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

all this is a work that requireth the special help of the Almighty, and exceeds the strength of feeble worms. Let God give us never so full discoveries of his tenderest Love and our own sincerity, as if a voice from Heaven had witnessed it unto us, we are questioning all if once we seem to feel the contrary, and are perplexed in the tumult of our thoughts and passions, and bewildered and lost in the errors of our own disturbed minds. Though we have walked with God, we are questioning whether indeed we ever knew him, as soon as he seemeth to hide his face. Though we have felt another life and spirit possess and actuate us than heretofore, and found that we love the things and persons which once we loved not, and that ⟨p. 298⟩we were quite fallen out with that which was our former pleasure, and that our souls broke off from their old delights, and hopes and ways, and resolvedly did engage themselves to God, and unfeignedly delivered up themselves unto him; yet all is forgotten, or the convincing evidence of all forgotten, if the lively influences of heaven be but once so far withdrawn, as that our present state is clouded and afflicted, and our former vigour and assurance is abated. And thus unthankfully we deny God the praise and acknowledgement of his mercies, longer than we are tasting them, or they are still before us; All that he hath done for us is as nothing, and all the Love which he hath manifested to us is called hatred; and all the witnesses that have put their hands to his Acts of Grace, are questioned; and his very seals denied, and his earnest misinterpreted, as long as our darkened distempered souls are in a condition unfit for the apprehension of Mercy; and usually when a diseased or afflicted body doth draw the mind into too great a participation of the affliction. And thus as we are disposed our selves, ⟨p. 499⟩so we judge of our selves and of all our receivings, and all! Gods dealings with us: A soul in a cheerful lively frame, thinks well of all that God doth to him; and hath thoughts of Hope, and Peace, and Joy; as Health disposeth the body to alacrity, and can make a man merry, that hath little else:

all this is a work that requireth the special helpe of the Almighty, and exceeds the strength of feeble worms. Let God give us never so full discoveries of his tenderest Love and our own sincerity, as if a voice from Heaven had witnessed it unto us, we are questioning all if once we seem to feel the contrary, and are perplexed in the tumult of our thougths and passions, and bewildred and lost in the errors of our own disturbed minds. Though we have walkt with God, we are questioning whether indeed we ever knew him, as soon as he seemeth to hide his face. Though we have felt another life and spirit possess and actuate us than heretofore, and found that we love the things and persons which once we loved not, and that