But as to worldly cares, which my friends thought so heavy upon me, they are most of them of our own making, and fall away as soon as we _know ourselves_. If a person in a _dream_ is disturbed with strange appearances, his trouble is over as soon as he is _awake_, and sees that it was a dream. Now, when a right knowledge of ourselves enters into our minds, it makes as great a change in all our thoughts and apprehensions, as when we _awake_ from the _wandrings_ of a dream. We acknowledge a man to be _mad_ or _melancholy_, who fancies himself to be _glass_, and so is afraid of stirring; or taking himself to be _wax_, dares not let the _sun_ shine upon him. But, my children, there are things in the world which pass for _wisdom_, _politeness_, _grandeur_, _happiness_, and _fine breeding_, which shew as great _ignorance_ of ourselves, and might as justly pass for _thorough madness_, as when a man fancies himself to be _glass_ or _ice_. A woman that dares not appear in the world without _fine cloaths_, that thinks it is a happiness to have a face _finely coloured_, to have a skin _delicately fair_, that had rather die than be reduced to poverty, and be forced to work for a maintenance, is as ignorant of herself to the full, as he that fancies himself to be _glass_. 11. For this reason, all my discourse with you, has been to acquaint you with yourselves, and to accustom you to such books, as might best instruct you in this greatest of all knowledge. You would think it hard, not to know the family into which you was born, what ancestors you were descended from, and what estate was to come to you; but, my children, you may know all this with exactness, and yet be as ignorant of yourselves, as he that takes himself to be _wax_. For tho’ you were all of you born of my body, and bear your father’s name, yet you are all of you _pure spirits_. I don’t mean that you have not bodies; ♦but that _all_ which deserves to be called _you_, is nothing else but _spirit_. A being spiritual and rational in its nature; that is as contrary to all corporeal beings, as _life_ is contrary to _death_; that is made in the image of God, to live for ever, never to cease any more, but to enjoy _life_, and _reason_, and _knowledge_, and _happiness_ in the presence of God, and the society of angels, and glorious spirits, to all eternity. ♦ ‘hut’ replaced with ‘but’ Every thing that you call yours, besides this spirit, is but like your _cloathing_; something that is only to be used for awhile, and then to end, and die, and wear away, and to signify no more to you than the _cloathing_ and _bodies_ of other people. 12. But, my children, you are not only in this manner _spirits_, but you are _fallen_ spirits, that began your life in a state of corruption and disorder, full of tempers and passions, that blind and darken your reason, and incline you to that which is hurtful.