A26955:625
The mischiefs of self-ignorance and the benefits of self-acquaintance opened in divers sermons at…
The mischiefs of self-ignorance and the benefits of self-acquaintance opened in divers sermons at Dunstan's-West and published in answer to the accusations of some and the desires of others / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R. White for F. Tyton, 1662
THE Mischief of Self-ignorance, AND Benefit of Self-acquaintance. › Part
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Dir. 2. IN opposition to this Hinderance, two things are to be done. 1. Desire not so perilous a station as worldly Prosperity and greatness is. Love not and seek not a condition so hazardous to your souls. Leave that to them that take it for their Portion, as not believing what they must lose and suffer by it: or what God hath revealed of the life to come.
Dir. 2. IN opposition to this Hinderance, two things are to be done. 1. Desire not so perillous a station as worldly Prosperity and greatness is. Love not and seek not a condition so hazardous to your souls. Leave that to them that take it for their Portion, as not believing what they must lose and suffer by it: or what God hath revealed of the life to come.
Or if you be in such Prosperity, not by your Desire, but by the will and Providence of God, let your fear and watchfulness be doubled, as your dangers are: Be not like those sensualists, Jud. 12. that feed themselves without fear. Use not prosperity to the pleasing of the flesh, and the ⟨p. 458⟩prospering of your lusts: but deny your your selves in the midst of your abundance: and turn it into an adversity to your sensual inclinations, by taming the body and bringing it into subjection, and suspecting your selves, and walking humbly with God and man.
And when Adversity is upon you, improve the opportunity for the knowledge of your selves. Then take a just survey of your former course of life. Then try your ways, when the drunkenness and deceits of prosperity are past, and the hand of God hath brought you into a sober and considerate state. O how many souls do know that in one day, when adversity hath made them wise and sensible, which before they knew and would not know; they saw it, but did not understand and feel it! Then on a sudden they are able to pass a righter judgement, upon their yielding to temptations, and the value of the things that tempted them, and upon their worldly designs, and fleshly wisdom, and their neglects of God and Heaven and duty, then before they could do, though they had never so much instruction, and though they could speak the same words of sin as now. Affliction taketh away the deceiving advantages