Heaven taken

1. Because the duty in it self is difficult: 1. It is act us reflexivus, a work of self-reflection; it lies most with the heart. 'Tis hard to look inward. External acts of Religion are facile; to lift up the eye to Heaven, to bow the Knee, to read a prayer; this requires no more labour than for a Papist to tell over his beads; but to examine a mans self, to turn in upon his own Soul, to take the Heart as a Watch all in pieces, and see what is defective, this is not easy. Reflexive acts are hardest. The eye can see every thing but it self. It is easy to spy the faults of others, but hard to find out our own. 2. Examination of a mans self is difficult, because of self-love. As ignorance blinds; so self-love flatters. Every man is ready to think the best of himself. What Solomon saith of love ⟨p. 58⟩to our neighbour, is most true of self-love, i• hides a multitude of evil, Prov. 10. 12. A man looking upon himself in Philautiae speculo, in the glass of self-love, his virtues appear greater than they are, and his sins lesser. Self-love makes one rather excuse what is amiss, than examine it^*.

1. Because the duty in it self is difficult: 1. It is act us reflexivus, a work of self-reflection; it lies most with the heart. 'Tis hard to look inward. External acts of Religion are facil; to lift up the eye to Heaven, to bow the Knee, to read a prayer; this requires no more labour than for a Papist to tell over his beads; but to examine a mans self, to turn in upon his own Soul, to take the Heart as a Watch all in pieces, and see what is defective, this is not easie. Reflexive acts are hardest. The eye can see every thing but it self. It is easie to spy the faults of others, but hard to find out our own. 2. Examination of a mans self is difficult, because of self-love. As ignorance blinds; so self-love flatters. Every man is ready to think the best of himself. What Solomon saith of love ⟨p. 58⟩to our neighbour, is most true of self-love, i• hides a multitude of evil,