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199 be fure is no part of Revelation; because, then, one part of our rule would clash with the other. And thus reafon was designed to be our guard against a wild and extravagant conftruction of Scripture.

(2.) The other part of our rule is the facred Scriptures, which we are to use as our guard against the licentious excurfions of fancy, which often impofeth itself upon us for right reafon. Let any religious scheme or notion, then appear even fo plausible, if it be not founded on the evident principle of Scripture, it is forthwith to be discarded, and that fenfe of Scripture which is violently forced to bend towards it, is very much to be fufpected.

It must appear very furprizing to those who read and ftudy the facred Scriptures with unbiaffed minds, to fee what elaborate, fine-fpun, flimfy gloffes men will invent and put upon fome texts, as the true and genuine sense of them; merely because it is most agreeable to the opinion of their party, from which, as the standard of their orthodoxy, they durft never depart; who, if they were to write a critique in the fame manner on any Greek or Latin author, would render themselves extremely ridicu

lous

lous in the eyes of the learned world. But, if we would not pervert our rule, we must learn to think as Scripture fpeaks, and not compel that to fpeak as we think.

Would we know ourselves, then, we must often view ourselves in the mirrour of God's word. And when we have taken a full furvey of ourselves from thence, let us not foon forget what manner of perfons we are *. If our own image do not please us, let us not quarrel with the glafs, but fet about mending ourselves.

The eye of the mind is not like that of the body, which can fee every thing else but itself; for the eye of the mind can turn itself inward and survey itself. However it must be owned, it can fee itself much better when its own image is reflected upon it from this mirrour and it is by this only that we can come at the bottom of our hearts, and difcover thofe fecret prejudices and carnal prepoffeffions, which felf-love would conceal.

This is, therefore, the first thing we must do in order to Self-Knowledge. We must examine, fcrutinize and judge ourselves, diligently, leifurely, frequently and impartially; and that not by the falfe maxims of the world,

* James i. 23, 24.

world, but by the rules which God hath given us, reafon and Scripture; and take care to understand thofe rules, and not fet them at variance.

CHA P. II.

Conftant Watchfulness neceffary to Self-Know

II.

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ledge.

OULD we know ourselves, we must be very watchful over our

hearts and lives.

*

(1) We must keep a vigilant eye upon our hearts, i. e. our tempers, inclinations and paffions. A more neceffary piece of advice, in order to felf-acquaintance, there cannot be, than that which Solomon gives us keep your heart with all diligence, or as it is in the original, above all keeping (0). 9. d. Whatever you neglect or overlook, be fure you mind your heart (p): narrowly obferve all its inclinations and aversions, all its motions and affections, together with

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*Prov. iv. 23.

מבל משמר (0)

the

() Parallel to this advice of the Royal Preacher, is that of the Imperial Philofopher Evdov BAETS evdor γαρ η πεγητό αγαθό. Look within ; for within is the fountain of good. M. Aurel. lib. 7. § 59.

the several objects and occafions which excite them. This precept we find in Scripture inforced with two very urgent reafons; first, because out of it are the iffues of life, i. e. As our heart is, fo will the tenor of our life and conduct be: as is the fountain, fo are the ftreams; as is the root, fo is the fruit*: and the other is, because it is deceitful above all things †. And therefore, without a conftant guard upon it, we shall infenfibly run into many hurtful felf-deceptions. To which I may add, that without this careful keeping of the heart, we fhall never be able to acquire any confiderable degree of felfacquaintance or felf-government.

(2.) To know our felves, we must watch our life and conduct, as well as our heart; and by this the heart will be discovered, as the root is best known by the fruit. We must attend to the nature and confequences of every action to which we are difpofed, before we comply; and we must confider how it will appear in a future, review. We are too much inclined to watch the conduct of others: a wife man will be as critical and as fevere upon his

own.

* Mat. vii. 18.

+ Jer. xvii. 9.

own. For truly our own behaviour is of more concernment to us than that of other men; as we are to answer for ourselves, and not for them. By obferving the conduct of other men, we know them; by carefully obferving our own, we must know ourfelves.

CHA P. III.

We should have fome Regard to the Opinions of others concerning us, particularly of our Enemies.

III.

W

OULD we we know ourselves, we should not altogether neglect the opinion which others may entertain concerning us.

Not that we need be very folicitous about the cenfure or applause of the world, which are generally erroneous, and proceed from the particular humours or prepoffeffions of men: and he that knows himself, will foon know how to despise them both. The judgment which the • world makes of us, is frequently of no

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ufe to us; it adds nothing to our fouls or bodies, nor doth it leffen any of our miferies. Let us conftantly follow rea'fon,

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