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

and to see them live upon presumption and ungrounded hopes, and not to labour with faithful plainness to acquaint them with their need of better hopes. But some go further, and more openly act the part of Satan, by reproaching the most faithful servants of the Lord, and labouring to bring the people into a conceit that seriousness and carefulness in the matters of God and our salvation, are but hypocrisy and unnecessary strictness: And in their company ⟨p. 410⟩and converse they put so much countenance on the ungodly, and cast so much secret or open scorn upon those that would live according to the Scriptures, as hardeneth multitudes in their impenitency. O dreadful reckoning to these unfaithful shepherds, when they must answer for the ruin of their miserable flocks! how great will their damnation be, which must be aggravated by the damnation of so many others! When the question is, How come so many souls to perish? the answer must be, Because they •et light by Christ and Holiness which should have saved them: But what made them set light by Christ and Holiness? It was their deceitful confidence that they had so much part in Christ and holiness, as would suffice to save them, though indeed they were unsanctified strangers unto both. They were not practically acquainted with their necessities. But how came they to continue thus ignorant of themselves till it was too late? Because they had teachers that kept them strange to the nature of true holiness, and did not labour publicly and privately to convince them of their undone condition, and to drive them to Christ that by him they might have life. Woe to such Teachers that ever they were born, ⟨p. 411⟩that must then be found under the guilt of such perfidiousness & cruelty! Had they ever felt themselves, what is it to be pursued by the Law and conscience, and with broken hearts to cast themselves on Christ as their only hope and refuge, and what it is to be pardoned, and saved by him from the wrath of God, and what it is to be sanctified and to be sensible of all his Love, they would take another course with sinners, and talk of sin, and Christ, and holiness at other rates, and not deceive their people with themselves.

and to see them live upon presumption and ungrounded hopes, and not to labour with faithful plainess to acquaint them with their need of better hopes. But some go further, and more openly act the part of Satan, by reproaching the most faithful servants of the Lord, and labouring to bring the people into a conceit that seriousness and carefulness in the matters of God and our salvation, are but hypocrisie and unnecessary strictness: And in their company