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

And God saith to his followers, Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world: If any man Love the world, the Love of the Father is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.15. And it is for Love of worldly things (even the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and pride of life, &c. which are not of the Father, but of the world, 1 Joh. 2.16.) it is for these that great men have their friends and followers for ⟨p. 450⟩the most part: And therefore it is plain that the worst sort of men are ordinarily their friends; For those are the wor•• men, that have not the Love of the Father in them, but are the friends of the world and therefore the enemies of God, Jam• 4.4. And the best, though fit to be thei• truest friends, are seldom their followers as knowing that the attractive of th• sensual world, is a shadow unfit to deceive those that are acquainted with its vanity and a snare unfit to take those that hav• observed how Satan lays and baits the trap• and how they have sped that have been taken in it. A despised Christ that hath the words of eternal life, is much more followed by men that have the heavenly relish. Such gracious souls whose appetites are not corrupted by the creature and their sicknesses, have more mind to flock after a spiritual and powerful messenger of Christ, that talks to them of his Kingdom and the Righteousness thereof, which they first seek, then to gape after the preferment and vain glory of prosperity. Christ that despised the offer of all the Kingdoms and Glory of the world, (Mat 4.8, 9.) doth teach his followers to despise them.

And God saith to his followers, Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world: If any man Love the world, the Love of the Father is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.15. And it is for Love of worldly things (even the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and pride of life, &c. which are not of the Father, but of the world,