same vice ourselves, let us not chide, but groan, and move (or desire) that we may both equally lay it by.

5. It shews how little men know themselves, when they must needs be the rule to all other men, as far as they are able to commend it; and that in the matters that men's salvation dependeth on, and in the smallest, tender, disputable points; and even in those things where themselves are most unfit to judge. In every controverted point of doctrine, (though such as others have much better studied than themselves,) he that hath strength to suppress all those that differ from him, must ordinarily be the umpire; so is it even in the modes and circumstances of worship. Perhaps Christ may have the honour to be called the King of the Church, and the Scripture have the honour to be called his Laws. But indeed it is they that would be the lords themselves; and it is their wills and words that must be the laws; and this under pretence of subserving Christ, and interpreting his laws; when they have talked the utmost for councils, fathers, church-tradition, it is themselves that indeed must be all these; for nothing but their own conceits and wills must go for the sense of decrees, or canons, fathers, or tradition. Even they that hate the power and serious practice of religion, would fain be the rule of religion to all others: And they that never knew what it was to worship God in spirit and truth, with delight and love, and suitableness of soul, would needs be the rule of worship to all others, even in the smallest circumstances and ceremonies. And they would be the governors of the church, or the determiners of its mode of government, that they would never be brought under the government of Christ themselves. If it please them better to spend the Lord's-day in plays or sports, or compliment or idleness, than in learning the will of God in his word, or worshipping him, and begging his mercy and salvation, and seriously preparing for an endless life, they would have all others do the like. If their full souls loathe the honey-comb, and they are weary of being instructed above an hour, or twice a day, they would have all others forced to their measure, that they may seem as diligent as others, when others are compelled to be as negligent as they. Like a queasy-stomached lady, that can eat but one slender meal a day, and therefore would have all her servants and tenants eat no more, or if they do, accuseth them of excess.

If the emperor of Constantinople make a law, that no subject shall be suffered in his dominions, that will not be conformable to him in time, and quality and measure, for meats and drink, and sleep, and speech, and exercise, it would be an honourable misery, and uniform calamity and ruin to his subjects. Alas, did men but know themselves, the weakness of their understandings, the sinful bias that personal interest and carnal inclinations have set upon their wills, they would be less arrogant and more compassionate, and not think, by making themselves as gods, to reduce the unavoidable diversities that will be found among mankind, to a unity in conformity to their minds and wills, and that in the matters of God and of salvation; where every man's conscience that is wise and faithful, will be tenacious of a double interest (of God and of his soul) which he cannot sacrifice to the will of any. But be so just as not to mistake and misreport me in all this, as if I pleaded for libertinism or disorder, or spoke against government, civil or ecclesiastical; when it is only private ambition, uncharitableness, and cruelty, and Papal usurpations over the church and consciences of men, that I am speaking of; which men, I am sure, will have other thoughts of, when God hath made them know themselves, than they have while passion hindereth them from knowing what spirit they are of: they will then see, that the weak in faith should have been received, and that catholic unity is only to be founded in the universal Head, and End, and Rule.

6. The dreadful change that is made upon men's minds, when misery or approaching death awakes them, doth shew how little they knew themselves before. If they have taken the true estimate of themselves in their prosperity, how come they to be so much changed in adversity? Why do they begin then to cry out of their sins, and of the folly of their worldliness and sensuality, and of the vanity of the honours and pleasures of this life? Why do they then begin to wish, with gripes of conscience, that they had better spent their precious time, and minded more the matters of eternity, and taken the course as those did whom they once derided, as making more ado than needs? Why do they then tremble under the apprehensions of their unreadiness to die, and to appear before the dreadful God, when formerly such thoughts did little trouble them? Now there is no such

sense of their sin or danger upon their hearts. Who is it now that ever hears such lamentations and self-accusations from them, as then it is likely will be heard? The same man that then will wish with Balaam, that he might "die the death of the righteous, and that his latter end might be as his," will now despise and grieve the righteous. The same man that then will passionately wish that he had spent his days in holy preparations for his change, and lived as strictly as the best about him, is now so much of another mind, that he perceives no need of all this diligence; but thinks it is humourous or timorous superstition, or at least that he may do well enough without it. The same man that will then cry, Mercy, mercy-O mercy, Lord, to a departing soul, that is laden with sin, and trembleth under the fear of thy judgment,' is now perhaps an enemy to serious, earnest prayer, and hates the families and persons that most use it; or at least is prayerless, or cold and dull himself in his desires, and can shut up all with a few careless, customary words, and feel no pinching necessity to awaken him, importunately to cry and strive with God. Doth not all this show, that men are befooled by prosperity, and unacquainted with themselves, till danger or calamity call them to the bar, and force them better to know themselves.

Your mutability proveth your ignorance and mistakes. If indeed your case be now as good as present confidence or security do import, lament it not in your adversity; fear it not when death is calling you to the bar of the impartial Judge! Cry not out then of your ungodliness and sensuality; of your trifling hypocrisy, your slight contemptuous thoughts of God, and of your casting away your hopes of heaven, by wilful negligence and delays! If you are sure that you are now in the right, and diligent, serious believers in the wrong, then stand to it before the Lord: Set a good face on your cause if it be good; be not down in the mouth when it is tried; God will do you no wrong: If your cause be good, he will surely justify you, and will not mar it: Wish not to die the death of the righteous: say not to them, "Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out." (Matt. xxv. 8.) If all their care, and love, and labour, in

seeking first the kingdom of God and its righteousness," be a needless thing, wish not for it in your extremity, but call it needless then. If fervent prayer may be spared now

while prayer may be heard, and a few lifeless words that you have learned by rote may serve the turn, then call not on God when answering is past, seek him not when he will not be found. "When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you," (Prov. i. 27, 28,) cry not "Lord, Lord, open unto us, when the door is shut." (Matt. xxv. 10, 11.) Call them not foolish then that slept, but them that watched, if Christ was mistaken, and you are in the right. (Matt. xxv. 2. 8; Prov. i. 22.)

O sirs, stand but at the bedside of one of these ungodly, careless men, and hear what he saith of his former life, of his approaching change, of a holy or carnal course, whether a heavenly or worldly life is better, (unless God have left him to that deplorable stupidity which an hour's time will put an end to); hearken then whether he think that God or the world, heaven or earth, soul or body, be more worthy of man's chief care and diligence; and then judge whether such men did know themselves in their health and pride, when all this talk would have been derided by them as too precise, and such a life accounted over-strict and needless, as then they are approving and wishing they had lived. When that minister or friend should have once been taken for censorious, abusive, self-conceited, and unsufferable, that would have talked of them in that language as when death approacheth, they talk of themselves; or would have spoke as plainly, and hardly of them, as they will then do of themselves. Doth not this mutability show, how few men now have a true knowledge of themselves?

What is the repentance of the living, and the desperation of the damned, but a declaration that the persons repenting and despairing, were unacquainted with themselves before? Indeed the erroneous despair of men, while grace is offered them, comes from ignorance of the mercy of God, and willingness of Christ to receive all that are willing to return. But yet the sense of sin and misery, that occasioneth this erroneous despair, doth show that men were before erroneous in their presumption and self-esteem. Saith Bernard in Cant. Utraque Cognitio, Dei scilicet et tui, tibi necessaria est ad salutem, quia sicut ex notitia tui venit in te timor Dei, atque ex Dei notitia itidem amor; sic è contra, de ignorantia tui superbia, ac de Dei ignorantia venit de

sparatio;' that is, Both the knowledge of God and of thyself is necessary to salvation; because as from the knowledge of thyself, the fear of God cometh into thee, and love from the knowledge of God: so on the contrary, from the ignorance of thyself cometh pride; and from the ignorance of God comes desperation. Quid est sapientia (inquit Seneca ?) Semper idem velle, et idem nolle : At non potest idem semper placere nisi rectum:' Wisdom appeareth in always willing, and always nilling the same thing: but it is only right and good that can always please.

Poor men that must confess their sin and misery at last, ·would show a more seasonable acquaintance with themselves, if they would do it now, and say with the prodigal, "I will go to my father, and say to him, Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." In time this knowledge and confession may be saving. Even a Seneca could say, without the Scripture, 'Initium est salutis, notitia peccati; nam qui peccare se nescit, corrigi non vult. Ideo quantum potes, teipsum argue. Inquire in te; accusatoris primum partibus fungere; deinde judicis, novissime deprecatoris.' i. e. The knowledge of sin is the beginning of recovery (or health): for he that knows not that he sinneth, will not be corrected. Reprehend thyself therefore as much as thou canst. Inquire into thyself: first play the part of an accuser, then of a judge; and lastly, of one that asketh pardon.

It is not because men are innocent or safe, that we now hear so little confession or complaint; but because they are sinful and miserable in so great a measure, as not to know or feel it. Quare vitia sua nemo confitetur (inquit Seneca?) Quia etiam nunc in illis est. Somnium narrare, vigilantis est; et vitia sua confiteri, sanitatis judicium est:' i. e. Why doth no man confess his vices? Because he is yet in them. To tell his dreams is the part of a man that is awake and to confess his faults, is a sign of health. If you call a poor man rich, or a deformed person beautiful, or a vile, ungodly person virtuous, or an ignorant barbarian learned, will not the hearers think you do not know them? And how should they think better of your knowledge of yourselves, if any of you that are yet in the flesh, will say you are spiritual? And those that hate the holiness, and justice, and government of God, will say they love him? Or those that are in a state of enmity to God, are as near