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

7. Another instance of our unacquaintedness with our hearts, and the latent undiscerned corruption of them, is, our little discerning or bewailing those secret master sins, which lie at the root of all the rest, and are the life of the old man, and the cause of all the miscarriages of our lives▪ As 1. Unbelief of the truth of the holy Scriptures, of the immortality of the soul, and the life of joy or misery hereafter, and the other Articles of the Christian faith: What abundance of Christians are sensible of their unbelief as to the applying acts of faith that tend to their assurance of their own salvation, that are little sensible of any defect in the Assenting act, or of any secret root of unbelief about the truth of the Gospel revelations: And yet, alas, it is this that weakeneth all our graces: It is this that feedeth all our woe! O happy men were we free from this! What prayers should we put up! What lives should we lead! how ⟨p. 323⟩watchfully should we walk! with what contempt should we look on the allurements of the world! with what dis••in should we think on fleshly lusts! ••th what indignation should we meet the tempter, and scorn his base unreasonable •otions, if we did but perfectly believe the ••ry truth of the Gospel, and world to come! •ow careful and earnest should we be, to •ake our calling and election sure! How •reat a matter should we make of sin, and •f helps and hinderances in the way to •eaven! How much should we prefer that ••ate of life that furthereth our salvation, before that which strengtheneth our snares •y furthering our prosperity and pleasure in the world, if we were not weak or ••anting in our belief of the the certain verity of these things? Did we better know •he badness of our hearts herein, it would engage us more in fortifying the vitals, and ooking better to our foundation, and winding up this spring of faith, which must give life to all right motions of the soul.