תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

This will keep him fteady in his purfuits; confiftent with himself, uniform in his conduct, and useful to mankind; and it will prevent his shooting at a wrong mark, or miffing the right one he aims at; as thoufands do, for want of this neceffary branch of Self-knowledge. [See Part I. Chap. V.] CHA P. IX.

Self-Knowledge leads to a Decorum and Confiftency of Character.

IX.

A

MAN that knows himself, knows

how to act with difcretion and dignity in every ftation and character.

Almoft all the ridicule we fee in the world takes its rife from felf-ignorance: and to this mankind, by common assent, ascribe it; when they fay of a perfon that acts out of character, he does not know himfelf. Affectation is the fpring of all ridicule, and felf-ignorance the true fource of affectation. A man that does not know his proper cha-` racter, nor what becomes it, cannot act suitably to it. He will often affect a character that does not belong to him; and will either act above or beneath himself, which

will

will make him equally contemptible in the eyes of these who know him (t.)

A man of fuperior rank and character, who knows himself, knows that he is but a man; fubject to the fame sicknesses, frailties, disappointments, pains, paffions and forrows, as other men; that true honour lies in those things, in which it is poffible for the meanest peasant to excel him; and therefore he will not be vainly arrogant. He knows they are only tranfitory and accidental things, which fet him above the rest of mankind; that he will foon be upon a level with them; therefore he learns to condefcend and there is a dignity in this condefcenfion; it does not fink, but exalt, his reputation and character.

A man of inferior rank, that knows himfelf, knows how to be contented and thankful, in his lower fphere: as he has not an extravagant esteem for thofe outward things which raise one man's circumstances so much above another's, fo he does not look upon. himself as the worse or lefs valuable man, because he has them not; much lefs does he envy those who have them he does not poffefs

(t) Omnique in re poffe quod deceat facere, artis et naturæ eft; fcire, quid, quandoqe decat, prudentix. Cic. de Orat. l. 3. § 55.

poffefs neither has he their temptations: he is in that ftate of life, in which the great Disposer of all things hath allotted him; and he is fatisfied. But, as a deference is owing to external fuperiority, he knows how to pay a proper refpect to thofe who are above him, without that abject and fervile cringing, which difcovers an inordinate esteem for their condition. As he does not over-esteem them for those little accidental advantages in which they excel him, fo neither does he over-value himself for those things in which he excels others.

Were hearers to know themselves, they would not presume to dictate to their preachers; or teach their minifters how to inftruct them; (which, as St. Austin obferves, (u) is the fame thing as if a patient, when he sends for a physician, fhould order what he would have him prefcribe ;) but, if they happen to hear fomething not quite agreeable to their former fentiments, would betake themselves more diligently to the ftudy of their Bibles, to know whether thofe things were fo*.

Were

(u) Norit medicus quid falutiferum, quidve contrarium petat ægrotos. Egroti eftis, nolite ergo dictare que vobis medicamenta velit opponere.

Acts xvii. 11.

Were Minifters to know themselves, they would understand the nature and duty of their office, and the wants and infirmities of their hearers better, than to domineer over their faith, or to fhoot over their heads, and feek their own popularity, rather than their benefit. They would be more folicitous to edify, than to obtain the applause of men ; (the most palatable food is not always the most wholesome ;) and, like faithful phyficians, they would earnestly endeavour to promote their good, altho' in a way they may not like; and rather rifk their own characters with weak and capricious men, than with hold any thing that is needful for them, or be unfaithful to GOD and their own confciences. Patients must not always expect to be pleafed, nor phyficians to be always applauded.

X.

CHA P. X.

Piety the Effect of Self-Knowledge.
ELF-KNOWLEDGE tends

greatly to cultivate a fpirit of true Piety. Ignorance is fo far from being the Mother of Devotion, that nothing is more destructive of it; and, of all ignorance, none is a greater bane to it than felf-ignorance. This,

indeed,

indeed, is very confiftent with superstition, bigotry and enthusiasm, those common counterfeits of piety, which, by weak and credulous minds, are frequently mistaken for it. But true piety and real devotion can only fpring from a juft knowledge of GoD and ourselves; the relation we ftand in to, and the dependence we have upon, Him. For when we confider ourselves as the creatures of God, whom he made for his honour, as creatures incapable of any happinefs, but what results from his favour; and as entirely and continually dependent upon him for every thing we have and hope for; and whilst we bear this thought in our minds, what can induce or prompt us more to love and fear and truft him, as our GOD, our Father, and all-fufficient Friend and Helper ?

CHA P. XI.

Self-Knowledge teaches us rightly to perform the Duties of Religion.

XI.

ELF-KNOWLEDGE wil

Sbe a good help and direction to us in

many of our Devout and Chriftian Exer

cifes. Particularly,

(1.) In

« הקודםהמשך »