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

1. Do you live where serious Godliness is derided, and you cannot obey the word of God, and seek first the Kingdom of God, and its righteousness, without being made the common scorn, and the daily jest and by-word of the company? Let it be so▪ If you know that you have Christ within you, and are secured of the everlasting Joys, will you feel, will you regard such things as these • shall the jest of a distracted miserable fool, abate the joy of your ⟨p. 387⟩assured happiness? Princes and noblemen •ill not forsake their dominions or Lord-ships, nor cast away the esteem and comfort of all they have, because the poor •o ordinarily reproach them as Proud, ••merciful oppressors. They think they may bear the words of the miserable, while •hey have the the pleasure of prospe- And shall not we give losers leave to •alke? We will not be mocked out of the comfort of our health or wealth, our habitations or our friends: and shall we be mocked •ut of the comfort of Christ and of the presence of the comforter himself! If they that go naked deride you for having clothes; and they that are out of doors in the cold and rain, deride you that are warm and dry within; or they that are sick deride you for being well, this will but make you more sensible of your felicity, and pity them that have added such folly to their wants; so will it increase the sense of your felicity, to find that you are possessed of so unspeakable a mercy, which others have not so far tasted of as to know its worth. If you have the feast, you may bear the words of famished unhappy souls, that speak against it because they taste it not: If you are in your Fathers arms, you may bear the scorns ⟨p. 388⟩of such as stand without the door

1. Do you live where serious Godliness is derided, and you cannot obey the word of God, and seek first the Kingdom of God, and its righteousness, without being made the common scorn, and the daily jeast and by-word of the company? Let it be so If you know that you have Christ within you, and are secured of the everlasting Joys, will you feel, will you regard such things as these shall the jeast of a distracted miserable fool, abate the joy of your