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

Dir. 1. HE therefore that will ever know himself, must first let in so much of the light, as may take down his arrogancy, and bring him as a little child to the school of Christ. First know what thou art as Man; and then know what thou art as a sinner, and sentenced by God; that so thou mayst come to know what thou art as one that is under the hopes and duties of the Redeemed. When thy proud heart rebelleth against conviction, remember with whom thou hast to do. Will God speak submissively to thee for fear of offending thee? will he cry thee mercy for handling thee so roughly as to tell thee thou art yet the child of wrath? Is he afraid to talk to thee of death or of damnation? Will he recall his threatenings, and repent him of the severity of his laws, because such worms are angry with them, or will not believe them? Perhaps thou mayst make a false hearted, frightful, man-pleasing Minister, to change his strain of plainer dealing, and become thy flatterer, or be silent: But will God be silenced? will he stoop to thee, and bend or stretch his word to humour thee? O no▪ he will one day tell thee what thou ar• ⟨p. 474⟩with another voice then this of a mortal and despised man, and in another manner then preachers tell it thee. If thou canst frown the Preacher out of the pulpit, or out of his fidelity to God and thee, yet canst thou not frown God out of heaven. He will speak to thee more terribly, then the terriblest preacher that ever thou heardst: And if thy Pride shall rise up, and tell him that he doth thee wrong, how quickly will thy mouth be stopped, and thou be forced to confess thy guilt! Rom. 3.5, 6, 19. O stoop man to the humbling word of grace; or God will make thee stoop to the words and strokes of wrath. Fear him that will make the proudest fear, before he hath done with them. Judged thou must be; by thy self, to self-abasing and conversion, or by God to desolation and confusion: And canst thou easier bear Gods judgement then thy own! Stoop foolish self-deluding dust! Stoop sinful wretch, and know thy misery! If thou stand it out a little longer, an undiscerned blow will bring thee down; and thou shalt not see the hand that strikes thee, till thou art humbled to the grave and hell. O how absurd, yet pitiful a sight is it, to see poor sinners brave it out against the humbling message of