable a thing to you?

Beloved Hearers, either it is true that you are yet unsanctified, or it is not: If it be not, it is none of our desire you should think so: We do all that we can to cure the mistakes of troubled Christians, that think themselves worse then indeed they are. But if it be true, tell me, Why would you not know it? I hope it is not because you would not be remembered of your woe, and so tormented before the time. I hope you think not that we delight to vex mens consciences with fear; or to see men live in grief and trouble, rather then in well grounded peace and joy. And if indeed you are yet unregenerate, that is not long of us that tell you of it, but of your selves that wilfully continue it: Do we make you ungodly by telling you of your ungodliness? Is it we that hinder the forgiveness of your sins, by letting you know that they are ⟨p. 254⟩not forgiven? O no! We strive for you• conversion to this end that your sins may […] forgiven you; and you hinder the forgi•••ness of them by refusing to be be convette• When God forsaketh stubborn souls […] resisting his grace, note how he expresseth his severity against them, Mark 4.1• ▪ That seeing they may see and not percei and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. You see here, that till they are converted mens sins are not forgiven them. And tha whoever procureth the forgiveness of the sins, must do it by procuring their Conversion: And that the hindering of their Conversion is the hindering of their forgiveness And that blindness of mind is the great hinderance of conversion: when men do no perceive the very things which they see (not knowing the reason and the sense and end of them, but the out-side only:) No understand the things which they hear: And therefore undoubtedly the Teacher that brings you a Light into your minds, and first showeth you your selves, and your unconverted and your unpardoned state, i he that takes the way to your Conversion and forgiveness: As the fore-cited Text