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

o• words, or forms, or parties, or by-opinions, but of the state of their souls, an• their appearing before the Lord, and ho• they may be ready, that death may b• both safe and comfortable to them […] (though a superstitious miserable fellow that knoweth no better things himself, may talk to the sick of beads, and relicts, and o• being on this side or that, for this ceremony or the other, and may think to conjure the unholy spirit out of him, by some affected words of devotions uttered from a graceless senseless heart, or to command him out by Papal authority, as if they would charm his soul to heaven, by saying ove• some lifeless forms, and using the Gospel […] a spell; Yet Ministers indeed that know themselves what Faith and what Repentance is, and what it is to be regenerate and to be prepared to die, do know that they have other work to do.) The Gospel offereth men their Choice, whether they will have Holiness or sin; and be ruled by Christ, or by their fleshly lusts; and so whether ⟨p. 405⟩they will have spiritual, or carnal, eternal or transitory Joys. And our work is to persuade them to make that choice which will be their Happiness if we can prevail, and which eternal Joy depends upon: whether we come to them in sickness or in health, this is our business with them. A man that is ready to be drowned, is not at leisure for a song or dance; And a man that is ready to be damned, methinks should not find himself at leisure to hear a man show his wit and reading only, if not his folly and malice against a life of Holiness; Nor should you think that suitable to such mens case, that doth not evidently tend to save them. But, alas, how often have we heard such sermons, as tend more to diversion than direction, to fill their minds with other matters, and find men something else to think on, lest they should study themselves, and know their misery! And whereas there may be so much ingenuity in the sinner as to perceive that the discourse of idle tongues, or the reading of a Romance is unsuitable to one in his condition; and therefore will not by such toys as these, be called off from the consideration of his ways; A preacher that seems to speak religiously, by a sapless, ⟨p. 406⟩