a they stand, and what is before them, and how much lieth on this inch of time ; did they but know the nature and employment of a soul, and why their Creator did place them for a little while in flesh, and whither they must go when time is ended, you should then see them in that serious frame themselves, which formerly they disliked in others : and they would then confess, that if any thing in the world deserved seriousness and diligence, it is the pleasing of God, and the saving of our souls. 7. It is for want of acquaintance with themselves, that men are so deceived by the vanities of the world ; that they are drowned in the love of pleasures and sensual delights ; that they are so greedy for riches, and so desirous to be higher than those about them, and to waste their days in the pursuit of that which will not help them in the hour of their extremity. Did the voluptuous sensualist know aright that he is a man, he would not take up with the pleasures and felicity of a brute; nor enslave his reason to the violence of his appetite. He would know that there are higher pleasures which beseem a man; even those that consist in the wellbeing and integrity of the soul, in peace of conscience, in the favour of God, and communion with him in the Spirit, and in a holy life, and in the forethoughts and hopes of endless glory. Did the covetous worldling know himself, he would know that it must be another kind of riches that must satisfy his soul, and that he hath wants of another nature to be supplied; and that it more concerneth him to lay up a treasure in heaven, and think where he must dwell for ever, than to accommodate this perishing flesh, and make provision with so much ado, for a life that posteth away while he is providing for it: he would rather make him friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, and lay up a foundation for the time to come, and labour for the food that never perisheth, than to make such a stir for that which will serve him so little a while; that so he might hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, &c.” rather than “ Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided ?" Self-knowledge would teach ambitious men, to prefer the calmest, safest station before the highest; and to seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and to please him most carefully that hath the keys of heaven and hell; and to be content with food and raiment in the way, while they are ambitious of a higher glory. It would tell them, that so dark and frail a creature should be more solicitous to obey than to have dominion ; and that large possessions are not the most congruous or desirable passage to a narrow grave; and that it is the highest dignity to be an heir of heaven. Would men but spend some hours time in the study of themselves, and seriously consider what it is to be a man, a sinner, a passenger to an endless life, an expectant of so great a change, and withal to be a professed believer, what a turn would it make in the cares, and the desires, and conversations of the most! O amatores mundi (inquit Angust.) cujus rei gratia militatis ? -Ibi quid nisi fragile plenum periculis ? et per quot pericula pervenitur ad majus periculum? pereant hæc omni, et dimittamus hæc vana et inania, conferamus nos ad solam inquisitionem eorum quæ finem non habeant.' i. e. What strive you for, O worldlings? what is here but a brittle glass full of dangers ? and by how many dangers must you come to greater dangers ? Away with these vanities and toys, and let us set ourselves to see the things that have no end. 8. It is for want of self-acquaintance that any man is proud. Did men considerately know what they are, how quickly would it bring them low! Would corruptible flesh, that must shortly turn to loathsome rottenness, be stout and lordly, and look so high, and set forth itself in gaudy ornaments, if men did not forget themselves ? Alas, the way forgets the end ; the outward bravery forgets the dirt and filth within; the stage forgetteth the undressing-room. Did rulers behave themselves as those that are subjects to the Lord of all, and have the greatest need to fear his judgment, and prepare for their account: did great ones live as men that know that rich and poor are equal with the Lord, who respects not persons; and that they must speedily be levelled with the lowest, and their dust be mixed with the common earth, what an alteration would it make in their deportment and affairs! and what a mercy would it prove to their inferiors and themselves! If men that swell with pride of parts, and overvalue their knowledge, wit or elocution, did know how little indeed they know, and how much they are ignorant of, it would much abate their pride and confidence. The more men know indeed, the more they know to humble them. It is the novices, that "being lifted up with pride, do fall into the condemnation of the devil.” (1 Tim. iii. 6.) They would loathe themselves if they knew themselves. 9. It is self-ignorance that makes men rush upon temptations, and choose them, when they customarily pray against them. Did you know what tinder or gunpowder lodgeth in your natures, you would guard your eyes and ears, , and appetites, and be afraid of the least spark ; you would not be indifferent as to your company, nor choose a life of danger to your souls, for the pleasing of your flesh; to live among the snares of honour or beauty, and bravery, or sensual delights; you would not wilfully draw so near the brink of hell, nor be nibbling at the bait, nor looking on the forbidden fruit, nor dallying with allurements, nor hearkening to the deceiver or his messengers. It is ignorance of the weakness and badness of your hearts, that maketh you so confident of yourselves, as to think that you can hear any thing, and see any thing, and approach the snare, and treat with the deceiver without any danger. Self-acquaintance would cause more fear and self-suspicion. If you should escape well awhile in your self-chosen dangers, you may catch that at last that may prove your woe. Nemo sese tuto periculis offerre tam crebro potest. SENEOA. Temptation puts you on a combat with the powers of the earth, and flesh and hell! And is toil and danger your delight? Nunquam periculum sine periculo vincitur,' saith Seneca : Danger is never overcome without danger: It is necessary valour to charge through all, which you are in; but it is temerarious fool-hardiness to seek for danger, and invite such enemies when we are so weak. Saith Augustine, Nemo sibi proponat et dicat, habere volo quod vincam; hoc est, dicere, vivere desidero et volo sub ruina.' Goliah's "give me a man to fight with,” is a prognostic of no good success. Rather foresee all your dangers to avoid them; understand where each temptation lieth, that you may go another way if possible. Castitas periclitatur in deliciis • a a humilitas in divitiis ; pietas in negotiis ; veritas in multiloquio; charitas in hoc mundo,' saith Bernard: Chastity is endangered in delights; humility in riches; piety in businesses; truth in too much talk; and charity in this world.' Alas, did we but think what temptations did with a Noah, a Lot, a David, a Solomon, a Peter, we would be afraid of the enemy and weapon that such worthies have been wounded by, and of the quicksands where they have so dangerously fallen. When Satan durst assault the Lord himself, what hope will he have of such as we? When we consider the millions that are blinded, and hardened and damned by temptations, are we in our wits if we will cast ourselves into them? Preceps est, qui transire contendit, ubi conspexerit alios cecidisse: et vehementer infrænis est, cui non inciititur timor alio pereunte.' Aug. 10. Self-acquaintance would confute temptations, and easily resolve the case when you are tempted. Did you considerately know the preciousness of your souls, and your own concernments, and where your true felicity lieth, you would abhor allurements, and encounter them with that argument of Christ, (Mark viii. 36, 37,) “What shall it pro , fit a man, if he win the world and lose his soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" The fear of man would be conquered, by a greater fear; as the Lord commandeth,” (Luke xii. 4, 5,) “And I say unto you, my friends; be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do: but I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell : yea, I say unto you, Fear him." 11. It is unacquaintedness with themselves, that makes men quarrel with the word of God, rejecting it when it suits not with their deceived reason, and to be offended with his faithful ministers, when they cross them in their opinions or ways, or deal with them with that serious plainness, as the weight of the case, and their necessity doth require. Alas, sirs, if you were acquainted with yourselves, you would know that the holy rule is straight, and the crookedness is in your conceits and misapprehensions; and that your frail understandings should rather be suspected than the word of God, and that your work is to learn and obey the law, and not to censure it. (James iv. 11.) And that : quarrelling with the holy word which you should obey, will not excuse but aggravate your sin; nor save you from the condemnation, but fasten it and make it greater. You would know that it is more wisdom to stoop than to contend with God: and that it is not your physicians nor the medicine that you should fall out with, nor desire to be delivered from, but the disease. 12. Self-acquaintance would teach men to be charitable to others, and cure the common censoriousness, and envy, and malice of the world. Hath thy neighbour some mistakes about the disputable points of doctrine, or doubtful modes of discipline or worship? Is he for the opinion, or form, or policy, or ceremony, which thou dislikest? Or is he against them when thou approvest them? Or afraid to use them, when thou thinkest them laudable? If thou know thyself, thou darest not break charity or peace for this. Thou darest not censure or despise him: but wilt remember the frailty of thy own understanding, which is not infallible in matters of this rank; and in many things is certainly mistaken, and needs forbearance as well as he. Thou wouldst be afraid of inviting God or man to condemn thyself, by thy condemning others; and wouldst think with thyself; If every error of no more importance in persons that hold the essentials of religion, and conscionably practise what they know, must go for heresy, or make mep sectaries, or cut them off from the favour of God, or the communion of the church, or the protection of the magistrate, and subject them to damnation, to misery, to censures and reproach: alas, what then must become of so frail a wretch as I, Of so dark a mind, of so blameable a heart and life, that am like to be mistaken in matters so great, where I least suspect it? It is ignorance of themselves, that makes men so easily think ill of their brethren, and entertain all hard or mis-reports of them, and look at them so strangely, or speak of them so contemptuously and bitterly, and use them so uncompassionately, because they are not in all things of their opinion and way. They consider not their own infirmities, and that they teach men how to use themselves. The falls of brethren would not be over-aggravated, nor be the matter of insulting or contempt, but of compassion, if men knew themselves. This is implied in the charge of the Holy Ghost, (Gal. vi. 1, 2,) " Brethren, if a man be over а |