a man to know himself is the hardest thing in the world (b). It was afterwards adopted by Chylon the Lacedæmonian; and it is one of those three precepts which Pliny affirms to have been confecrated at Delphos in golden letters. It was afterwards greatly admired, and frequently ufed by others (c). At length, it acquired the authority of a divine oracle; and was fuppofed to have been given originally by Apollo himself. Of which general opinion Cicero gives us this reason; because it hath fuch a weight of fenfe and wisdom in it as appears too great 'to (b) See Stanley's life of Thales. (c) Refque quod non es: tollat fua munera cerdo. Tecum habita: et noris quam fit tibi curta fupellex. nec te quæfiveris extra. te confule, dic tibi quis fis. Teipfum concute. Bellum eft enim fua vitia noffe. Hor. Perf. Sat. 4. Sat. 3. lib. 1. Cic. Epift. ad Atticum, lib. 2. Illud (20 σεavlov) noli putare ad arrogantiam (201σavlov) minuendam folùm effe dictum, verùm etiam ut bona noftra norimus. Id. Epift. ad Mar. Q. Fratrem, Lib. 3. Epift. 6. Id enim maximè quemque decet quod eft cujufque fuum maximè. Quifque igitur nofcat ingenium acremque fe et bonorum et vitiorum fuorum judicem præbeat. Id. De Offic. lib. 1. Intrandum eft igitur in rerum naturam, et penitus; quid ea poftulat pervidendum; aliter enim nofmet ipfos noffe non poffumus, Id. De Finibus. lib. 5. to be attributed to any man (d). And this opinion, of its coming originally from Apollo himself, perhaps was the reason that it was written in golden capitals over the door of his temple at Delphos. Why this excellent precept should not be held in as high esteem in the chriftian world as it was in the heathen, is hard to conceive. Human nature is the fame now as it was then. The heart as deceitful; and the neceffity of watching, knowing and keeping it the fame. Nor are we lefs affured that this precept is divine: nay we have a much greater affurance of this than the Heathens had; they fuppofed it came down from heaven, we know it did; what they conjectured we are fure of. For this fa B 3 cred (d) Hæc enim (i. e. philofophia) nos cùm cæte ras res omnes, tum quod eft difficillimum, docuit; ut [NOSMET IPSOS] nofceremus. Cujus præcepti tanta vita, tanta fententia eft, ut ea non homini cuipiam, fed Delphico Deo tribueretur. Cicero De Legib. lib. 1. Quod Præceptum quia majus erat quam ut ab homine videretur, idcirco affignatum eft Deo: Jubet igitur nos Pythius Apollo, nofcere [NOSMET IPSOS.] Idem De Finibus, lib. 5. cap. 16. Et nimirum hanc habet vim præceptum Apollinis, quo monet ut fe quifque nofcat Hunc igitur noffe, (i. e. animum) nifi divinum effet, non effet hoc acrioris cujufdam animi præceptum, fic, ut tributum DEO fit: hoc eft feipfum poffe cognofIdem Tufcul. Quæft. lib. 5. sere. cred oracle is dictated to us in a manifold light and explained to us in various views by the Holy Spirit, in that revelation which God hath been pleafed to give us as our guide to duty and happiness; by which, as in a glafs, we may furvey ourselves, and know what manner of perfons we are *. This discovers ourselves to us; pierces into the inmoft receffes of the mind: ftrips off every difguife; lays open the inward parts; makes makes a strict fcrutiny into the very foul and fpirit; and critically judges of the thoughts and intents of the heart (e). It fhows us with what exactnefs and care we are to search and try our fpirits, to examine ourselves and watch our ways, and keep our hearts in order to acquire this important felf-fcience; which it often calls us to do. Examine yourfelves,--Prove your ownfelves; Know you not yourselves (f)? * James i. 23. Let (e) Και κριλικος ενθυμήσεων και εγνοιων καρδιας. Heb, iv. 12. (f) Eavlos Soniμalele. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. - Tho' Sontuae fignifies to approve as well as to prove, yet that our tranflators have hit upon the true fense of the word here, in rendering it prove yourfelves, is apparent, not only from the word immediately preceding (saules meipa(7) which is of the fame import, but because felf-probation is always neceflary to a right felf-approbation. Let a man examine himself *. Our Saviour upbraids his disciples with their felf-ignorance, in not knowing what manner of fpirits they were oft. And, faith the Apoftle, If a man (through felf-ignorance) thinketh himfelf to be fomething, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himfelf. But let every man prove his work, and then fhall he have rejoicing in himself, and not in another ‡. Here we are commanded, instead of judging others, to judge ourselves; and to avoid the inexcufable rafhness of condemning others for the very crimes we ourselves are guilty of, Rom. ii. 1, 21, 22. which a felf-ignorant man is very apt to do; nay, to be more offended at a small blemish in another's character, than at a greater in his own; which folly, felf-ignorance, and hypocrify, our Saviour animadverts upon with just severity, Mat. vii. 3-5. B 4 And Every christian ought to try himself, and may know himself if he be faithful in examining. The frequent exhortations of Scripture hereunto imply both thefe, viz. that the knowledge of ourfelves is attainable, and that we should endeavour after it. Why fhould the apostle put them upon examining and proving themselves, unless it were poffible to know themselves upon ⚫ fuch trying and proving?' Bennet's Chrift. Oratory, p. 568. * 1 Cor. xi. 28. Luke ix. 55. Gal. vi. 3.4. And what ftrefs was laid upon this under the Old Teftament difpenfation appears fufficiently from thofe expreffions. Keep thy heart with all diligence*. Commune with your own heartt. Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. heart. Let us fearch and try our ways §. Recollect, recollect yourselves, O nation not defired ¶ (g).—And all this as necessary to that felf-acquaintance which is the only proper bafis of folid peace (h). Were mankind but more generally convinced of the importance and neceffity of this Prov. iv. 23. + Pfal. iv. 4. ‡ Pfal. cxxxix.23. || Pfil. xxvi. 2. § Lam. iii. 4. ¶ Žeph. ii. 1. -pro (קשש) the verb - התקוששו וקושר (8) perly fignifies to glean, or gather together fcattered fticks or ftraws; as appears from all the places where the word is used in the old teftament (Exod. V. 7, 12. Numb. xv. 32. 1 Kings xvii. 10.) Hence by an eafy metaphor it fignifies to recollect, or gather the scattered thoughts together; and ought to be fo rendered, when used in the reflective form, as here it is. So faith R. Kimchi, (p) eft propriè ftipulas colligere. Id fit accuratâ fcrutatione hinc dicitur de qualibet inquifitione. Whence 1 think it is evident that the word fhould be rendered as above, (h) Clement Alexandrinus faith, that Mofes by that phr fe, fo common in his writings, Take heed to thyfelf (Exod. x. 28. xxxiv. 12. Deut. iv. 9.) means the fame thing as the antients did by their vas reavor. Strom. lib. 2. cap. 5. |