I could not away with them; being, as yet, but ignorant both of the corruptions of my nature and of the want and worth of Jesus Christ to save me.  The new birth did never enter my mind, neither knew I the deceitfulness and treachery of my own wicked heart.  And as for secret thoughts, I took no notice of them.”  My brethren, old and young, what do you think of all that?  What have you to say to all that?  Does all that not open a window and let a flood of daylight into your own breast?  I am sure it does.  That is the best portrait of you that ever was painted.  Do you not see yourself there as in a glass?  And do you not turn with disgust and loathing from the stupid and foolish face?  You complain and tell stories about how impostors and cheats and liars have come to your door and have impudently thrust themselves into your innermost rooms; but your own heart, if you only knew it, is deceitful far above them all.  Not the human heart as it stands in confessions, and in catechisms, and in deep religious books, but your own heart that beats out its blood-poison of self-deceit, and darkness, and death day and night continually.  “My heart is a good heart,” said that poor ill-brought-up boy, who was already destroyed by his father and his mother for lack of self-knowledge.  I entirely grant you that those two old sinners by this time were taking very pessimistic and very melancholy views of human nature, and, therefore, of every human being, young and old.  They knew that no language had ever been coined in any scripture, or creed, or catechism, or secret diary of the deepest penitent, that even half uttered their own evil hearts; and they had lived long enough to see that we are all cut out of one web, are all dyed in one vat, and are all corrupted beyond all accusation or confession in Adam’s corruption.  But how was that poor, mishandled lad to know or believe all that?  He could not.  It was impossible.  “You go so fast, gentlemen, that I cannot keep pace with you.  Go you on before and I will stay a while behind.”  Then said Christian to his companion:  “It pities me much for this poor lad, for it will certainly go ill with him at last.”  “Alas!” said Hopeful, “there are abundance in our town in his condition:  whole families, yea, whole streets, and that of pilgrims too.”  Is your family such a family as this?  And are you yourself just such a pilgrim as Ignorance was, and are you hastening on to just such an end?

And then, as a consequence, being wholly ignorant of his own corruption and condemnation in the sight of God, this miserable man must remain ignorant and outside of all that God has done in Christ for corrupt and condemned men.  “I believe that Christ died for sinners and that I shall be justified before God from the curse through His gracious acceptance of my obedience to His law.  Or, then, to take it this way, Christ makes my duties that are religious acceptable to His Father by virtue of His merits,