The Mischiefs of Self-Ignorance, Part 5
BY this time, if you are willing, you may ſee, where lyeth the diſeaſe and miſery of the world and alſo what muſt be the cure. Man hath loſt himſelf, by ſeeking himſelf: He hath loſt himſelf in the loſſe of God. He departed from God, that he might enjoy himſelf: and ſo is eſtranged from God and himſelf. He left the Sun, and retired into darkneſs, that he might behold himſelf, and not the Light; and now beholdeth neither himſelf nor the light: For he can not behold himſelf but by the Light. As if the Body ſhould forſake the Soul and ſay, I will no longer ſerve another, but will be my own: what would ſuch a ſelfiſh ſeparation procure but the converting of a Body into a loathſome Carkaſs, and a ſenſeleſs clod? Thus hath the Soul dejected it ſelfe, by turning to it ſelf, and ſeperating from God: without whom it hath neither Life, nor Light nor Joy. By deſiring a ſelfiſh kind of Knowledge of Good and evill, withdrawing from its juſt dependance upon God, it hath involved it ſelf in Care and miſery, and loſt the quieting delighting Knowledge which it had in God. And now poor man is loſt in error: He is ſtragled ſo farre from home, that he knoweth not where he is, nor which way to returne, till Chriſt in mercy ſeeke and ſave him, Math. 18.11. Luk. 19.10.
Yet could we but get men to know that they do not know themſelves, there were the greater hope of their recovery. But this is contrary to the nature of their diſtemper. An eye that is blinded by a ſuffuſion or Cataract, ſeeth not the thing that blindeth it: It is the ſame Light that muſt ſhew them themſelves, and their ignorance of themſelves: Their ſelf-ignorance is part of the ſelf-evill which they have to know. Thoſe troubled ſouls that complain that they know not themſelves, doe ſhew that they begin at leaſt to know themſelves. But a Phariſee will ſay [Are we blind alſo?] Joh. 9.40. They are too blind to know that they are blind. The Goſpell ſhall be rejected, the Apoſtles perſecuted, Chriſt himſelf abuſed and put to death, the Nation ruined, themſelves and their poſterity undone by the Blindneſs of theſe Hypocrites, before they will perceive that they are Blind, and that they know not God or themſelves. Alas the long calamityes of the Church, the diſtempers and confuſions in the ſtate, the lamentable diviſions and diſſenſions among believers, have told the world, how little moſt men know themſelves; and yet they themſelves will not perceive it. They tell it aloud to all about them, by their ſelf-conceitedneſs and cruelty, uncharitable cenſures, reproaches and impoſitions, that they know not themſelves, and yet you cannot make them know it. Their afflicted brethren feel it to their ſmart; the ſuffering grieved Churches feel it; thouſands groan under it, that never wronged them: and yet you cannot make them feel it.
Did they well know themſelves to be Men, ſo many would not uſe themſelves like beaſts; and care ſo little for their moſt noble part. Did they know themſelves aright to be but Men, ſo many would not ſet up themſelves as Gods: They would not arrogate a Divine authority in the matters of God, and the Conſciences of others, as the Roman Prelats do: Nor would they deſire ſo much that the obſervation, reverence, admiration, love and applauſe of all ſhould be turned upon them; nor be ſo impatient when they ſeem to be neglected; nor make ſo great a matter of their wrongs, as if it were ſome Deity that were injured.
O what a change it would make in the world, if men were brought to the knowledge of themſelves? How many would weep, that now laugh, and live in mirth and pleaſure? How many would lament their ſin and miſery, that now are Phariſaically confident of their integrity? How many would ſeek to faithfull Miniſters for advice, and enquire what they ſhould do to be ſaved, that now deride them, and ſcorn their counſell, and cannot bear their plain reproof or come not near them? How many would ask directions for the cure of their unbelief, and pride and ſenſuality, that now take little notice of any ſuch ſins within them? How many would cry day and night for mercy, and beg importunatly for the life of their immortall ſouls, that now take up with a few words of courſe inſtead of ſerious fervent prayer? Doe but once know your ſelves aright, know what you are, and what you have done, and what you want, and what's your danger; and then be prayerleſs and careleſs if you can: Then ſit ſtill and trifle out your time, and make a jeaſt of holy diligence, and put God off with lifeleſs words and complements if you can. Men could not thinke ſo lightly …nd contemptuouſly of Chriſt, ſo unwor…hily and falſly of a holy life, ſo delightfully of ſin, ſo careleſly of Duty, ſo fearleſly of Hell, ſo ſenſleſly and atheiſtically of God, and ſo diſregardfully of Heaven, …s now they do, if they did but throughly know themſelves.