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

There are few of us I think, that observe our hearts at all, but find both upon any special illumination, and in the hour of discovering trials, that there were many distempers in our hearts, and many miscarriages in our lives, that we never took notice of before. The Heart hath such secret corners of uncleanness, such mysteries of iniquity, and depths of deceitfulness, that many fearing God, are strangely unacquainted with themselves, as to the particular motions and degrees of sin, till some notable providence, or gracious light assist them in the discovery. I think it not unprofitable here to give you some instances, of sin undiscerned by the servants of the Lord themselves that have it, till the light come in that makes them wonder at their former darkness.

There are few of us I think, that observe our hearts at all, but find both upon any special illumination, and in the hour of discovering tryals, that there were many distempers in our hearts, and many miscarriages in our lives, that we never took notice of before. The Heart hath such secret corners of uncleanness, such mysteries of iniquity, and depths of deceitfulness, that many fearing God, are strangely unacquainted with themselves, as to the particular motions and degrees of sin, till some notable providence, or gracious light assist them in the discovery. I think it not unprofitable here to give you some instances, of sin undiscerned by the servants of the Lord themselves that have it, till the light come in that makes them wonder at their former darkness.

In General first observe these two. 1. The secret Habits of sin, being discernible only ⟨p. 284⟩by some acts, are many times unknown to us, because we are under no strong temptation to commit those sins. And its a wonderful hard thing for a man that hath little or no temptation, to know himself, and know what he should do, if he had the temptations of other men. And O what sad discoveries are made in the hour of temptation ▪ What swarms of vice break out in some like vermin that lay hid in the cold of Winter, and crawl about when they feel th Summers heat! What horrid corruption which we never observed in our selves before, do show themselves in the hour o temptation! Who would have though that Righteous Noah had in the Ark […] such a heart, as would by carelessness […] into the sin of drunkenness? or that righteous Lot had carried from Sodom the seed […] drunkenness and incest in him? or th David, a man so eminent in holiness, and a man after Gods own heart, had […] heart that had in it the seeds of Adultery and Murder? Little thought Peter, when he professed Christ,