Secondly, Not to know our graces and virtues,1 what the work of the Spirit, and the new nature within us is, this also is a sinful ignorance. It is no honour to be what we do not know our selves to be; it is to be in the state of a beast, not to reflect upon our own estate. The new creature is light, and carries a light for it's own discovery. The reprovable knowledge of our own souls, is not the knowledge of intuition, whereby we apprehend what we are, ⟨p. 302⟩but the knowledge of ostentation, whereby we are proud of, or trust upon what we are.2 We have an ordinary saying amongst us, which reaches this sense fully, Such a woman is beautiful, and she knows it; Such a one is a proper man, and he knows it; Such a one hath many good parts, a very fine wit, and he knows it; that is, such persons pride and lift themselves up in their perfections. You shall have a soul that will know it self into I know not how much pride; many stand reflecting upon their own perfections, either external, how proper, strong and beautiful they are; or internal, how witty and eloquent they are, what excellent parts and gifts, what a nimble tongue, what sound judgements they have, till they lose Christ in this crowd of themselves. This is a dangerous knowledge, a knowledge worse then ignorance. Better be without knowledge, then know our knowledge thus. As to reflect upon sin, to know our selves in our unbelief, vanity and passions &c. humble us: And a soul in confessing of sin before God, looks long upon his dark part, upon his wants and failings, for this end, that he may be humbled: So to reflect upon our good deeds or graces, to know our selves in those adornings of love, patience, humility, faith, &c. hazards us upon pride, and some stand gazing so long upon these excellencies, that they are lifted up and become very proud.
Secondly, Not to know our graces and vertues,1 what the work of the Spirit, and the new nature within us is, this also is a sinfull ignorance. It is no honour to be what we doe not know our selves to be; it is to be in the state of a beast, not to reflect upon our own estate. The new creature is light, and carries a light for it's own discovery. The reprovable knowledge of our own souls, is not the knowledge of intuition, whereby we apprehend what we are, ⟨p. 302⟩but the knowledge of ostentation, whereby we are proud of, or trust upon what we are.2 We have an ordinary saying amongst us, which reaches this sense fully, Such a woman is beautifull, and she knows it; Such a one is a proper man, and he knows it; Such a one hath many good parts, a very fine wit, and he knows it; that is, such persons pride and lift themselves up in their perfections. You shall have a soul that will know it self into I know not how much pride; many stand reflecting upon their own perfections, either externall, how proper, strong and beautifull they are; or internall, how vvitty and eloquent they are, vvhat excellent parts and gifts, vvhat a nimble tongue, vvhat sound judgements they have, till they lose Christ in this croud of themselves. This is a dangerous knowledge, a knowledge worse then ignorance. Better be without knowledge, then know our knowledge thus. As to reflect upon sinne, to know our selves in our unbelief, vanity and passions &c. humble us: And a soul in confessing of sinne before God, looks long upon his dark part, upon his wants and failings, for this end, that he may be humbled: So to reflect upon our good deeds or graces, to know our selves in those adornings of love, patience, humility, faith, &c. hazards us upon pride, and some stand gazing so long upon these excellencies, that they are lifted up and become very proud.
- 1Talis ignorans a Deo ignoratur.
- 2Non noscere animam, phrasis est Hebraea, quae tantum rei despectum prae se fert, ut illam etiam respicere aut aliquo modo noscere quis renuat.
