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

And it much concerneth all true Christians, to keep in remembrance the exercise and discoveries of grace which formerly upon trial did undoubtedly appear, and did convince them of the sincerity which afterward they are apt again to question. Will you not believe that there is a sun in the firmament unless it always shine upon you? Or that it is hot unless it be always Summer? Will you not believe that a man can speak, unless he be always speaking? It is weakness and injurious rashness in those Christians, that upon every damp that seizeth on their spirits, will venture to deny Gods former mercies, and say that they had never special grace, because they feel it not at present: that they never prayed in sincerity, because some distemper at present discomposeth or overwhelmeth them: that their former zeal and life was counterfeit, because they are grown more cold and dull; that ⟨p. 496⟩their former comforts were all but hypocritical delusions, because they are turned now to sorrows: As much as to say, Because I am now sick, I was never well, nor so much as alive. O were it not for the tender compassions of our Father, and the sure performance of our Lord and Comforter, and that our peace is more in his hand than our own (though more in our own than any others,) it could never be that a poor distempered imperfect soul, should here have any constancy of peace; Considering the power of self-love and partiality, on one side, and of grief and fear and other passions on the other; and how little a thing doth shake so moveable and weak a thing, and muddy and trouble a mind so easily disturbed; and how hard it is again to quiet and compose a mind so troubled, and bring a grieved soul to reason, and make passion understand the truth, and to cause a weak afflicted soul to judge clean contrary to what they feel: all this considered, no wonder if the peace and comfort of many Christians be yet but little and interrupted and uneven: and if there be much crying in a family that hath so many little ones, and much ⟨p. 497⟩complaining where there are so many weak and poor: and many a groan where there is so much pain. To show us the Sun at midnight; and convince us of Love while we feel the rod; and to give us the comfortable sense of grace, while we have the uncomfortable sense of the greatness of our sin; to give us the joyful hopes of glory, in a troubled melancholy dejected State: