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an affurance that the perfon to whom it is made, fo thoroughly understandeth the practical part of this fubject, that he will be inclined to excufe whatever defects may occur in the management of it.

In this science my own preficiency is fo poor, that I dare not be confident I am not wrong in the views, with which I defire this fmall tract may appear under your patronage. That it may have a refuge from the petulance of cenfure, an encouragement in the publication, and, at the fame time, that I may have an opportunity of teftifying my grateful fenfe of many paft favours, are my open and avowed ends herein. But ftill, whether an ambition to be known to the world under the advantage of your friendship be not the fecret and true motive, I cannot be cer

tain,

However, if in this point I may be mistaken, there is another in which I think I cannot; namely, that it is a pardonable ambition; in which I fhall cer

tainly

tainly ftand acquitted by every one who knows your character, the delicacy of your taste in the choice of friends, and the real honour it does to those you are pleased to admit into that number.

it

But even this, SIR, your penetration will foon discover to proceed from the fame vanity whereof I before fufpected myself to be guilty. And the world will judge, that I speak rather to do myfelf honour than you. However I am beforehand with them in the obfervation. And that I may not be tempted, in this addrefs, to enhance your character (according to the usual ftile of dedications) in order to do honour to my own, and at once oppress your modesty and expofe my vanity, I fhall conclude without so much as attempting to describe a Character, which I fhall always endeavour to imitate.

But that you may continue to adorn that public and useful ftation you are in, and long live a patron and example of real and difinterested virtue; and that your

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many charitable offices and good works. on earth, may meet with a large, tho' late, reward in heaven, is the zealous Prayer of,

SIR,

Your much obliged, and

very humble Servant,

J. MASON.

Dorking, Jan. 31, 1744-5.

THE

PREFACE,

yet

HE fubject of the enfuing treatife is of great importance; and I do not remember to have feen it cultivated with that precifion, perfpicuity and force, with which many other moral and theological themes have been executed. It is but rarely we find it professedly and fully recommended to us, in any regular discourse, either from the pulpit or the prefs. This confideration, together with a full perfuafion of its great and extensive usefulness, hath excited the present attempt, to render it more familiar to the minds of Chriftians.

Mr. Baxter indeed has a treatise upon this fubject, intitled, The Mifchief of Selfignorance, and the Benefit of Self-acquaintance, from which I candidly acknowledge to have received fome affiftance. But he hath treated it in fuch a vague method by introducing many foreign things into it, omitting others that properly belong to it, and skimming over fome with too fuperficial a notice, that I was greatly disappointed in the per

formance;

formance; and was convinced that fomething more correct, nervous and methodical was wanting on this fubject.

I am far from having the vanity to conclude that what I now offer to the public, is entirely free from those faults, which I have remarked in that pious and excellent author; and am sensible, that if I do not fall under a much heavier cenfure myself, it must be owing to the great candour of my reader; which he will be convinced I have fome title to, if he but duly confider the nature and extent of the fubject. For it is almost impoffible to let the thoughts run freely upon fo copious and comprehensive a theme, in order to do juftice to it, without taking too large a fcope in some particulars that have a clofe connection with it; as I fear I have done (Part I. Chap. XIV.) concerning the knowledge, guard and government of the thoughts.

But there is a great difference between a fhort, occafional and useful digreffion, and a wide rambling from the fubject, by following the impulse of a luxuriant fancy. A judicious taste can hardly excufe the latter; tho' it may allow an author to gather a few flowers out of the common road, provided he foon returns into it again.

This brings to my mind another thing, for which I muft crave the reader's indulence, viz. the free ufe I have made of

fome

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