rich, the murmuring of the poor, the hard usage by superiors, the disobedience of inferiors, the commotions of the state, the wars and rebellions that disquiet the world, the cruelty covered with pretences of religion, the unthankfulness for mercies, the murmuring under afflictions, too openly declare that most men have little knowledge of themselves; to conclude, that when we see that none are more self-accusing and complaining than the most sincere, and none more selfjustifying and confident than the ungodly, careless souls; that none walk more heavily than many of the heirs of life, and none are merrier than many that must lie in hell for ever: that all that a minister can say, will not convince many upright ones of their integrity, nor any skill or industry, or interest, suffice to convince most wicked men that they are wicked; nor if our lives lay on it, we cannot make them see the necessity of conversion, nor know their misery till feeling tell them it is now too late when so many walk sadly and lamentingly to heaven; and so many go fearlessly and presumptuously to hell, and will not believe it till they are there; by all this judge, what work self-ignorance maketh in the world.

A man may It is easy to

Tvolt σɛavrov is many a man's motto, that is a stranger to himself. As the house may be dark within that hath the sign of the sun hanging at the door. 'Multi humilitatis umbram, pauci veritatem sectantur,' saith Hieron. A blind man may commend the sun, and dispute of light. discourse of a country that he knoweth not. say, men should know themselves, and out of the book or brain to speak of the matters of the heart: But indeed to know ourselves as men, as sinners, as Christians, is a work of greater difficulty, and such as few are well acquainted with: Shall I go a little further in the discovery of it?

1. Whence is it that most are so unhumbled; so great and good in their own esteem; so strange to true contrition and self-abhorrence, but that they are voluntary strangers to themselves? To loathe themselves for sin, to be little in their own eyes, to come to Christ as little children, is the case of all that know themselves aright. (Ezek. xx. 43; vi. 9; Matt. xviii. 3, 4; 1 Sam. xv. 17.) And Christ made himself of no reputation, but took upon him the form of a servant, and set us a pattern of the most wonderful humiliation that ever was performed, to convince us of the necessity of it, that

sin to humble us, when he had none. (Phil. ii. 6—9.) "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly." (Matt. xi. 28.) And one would think it were a lesson easily learned by such as we that carry about us within and without so much sensible matter of humiliation. Saith Augustin de Verb. Dei. 'Discite a me, non mundum fabricare, non cuncta visibilia et invisibilia, creare, non miracula facere, et mortuos suscitare, sed quoniam mitis sum, et humilis corde.' Had Christ bid us learn of him to make a world, to raise the dead, and work miracles, the lesson had been strange: but to be meek and lowly is so suitable to our low condition, that if we knew ourselves we could not be otherwise.

To be holy without humility, is to be a man without the essentials of nature, or to build without a foundation, 'Quisine humilitate virtutes congregat, quasi in ventum pulverem portat,' saith Greg. in Psal. 3. Poenit. It is but carrying dust into the wind, to think to gather commendable qualities without humility. It is the contrite heart that is the habitation and delight of God on earth; the acceptable sacrifice; (Isa. Ivii. 15; lxvi. 2; Psal. li. 17.) Tanto quis vilior Deo, quanto preciosior sibi : tanto preciosior Deo, quanto propter eum vilior est sibi,' saith Greg. Mor. "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, and he that exalteth himself shall be brought low." We must not overvalue ourselves, if we would have God esteem us; we must be vile and loathed either in his eyes or our own. Solet esse specificum electorum, saith Greg. Mor. quod de se semper, sentiunt infra quam sunt.' It is specifical to the elect to think more meanly of themselves than they are. 'Recta sacere et inutiles se But I urge you not to err in

reputare,' as Bernard speaks. your humility, nor humilitatis causâ mentiri,' as August. It were low enough, if we were as low, in our own esteem, as we are indeed: which self-acquaintance must procure. Quanto quis minus se videt, tanto minus sibi displicet;' saith Greg. Et quanto majoris gratiæ lumen percipit, tanto magis reprehensibilem se esse cognoscit.' He is least displeased with himself, that least knoweth himself; and he that hath the greatest light of grace, perceiveth most in himself to be reprehended. Illumination is the first part of conversion, and of the new creature: and self-discovery is not the least part of illumination. There can be no salvation without it, because no humiliation. Saith Bernard in

Cantic. Scio neminem absque sui cognitione salvari, de qua nimirum mater salutis humilitas oritur, et timor Domini.'

But how rare this is, let experience determiné: to have a poor habitation, a poor attire, and perhaps of choice (though that is not usual), is much more common than a humble soul, 'sed tumet animus, sub squallore habitus, ut Hier. et multo illa deformior est superbia, quæ latet sub quibusdam signis humilitatis, inquit idem.' It is the most ill-favoured pride that stealeth some rags of humility to hide its shame. And saith Jerom truly Plus est animum deposuisse quam cultum: difficilius arrogantia quam auro caremus, aut gemmis.' It is easier to change our clothing than our mind, and to put off a gaudy habit than our self-flattering tumified hearts. Many a one can live quietly without gold rings and jewels, or sumptuous houses and attendance, that cannot live quietly without the esteem and applause of men, nor endure to be accounted as indeed he is. Saith Ambrose, 'Qui paupertate contentus est, non est contentus injuria.

Et qui potest administrationes contemnere, dolet sibi aliquem honorificentia esse prælatum.'

O therefore as you would escape Divine contempt, and the most desperate precipitation, know yourselves. For that which cast angels out of heaven, will keep you out, if it prevail. As Hugo acutely saith, Superbia in cœlo, nata est, sed immemor qua via inde cecidit, illuc postea redire non potuit.' Pride was bred in heaven, (no otherwise than as death in life) but can never hit the way thither again, from whence it fell. Open the windows of our breast to the Gospel light, to the laws of conviction, to the light of reason, and then be unhumbled if you can. Quare enim superbit cinis et terra?' saith Origen: oblitus quid erit, et quam fragili vasculo contineatur, et quibus stercoribus immersus sit, et qualia semper purgamenta de sua carne projiciat.' Nature is low, but sin and wrath are the matter of our great humiliation, that have made us miserably lower.

2. The abounding of hypocrisy showeth how little men are acquainted with themselves. I speak not here of that gross hypocrisy which is always known to him that hath it, but of that close hypocrisy, which is a professing to be what we are not, or to believe what we believe not, or to have what we have not, or to do what we do not. What article of the faith do not most among us confidently profess?

What petition of the Lord's Prayer will they not put up? Which of the Commandments will they not profess their obedience to? While the stream of their conversation testifieth, that in their hearts there is none of the belief, the desire, or the obedience in sincerity which they profess. Did they know themselves, they would be ashamed of the vanity of their profession, and of the miserable want of the things professed; and that God who is so nigh their mouths is so far from their hearts. If you heard an illiterate man profess, that he understandeth all the languages and sciences, or a beggar boasting of his wealth, or a parrot taught to say that he is a man, would you take any of these to be the words of one that knows himself? Quid est vita hypocritæ (inquit Gregor.) nisi quadam visio phantasmatis, quæ hic ostenhit in imagine, quod non habet in veritate?' Surely they are in the dark that spend their days in dreaming visions but they have their eyes so much on the beholders, that they have no leisure to peruse themselves: they are so careful to be esteemed good, that they are careless of being what they seem. Quo magis exterius hominibus placeant, eo se interius aspicere negligunt, totosque se in verbis proximorum fundunt, et sanctos se esse æstimant, quia sic se haberi ab hominibus pensant, ut Gregor. Mor.'

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Especially if they practise not the vicious inclinations of their hearts, they think they have not the vice they practise not, and that the root is dead because it is winter: when it is the absence of temptations and occasions, and not of vicious habits, or inclinations, that smooths their lives with seeming innocency, and keeps their sins from breaking forth to their own or others' observation. Multorum, quæ imbecillia sunt, latent vitia, saith Seneca; instrumenta illis explicandæ nequitiæ desunt. Sic tuto serpens pestifer tractatur, dum riget frigore; non desunt tamen illi venena, sed torpent: ita multorum crudelitas, luxuria et ambitio.' The feeble vices of many lie hid: there are wanting instruments of drawing forth their wickedness. So a poisonous serpent may be safely handled, while he is stiff with cold, and yet it is not because he hath no venom, but because it is stupified: so it is with the cruelty, luxury and ambition of many. The knowledge of yourselves is the bringing in of light into your souls, which will awaken you from the hypocrite's dream, and make such apparitions

vanish. Come near this fire, and the paint of hypocrisy will melt away.

3. The common impatience of plain reproof, and the love of flattery, shew us how much self-ignorance doth abound. Most men love those that have the highest estimation of them, be it true or false. They are seldom offended with any for overvaluing them. They desire not much to be accounted well when they are sick, nor rich when they are poor, but to be accounted wise though they are foolish, and godly when they are ungodly, and honest and faithful when they are deceitful and corrupt, this is a courtesy that you must not deny them; they take it for their due: They will never call you heretics for such errors as these: and why is it, but because they err themselves, about themselves, and therefore would have others do so too. Nimis perverse seipsum amat, qui et alios vult errare, ut error suus lateat:' saith August. He too perversely loveth himself, that would have others err to hide his error. A wise man loveth himself so well, that he would not be flattered into hell, nor die as Sisera or Samson, by good words, as the harbingers of his woe. He loveth his health so well, that he thinks not the sweetness or colour of the fruit a motive sufficient to encourage him to a surfeit. He loveth ingenuous penitence so well, that he cannot love the flatterer's voice, that contradicteth it. Faithful reprovers are the messengers of Christ, that calls us to repentance, that is, to life: unfaithful flatterers are the messengers of the devil, to keep us from repentance, and harden us in impenitency unto death: If we know ourselves, we shall know that when we are overvalued and overpraised as being more learned, wise, or holy than we are, it is not we that are loved and praised; for we are not such as that love or praise supposeth us to be; saith August. Vos qui me multum diligitis, si talem me asseritis, ut numquam me in scriptis meis errasse dicatis, frustra laboratis; non bonam causam suscepistis: facile in eo, me ipso judice, superamini. Quoniam non mihi placet, cum à charissimis talis esse existimor, qualis non sum, Profectò non me, sed pro me alium sub meo nomine diligunt; si non quod sum, sed quod non sum diligunt.' It pleased him not to be accounted unerring in his writings, and to be taken by his friends to be what he was not; which is not to love him, but another under his name.