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

Go to any faithful Minister in the world and tell him the plain truth, that yet thou art a secret fornicator or drunkard, or pot companion, or flesh-pleaser in some sensual way; or if thou sinnest not so grossly, that yet thou art a formal hypocrite, and hast a secret enmity to those that are most seriously Religious, and live the most heavenly lives, and that thou art thy self a stranger to all the foresaid passages of sanctification; and I dare assure thee that he will tell thee if thou art thus indeed thou art in the gall of bitterness & the bond of iniquity, and must be speedily renewed and sanctified and justified, or thou art undone for ever. I tell thee, there is not a man that is worthy the name of a Minister in all the world, but will pass this judgement on the condition of thy soul. And yet wilt thou bear it our with a senseless heart, a seared conscience, and a brazen face, and still live as carelessly as if all were well with thee▪ what is thy soul of no more worth? Is it so small a matter with thee what becometh of thee? Or is the judgement of able faithful Ministers in the way of their own office, of no ⟨p. 436⟩[…] ⟨p. 437⟩[…] ⟨p. 438⟩more regard with thee? What not when all the foresaid requisites concur! They show thee the plain word of God against thee; and that his Threatening contains the virtual sentence of thy condemnation; They are by office the Interpreters of the Law of God to you; It hath been the study of their lives: The matters in question are such as they have had experience of in themselves and others: They have judged as hardly of themselves and of their own case, as now they do of yours when theirs was the same as yours is now. Do they pronounce you miserable as being strangers to the spirit of Christ? So they did by themselves when they saw their sin: and therefore they are impartial: They have had before them multitudes, (alas too many) in your case: And you will regard the judgement of a Physician that hath had many hundreds in hand that had the same disease as you. They are men that are not willing to deceive you. They deny themselves in telling you of your danger: They know that smoother words would please you better: And they have natures that desire mens love and favour, rather then displeasure and ill will. They are more impartial then you are, and have not your self-interest and passion to